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Discussion on Shipping Boots -- Yes or No?
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Member:
Cowgrl
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 30, 2004 - 11:40 am:
Hi, Although this is late, I want to address something you mentioned that no one else has yet. You mention taking them out of the trailer at the end of the day after 8 hours of riding. For their sake, you should unload them every time you stop for a potty break for yourself. They need to move around a little to alleviate any stiffness and some horses absolutely will not urinate in a trailer so making them hold it for 8 hours is a little too much to ask especially for a youngster. If I'm trailering a long distance (>4 hours) and I stop for a meal, I always find a safe place and unload them while I eat. They are all well used to being tied to the trailer so it's never been a problem. However for you, a little walk around and then back in will show them you care. 
Holly
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New Member:
Ramsey
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005 - 3:44 pm:
Ok, Now I am really confused. I am new to the board and am looking at moving from Western Montana to Green Bay, Wisconsin 1600 miles. I was told not to unload every time you stop, but you need to stop every couple of hours and let them rest, offer them water and some food. The reason I was told not to unload is the risk of unloading and loading on pavement and around a lot of traffic in new areas. Horses being horses you are risking problems unloading everytime you stop.
those of you that use wraps, do you also use pads Under the wraps? I also worry about the wraps coming undone and causing problems in transit. One of my trainers doesn't recommend anything for the same reason shippers usually don't allow them. Too much of a hazard.
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Member:
Heidih
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005 - 4:56 pm:
Hi Cynthia, welcome to the site.
I can see your confusion. When I moved to WI from AZ, I did stop and let the horses rest every 3 - 4 hours, however I didn't unload at every stop. I simply stopped driving for about 15 mins and let them rest in the trailer, offering water at each stop. I let them have free choice hay as I was driving. I also used the stops for me to stretch my legs and use the facilities or eat lunch or dinner. At the end of each day, I stopped at places where I could stable the horses overnight. Part of that was for me, I couldn't handle driving much more than about 10 to 12 hours a day.
I ended up wrapping the legs of 1 horse and not wrapping the other. The one I wrapped, was a filly who started stocking up pretty quickly the first day. I used cotton pads under standing wraps with velcro. She didn't get them undone. I didn't have any shipping boots at the time that were small enough for her. I also made sure she had time to walk around at the end of each day. The other mare I put shipping boots on the first day, and never again. She got those shipping boots off before the first rest stop. Didn't cause her any problems but boy did it ruin my shipping boots.
I guess the bottom line is let your horses tell you what they need.
Good luck in your move.
Heidi
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Member:
Liliana
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005 - 6:07 pm:
A new place that! that sounds like fun.
Welcome to HA Cynthia!!
When ever I took the horses more than an hour away I always always bandage their legs or made them wear traveling boots, for several reasons.
1.- Even if you are a careful driver, the hose has to balance in the box every time you change your speed, or turn round a corner or any change whatsoever which causes stress to the horses legs.
2.- If they loose their footing, they can over reach the opposite leg or front leg causing damage to themselves
3.- "Prevention is better than cure", if you get a puncture in your tire, or an idiot pulling too close and you have to slam the breaks or...
Sooo I highly recommend padding and bandage on legs and bandage on tail. If you put electrician's tape around the bandages they will not fall off, pluss it comes in pretty colours and it is easy to take off.
All the best
Liliana
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Member:
Ramsey
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 - 1:32 pm:
Thanks for the Advice,
Have another question regarding traveling. I have one that is very finicky about water. Because I think it will take 3 days to get there from here, I'm worried he won't drink enough. In the past for shows I have used electrolytes in his grain to encourage drinking. Helps some but not perfect. i also have a tank for water but won't hold enough for 3 days. Any of you have any tips?
Cindy
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Member:
Gmwalker
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 - 2:24 pm:
We never unload our horses while in transit...here in California, that is just too dangerous, and there isn't anyplace safe to do it. However, we do offer them water at every stop. There are 2 ways to get a finicky drinker to take water...one is to giver them Gatorade, either straight or mixed with the water. Most horses will stand on their heads (relatively speaking) for Gatorade, and it is as good for them as it is for you--providing them with a teeny bit of sugar, and some electrolytes along with the water. There isn't anything that will get you into trouble for competing, either. You can always add a bottle (I add the large 32 oz size) to a bucket of their water at the new place if I have a finicky drinker, and then keep topping off the bucket as they drink which acclimates them to the taste of the water at the new place...though some expect me to keep adding more Gatorade. That's not too expensive, so I don't really mind, as long as it keeps them drinking. :D
The other think you can do is make watermelon slop...take the inside of a watermelon, minus the seeds, and squish it down to make mostly juice and add that to the water. It will also flavor the water and make it quite attractive to most horses and encourage them to drink along the road. Wetting their hay also cuts down on the dust and provides another source of fluids for them.
As to the shipping boots, I wouldn't dream of shipping without bell boots...have seen too many heel bulb injuries without them. I also ship in standing wraps because I've seen injuries getting on and off the trailer, and en route if a horse scrabbles in the trailer. The only exception is in shipping a mare and foal...if the foal decides to chew and pull on Mama's wraps, then you could be in trouble and are better off without. I've never had a problem with the wraps on, but we're also very experienced in applying the wraps, too. I don't believe in shipping boots...they're too loose to provide support against stocking up, and too easy to get off with kicking (plus I think they encourage the horses to kick because they are more of a strange sensation)--not to mention the expense.
My two cents...
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