Here are the most important things you should know about transporting your horses - preparation and planning beforehand, things to remember during the journey, and caring for your horse and horsebox afterwards.

Preparation

The legal bits

• Ensure your lorry is insured, taxed and has a current MOT (often called Plating for lorries).
• As a driver of the vehicle you should know the unladen weight of the vehicle. If you do not know, take it along to your local Public Weighbridge where it will cost around £5.00 to get it weighed, and then keep the ticket with you.
• You should also carry your driving licence (both parts).
• Have a copy of your Insurance Certificate with you.
• Ensure your breakdown recovery is up to date and you have the membership card in the lorry.

Horse Preparation

• If your horse is not used to travelling or loading then practising weeks before will pay off.
• Introducing the horsebox or horse trailer should be done at times when there are no distractions.
• Horses are claustrophobic by nature's design so allow plenty of light and space inside the horsebox or horse trailer.
• Get expert help from a Natural Horse Trainer or a Professional Horse Transporter for lessons on loading if your horse is still reluctant.

Plan

• Plan your journey carefully - there are many online maps to help you but remember they do not list the low bridges and weight limits. Print out your maps to put on the lorry in case of sat nav failure.
• Set your sat nav to main roads only - normal sat navs do not take into consideration the size of the vehicle that you are driving.
• Check the Highways Agency website to see if there are any road closures that will affect your journey.

The day before:

• Check oil, water, tyre pressures and condition of tyres.
• Fill up with fuel.
• Check the floor and the partition.

Load up your lorry with everything you need

Use these checklists and add your own personal requirements!

Travelling Tips

• Having planned your journey, allow plenty of time to get there.
• Have a knowledgeable equine friend go along with you to watch the cctv on the horse section.
• Do not overheat your horse! Horses generate up to 500 watts of heat when travelling, so open all windows and keep the rugs to the minimum - even in winter.
• Give your horse haylage or damp hay for the journey - a horse can lose 5lbs in weight for every hour they travel, and allowing them to eat reduces colic.
• Do not give any sedation for travelling unless a Vet has given it.
• Drive sympathetically and keep your distance from the vehicle in front.
• If driving a long distance then stop every 3 hours for at least 30 minutes to rest your horse - offer water and top up the haylage, and remove soiled shavings.
• If your horse doesn’t drink very well away from home, think about adding apple juice or sugar beet and that may encourage them to drink.
• Don’t tie up your horse too short - your horse needs to be able to drop his head to clear his airways, if he cannot he will develop pluropneumonia, commonly known as shipping fever.

After your journey

• Allow your horse to eat from the floor as much as possible - try not to give any cereals.
• Research shows that a horse's immunity is affected by transport, so keep a close eye and take your horse's temperature if you are worried. Always call a vet if your horse does not show any interest in food after 2 hours from the end of the transport.
• Clean out your vehicle ready for next time.