Hey Y’all,
Our hunt is going on a brief trip to a hunt about 4 hours away. I’m trailering with a couple of friends -not my trailer-and there’s gonna be a detour on the way back to look at a horse. So 4 hour trip down, say 6 back. We are staying Fri night, Sat, and returning Sunday afternoon.
My horse is not a great drinker away from home-or at home either actually. Of course I’m bringing water but I don’t think there’s room for more than 5 gal. and it doesn’t seem to make a lot of difference to him anyway.
So of course he’ll be eating soup! ie lots of water in the feed. But what would y’all recommend re feed? Half his usual? Feed the same? No food? Lots of hay of course.
Advice appreciated!
Regards,
Huntin’ Fool
My buddy and I haul around the mid west for competitions (mounted archery). My mantra has always been: “Keep everything as normal as possible.” We do our best to feed at the same time we do at home, the same amount, in the same way (same supper dishes as home). We feed the same hay in the same hay nets. Horses at home “go to work” about 8 AM (in the summer), and we are both tacked and mounted at 8 AM or lunging. If our runs are afternoon, we still have the horses up and fed and worked in the AM–we may put them back then get them out again; but as I said, we do the best we can.
We do not carry water as our horses are frequent travelers and drink well regardless of where they are. One of our show horses years ago was a bit fussy --our solution was Kool-Aid. We put a packet in his water at home every AM --when he was away, his water smelled/tasted the same with a pack of Kool-Aid in it. Worked for us.
So don’t over think it is my advice. Feed the same everything at the same time as home if at all possible.
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Thank you!!! I am the queen of overthinking! 
Horse Quencher - available everywhere. Good product to have on hand at home and traveling.
One time I was at an away hunt a friend thought he would do me a favour and pick my stall in the morning. DON’T let anybody else pick your poo - you need to monitor that too 
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Do you normally feed soaked feed? Good for them to be used to it before. You can add our own water to their bucket and top off the rest when away. Also, get water from a big trough they drink from for the goo taste they are used to. I used to try adding cider vinegar to all their water at home so I could add it when away but didn’t really work.
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Definitely bring the 5 gallons of water. He may not need it but if there’s traffic or a breakdown he might. Also I hauled a short distance and apparently my horse stepped on his pasterns with boriums on and he was bleeding quite a bit. I needed the water to clean up the wounds.
Anyway, you can give him some electrolytes a couple days before so he gets hydrated before the trip. Then bring soaked hay cubes or beet pulp prior to or during the trip. Just be sure to get him adjusted to them well in advance.
Sounds like a lot of fun!
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Y’all it all went really well! Just to update. The lady who was in charge of their barn told me ‘we have well water. All horses love it.’ And it was true. She was just one of those confidence inspiring people for me and my horse.
We had a great trip.
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