Transporting Mom and Baby to inspection...

[PiedmontSporthorses]

I have a mare (who is already in the Old NA MMB) and her new 2013 filly who I will be presenting at an inspection this September. The filly will be about 4 months at the time of the inspection, and I still plan on having her at her dam’s side. So my question is - how do you transport your young stock and dams to their inspections? straight stalls next to each other, box stall together, two box stalls next to each other, tied or untied???

This particular mare I have is a nervous trailer-er. And I’m concerned if she is in a box stall she might pace around and if she is with the filly, she might bump into her or throw her off balance. Any thoughts or ideas?

[Elouise]

I took mine to an inspection last year in a stock trailer - all open on the inside (and except for a few windows - totally closed in) untied. While the mare was a seasoned traveler in her younger days, she was very anxious about leaving her buddies (other mares with foals). I had the same concerns as you as I followed the trailer out the driveway and heard the mare screaming for her friends and scrambling to catch a glimpse of them. Thankfully once the trailer got on the road - there did not seem as much “action” in the back.

They both came off the trailer in fine shape and settled in nicely at the inspection. I got there very early with the thought to give them the time they needed!

A word of advice - make sure you have enough helping hands to get the mare and foal on the trailer at both locations. My driver helped many people at the inspection get their mares and foals loaded up to go home. The driveway was filled with trailers and people trying to coerce their dynamic duos to get on the trailer to go home. It actually was quite funny how many people were not prepared on how to get them back on their trailers to go home.

Enjoy the inspection!

[PiedmontSporthorses]

Thanks Elouise. Glad I’m not the only one who is concerned about this. Like you mentioned, I am hoping once the trailer starts to move, mom will settle down.

[sid]

My 2-horse converts to a full box stall. When transporting a mare and foal, I’ve always tied mom w/baby milling around. Hay net for Mom, hay on the floor for baby.

[O2BRiding]

Thank goodness it is not as big a deal as you may be anticipating. When I took a 4 month old foal to his inspection, I was very nervous. (my first time also) We had a 2 horse trailer that we took the divider out of. Tied the mare with hay in front of her and let the colt ride loose. Checked them at the end of the long driveway, and again a few miles down the road. The colt was quiet and rode so well that I had to laugh at myself when it was all over. Error on the side of caution, and I’m sure things will go well for you. GOOD LUCK at your inspection, and try to have a nice time!

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

I would not divide them regardless of how you do everything else.

I hauled 5 hours with mare and foal loose in a stock trailer. Hay on the floor. Nothing tied anywhere.

I didn’t tie the mare, because I was worried about the baby getting a leg over the rope. That’s just me and my thought process though. I think I even took mom and baby’s halters off (they both haltered well). Probably overkill and not a great idea for other reasons.

[PiedmontSporthorses]

All great input so far! Thank you!

[Sunnydays]

I also leave mare and foal loose, hay on floor, no haynet, ties or ropes in which the foal could become entangled. So far, it has worked.

[Home_Again_Farm]

Ditto Sunnydays.

[HorseKrazy]

Sweet, this was a concern of mine as well… For next year if all goes well!! Looks like ill be taking out my divider and converting mine into a big box stall

[Indy-lou]

3-horse WB sized Gooseneck, I use the last two stalls of the 3 as an open box with the dividers removed and the divider between the 1st/2nd is a stud wall. I tie the mare high and leave the foal loose. Hay on the ground in the back of the stall for the foal and bedded with straw over shavings. Mare has a hay bag tied high. We have to travel long distance (6 + hours) so I do give the mare hay, otherwise I wouldn’t. Fortunately my mares have been good haulers. A lot of people have had good luck with stock type trailers and just turning them loose, but I don’t think my trailer is wide enough for my very large mares that I’d want them trying to turn around in there. They could squash the foal against the wall if a sudden movement from the road happened at the wrong time, imo.

[Kyzteke]

If your mare is a nervous hauler I would NOT leave her loose. I’ve used both a 2 horse (with divider removed) and a stock trailer to haul. If it’s a short haul, I prefer the 2 horse. Anything longer than 2-3 hrs, I prefer the stock trailer, because the baby WILL lie down and there isn’t enough room to safely do that w/a 2 horse.

Surprisingly, if MOM will load well,usually baby will just trot right in…I have to loaded horses by my self and I’ve “self-loaded” up to 2 mare/foal combos into the same trailer. However I parked the trailer at the entrance to the barn and positioned it where basically the only place they COULD go was into the trailer. Helped the little buggers make the right decision!

More people can be helpful…depending on if they know what they are doing.

PS if you are using a stock trailer, better to put straw or hay on the ground rather than shavings, because that way when baby lies down, it’s not as dusty.

[sixpoundfarm]

Perhaps a light sedation to keep everyone save would not be out of the question if she is a bad hauler.

[back_in_the_saddle]

I hauled my pair loose in the trailer but I agree with Tracy, I’d talk to the vet and get options. Does that go to the milk supply?

[Foxtrot_s]

Are you going the night before?

I took one of mine on the day - she was too tired with all the travelling and hub hub she did not present herself as well as the little ones fresh from their box stalls.

[sid]

[QUOTE=Kyzteke;7076140]
If your mare is a nervous hauler I would NOT leave her loose. [/QUOTE]

Absolutely agree with this. Just tie the mare “high” with a nice full hay bag (also high) so there is nothing for a baby to get hung up in.n

If a big horse (mare) was to be unsettled or distracted…or God forbid you have to hit the brakes too fast, in such a small space she could accidentally injure a foal.

I did my fair share of going to inspections and also showing foals (dam at side) and having the mare who was trained to stand tied, was a big relief to me for the safety of the foal in an oddball driving situation.

[Sunnydays]

If your mare is not trained to tie, she could panic, and in a sudden stop the risk to mare and foal is not so different whether tied or not. Good luck with the trip and the show.

[Chall]

It would be nice if someone rented trailer cams (video cameras) for people. I think there would be a market for this, especially for situations like this one-off trail erring situations.

[ahf]

I had one mare I could not tie to trailer with a foal. She was fine until the baby got behind her and out of her “sight”. Then she would Absolutely. Freak. Out. Left untied, where she could follow the foal’s movement, she hauled like an absolute champ, a serene queen.

[Tiki]

I have a stock combo with 2 box stalls. One mare and foal in front, one mare and foal in back. Never tied them, never had a problem. I had 1 foal who always lay down in the trailer. Mom just stood on the side and ate her hay.

ALWAYS make sure the back of the trailer is completely closed if you’re hauling a foal. Loose foals have been known to jump out over the bottom halg. Better safe than sorry.