Being prepared with hot weather travel tips for horses will make moving your horse much safer on a hot day.

Traveling at Night

If possible, try hauling or traveling with your horse when air temperature is cooler, such as early in the morning or late in the evening. Also make sure the horse is not exhausted before setting out.

Bear in mind: Travel at night can be tiring for the driver-  rest up before heading out on the road.

Pack plenty of  Fluids

Hydration is very important when traveling with your horse. Take a supply of water from home because some horses will refuse to drink water from unfamiliar places – to them it could taste strange and you my not be sure of the quality of water from different areas.

In addition, having a supply of water will be vital in case there is a breakdown and you cannot find a source of water nearby.

Adding electrolytes to the water can help when you are transporting your horse under the summer heat.

Bear in mind: Give the electrolytes a few days prior to the travel so your horse will be accustomed to the taste of electrolytes in water.

Ventilation

Keep your horse trailer clean and with proper ventilation. Make sure you keep the vents and windows open , but not allowing the horse neck/head to be exposed outside of the truck - float.

Pay Attention

A horse can wrinkle out its forehead as a sign of being worried or stressed. In worse cases, your horse could shake in agitation. To a more extreme level, your horse could kick and exhibit fidgety behavior to let you know that he is not feeling too comfortable about the situation.

To remedy this, try to give it a supply of hay – this would keep him occupied as remain settled in the trailer. There are different types of hay for different regions so make sure that the supply of hay comes from your barn or farm because horses tend to ignore a taste they are not familiar with.

Check for Dehydration

Check your horse for signs of dehydration by pinching its neck and pulling the skin away. If the skin takes time to return to its position, you might consider giving your horse water and electrolytes.

Travelling at night in the hot weather can reduce horse stress.
Travelling at night in the hot weather can reduce horse stress.

Other Tips for a Safe Summer Travel

  • Bring fly spray . Flies can be abundant during summer and you should  protect your horse from them. Traveling during hot weather can be hard enough, and flies and other buzzing insects are a pest to your horse?
  • Ensure your preparedness for the trip. Plan your routes and make sure you know when you are going to stop. Do not leave the trip to chance; if you want your horse to arrive safely at the target destination, you need to plan for the trip.
  • Check your trailer once in a while, more importantly, check it days before you leave and on the day you are leaving for any defects.
  • Lastly, it helps to practice driving while you have a load in the trailer. There is a huge difference when traveling with an empty trailer and one that contains a horse – or even two horses.

Make summertime a fun time to travel with your horse, whether you want to take him out to a show or simply want to enjoy a relaxing trip. Travel safely with these hot weather travel tips in mind and you and your horse will reach your destination successfully.