managemental practices in all modes of transport are mentioned

1. Dr y.yaswanth naidu(mvsc)
Livestock production management

2. History
Moving horses from place to place is recorded
to occur as far back in history as 3,500 years.
 At that time, horses were transported by sea
and either were confined in boxes to the
bowels of the boat or placed in slings on the
deck of the boat.

3. The first accounts of horses being transported
by land are in the 1770s.
 In the 19th Century, horses were transported
in horse-drawn vans, with that mode of
transportation being replaced in the 1840s as
the rail system rapidly expanded.
 From about 1840 to the 1950s, the main
mode of horse transport was by rail.

4. With the discovery of the internal combustion
engine around the time of World War I, the
transport of horses once again returned to the
road.
From the 1920s to the 1950s, most was "short-
distance" transport. However, by the 1950s, there
was development of motor vehicles mechanically
capable of hauling horses over long distances.

5. Over the almost 50 years that followed, every
possible combination of truck/trailer/van has
been experimented with and made available
to the consume.
In addition to water, rail, and road, the horse
also has taken to the air as a means of
transport.

6. The first known air transport of a horse
reportedly was in the 1920s, and by the
1950s, horses were flying regularly between
Ireland, England and France.
The 1960s brought the “jet age,” with the first
carriage of horses in a Boeing 707. Later, wide-
bodied jets like the Boeing 747 could hold
greater numbers of horses (up to 112) on
charter flights

7. Purpose of trasportation
 shows
Breeding
Compete in atheletic events
Export and import by owners or horse clubs
i.e while buying or selling.

8. Modes of transport
 Road
HAULER TRUCK VAN

9. RAIL

10. AIRCRAFT

11. SHIP

12. Types of horse transportation
 In order to legally transport those specialty
horses, these providers must have specific
insurance and licensing.
Local transport: Local transport can be
anything from a ‘taxi’ service to and from the
vet, or shipping a horse from a seller to its
new owner in a nearby town.

13.  While the same considerations for your
horse’s health and safety should be taken,
shorter trips can require slightly less advance
preparation and may or may not require
health certificates and brand certificates if the
trip won’t change states

14. Schedule Interstate transport: Interstate
transport services typically follow a schedule.
 The can be daily, weekly, or bi-weekly and
service a geographic area including multiple
states.
 For instance, a Northwest provider might
service Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.

15. While these trips may be relatively short –
from a few hours to a day or two – the
preparation and paperwork requirements are
similar to those of longer distance hauling.
 Be ready to provide health, brand, and
Coggins test certificates for your hauler.

16. National transport: Because of the wide area
that is serviced by national transport services,
their schedules tend to be weekly or bi-
weekly.
National transport service requires greater
preparation and planning.
Shipping your horse for further distances will
require more paperwork too.

17. Work closely with your national transportation
service to determine the paperwork required.
Plan this type of transportation well in
advance to provide enough time for
certifications, vaccinations, dietary changes,
and scheduling.

18. International transport: International transport
services provide shipping of your equine to
different countries.
 Any time your horse is transported to or by way
of another country, travel requirements can be
more complicated.
For instance, transporting your horse to Canada
(or through Canada to Alaska) requires that any
packaged feed or medication be in unopened
packages.

19.  International transport schedules vary
depending on destination and service type.
All of the above types of transport are
available for show or race horses. Show and
race horse haulers require specific licenses,
which can be verified

20. TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMALS ,RULES
1978
CHAPTER V
Transport of Equines
57. Rules 57 to 63 shall apply to the transport
by rail, road or sea or horses, mules and
donkeys (hereinafter-in these rules referred to
as 'equines')

21. 5 8. (a)A valid certificate by a qualified veterinary
surgeon to the effect that the equines are in a fit
condition to travel by rail; road or sea and are not
suffering from any infectiousor contagious
disease or diseases shall accompany each
consignment.
(b)In the absence of such a certificate, the carrier
shall refuse to accept the consignment for
transport.
(c)The certificates shall be in a form specified in
Schedule - 1.

22. 59. (a) Each consignment shall bear a label
showing in bold red letters the name address and
telephone number (if any) of the consignor and
consignee the number and type of equines being
transported and quantity of rations and food
provided.
(b) The consignee shall be informed in advance
about the train or vehicle or ship in which the
consignment of equines is being sent and its
arrival time.

23. (c) The consignment of equines shall be booked
by the next train or vehicle or ship and shall be
accepted for booking.
60. (a) Pregnant and young equines shall not be
mixed with other animals.
(b) Different species of equines shall be kept
separately.
(c) Equines shall be loaded after being fed and
given water adequately, watering arrangements
shall be made enroute and sufficient food carried
to last during the journey.

