Horse Preparation

As with most things in life, your best success is going to include preparation. Preparing your horse for the trip will always benefit your horse and yourself. Most of this information is thoroughly researched, but please always consult with your veterinarian if it is something that is new to you or you do not understand.

Horse Disclosure

-At the time of arranging the shipping of your horse, we will ask you to submit a horse questionaire over the phone, email, or mail. These will be questions about your horse in order to provide the best shipping arrangements.

-It is very important to let us know of any medical problems or any medication that needs to be used during the trip.

-Additionally important is to let us know of any peculiar habits, good or bad that will help in keeping your horse happy.

Health Exam

-If you plan on shipping your horse, get an examination from your veterinarian to ensure that your horse is healthy enough to ship. This includes a coggins test and updated on all vaccinations and worming.

Vaccinations and Worming

-Make sure your horse is current on all their vaccinations and worming.

Coggins Test

-The "Coggins Test" screens the blood sample for exposure to the virus causing Equine Infections Anemia. This is a serious and often fatal disease that is spread by blood sucking flies. If an affected horse is bitten by such a fly he can then transmit the virus to another nearby horse. Horses that are "Coggins Positive" may not show any signs of clinical disease but act as a reservoir for other flies to bite and thus spread the virus to many other horses. If the horse starts to get sick, the signs of the disease are fever, depression, weight loss, anemia, and dependent edema (stocking up). Most states require that horses moving through the state have a Coggins taken every year - some states are six months, so check with your vet.

Negative Coggins Report

-If your horse is tested negative, your vet will issue you a negative Coggins Report.
-This report will be good for transporting for 6 months to a year, depending on your veterinarian or state.
-Please have your negative Coggins Report available for the horse transporter when they come to pick-up your horse.

Heath Certificate

-If the horse is healthy the veterinarian should issue you a health certificate and a negative coggins test report. Health certificates and reports are good for 6 months and required in most states in order to ship your horse. Please have these available for the horse transporter when they come to pick-up your horse.

Brand inspector Report

-A brand inspection from the state brand inspector coming from the following states: AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT WY and parts of NE, OR and WA.

Feed

-Do not feed grain or rich feed 3 days prior to shipping.

-Replace alfalfa with grass hay 5-7days before the trip.

-Sending your own hay will help your horse because they are used to it and it will not be a change. This will help ensure that your horse will eat on the trip and will be less likely to have any digestive problems due to the stress of traveling.

-On the morning of his trip give him a dose of a probiotic, this will ensure proper levels in his digestive tract.

Electrolytes

-Starting three days before any trip, horses should be put on electrolytes. It's best to use a powder intended for water. This allows the horse to get used to a new flavor, but one that came from home. Adding the electrolytes to the water flavors it to cherry or apple and when away from home his water will always be the same. Additionally the elevated electrolytes increase the bodies' trace elements, which will make him a little thirsty. All of this is pointed at making him drink about a gallon per one hundred pounds of body weight per day, or in other words for a one thousand pound horse ten gallons per day.

Nervous Horse
-If you have a nervous or hard to control horse, you might start your horse on an oral paste such as B-Calm a couple of days before transport time. This will help him to adjust easier and hopefully eliminate injury all the way around to the horse itself and the horse transporters. Ask your veterinarian to see what they would recommend to you regarding this issue.

Feet

-Have the farrier check your horse two to three days before transport.
-Check lower legs, shoes, and look for signs of soreness, or heat.
-If your horse is barefoot have the farrier round off the hooves.
-It is not recommended that you trim or add shoes right before transport, this needs to be done two or three weeks ahead of time.

Wrapping Legs

-Wrapping your horse's legs is your decision. However, if the wraps become loose, our horse transporters will remove them and not reapply them.

-We do not recommend helmets, boots or tail wraps.

Mineral Oil

-It is recommended to add about 3 ounces of mineral oil to your horses feed 3 days prior to shipping, in order to help prevent any chances of colic.

Antibiotics

-It is recommended to give antibiotics for young horses that have been through the sales and are traveling more than 12 hours.

Ground Work

-It is important to remember that we are in the business to move your horse with the least amount of stress possible, but we are not in the business to train your horse. Adequate groundwork on your part will make a safer and less stressful time for your horse.

Tack

-Provide the horse with its own halter, blanket, and lead rope at the time of pick-up.

-If shipping additional tack make sure it is all labeled and was discussed with us prior to pick-up to ensure we have room.