Les Bunning

Know your horse pre-travel…
Before transport it is advisable to know your horse's normal temperature and keep note of the temperature during morning and night several days before departure. Do not travel a horse that shows any indication of an elevated temperature. As soon as you arrive at your destination allow time for your horse to settle and perhaps have a drink of water and a pick of grass. After about 30 minutes take his temperature and then twice daily during the competition. Any elevation should be taken seriously and a vet called. Do not be tempted to compete if the horse is unwell.

Feeding…
Other factors that can help maximise his performance are to ensure you keep your normal feed regime. Take your own feed with you and do not simply arrive and change the horse's diet. If using electrolytes be careful to use the correct amount. Too much can be worse than too little if the horse is not used to them.

The Trip…
If travelling 12 hours to a show try to plan an overnight break. Plan an amount of travelling that can be safely done in a day with a stop and relax in the middle.
If I go to Sydney from Melbourne to compete (roughly an 800km trip) I stop over half way. The horses have a light work in the morning before they leave and then a good walk and pick of grass after they arrive on each day. This prevents tying up and helps the muscles recover.
I always make sure I arrive in daylight to settle the horses in and if going interstate I allow at least a day at the venue before competing. Also, I do not overwork horses on day one, as the trip takes a lot out of them and they can become flat very quickly.

After the Competition…
During competition the amount of feed consumed and water available should be carefully monitored. Horses not drinking when travelling can easily become dehydrated and consistently ill.
After your events, remember the trip home afterwards is just as important. After such a big effort, your horse will need extra special care on your return as he will be tired. Remember: Travel Sickness can occur up to a week after the trip, so temperatures should still be monitored.
As many will learn my worst experience was loosing my Olympic Horse 'Limbo' in quarantine in England after the Athens Olympics. Unfortunately I couldn't travel with him and I often wander if I had been with him that I could have saved him by being more alert to the problem earlier. Only the rider and the groom know the horse well enough to recognise the early signs of the horse being unwell - and that is the essential time for action.

Overseas Travelling…
The logistics of overseas travel are of course far more difficult but, the same principals apply. When flying horses it is not possible to take a break every 5 hours. However, if you travel with your horse you can make sure he is as comfortable as possible. Two horses to a pellet is preferable as the airflow is better. No rugs or bandages are best, but perhaps tape over the horses hooves. Feed should be plain meadow hay and in time most horses eventually drink. Lots of carrots are great for take-off and landing. A small amount of molasses in the horse's water to encourage them to drink is also a viable option. During the flight there is little you can do except to keep him calm and disturb him as little as possible. . The main issue is excellent care at the other end with careful monitoring of temperature.

A minimum of 2 weeks is needed before considering competition after arrival with the first few days, very light exercise, and lots of loosening and suppling. Normally, like us, they can become a bit jet-lagged and needing lots of sleep. Again, keeping the feed regime as similar as possible to the normal routine is best.

Lastly, on arrival at a big competition, remember it is too late to train your horse then. Some people find the need to practice every possible exercise when then best is to loosen and supple the horse. The travel can create some stiffness and over-exercise will not improve his performance.

Stay Calm and relaxed and your horse will do the same……. enjoy! Mary Hanna

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Amanda Howell - Eventing
Competing interstate & overseas can be an incredibly rewarding & educating experience, providing you are well organized & plan ahead.

The first thing to organize is the horse - obviously it must be an important competition if you're planning on traveling a long distance to get there, so make sure the horse is fit, qualified, & performing well enough to make the trip worth while.

Entry forms & qualifications may be different in another state (& even in a foreign language overseas!), & you may need to become a member of that state's branch, or get an international rider's license. All of these details need to be organized through the event's secretary or National EFA for overseas. Ensure both yours & the horses' papers are validated & packed

Plan your drive by checking the roadmap, & estimating the time it will take to get to your destination. It is advisable to ask someone who has done the trip before for directions, & if there is a more advisable route to take, that will be less winding & smoother for the horses.

To minimize the chance of travel sickness, it is advisable not to travel for more than 6 hours continuously, without unloading the horse & giving him a break. Ensure the float or truck is well ventilated, & I place shavings on the floor to soak up urine & manure, to minimize the chance of the horse slipping. Allowing the horse to stretch his head down, have a drink, & something to eat, will hydrate him, keep his digestive system moving, & stop his muscles from stiffening. I always keep an eye on the horses' temperature, whether he has appropriate rugs on, & if his legs look 'normal' (no swelling). If you're planning on taking your horse off the truck or float for a break, make sure it is in a safe area, & book ahead if you require stabling & accommodation at a venue on the way.

If you require more feed than you can take with you, organize it to be delivered to the venue, so it is there when you arrive. Make sure it is the same feed as you are currently feeding your horse, or analyze what is the most similar feed should yours be unavailable. It is enough for the horse to settle into new environments & be expected to perform well, & is therefore very unadvisable to alter his feed & risk upsetting his system. I always pack individual feeds for the trip, so they are easily accessible.

When you are at the event, ensure your horse gets enough walking out & grazing in hand, so he's not stuck in his stable or yard all day, especially if he's used to being out in the paddock for at least part of the day.

I think the most important thing about traveling is to keep the horses' routine as normal as possible, & ensure he's kept relaxed. Amanda Howell

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Les Bunning - ShowJumping
Anyone wishing to load up a truck to compete interstate needs to seriously plan ahead, if all is going to go smoothly. This article will mainly look at this trip from a Showjumpers point of view, but the same principles would apply to other disciplines.

Firstly you need to know and plan what competitions you are intending to do. Make sure you contact all the show organizers to get programs and entry details, as most shows you will have to enter before you leave. Now for the trip, lets assume you are going from Perth ( one of the longest trips by road ), you will need to know what stopover venues are available, contact these venues to make sure you can stay there and the cost. When travelling back to Perth you will have to organize Liver Fluke treatment, contact the Dept Of Agriculture this is compulsory when entering W.A.

Staying somewhere when you arrive sometimes you can stay with other riders and friends between competitions, as staying at show venues is costly and some facilities aren't suited for long term stays. You need to find a good feed merchant close to where you are staying. That's one advantage of feeding HYGAIN, its available Australia wide, so you don't have to change your feed while you are away.

When packing your horse essentials, its a good idea to take a good electric fence unit, tape and posts and always pack a few spares of tack ie: lead ropes, halters, girth etc, have strong feed bins, water and feed buckets, hoses, power leads.
Now you have the equestrian side organized its time to check the transport. All vehicles should be serviced, good and spare tyres if going in a truck take extra fuel filters, fan belts, water. A diesel rebate scheme is available when travelling outside your metro area, all helps with the costs, contact the Tax Department for more information.

You are nearly ready to leave, I personally like to give my horses a pre-trip treatment just before leaving when travelling for more than 12 hours. You should contact your vet for advice on making sure your horse arrives feeling well. I usually give a sulphur based antibiotic, this helps towards respiratory infections and also Fynadyne which helps on inflammation, both these problems can occur when travelling long distances. Its also a good idea to reduce your horses protein a few days before leaving.At this point I would like to stress that no matter how well you plan your trip, if you don't get your horse to your destination in good health, then the whole trip can be totally wasted.

Its always better to arrive a few days before your first competition,or when travelling from W.A. I recommend to arrive one week prior. This gives your horse time to get over the trip and to get them accommodated the best you can, check that all your entries are correct and make any changes if required.

Hopefully your trip went well and you and your horse arrived in good health, so now you are ready to take on the world, good luck. Les Bunning

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