Safest Ground Transport Option

[anonevent]

During a long distance ground transport trip in a box stall with one of the major companies, my horse was injured. He arrived with blood, scrapes, and a huge (permanent) lump on his face. The shipper refused to tell me what happened.

Not knowing what went wrong has made me worried about shipping him. He had made multiple trips before and after that where he is perfect. He loads perfectly. He travels perfectly. He unloads perfectly.

I have to send him on another long trip. Is there any logic top putting him in a half stall rather than a box stall so that he can’t be tossed around inside a box stall if he loses his balance or something?

[LilDunFilly]

@anonevent

During a long distance ground transport trip in a box stall with one of the major companies, my horse was injured. He arrived with blood, scrapes, and a huge (permanent) lump on his face. The shipper refused to tell me what happened.

Not knowing what went wrong has made me worried about shipping him. He had made multiple trips before and after that where he is perfect. He loads perfectly. He travels perfectly. He unloads perfectly.

I have to send him on another long trip. Is there any logic top putting him in a half stall rather than a box stall so that he can’t be tossed around inside a box stall if he loses his balance or something?

Honestly, not really. A horse can be thrown around in either one if the ride is rough or the driver is bad. Assuming the trailer is set up like the ones below (photos courtesy of Brook Ledge), the horse can still injure themselves (pull back on the ties, fenangle part of themselves under the bar, etc).

I’m sorry that your horse was injured on his trip and that the shippers did not explain what hapened. Unfortunately, one bad experience can mess up your whole outlook. I think the fact your horse shipping in a box stall perfectly fine (except the one time it went poorly) is indicative that it is a safe method of transport.

Half stall
Box stall

[NaturallyHappy]

I know nothing about shipping in box stalls. That said, I don’t think I’d ever be comfortable shipping loose in a box stall. I would worry he would get tossed around more if he were loose if the driver stopped suddenly, etc…sort of like not wearing a seatbelt.

[Absolut_Equestrian]

Not sure that this setup is easy to find commercially, but interesting perspective from Carl Cook here. He based his design on observations of horses shipping in box stalls. Even if they have space to move around, horses will spend most of the time on the road standing in a corner for support.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6eLhCZOnZn/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[2DogsFarm]

My mini travels in the back half of my 16’ stock trailer (center gate secured). In effect, he has an 7WX8L box stall.
He’s tied loose enough to move, short enough so his chances of getting a leg over the lead securing him are less, but not impossible.
He’s gone on 5h trips (1 short stop) this way & always arrives standing as loaded.
What he does enroute I don’t know, but there’s never any noise from the trailer indicating he’s bouncing.
I haul with an SUV, so not as much separating me from the trailer as with a pickup. Being a stock trailer, not as enclosed as a Straight or Slantload.

ETA:
@Absolut_Equestrian I tried listening to Cook, but he rambled on a bit too.much.
Details about his prep didn’t make sense to me. Ex: how does he water horses in transit unless his airride semis’ suspension prevents water sloshing
So I don’t know how he reached his conclusions about horses standing in corners. Assume cameras?
I always offer water at stops & have never had a horse interested in drinking. But my hauls are rarely over 3h, so Grain of Salt.

[Absolut_Equestrian]

Offering constant water for long trips is not unusual, especially for air ride rigs. Easy with partial bucket filling. I don’t know Carl or necessarily endorse everything he says, but he does explain that he reached his conclusions by video monitoring of horses during shipment.