24. (d) Veterinary first-aid equipment shall
accompany all batches of equines.
(e) Adequate ventilation shall be ensured.
(f) Suitable ramps and platforms, improvised
where not available, shall be used for loading
and unloading equines.

25. 61. For the transport of equines by rail, the
following precautions shall be taken
(a) Equines shall be transported by passenger or
mixed trains only;
(b)Ordinary goods wagon when used for
transportation shall carry not more than eight to
ten horses or ten mules or ten donkeys on braod
guage and not more than six horses oreight
donkeys on metre-gauge

26. (c) in extreme hot, water shall be sprinkled
over the wagons containing equines by the
railway authorities to bring down
temperature.
 Ice slabs in specially made containers may be
placed inside the wagan, if recommended by a
qualified veterinary surgeon

27. (d) every wagon shall have two attendants if
the equines are more than two in number;
(e) equines shall be loaded parallel to the rails,
facing each other;
(f) material for padding, such as paddy, straw,
shall be placed on the floor to avoid injury if
an animal lies down and this shall not be less
than 6 cm thick;

28. (g) to provide adequate ventilation, upper door of
the side of the wagon shall be kept open and
properly fixed and the upper door of the wagon
shall have wire guage closely welded mesh
arrangements to prevent burning cinders from
the engines entering the wagon and leading to
fire break out;
(h) two breast bars shall be provided on each side
of the wagon, one at a height of 50 to 80 cm and
the other at 110 cm.

29. 62. For the tranport of equines by goods-
vehicles, the following precautions shall be
taken,namely :
(a) Specially fitted vehicles with a special type
of tail-board and padding around the sides
shall be used ;
(b) ordinary goods vehicles shall be provided
with antislipping material on the floor and the
super structure, if low, should be raised;

30. (c) bamboo poles of at least 8 cm diameter
between each animal and two stout batons at
the back shall be provided to prevent the
animal from falling;
(d) to prevent horses from being frightened or
injured their heads should face left away from
the passing traffic;
(e) each vehicle shall not carry more than four
to six equines;

31. (f) each vehicle shall be provided with one
attendant;
(g) these vehicles shall be driven at a speed
not more than 35 kilometers per hour;
63. For the transport of equines by sea the
following precautions shall be taken, namely:
(a) horses may normally be accommodated in
single stalls and mules in pens, each pen
holding four to five mules;

32. (b) ample ventilation shall be ensured by keeping
portholes and providing permanent air trunks or
electric blowers on all decks, and exhaust fans
shall be installed to blow out foul air.
(c) all standings shall be athwart the ship with
heads facing inwards;
• (d) to avoid distress specially during hot weather,
the ship may go underway

33. immediately after embarking and
disembarking shall be done as early as
possible after anchoring.
(e) colts and fillies shall be kept on the
exposed decks;
(f) a pharmacy and spare stalls for five per
cent of equines shall be available;
(g) passage between two rows of pens shall
not be less than 1.5 metres

35. Management during road
transportation
Horses may be carried in either trailers
(“floats”) or in modified vans or lorries.
 Trailers or “floats” are usually designed to
carry two or three horses
Food in the form of hay and water usually is
provided to horses at least every six to eight
hours.

36. There is accommodation for grooms to travel
with these horses, usually in the ratio of one
groom for up to nine horses.
Travelling is an important aspect of horse care
today . loading ,unloading and travelling are
hazardous procedures and it is vital to be well
prepared and well practiced in order to
minimise the risk of accidents

37.  once a horse has had a bad experience ,or has
travelled badly ,it can become very reluctant to load
and can panic when on move.
General points
 Horses older than eight months must wear
halters/headcollars during transport – unless unbroken
 If horses are transported on a multi-deck vehicle, they
must only be carried on the lower deck, with no other
animals above them. In these circumstances, the
compartment height must be at least 75cm higher than
the height of the withers of the highest animal

38. When the vehicle is on a Roll-on/Roll-off
vehicle , horses must be transported in
individual stalls – exception is made for a mare
and foal.
Unbroken horses must not be transported in
groups of more than four.

39. Temperature within the transporting vehicle
The temperature within the area the horses are
stalled in must not fall below 0° during a
journey of more than eight hours.

