Trailering long distance

Hi all.

I bought a horse in KY and I am going to be trailering her to MD on the 10th of November. I have a trailer that looks like this



My concern is, the trip will be more than 14 hours (we'll stop every 4 hours to give her water and a break from being in the trailer if we can find decent places to stop). The slats on the side of the trailer are open as you can see, so there will be wind blowing in on her.

Should we try to build some sort of windows/cover over the slats to keep the wind out? I don't want her to get ill after so many hours in a windy trailer.

Advice is very much appreciated.

Have you map quest the route to see of how many rest stops there will be along the way?, and have you though of making the trip in 2 day in stead of one? , most barns (if horse is you.d.t on all shot and coggings tested) will do a transit over night board for about $20 a night, as for the breeze depending on what the weather is like, a stable blanket might be the only thing needed

I have map quested the directions, but is there a way for the mapquest to show you where rest stops are along the way? I couldnt figure out a way to see that.

We can't really make the trip in more days than we are. We are heading out of MD Friday night after work, going as far as we can before we have to stop for the night.

Then Saturday continuing on to the ranch. Once we get there, we are meeting with the trainer and breeder.
Then Sunday morning early we are leaving to go back to MD with Angel on board.

Sadly, we can't extend the trip into Monday - my husband has to travel for work and has to leave Monday morning. I have the day off though to help Angel settle in to her new place.

Ouch that's a trip I don't want to do again, ( went from montreal to s.w kansas with my trailer full of stuff, 1 kid, 1 husband, 1 cat in a pick up for 3 days!!!) I gather you will be on some turnpikes (re map quest) on this trip, if you can try to figure out what high ways you will be on and phone the roads and hightway dept of evey state you go through that way they can tell you where the rest stops are then take your map and mark it

Ah ok, thanks! I'll do that :)

I've never trailered for more than 8 hours in one day. We do stop every 2 hours to let the horses rest in the trailer we never let them out till we are at our destination. Keeping them hydrated is important though so you should offer water whenever possible. A blanket is also a good idea in an open trailer. This time of year you never know what the weather will do. We give them a haybag to keep them occupied too. Has this horse trailered before? If not you may end up taking more time than you plan.
I want to add that we stop at rest stops, gas stations anyplace that has room to turn the trailer around. They just need to stand for 10 min. Or so to rest their legs from the constant balancing act they are doing back there. They also need to be able to lower their head enough to clear their lungs. We don't tie in the trailer at all but if you feel more comfortable tieing do it loose.

Where in ky are you buyin her?? I live there and they have servaces for other people too transport your horse

We bought her in Cub Run, KY

Yes, I could have her trailered by someone else but I want to go out there anyway to meet with her trainer and I am going to go see the parents and siblings of Angel as well.

Yes, she has been trailered before. The longest she was on a trailer one way was 6 hours to a Trail Ride event.

Only reason I feel the need to tie her is because the trailer is open (except for the breast bumper bar in front) so if I don't tie her, she will be able to turn around in there and face the wrong way (where there is no protection for her face)

I am going to bring a light sheet coat and a winter coat, just in case.

I just read this article and thought I would post it to you. I thought it was interesting and may be helpful to you. I thought the loading on the road side for a single horse was a great point.

SMART HAULING SUGGESTIONS


Plan your route so that you don't get lost in places where you can't get out.
Know the height and length of your trailer. Don't drive under a railroad underpass or fast food drive-through unless you know your trailer's height.
Make sure to take a wide swing into gas stations as you pull up to the tanks. Heavy poles protect the pumps, and you have to make sure you give them enough clearance, particularly with a gooseneck.
In case of an emergency, understand that emergency personnel or police likely will not know how to handle the horses if you are incapacitated. Post a notice in a visible place listing any numbers they can call for assistance in handling the horses.
Never change a tire on the road unless you are qualified, says Mark Cole, founder of USRider Equestrian Motor Plan. "Proper lug torque and torque sequence are very important. If you do change a tire by yourself, have a qualified mechanic properly torque the wheel as soon as possible. The moment you notice a flat tire, maintain a safe speed as best you can. The safety of you and your horse is more important than a wheel or tire. Get to the side of the road as quickly as possible and phone for help." Once your repair is complete, build up momentum before pulling into the lane of traffic.
When trailering one horse in straight-load trailers, always put the horse on the left side (highway side) of the trailer instead of the left side (ditch side). If the ditch side of your trailer were to swerve off the pavement, the angle of the road, and the shifting of the 1,000 pounds plus weight on the ditch side could increase chances of the trailer turning over.
"If you hear any unusual sounds while driving your rig, such as a "clunk," stop and check it out immediately," says Neva Scheve, co-author of The Complete Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Servicing a Horse Trailer. "It very well could be something that is not hooked up correctly, such as a wrong size ball, or unpinned slide-in-ball mount, or some problem with your horses that needs immediate attention." --Sharon Biggs
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I don't know where that laminitis thing came from I didnt type it and I can't edit it out

Yes that is so true and I learnt this in our E.M.S class I took last year..it's called I.C.E, we were told alway to look in the glove box for that persons info, it stands for IN CASE OF EMERGANCY, find a zip lock bag and put all your contact numbers in there and wheather you have a d.n.r in your will ( I know that's sounds morbid ) as for changing you tire on the road I to have to agree....NEVER do it your self's alway call for help, a great indecatour to needing help on the side of the road is 4 way flashers on and hood up on the car/truck, do not open any window to any one unless it is local or state police, if some one insist on helping, tell them they can help by calling the police, make sure you have a fully charge cell phone on your trip with you, if you can try to preprograme the number of each state "state troopers" head quaters numbers so you don't find your self in to much trouble