Shipping long distance to a horse show

[Helicon]

The discussion about the location of NAYC relates to my burning question: How do you ship a horse 1200 miles for a horse show without stressing him out?

I think hiring a shipper with air ride and a box stall would be ideal (outrageous costs aside) but in my experience shippers put you on their schedule rather than being on yours. How do you arrive and leave the showgrounds on time?

The few times i have shipped long distance on my own I have stopped and boarded my horses for the night. I did all the driving myself, but I am nervous about being tired and hauling my precious friends. My horse definitely needs a friend to go along for companionship. I have a roomy two horse gooseneck but that seems grueling to travel three days (400 miles per day) in a little box. I think slants are even more tiring, especially for big horses.

Advice, thoughts, experiences to share?

[Gardenhorse]

I don’t have personal experience, but I think sometimes barns (or other groups) get together and book an entire trailer with a professional shipper, which gives you a little more control over dates/times. I think the shipping companies also do routes to some of the big shows. Presumably they know the dates of the shows and schedule the trailers accordingly.

Brook ledge is actually listed as a sponsor and the “preferred shipper” for the Traverse City Horse Shows, so they likely had many trailers going to NAYC this year.

[joiedevie99]

@Gardenhorse

I think sometimes barns (or other groups) get together and book an entire trailer with a professional shipper

This is what we do for things like Finals in KY. Air-ride semi, with some horses in box stalls usually and some in 1.5 stalls. Sometimes we all agree on one barn to leave from and everyone trailers there. Other times the trailer makes two or three local stops to pick up horses.

[TheDBYC]

I once needed to get an aged Percheron gelding from Northern Michigan to Virginia. Not a route most commercial shippers drive. After much brainstorming the old owner arranged for friends - a retired couple with a WB height bumper pull - to bring him. It worked out great because they were in no hurry & could stop to give him frequent breaks, they could take turns driving, and being a 20-something commercial carriage horse he gave zero you-know-whats about traveling alone. I can’t imagine undertaking the same trip alone (the human) with two horses on a bumper pull, though! I’m a safe driver & have never had an accident in nearly 30 years of driving (knock on wood). I still dislike driving & would much rather pay someone else to do it , though!

I agree with the suggestion to see if you can’t pool the cost of an entire commercial trailer.

[luvmyhackney]

I used to ship together with people in the area on a big rig. If you reach out to some larger barns in the area, you might be able to hitch a ride on their big rig.