40. Space requirments
Category area (m²/animal)
• Adult horses 1.75 m².
• Young horses (6-24 months old)
• for journeys over 48 hours 1.2 m².
• Young horses (6-24 months old).
• for journeys over 48 hours 2.4 m².
• Ponies (under 144cm) 1.0 m².
• Foals (0-6 months) 1.4 m².
• During long journeys, foals and young horses must be able to lie down.
•

41. Procedures before travelling
Vehicles and trailers must be regularly serviced
and checked thoroughly before any journey.
checks should include : the floor ,ramp and
partitions of the horse space, and tyres of the
trailer including tyre pressure,oil,fuel,battery and
lights.
Once the trailer has been hitched up check:
The coupling hitch and safety chain
Indicators,sidelights,brake lights and the internal
light

42. Clothing for travelling
Horses wear rugs and protective clothing
during travelling ;what they wear depends on
several factors including :
Time of year
Weather
Length of journey
Whether the horse is alone or in company
How well the horse travels

43. The equipment needed includes the following
Head collar ,rope and poll guard
Sweat rug thermal travelling rug
Surcingle or roller
In winter the horses should wear the equivalent
of his normal day rug
Travelling boots or bandages with knee boots
Tail bandage and tail guard

44. HEAD COLLAR POLL GUARD

45. SWEAT RUG
TRAVELLING BOOTS

46. KNEE BOOT
TAIL BANDAGE

47. TAIL GUARD

48. Ramp Angles for Loading and
Unloading
• The Regulation stipulates a new maximum ramp
angle of:
• 20° or a 36.4% slope
• Ramp side gates may not be needed if horses are
halter led during loading and unloading
• Vehicles/trailers built and in-use before 5 January
2009, which comply with previous angle
requirements, may continue to be used within
the UK until 4 th January 2012 if it is
impractical/uneconomical to convert or alter.

49. Loading a horse into a vehicle
Loading a fractious horse into a vehicle can be
dangerous for both the both the horse and
handler and it is wise to think ahead if you donot
know how the horse is going to behave the
procedure is as follows:
Position of vehicle along side a wall so that the
horse can only escape to one side .make sure that
the gap is very small so that the horse is not
tempted to run between the wall and the vehicle.

50. Avoid slippery surfaces concrete and tarmac tend
to be slippery .if the horse is going to be awkward
it may be better to park on grass.
Bed down the floor with straw or shavings so that
it looks inviting and is less noisy and slippery
Swing back and secure the partitions so that the
horse is not having to enter a narrow space . it
may be better to remove the partitions
completely if possible

51.  Open the jockey door or the front unload trailers so
that it is light inside the vehicle and the horse can see a
way out
 Make sure the ramp is level and firm so that it does not
shift under the horses weight
 It is very important to have enough experienced help if
u suspect that the horse will be difficult: even with well
behaved horses it is useful to have an assistant
standing by the side of the ramp the assistant should
not stare at the horses as it approaches nothing stops a
horse going forward more quickly

52. The handler standing at the horse shoulder
should lead the horse forward and straight up the
ramp it is important not to pull on the horse head
Once the horse is inside the vehicle do not duck
under the breast bar,but stand by its shoulder
until the back is secured by the assistant the
assistant should stand to one side when lifting
the ramp so that when the lifting the ramp so
that if the horse does rush backwards the ramp
will not fall on them

53.  Once the ramp has been lifted and secured ,tie the
horse to a loop of string so that the horse Cannot swing
round but not so tight that it cannot balance the string
should be breakable so that the horse panics and goes
down the string will realse it
 If you are on your own then the horses should be
loaded in exactly the same way ,but using a lungr line
instead of leadrope .once the horse is loaded ,the
lunge line can be threaded through the tie ring ang the
tension on the horse head maintained as the handler
backs down the ramp and lifts it

54. Loading of horse

55. Coping with a shy loader
• Horses can become difficult to load for many
reasons including:
• Reluctance to leave the other horses position
the vehicle out of sight and carshot of other
horses
• Fear of the enclosed space or steep ramp
• Habit some horses are trained not to load by
in experienced handlers

56. Memories of a bad journey or forceful loading
Loading difficult horses should not be
undertaken lightly; all handlers should be
suitably dressed, including gloves, suitable
shoes and a hard hat.
 The equipment needed includes a lunge whip
and two lunge lines, food in a bucket, a snaffle
bridle for control or a lunge cavesson

57.  The horse should be led quietly to the ramp and
allowed to look where it is going. If the horse has
a quiet temperament, first one front leg and then
the other can be lifted and placed on the ramp,
making much of the horse at each step.
If the horse moves back, follow it and start again.
This way the horses confidence can be built up
gradually until it is happy to enter the trailer.

58. if a quiet or stubborn horse is not liable to
kick, two people can link fingers behind the
horses hindquarters and push up once the
front feet are on the ramp.
 Alternatively a lunge line can be buckled to
each side of the vehicle, the lines held by two
assistants and crossed behind the horses
hindquarters to encourage it forwards.

