 |
Re: [RC] re: [RC] trailer flooring - Mary Ann Spencer - heidiThis is why I try to always pull the mats out or at least roll them up whent he trail is not in use, as the trailer dealer recommedned, so the flooring can air out. I don't always manage to do this, but I try to. Of course this wouldn't work with mats that are permanenetly attached to the floor. And no matter what you use to absorb urine, you STILL need to do this... "The Horse" had a price on trailering awhile back. The studies they referred to found that the most stressful aspects of trailering are loading and unloading, so they did not recommend frequent rest stops to 'stretch their legs'. They also advised against shavings due to dust, and suggested straw instead, and recommeded wetting hay fed in the trailer for the same reason. The kitty-litter solution sounds like a good alternative, as some brands have minimal dust. They also advised as much air circulation as possible: the more open, the better, and to tie horses in a position that allows them to lower their heads so they can more easily clear their sinuses. I didn't answer the query by Dyane (I think it was Dyane) about this very subject, but I agree with much of this. The stress of loading and unloading depends a great deal on how well versed your horse is in trailering. If he's a regular globe trotter who goes in and out nonchalantly and who is unflappable about anywhere he happens to find himself, then unloading occasionally has some benefit. If this is not the case, for gosh sakes, leave him in! Likewise, I've had nothing but grief with shavings from irritated eyes to respiratory congestion. I no longer use them at all. We feed grass hay in the hay nets and find that enough gets on the floor to keep the floor from being slick. And as rubber mats age, they get a bit worn on top and are no longer slick anyway. I like the kitty litter idea, though--that would sweep out easily and not be irritating to the horses. And it wouldn't take much! Ditto the comment about the ability of the horse to get its head DOWN. One of my most tragic memories was losing a lovely and very cherished young mare of straight Ravndal breeding who was in foal to Bezatal at the time, due to a choke suffered in a traditional straight-load 2-horse with mangers. She could not get her head down so that the saliva and accumulated material could drain out her nostrils, so she subsequently developed aspiration pneumonia and died. I was a veterinary student at the time, so was in a position to be with her through five agonizing days at the vet school while we tried everything possible to save her, and was also in the position of being able to attend her post-mortem to see what terrible ravages this sort of situation has on the lungs. I think feeding horses on long trips is absolutely essential, so never again will I make a long trip with a trailer with a manger! Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|