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Re: [RC] re: [RC] trailer flooring - Mary Ann Spencer - heidi


This 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



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Replies
[RC] re: [RC] trailer flooring - Mary Ann Spencer, A. Perez