59. Some horses give in as soon as they realise there
is no means of escape, while others can lash out
or rear against the lunge lines so care must be
taken.
 Young horses or horses that are reluctant to
leave their companions may load more readily if a
companion is loaded first.
 They can gain confidence from the fact that the
other horse is not worried by the ramp or the
enclosed space

60. Once the problem horse is loaded, the
companion can be unloaded, but take care
that the horse does not panic once its friend
has gone.
Young horses may benefit from the company
of an experienced traveller during their first
few journeys

61. CARE TAKEN WHILE TRANSPORTING
HORSES
Many horses become reluctant to load, especially
into trailers, after they have experienced a bad
journey or forceful loading. Prevention is better
than cure.
Avoid sudden braking ,rapid acceleration and fast
cornering.
Use the gears with brakes to decelerate gently
into a corner or to a halt.
Pull away from a standstill or out of a bend
steadily and slowly

62. Pay attention when travelling over a rough or
uneven surface.
Overhanging branches and uncut hedges along
narrow lanes can be very frightening.
Remember that horses can become frightened if
they have previously had a bad experience
travelling.
Trailers towed too fast can start to sway and
become so unstable that they jacknife or turn
over. This is extremely dangerous.

63. Unloading a horse from vehicle
 The vehicle should be parked in a safe
suitable place with enough room around it.
 The horse must be united before the
partition front bar or breeching strap is
undone many horses can become quite
excited in anticipation of being unloaded
they must not be allowed to rush or jump off
the ramp

65. Care of the horse during travelling
The horse should be kept warm in winter and
cool in summer,but remember that the vehicle
and the number of horses will influence the
temperature and the air available.
A single horse in a trailer may get cold ,even in
summer ,while a lorry with three or four
horses may become very warm in winter.

66. Water requirments
One of the major problems horses experience
when travelling long distances is dehydration
it is very important to offer the horse the
horse water at frequent intervals .
if the horse is sweating it is wise to include
some electrolytes

67. some horses are more fussy about water than
they are about food so take some water from
home in a couple of containers so that the
taste of unfamiliar water does not put the
horse off drinking taste fortunately most
horses will drink

68. Sweating and water requirements
 This low water consumption combined with the water
lost through sweating during travel increases the risk of
dehydration, especially in hot, humid weather when
sweating is more abundant.
 A Japanese study has shown that a 454 kg horse loses
11 to 18 kg after 2 ½ hours of travel time due to
sweating during transport. Research also shows that,
even under cool weather conditions, the horse can still
lose up to 0.5 per cent of its body weight every hour.

69. Feeding during trasportation
Whether to feed your horse in the trailer
depends on the distance and length of time your
horse is in the trailer.
If the journey is scheduled to take six hours or
longer, it is recommended to provide hay in the
trailer. It is never recommended to provide the
grain portion of the diet in the trailer.
 For trips less than six hours, it is generally
recommended not to feed your horses in the
trailer.

70. Unfortunately, many people are willing to
provide horses with hay while traveling, but
forget to provide adequate water.
 Research conducted by Kentucky Equine
Research has shown that eating forage
stimulates the thirst response in horses.
Providing hay without adequate water gives
horses a perfect chance to become
dehydrated and potentially suffer from colic.

71. Providing hay to nervous horses may provide a
calming effect, but at the risk of the horse
bolting (gulping) the feed and choking.
If forage is to be provided while horses are in
the trailer, it should be free of dust.
 Most hay nets are hung in what is known as
the “breathing zone” around the horse’s
muzzle. Dust blowing off the hay will be
deposited directly into the lungs

72. Therefore, it is recommended to soak the hay
prior to placing it in a hay net.
 Providing hay cubes that have been soaked in
water prior to feeding is an alternative to hay.
Horses that are fed during transport need to
be watered at least every four hours.
 If temperature and humidity are high, it is
recommended that horses be provided with
water at least every two hours.

73.  It may be helpful to carry water from home for
horses that may be reluctant to drink from a
strange water source.
 Ideally, horses should not be hauled for more
than 12 hours at one time. If horses must be
hauled between 6 and 12 hours per day, short
periods of rest when the horses are actually
unloaded from the trailer will not provide rest.
 It is best to stop and provide water, then
continue on the trip without unloading the
horses.

74. Management during rail transport
 Rail transport of horses to auction sales is still utilized
in India.
 57. Rules 57 to 63 shall apply to the transport by rail,
road or sea or horses, mules and donkeys (hereinafter-
in these rules referred to as 'equines')
 5 8. (a) A valid certificate by a qualified veterinary
surgeon to the effect that the equines are in a fit
condition to travel by rail; road or sea and are not
suffering from any infectious or contagious disease or
diseases shall accompany each consignment.

75. (b)In the absence of such a certificate, the carrier
shall refuse to accept the consignment for
transport.
(c)The certificates shall be in a form specified in
Schedule - 1.
59. (a) Each consignment shall bear a label
showing in bold red letters the name address and
telephone number (if any) of the consignor and
consignee the number and type of equines being
transported and quantity of rations and food
provided.

