You are relocating and so is your horse, but you don't have the equipment or experience to haul a horse the many miles to your new home.
Luckily there are plenty of experienced, professional horse transporters who do. But there are so many to choose from that it can be a real challenge to find one you will trust with your animal.
So how do you find the right hauler for the job?
You should start by doing an Internet search for horse transporters or horse haulers but will probably end up with more results than is feasible to go through.
A good idea is to go through the list and pick websites that connect haulers and owners. These websites offer a free service where you can enter the start and finish destinations. The transporters will then respond directly to you with bids on your trip.
Do not settle for the cheapest offer you receive. In a time where fuel prices continue to rise there is no such thing as a cheap ride for your horse. Transporters first and foremost, quote you based on mileage. The difference in the quotes you receive will be based on the kind of service and experience they offer.
Once you have sifted through the many offers, you have been given, it is time to start asking questions.
Questions to ask the transporter:
"How often do you stop?"
When a horse is in a trailer for a considerable amount of time it needs rest every three to four hours to relax the muscles and be given the opportunity to drink.
"How much room will my horse have?"
You have to decide how you want your horse to travel. The more room you want for your horse the more you have to pay for the trip. This is based on how many horses the transporter can fit on the trailer. If you for example want you horse to travel in a box stall, you are probably taking up room that could be used for another horse, therefore; you pay more
"How much experience with horses, does the driver have?"
Not the company, the driver. Some larger transporting companies hires drivers with an impeccable driving record but with very little horse experiences. This is not who you want to be caring for your horse. If an issue occurs while on the road, you want to be confident the driver knows how to approach the problem.
"When stopping at night, do you use horse motels?"
Horse motels are not a necessity when your horse is traveling. If given the right amount of rest along the way your horse will be fine resting in the trailer while the driver gets his rest. But if you are more comfortable knowing your horse is out of the trailer at night, make sure you pick a hauler, who stops at safe, clean barns along the way.
Don't be afraid to ask anything. If the hauler hesitates to answer any of your questions, cross them of your list and continue to the next one.
If you take the right steps and the time to pick a reliable horse hauler you can comfortably sit back, wait for your horse arrival and not worry about your horse getting from point A to B.
For more on hauling horses read The Best Way to Transport Horses
