On the Move With Your Horse

Before you hit the asphalt trail, consider these expert tips to make sure your horse arrives healthy and happy.
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On the Move With Your Horse
It’s possible to keep your horse healthy and comfortable on the road, even if you’re covering long distances. | Photo: iStock

What could be more fun than road tripping to shows with your horse? Before you hit the asphalt trail, consider these expert tips to make sure your horse arrives healthy and happy.

From July to September 2014, Sarah McDonald and her top barrel racing mare, Fame Fling N Bling, traveled thousands of miles from their home state of Georgia to as far away as Washington to compete in rodeos. At the end of their journey, they accomplished their goal—winning the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association Rookie of the Year title. Although the summer was long and the competition intense, “Bling” ended the season as healthy and sound as she started. And this wasn’t just because of good fortune.

“When you travel as often as I do, you have to prioritize your horse’s comfort and health while you are on the road,” McDonald says, “even though this may detour you from the fastest, most efficient route to your destination and/or cause you to miss shows or rodeos to allow your horse ample time to rest.”  

If you travel this often, you learn what is normal for your horse on the road and how to recognize signs of potential problems. “At first, traveling was a learning experience for me and my horses, but now we have both found ways to stay mentally and physically prepared for competition no matter how many miles we travel to get there,” she says

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Written by:

Lindsay Keller is an equine freelance journalist and consultant based out of northwest Oklahoma. She also is an avid barrel racer who enjoys starting and training her own horses on the barrel racing pattern.

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