76. (b) The consignee shall be informed in
advance about the train or vehicle or ship in
which the consignment of equines is being
sent and its arrival time.
(c) The consignment of equines shall be
booked by the next train or vehicle or ship and
shall be accepted for booking.
60. (a) Pregnant and young equines shall not
be mixed with other animals.

77. (b) Different species of equines shall be kept
separately.
(c) Equines shall be loaded after being fed and
given water adequately, watering
arrangements shall be made enroute and
sufficient food carried to last during the
journey

78. d) Veterinary first-aid equipment shall
accompany all batches of equines.
(e) Adequate ventilation shall be ensured.
(f) Suitable ramps and platforms, improvised
where not available, shall be used for loading
and unloading equines

79. For the transport of equines by rail, the
following precautions shall be taken:
 Equines shall be transported by passenger or
mixed trains only;
Ordinary goods wagon when used for
transportation shall carry not more than eight
to ten horses or ten mules or ten donkeys on
broad guage and not more than six horses or
eight donkeys on metre-gauge

80. In extreme hot, water shall be sprinkled over the
wagons containing equines by the railway
authorities to bring down temperature. Ice slabs
in specially made containers may be placed inside
the wagan, if recommended by a qualified
veterinary surgeon;
 every wagon shall have two attendants if the
equines are more than two in number;
 equines shall be loaded parallel to the rails,
facing each other

81.  Material for padding, such as paddy, straw, shall be
placed on the floor to avoid injury if an animal lies
down and this shall not be less than 6 cm thick.
 to provide adequate ventilation, upper door of the
side of the wagon shall be kept open and properly fixed
and the upper door of the wagon shall have wire guage
closely welded mesh arrangements to prevent burning
cinders from the engines entering the wagon and
leading to fire break out;
 two breast bars shall be provided on each side of the
wagon, one at a height of 50 to 80 cm and the other at
110 cm.

82. MANAGEMENT WHILE TRASPORTING
IN GOODS TRAIN
 Specially fitted vehicles with a special type of
tail-board and padding around the sides shall be
used ;
 ordinary goods vehicles shall be provided with
antislipping material on the floor and the super
structure, if low, should be raised;
bamboo poles of at least 8 cm diameter between
each animal and two stout batons at the back
shall be provided to prevent the animal from
falling;

83.  To prevent horses from being frightened or
injured their heads should face left away from
the passing traffic
Each vehicle shall not carry more than four to
six equines;
 Each vehicle shall be provided with one
attendant;
 These vehicles shall be driven at a speed not
more than 35 kilometers per hour;

84. Each vehicle shall not carry more than four to
six equines;
Each vehicle shall be provided with one
attendant;
 These vehicles shall be driven at a speed not
more than 35 kilometers per hour;

85. FLOOR SPACE REQUIRMENTS IN RAIL
HORSE SPACE IN SQUARE METRE
Stallion Horses 2.25
Mares (including pregnant) 2
Ponies 1.5
6 Months to 12 Months 1.4
12 Months to 18 Months 1.6
Over 18 Months and upto 2 years 2
Mares with Foal at Foot (upto 6 months) 2.25

86. MANAGEMENT IN TRANSPOTATION
THROUGH SEA
Sea transport of horses was, at least until the
early 1990’s, utilized for the transfer of live
horses destined for slaughter, from South
America to Italy and the same route is still
used to transfer polo ponies
A large ship can accommodate up to 30 horses

87. For the transport of equines by sea the
following precautions shall be taken, namely:
 Horses may normally be accommodated in
single stalls and mules in pens, each pen
holding four to five mules;
 Ample ventilation shall be ensured by keeping
portholes and providing permanent air trunks
or electric blowers on all decks, and exhaust
fans shall be installed to blow out foul air;

88. All standings shall be athwart the ship with
heads facing inwards;
To avoid distress specially during hot weather,
the ship may go underway immediately after
embarking and disembarking shall be done as
early as possible after anchoring.
Colts and fillies shall be kept on the exposed
decks;

89.  Pharmacy and spare stalls for five per cent of
equines shall be available.
Passage between two rows of pens shall not
be less than 1.5 metres

90. MANAGEMENT IN TRASPORT
THROUGH AIRCRAFT
Air transport of horses utilizes either a “jet-
stall” system in which horses travel in a fully
enclosed air stable or an open stall system in
which there is a lesser degree of enclosure.
The numbers of horses that are carried in
open stall systems is determined by the type
or airplane in which they are carried and the
size of the horses to be transported.
Three horses can be accommodated across
the width of a narrow bodied airplane

91. The normal practice of the horse air transport
industry is that the ratio of personnel to
animals should usually be one groom for every
three horses on the aero plane.
Horses are offered hay ad lib while the aero
plane is at flight and water is provided every
six to eight hours

92. This horse appears calm and
comfortable in an open stall aboard
an airplane

93. Preparation Of Vehicle For Transport
Vehicles used for the transport of horses must
be designed, constructed, maintained and
operated so as to---
Avoid injury and suffering and to ensure the
safety of the animals.
Protect the animals from inclement weather
and extreme temperatures.
Prevent the animals escaping (or) falling out.
Maximum slope allowed is 30 ° .

