# How often should you stop when Transporting?



## SophieLee (Jan 7, 2010)

How often should you stop when Transporting just one horse? I bought a new horse otday but we need to get him to our place. He is located 2 and a half hours away. And are boots needed? He wont need a rug and apparently boots are really only necessary if there are 2 or more horses in the float.
Thanks.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

*I've heard from half an hour to every two hours, with Chinga we stopped every hour to two hours on our eight hour trip. Also boots are really only necessary if there are 2+ horses in the float, we floated the whole way without boots. *


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## brookelovesparelli (Jan 21, 2009)

Two and a half hours you should be fine to go straight through, If you notice the horse beginning to get tied just pull over for say 10min or so to give him a break.
Congrats on your new horse.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Welcome to the forum, Sophie.

When I moved my horses from PA to SC, it was a 10 hour drive by car - 13 with horses. I stopped and gave them a 15 min rest each time I needed fuel and an hour rest 1/2 way down - never unloading them. They were fine when I got here.

When we go on weekend trail rides, some are 2 to 3 hours away (hauling time) and I go straight through. I don't use shipping boots, head bumpers, tail wraps, or anything else and haven't had a problem in nearly 30 years of hauling.

One note to think about, When I made the trip to SC, I was hauling in a Sundowner 3 horse slant with a small living quarters. The reason I mentioned that is because it was much more comfortable then an open stock trailer. The trailer you are using has a lot to do with it.


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## ariielise (Nov 3, 2009)

I think the maximum, and usual for long trips, is every 3-4 hours.


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## My Beau (Jan 2, 2009)

I also would drive straight through. We normally trailer 3+ hours to shows sometimes and we don't stop at all. I think stopping, unloading, loading a lot can put unneccesary stress on the horse, especially if they're a bad loader. Just leave them in the trailer where they are content with a hay net 

And I only use boots if there is more than one horse on the trailer. Unless your horse is a stall/trailer kicker, you should be fine.


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## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

Could the age of the horse have anything to do with it? We jut transported a 10 month old today for a 2 hr trip and opted to stop 1/2 way threw and let her have a 20 min break while we grabbed lunch.

For adult horses 2 hours I would drive straight threw like others suggested


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## SophieLee (Jan 7, 2010)

THANKYOU EVERYONE! Your help was muchly appreciated. YOu guys rock.


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## jethroish (Sep 19, 2009)

To add to this thread:

When you do stop, do you offer the horse(s) any water?


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

jethroish said:


> To add to this thread:
> 
> When you do stop, do you offer the horse(s) any water?


Not on a 2 or 3 hour drive. On my trip down to SC, I offered water 3 or 4 times.


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