I will be trailering my horse to a clinic this weekend in my open stock trailer. It will be around 10F (without the windchill) and the pony lives outside 24/7 with a mid-weight blanket.
And I don’t know how to dress her for her “trip”. I know she will be too warm in her usual T/O blanket but she might be cold “naked” too. Any recommendation?
Will the horse be loose? Tied? Anything that could catch a blanket?
How far? Is the horse clipped?
Does she sweat in the trailer?
I have a mare who does not get blanketed, but doesn’t have a lot of winter hair either. However, she sweats like a pig in the trailer. Obviously I cannot leave her naked, the sweat would have her freezing to death.
I use a polarfleece cooler to trailer her. She sweats but it wicks the sweat away. What sweat remains, the cooler keeps her warm so she doesn’t get cold.
I would use something that breathes and encourages evaporation. Don’t use a turnout.
ETA: I have a stock trailer as well.
[QUOTE=Rohello;7876411]
I will be trailering my horse to a clinic this weekend in my open stock trailer. It will be around 10F (without the windchill) and the pony lives outside 24/7 with a mid-weight blanket.
And I don’t know how to dress her for her “trip”. I know she will be too warm in her usual T/O blanket but she might be cold “naked” too. Any recommendation?[/QUOTE]
I have an open cattle trailer (like a stock only with open gate looking sides). I Always blanket like I would if they were home and turned out. Even in a turnout sheet (they tend to be more wind proof). I’ve never had her get sweaty in it and don’t want her to catch a chill when the wind is blowing on her.
Thanks guys! That’s helpful!
She has a trace-clip and we haven’t had much sweat situation so far but I like the idea of a fleece or light turnout.
We’ll be going 3 hours one way.
I worry about ears freezing in the wind chill.
Fleece does zero to block the wind. Do you wear anything just plain ol’ fleece? Then you know how worthless it is for wind.
For 3 hours, it will get cold quick. I always worried about wind-chill in the stock, I would usually do a fleece and then a turn-out sheet (no fill). But none of my horses are trailer-sweaters. In my experience also, the sweaters I have transported have not been as sweaty in a stock as a regular trailer – usually too much air flow.
Additionally, I usually tried to put a fly-mask on them, especially if they have hay in hay bags. The amount of debris and hay detritus flying around is crazy.
Could you put plywood over the front half of the trailer or so? I assume the plexiglass inserts aren’t an option.
[QUOTE=TrotTrotPumpkn;7876606]
Could you put plywood over the front half of the trailer or so? I assume the plexiglass inserts aren’t an option.[/QUOTE]
Great idea TrotTrotPumpkn! I actually just took the measurements to try to find plexiglass - though it might be tough locally as the closest Lowes/Menards is 2 hours away. However, I for sure can find plywood at the local lumberyard!
I would feel much better not worrying about frost-bitten ears…
Dress her as per usual for the temps. If anything, the trailer will be colder w/ wind chill. You can only getting away with minimal clothing in closed trailers - this does not apply to stock types.
I have trailered in cold weather in my open stock and I put a fleece cooler with a high neck under a rain sheet.
Pony was not clipped and had a decent hair coat… he was always naked when he was turned out.
My trailer has solid walls, with the open space starting at about 4’ high, up to the roof line.
I did not block off the open side panels, as we were only going to be on the road for 30 minutes, and never on the freeway.
Plexiglass is expensive. I’d try and find some plywood and put in only in the front half …to stop any direct wind blowing where her head/neck will be.
The aerodynamics of the trailer mean that she isn’t exactly hanging out there in the wind the whole time. She’s sheltered by the front of the trailer.
And surprise, surprise, if horse’s ears aren’t wet they hold up to -30 wind chills. I have a herd of horses that can testify.
Leave her blanket on her, put her at the front of the trailer, and begone. She’s happy and fine.
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Rule 1 of trailers & horses – they are not people, they generate MASSIVE amounts of body heat. The range of temperatures at which they are most comfortable, as a result, go much lower than ours. (google equine counter-current exchange)
I have a trailer with open stock sides. No one has ever frozen to death, even in 10F (or lower!). You’d be surprised, given how the air flows around the trailer, how warm it gets in there with even one horse.
I’m a ventilation nazi, NEVER block airflow, you’re not hauling naked mole rats. If it’s very cold & wet, I will put a rain sheet on to just keep the damp off. I hang hay to munch on.
The most I have ever used was a mid-weight turnout on a horse with a high trace clip, hauling 2.5 hours when it was about 7 degrees when we loaded & maxed out at 25F when we were riding. Emphasize, he gets clipped in the winter.
Normal furry beast, just normal sheet & hay.
Leave her in her regular turnout. She’ll be balancing, which will create some heat, but that will be canceled out by the wind coming in.