94. Ensure the air quality and quantity
appropriate to the species transported can be
maintained.
Provide access to the animals to allow
inspection.
 Minimize the leakage of urine and faeces.
Provide a means of lighting sufficient for
inspection of the animals.

95. Provide sufficient space inside the animal
compartment to ensure that there is adequate
ventilation above the animals when they are
standing in their natural position.
Vehicles must also have anti-slip flooring,
partitions strong enough to withstand the weight
of the animals, and fittings designed for quick and
easy operation.
Vehicles in which horses are transported must be
clearly and visibly marked indicating the presence
of live animals

96. All vehicles must be constructed, maintained
and operated so as to allow appropriate
cleansing and disinfection.
Vehicles used for the transport of horses for
over eight hours must be inspected and
approved by an authorized body.

97. No horse may be transported on a journey in
excess of eight hours, except in an approved
vehicle.
In an approved vehicle horses may be
transported for 24 hours, as long as they are
given liquid and (if necessary) fed at eight-
hour intervals.
At the end of the 24-hour period of transport,
horses must be rested for at least 24 hours.

98. Transport stress in horses
The term “transport stress” has been utilized
to describe some of the effects of travel.
Transport stress occurs when an animal (a
horse) is required to make abnormal or
extreme adjustments in its behavior or
internal management (physiology) in order to
cope with adverse aspects of its environment
and management.

99. Why is transport stress important?
Horses stressed by transport are more
susceptible to a variety of diseases, including
pneumonia, colic, diarrhea and laminitis.
 Additionally, transport stress may alter energy
metabolism, which can affect the horse’s
ability to perform or compete soon after
transport.

100. Physical Stressors Psychological Stressors Environmental Stressors
Environmental Stressors Separation from the herd
and familiar
environmen
Fluctuations of
temperature and
humidity
Constant vibration and
noise
Exposure to strange
environments
and animals
Altered and possibly
inadequate
ventilation
Noise Confinement Exposure to gases and
particles from
exhaust, urine and feces
Loss of balance from
accelerations
and decelerations
Lack of exercise or
movement
(particularly for older
horses)
Road or flight conditions
Deprivation of feed and
water
Schedule changes Intensity and/or
fluctuations in light
levels

101. Management of stress
Before transport:
 Teach or train the horse to load, unload and haul
quietly.
 This will drastically reduce the stress levels right from
the start of travel.
 Loading is by far the most stressful single aspect of
transport.
 Select a van or trailer that suits your horse’s size and
temperament.
 Inspect the transport vehicle for cleanliness and
sanitize if necessary.

102.  Plan the route to minimize duration, along with any
extremes in weather (or) environmental temperatures.
 Ensure that the flooring remains non-slip for the entire
trip.
 Provide absorbent bedding to help soak up any urine
and manure excreted.
 Ensure adequate ventilation in the transport vehicle.
 Provide a well-fitting halter; leather is ideal.
 Bring sufficient feed and water.

103. Have an effective means of restraint.
Offer water every 4 to 6 hours, (or) every 3 to
4 hours in hot weather.
If possible, pick up manure and urine at the
same time intervals.
Check that veterinary help is available if
required.
Notify the point of arrival of the journey plan
and any special requirements.

104. Tranquilization and Familiarization
Many horses have been familiarized with
transport from a young age.
A small minority of horses may be difficult to
handle during transport.
Tranquilization by a veterinarian may facilitate
loading and assist with the safe handling of
the horse during transport.
This should done with caution.

105. Water and Electrolytes
The pre travel administration of oral (or)
intravenous fluids is not usually recommended
unless the horse has a history of developing
dehydration during travel.
Medication
Unnecessary medication should be avoided,
especially before travel.
Adverse reactions are always a possibility with
any therapeutic substance.

106. Body weight
Horses tend to lose weight on journeys.
The amount of weight lost can range from 0.45 to
0.55% of total body weight per hour of journey
This weight loss may reflect reduced dietary
intake during travel, the evacuation of the
contents of the rectum and muscular work
Weight lost in transit tends to be regained over
the following three to seven days in healthy
horses

107. HORSES EATING HAY IN AIR PLANES

108. REDUCING STRESS DURING TRANSPORT:-
Duration of Journey
Journeys of 3 hours (or) less than 500 miles- no
problem for horse.
Road transport time per day should not exceed
12 hours from the time the first horse is loaded
on the vehicle.
After 12 hours of transport, horses should be
removed from the vehicle and comfortably
stabled for at least 8 hours.
This time period is necessary for tracheal
clearance and rehydration.

