I need to ship my new horse from KY to PA. Google Maps is telling me the trip is about 788 miles (but this varies, of course, depending on route taken).
I discovered he stall walks, after I purchased him, so he currently lives outside as he takes stall walking very seriously.
Am I right in being concerned that this behaviour might happen if he’s shipped in box stall? Is 788-ish miles too far for a 1.5 stall?
I may be wrong, but I don’t think a 1.5 box in shipping company lingo equates to a loose shipping box. The horse would still be cross tied.
Box is loose.
1.5 is not.
Other than that I have no idea what to say. I would think a lot of the travel movement would keep him for constantly walking. If the ride stops… walking might happen.
When he’s tied, does he take a breath and relax, or does he worry?
If he ties quietly, I would do a stall and a half. If he’s going to fret, though, I’d rather give him more space to do it and go with the box.
I think 800 ish miles is fine for a stall and a half for a sound, healthy horse.
I may be wrong, but I don’t think a 1.5 box in shipping company lingo equates to a loose shipping box. The horse would still be cross tied.
Right…hence my concern about him shipping in a loose box…hence me asking if maybe I should consider putting him in the 1.5 instead. 
When he’s tied, does he take a breath and relax, or does he worry?
If he ties quietly, I would do a stall and a half. If he’s going to fret, though, I’d rather give him more space to do it and go with the box.
I think 800 ish miles is fine for a stall and a half for a sound, healthy horse.
Good point. He is wishy-washy on the cross-ties at home - he does occasionally offer to paw, but he doesn’t dance around and panic.
Does he trailer quietly in a traditional trailer? If he does, that might be your answer right there–stall and a half.
If he paws and frets, then maybe a box.
Can you send him with some super exciting hay, to keep his attention?
Stall and a half.
Does he have trailering issues?
Stall walking really is generally something entirely different from trailering issues.
If he trailers well he will be fine in a 1.5 stall. Somehow out fei horses manage to live in single slots shipping across Europe. I actually prefer my horses more rather than less contained and supported when shipping.
I have a stall weaver, so while technically not the same, a similar vice in my opinion.
My approach to these types of vices are like you have done at home by not keeping him in a stall - I changed my management style to accomodate how my mare is the least stressed out.
She weaves in the trailer (regardless of if she is loose or in a slant stall of my GN horse trailer) when she gets anxious, but settles during travel.
If I were to need to ship her the distance you are talking about, I would most definitely start her on UlcerGard well in advance of the trip, and continue throughout the trip, and end about a week after arrival in the new location.
I would also trailer her in the box stall - I think with a lot of these vices that horses have (like weaving and stall walking), it’s their mechanism for dealing with stress, and when you take away the ability to handle it the only way they’ve known how, you make them more stressed out.
So I say, give him room to move, and just let him do his thing.
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