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Can a horse stay happy while traveling around a lot?

1K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  Tazzie 
#1 ·
I've been changing stables a lot since I bought my horse.. and was wondering how much it affects her health - and is it viewed as a bad thing, when I do so, by others? I know it must put lots of stress on her, new surroundings and the herd changing..

What do you think about the old gypsy horses and people who traveled a lot, did the horses just learn to cope with always-changing surroundings? I love the idea of traveling on horseback (maybe an idea for the future..).

My mare is a coldblood, very level headed. She hasn't acted differently in any stable I've taken her to. But I don't want her to feel unhappy - and horses are happy when they feel safe in a herd, right?

I've been to 4 stables since I bough her a year and a half ago. The first one I left because the BO neglected her horses and lied to me. The second raised its prices and I couldn't afford it anymore sadly. In the third I didn't have the option of getting regular training, I felt I was taking more steps backwards than forwards.. and right now I'm in a lovely stable that's just right, though it's an hour away from home. And not many trails around.

I feel like I'm searching for the perfect place, but there is no such thing, right? How much do you think this affects a horses health, the stress of moving? I've thought about getting a second horse in the future, so she can have one buddy that would travel with her anywhere, providing some stability, if indeed I want to 'travel' with her.
 
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#2 ·
The ones I know that travel seem to do fine. Rodeo competitors, horses shown professionally, polo horses.

I've hauled my favorite around the region when I traveled even more than I do now. And I still occasionally bring one or two with me from home to work with as I travel. We're changing places every four days at those times. And the horses do well.
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#3 ·
I'd say yes, most can. I know there are some that can't, but there are a lot that can stay happy.

My mare lives on 24/7 pasture, only being penned up to eat dinner. So shows are the only time she sees the inside of a real stall. She also lays down as soon as we're gone and takes long naps. We also did three shows in the span of 8 days (crazy) and she seemed happy as a clam loading up and hauling out.

I think it depends on the horse. And yours sounds like the cool as a cucumber type that traveling wouldn't phase him much. Good luck finding your perfect place, but I'm not sure there is a truly perfect place :lol:
 
#4 ·
*Most* horses are good travelers and do just fine.

I show and rodeo extensively and travel pretty much every single weekend for about 8 months out of the year. Sometimes spend the night away from home too. My horses don't have an issue with it.

As long as your horse isn't showing any outward signs of being stressed (losing weight, being spooky, irritable, cinchy, etc), I would not worry about her.
 
#5 ·
Most horses that travel a lot of the year do just fine. But in this case, I believe it's comparing apples and oranges.

When you're putting a horse in a new barn with new food, new routine, new herd mates, new handlers, new schedule - THAT can be stressful, but not all stress is bad stress. A horse that's done it several times over is probably used to it, and an older horse may have moved dozens of times in it's life.

Most of the horses that travel a lot are not having the same experience as a horse moving to a new barn to live, however. They are usually being kept on the same food, with the same horses, same handler, and more or less the same routine each day- it's basically like a traveling boarding barn.

Get up, get fed and watered, load in trailer, go a ways, unload, do a thing you already know how to do, get fed and watered and get back in the trailer. Lather, rinse, repeat. The only thing really changing is the scenery.
 
#9 ·
Most of the horses that travel a lot are not having the same experience as a horse moving to a new barn to live, however. They are usually being kept on the same food, with the same horses, same handler, and more or less the same routine each day- it's basically like a traveling boarding barn.
Not in every type of scenario.

Take a professional rodeo horse, for example. Most of those competitors are on the road for MONTHS at a time. You buy hay along the way during your travels, although you may be able to keep grain the same. Definatley using different water as you travel. And you've always stopping at different barns and different rodeos grounds for your horses to rest at night.

And that type of situation is way more stressful than, say, moving to a new boarding barn 5 times in one year.

Anyway, just another perspective.
 
#6 ·
I've known horses who get stressed moving from their stall to the turnout.

Conversely, I own a horse who isn't phased by anything. I moved my gelding from the barn he'd been at for over three years to a new barn a year after I bought him. The only time he'd been off the property of the old barn before I moved him was a few trail rides after I bought him. He made the transition beautifully and it was like he'd always been at the new barn.

If she seems to be handling the moving well, not losing weight, etc, then I wouldn't worry.
 
#7 ·
I once moved my horse 5 times in a year. That included a 10 hour boat trip and 2 day truck drive twice. He was fine, settled within the day. There was only one place be never settled and that just wasn't great.

I wouldn't compare it to gypsy horses. I don't think it's the surroundings that put horses out, it's the change in herd and routine. That would stay that same for gypsy horses regardless of where they went.
 
#8 ·
Thank you everyone for the answers.

I know one of the reasons of moving so much, is because of myself, as I am constantly looking for the next best thing. I know it's not a good thing, I'll try to work on being more stable.
She has always just gotten hay, minerals and some museli. The diet has been the same where-ever she has gone, only perhaps the feeding times have varied a bit. She hasn't lost weight and behaves like always. She hasn't made any good buddies though, she gets along ok with everyone but..oh well. Maybe I'm over-thinking it. She has been in the new place for 2 months now.
Before me, she changed owners a lot because of her 'difficult' personality (actually she was just spoiled). So it might be that she is quite used to changing stables. Even her last owner switched stables 3 times.
So I guess I'll keep an eye on her like always, to see if there are any changes with eating, or coat etc. But it's comforting to hear that she might just be ok with the moving :)

I like the idea of getting her a buddy that would keep her company. Not this year though, some time when I have the money and time for a second horse.
 
#12 ·
I'm far from a professional, but I'm the only one that shows out of my mare's herd (one is retired, the other just doesn't have anyone consistently riding her). On occasion my mare will be stalled next to my best friend's horse (who they have never "met" outside of stalling next to one another once in a while. Typically we have the tack stall between us. So no, they don't always travel in pairs. I've still never had an issue. We do haul her grain and hay with us, but the water is whatever is on tap. And as I said, she lays down and sleeps when she gets her stall lol
 
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