109. Behavior and Injury
Horse behavior should be monitored regularly
throughout any transport.
Additional skillful help may be required if a
horse becomes extremely agitated.
Any depression (or) injury in horses should be
noted and appropriate first aid action taken
wherever possible.

110. Feed and Water
Clean water should be offered regularly—
approximately every 3 to 6 hours during
prolonged ground or air transport.
In warmer conditions, high humidity, or when
horses are sweating, water should be offered
more frequently.
Horses eat during long journeys.
Hay be thoroughly soaked in water before being
loaded on the vehicle (or) fed in a net to horses.

111. When providing feed for horses during transport, make sure it is quality hay, free of mold
and with minimal dust.

112. Head Posture
Horses should be given as much freedom
of movement of their heads as is safe.
Restraint in the head up posture may
severely compromise lung clearance
mechanisms and predispose a horse to
shipping fever.
Hay nets should be placed as low as
possible.

114. Orientation During Transport
Orientation of the horse within a transport
vehicle has been identified as a potential
source of stress.
Studies suggest that horses facing away from
travel experience less stress and better ability
to clear their airways and adjust posture.
Greater caution is required when opening the
doors of a trailer with an unrestrained horse
inside.

115. Ventilation and the Environment
 There are a number of factors about air quality that
impact the respiratory system.
 The properly designed van will allow adequate
ventilation.
 Breathing of exhaust fumes can be an irritant to the
respiratory system and excessive fumes in an
enclosed compartment can cause death due to
carbon monoxide poisoning.
 Deaths of horses in trailers have been reported when
the wind currents during transit directed the exhaust
directly into closed trailers.

116. Urine-soaked bedding (or) poor drainage from
the trailer can also have a negative impact on air
quality.
When urine breaks down, a substantial amount
of ammonia fumes can be generated.
Excessive inhalation of ammonia fumes can cause
respiratory irritation that predisposes the horse
to respiratory problems.
Recent research suggests that in the case of long
road journeys there is benefit in removing feces
and urine-soaked material during periodic stops.

117. Reducing stress after arrival
Horses that travel well will be bright and alert
with a normal rectal temperature upon arrival at
their destination.
Unload horses as soon as possible to avoid
additional confinement and other stress factors.
They should voluntarily drink and be keenly
interested in eating within 1 or 2 hours of arrival.
Hand walking or turnout in a small paddock for
an hour (or) so upon arrival after a long journey is
recommended.

118. Monitoring
Rectal temperature should be recorded morning
and evening.
When possible, weigh horses upon arrival and
then daily at the same time for the next 3 to 7
days.
Comparison with a pre-transport weight is useful
to quantify actual weight losses and to assess the
effects of shipping.
Shipping fever, colic, diarrhea are common in
horses after shipping.

119. Recovery period
 For road journeys of 6 to 12 hours, a one-day rest
period is likely to be sufficient.
 When horses travel longer than 12 hours by road or are
transported by plane, a recovery period of 2 to 3 days
should be planned.
 Researches showed horses transported 24 hours by
road in a commercial van has shown that physiological
parameters, especially white blood cells, take 24 hours
to return to normal levels for horses transported in box
stalls and an additional day for horses cross-tied during
the trip.

120. Shipping fever
Shipping fever is the most common illness
found in horses subjected to transport.
It is a respiratory infection characterized by
signs of depression, loss of appetite, fever,
increased respiratory rate, nasal discharge,
and coughing and can rapidly progress to
pleurisy and pneumonia.
The incidence of shipping fever in long
journeys may be 6% or higher.

121. When the clinical signs of shipping fever are
observed during road journeys, veterinary help
should besought immediately or, if not possible,
immediately after arrival.
During air transport, if there is a veterinarian on
board, treatment should begin immediately.
It has been shown that prompt intervention
significantly reduces the duration of therapy and
severity of illness.

122. Cleaning and disinfection
VEHICLE DISINFECTION SUMMARY
 In addition to horse transport vehicles all vehicles e.g.
feed lorries and contractors must follow this summary
to reduce the potential for transmission of disease.
 Only essential vehicles should enter the stable area.
 All vehicles visiting the stables should be kept outside
the biosecurity perimeter if at all possible.
 Vehicles should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected
using the Vehicle Biosecurity Programme prior to
arrival at the stables.

