Floating your horse - Safety tips for beginners
With competition season well under way, and multiple events held Australia-wide, floating your horse is a big part of many owners’ lives. Unfortunately, it’s not quite as simple as attaching your trusty camper, grabbing the kids and heading off for the weekend!
Floating your horse requires important preparation not only for your car and float, but for your horse as well!
Preparation for your vehicle
Check the weight your vehicle can tow – don’t forget to factor in the weight of the horse/horses too!
Check your tyre pressure – listed in your vehicle manual
Check the tread on your tyres – Worn tyres can increase the risk of a flat tyre or skidding when braking, not ideal when towing your four-legged friends!
Check your license type – ‘P’ plate drivers on their red provisional license cannot tow.
Preparation for your float
Double check the load capacity of the float – the weight of your horse and gears combined weight
Ensure the brake and indicator lights are all working on your float
Check the tyre pressure on the float to ensure a smooth journey for your horses.
Inspect the float floor – rusted floors have led to many serious accidents where horses have fallen through the floor.
Make sure there is nothing loose in your float that could fall on the horse or slide around the floors causing your horse to tip.
If your float has windows with screens, open them on hot days for adequate ventilation. When raining, close any roof vents or angle it to stop rain entering your float or making your horse uncomfortable. If they don’t have screens, keep them closed if the horse can fit their heads through them.
Whist feeding can sometimes reduce the stress on some horses during travel time, if you can, avoid feeding your horse in the float. Horses can choke, get caught in the hay bags/nets and horses are designed to feed with their heads down. Feeding/ drinking with their head up could cause it to get colic. Make regular stops to allow the hose to graze and drink to avoid travel sickness.
Don’t tie your horse up too tightly. Ideally, they should be able to get their head below their chest as this allows mucus to drain reducing travel sickness. On the flip side, you also don’t want your rope too loose that the horse could become tangled or trip.
Some people like to use a light dusting of shavings or pelleted sawdust on the floor of their float for traction to soak up urine when travelling as well as for some extra cushioning. However, be mindful of horses with allergies if the dust is stirred up.
Preparation for your horse
Floating can be a stressful experience for some horses. Some horses prefer angle-loading or trucks as they appear larger inside vs a straight load. Some horses prefer to travel with a friend to keep them company and reduce the stress. Others travel better alone.
There is no hard and fast rule, however it is advised to practise loading your horse prior to your outing to find what works best for you.
Never place a horse in a float if they are sweaty, fatigued or showing signs of illness
Ensure your horse is fed and hydrated before a long float trip. It is recommended to avoid grains and concentrated feeds 12-24 hours prior travelling long distances and instead only feed hay.
Remember to pack enough feed for arrival at your destination as well as a bucket for water stops along the way.
Rugging – if you must to rug your horse, ensure they are not too hot as they may overheat in the confined space, which can cause travel sickness. Remember to check for loose parts on the rug that could get caught on the float and cause your horse to panic.
If travelling in particularly cold conditions you want to ensure your hose doesn’t become chilled so you may need to consider rugging.
Float boots – Not all horses need float boots. There are a range of float boots on the market, some protect the cannon bone and others that protect from the hoof to the hock.
If you choose to wear float boots ensure they are fitted correctly and are not going to fall down and cause the horse to slip.
If your horse is not used to float boots, make sure you put them on your horse at various intervals in the weeks leading up to your trip, so they are used to them and not stressed by having their legs covered.
Tail wraps – can be a good investment if you horse tends to push against the tailgates. They can reduce hair loss and sores.
Driver tips
Corners and roundabouts need to be taken slowly and carefully so the horse doesn’t overbalance and slip. Try not to accelerate on a corner until the float has straightened up behind you.
Leave a long distance between the vehicle in front of you, braking with a float requires a much longer stopping distance and the horse can adjust his weight to compensate for the change in direction.
The Journey
Factor in breaks along the way if your trip is over 4-hours away.
Try to stop every 3 to 4 hours for at least 30 minutes.
Avoid travelling at the hottest part of the day.
You will need to check in advance for a safe place where you can park your float to unload your horse. Ensure there is adequate space for a walk to stretch their legs, and space where they can graze and be fed with access to water. Most of the showgrounds will have yards you can use if needed.
On Arrival
Give your horse a good walk to get the blood flowing and stretch out their limbs. It takes a lot of muscle concentration for a horse to stay balanced whilst travelling, they can become tired and fatigued at the end of a long trip. Ensure they have adequate time to rest before competing.
Give them a chance to look around and assess their new environment.
Clean out your float – hose it or throw a few buckets of water over the floor to remove the urine so it doesn’t rot your floors, this will also help remove the smell.
We hope this advice has given you a few things to consider before your next horse adventure. The advice in this blog is to be used as a guide only, MC Equestrian does not take any responsibility for any incidents that may occur. If you have any concerns or need more advice, speak to your vet or equine professional for more information.
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