The truth about travel
From feed and water to rest stops and travel positions, a top vet answers your questions
“Travelling requires muscular effort for the horse to balance and stabilise”
Q Should I worry about shipping fever on a UK journey?
ASHIPPING FEVER, or pleuropneumonia, is an infection which may occur after travelling. Bacteria present in the lungs can multiply and cause pneumonia, inflammation and secretion of fluid into the surrounding cavity, known as the pleural space.
Contributing factors during travel are dehydration and a prolonged head-up position, both of which reduce drainage of mucus from the lungs. Additional risk factors include recent fast exercise or viral infection, exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage, or exposure to inhaled particles.
While shipping fever can occur after a shorter trip, longer journeys represent an increased risk. Keep a horse well hydrated, make sure he does not overheat and untie him periodically to allow him to lower his head.
Initial signs include a high temperature, lethargy and appetite loss, and may progress to laboured breathing or an unsteady gait. A delay in veterinary treatment can result in more severe disease, which may have a poor prognosis for survival.
Q How tiring is travel?
ATRAVELLING requires muscular effort for the horse to balance and stabilise. Studies have found evidence of muscle fatigue after longer journeys, which may affect performance. An overnight stay before the competition will allow time for muscle recovery and rehydration.
A study of horses on an eight-hour trip showed that the frequency of stress-related behaviours was greatest in the first hour of the journey and that balance-related behaviours were most common in the final hour.
A smoother ride, on a motorway, for example, will be less arduous than travelling on twisty roads with changes of speed and direction. A lorry journey may be less taxing than travelling in a trailer.
Remember, too, that a seasoned traveller will find the journey less mentally and physically tiring than a less experienced horse.