Have you ever thought about or been concerned regarding the care and condition of your horses when they are being transported by trailer?
If you have, I know right off the bat you're thinking of your horses’ comfort, safety, and how their body will hold up during their ride in the horse trailer.
With all the travel to events I've been doing, it's a concern I often hear about. So it was to my delight when I learned of a study that covered covered this topic.
Dr. Tim Worden reported for horsenetwork.com that the Researchers from Massey University in New Zealand completed a study on how horses move while traveling in a horse trailer, which covers many concerns and informs you of the best way to safely move your horses from point A to point B.
Many horses suffer from anxiety when they are traveling, so it's important to regulate the body temperature during the trailer ride. Therefore, they need good hydration, and ventilation to limit anxiety in your horses.
Regarding the comfort of your horse during the trip it’s been shown that horses prefer to stand backward or in other directions different from the traditional slant facing forward. But does trailering actually affect their soft tissue? How sore and tired are they after a trip?
The findings show that:
A horses’ up and down movement occurs due to the vibration in the trailer’s floor when it travels across small bumps in the road
Researchers indicated that the horses used their legs to lessen the vibration, which takes a lot of energy to accomplish
The horse’s legs function as springs to lessen the movement traveling throughout their body to keep themselves more stable
When conditions change it requires more work from the horse to stay stable because of increased bumps on the roads or a longer trip. Long trips can cause your horse to become fatigued and will require them to rest upon reaching their destination
Once the horse is rested I highly suggest having a qualified bodyworker check the horse. This hands-on assessment gives a bodyworker the ability to feel soft tissue changes such as heat, swelling, and cold areas.
Changes such as these could be evidence of strain or inflammation. These areas can be alleviated especially when found early on. A follow up of another bodywork treatment may be recommended or PEMF or a Class IV Laser treatment depending on the horse’s needs.
The good news is horses that travel often are more experienced at countering the moves of a trailer.
For more information on Equine bodywork and how it can help your horse, call or text me at (407) 341-1309 make sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
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