123. • Wheels, tyres and wheel arches should be
cleaned and disinfected upon arrival at the
stables using wheel dips or sprays where
provided.
• Personnel should use footdips and the Hand
Hygiene System prior to entry to premises

124. Cleansing and Disinfecting Agents
Cleansing Dilution Rate
Quat-Gard 1:500 (1 L in each 500 litres) 500 ml/m²
Disinfection
Viru-Gard 1:100 (1 KG in each 100
litres)
300 ml/m²

125. VEHICLE CLEANSING AND
DISINFECTION PROCEDURES
Before uing ndertaking the following biosecurity
programme please ensure that the person
carryout the procedure is wearing clean and
disinfected protective clothing. Protective face
visor and rubber gauntlets must be worn during
the disinfection stage of this procedure.
STAGE 1. Dry Cleaning - Removing Organic Soiling
It is essential to remove all gross organic soiling
from the vehicle as dung and refuse contain high
levels of contamination and are a major source of
infection.

126. Using brushes, shovels and forks ensure the
following area's are covered:
Inside the Horse Box
Starting at the top and working down, first scrape
out all soiled bedding and refuse, then brush the
floors, walls and division gates of the trailer
ensuring that all organic material is removed.
Ensure that any gross organic material is removed
from the tail lift/ramp and gates by scraping and
brushing.

127.  Outside the Horse Box
 Particular attention must be paid to the removal of
organic material from the underside of the trailer
where deposits can build up. Using a stiff handbrush
(or pressure washer where necessary), ensure that any
deposits of mud, straw etc are removed from the
wheels, wheel arches, tyres, mudguards and exposed
chassis of the trailer.
 All soiled bedding and refuse should be disposed of in
accordance with Local Authority or Government
guidelines.

128. STAGE 2. Cleaning & Sanitizing
Following the removal of the soiled bedding and
refuse, high levels of infective material will still
remain.
Cleaning with Quat-Gard at a dilution of 1:500 for
spraying or 1:250 for foaming will ensure that
greasy deposits do not remain on any surfaces.
Using a detergent such as Super Quat also
reduces the time taken to clean by up to 60%,
and reduces the spread of disease in washing
water.

129.  Apply with either a knapsack sprayer or pressure washer
using the appropriate application rate (500ml/sq.m for
normal application 250ml/sq.m for foam application). If
using a pressure washer, ensure that it is set on a low
pressure setting (approx. 500 psi (35 bar)) using a 450 angle
jet.
 Using the brush attachment for the pressure washer, start
at the top and work down each side of the trailer working
the Quat-Gardsolution into the surfaces and any orifices.
 Using the lance attachment at low pressure apply Quat-
Gardto the wheels, wheel arches, tyres, mudguards and
underside of the trailer

130. Inside the trailer, starting at the top and working
down to the bottom, ensure that the ceiling,
sides, divisions and floors are all treated
thoroughly.
Attention must be paid to the tail ramp and gates.
Ensure that all equipment stored in the trailer
such as shovel, brush, etc are removed and
washed.
Allow at least 10 minutes to for the detergent to
penetrate and loosen the dirt from all surfaces
before rinsing at high pressure.

131.  It is essential to have removed all organic material
before proceeding to the disinfection stage.
 STAGE 3. DISINFECTION
 The level of disease organisms, particularly viruses,
present after cleaning and sanitising is still high enough
to offer a serious disease challenge. The use of a broad
spectrum disinfectant such as Viru-Gard, active against
viruses bacteria, yeasts, moulds and other pathogenic
organisms and must be used to complete this effective
disease control programme.

132. Using Viru-Gard at a dilution of 1:100 solution
(1kg in each 100 litres) and rate of 300 ml/sq.m at
low pressure:
Outside of the trailer, start at the top and work
down each side.
Ensure that special attention is paid to the wheel
arches, tyres, mudguards and underside of the
trailer.
Inside the trailer, starting at the top and working
down, ensure that ceiling, sides, divisions and
floors are disinfected thoroughly.

133. Attention must be paid to the tail ramp and
gates.
Ensure that all washed equipment from the
trailer such as shovel, brush; etc is sprayed or
soaked in Farm Care Viru-Gard

134. In very rare instances, Farm Care Viru-Gard may
affect untreated metals, inferior or damaged
galvanised metals. In these cases we recommend
rinsing these areas with clean water after
disinfection ensuring a contact time of at least 5
minutes.
Finally Park the trailer on a slope to drain and dry.
Once the trailer is removed from the wash area,
wash down the concrete surface with Quat-Gard
making sure no muck or debris remains.

135. Wash and disinfect waterproof overalls and
boots.
For environmental awareness take care to
avoid any solutions entering surface water
drains or water courses.
 A discharge consent may be required for large
volume discharges to foul sewer.

136. • COMPOSITION OF QUAT GARD:
• ETHYLE ALCOHOL
• n-Alkyl (68% C14, 32% C16) dimethyl
ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride.
• n-Alkyl (60% C14, 30% C16, 5% C12, 5% C18)
dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride