Baby's First Trailer: Tips for Transporting Foals There’s something very special about a new foal. After all, you’ve got a once in his lifetime chance to teach him things the right way, without forcing him into any situations that will create problems later on. One of the most important things you can do for your horse’s well-being is making sure that his first experience with a trailer is a positive one. Whether you’re planning to customize your current trailer for his transport or are looking at foal-friendly horse trailers for sale, keep these tips in mind as you work through your foal’s first trailer travel: Practice trailering your own foals. If the foal you’re planning to transport is one of your own, you’ve got a great opportunity to introduce him to the trailer long before the day comes to transport him. If his mother is a good loader, she can help keep the foal calm during practice loads by loading along with him. A foal on his own may be easily enticed to head into the trailer with a bucket of grain. Give him time to get comfortable before you close him into his stall with the other trailer doors wide open. When he’ll load easily every time, you can practice shutting the doors on the trailer for short periods to show him that you will always let him back out of the trailer safely. Transport open and untied. Depending on the age of the foal, many will ride better lying down in a box stall even if they’re very comfortable with the trailer. Standing for long distances can tucker a young horse out, so make sure to leave him untied for his trip. Being untied will make it a little trickier to unload the foal, but he’ll travel better and be less likely to get sick. Some experts recommending harnessing with a very tightly fitting harness, if you choose this option, make sure it’s a leather harness and that there’s nothing obvious for him to get caught on in his stall. Bed deeply on long trips. The bedding you choose will depend on how far you plan to trailer your foal. If it’s just a trip around the corner, dust-free shavings may be plenty of bedding, but longer trips require a great deal more padding against the vibrations coming from your trailer. Several inches of straw can help prevent your foal from bouncing around the trailer during a long trip and will give him plenty of opportunities to rest in transit. Make time for food and water breaks. A weanling foal needs a break every three to four hours for a drink. You can leave hay in an open transport stall, either scattered on the floor or tied up in a low-hanging feeder so he can eat when he feels hungry. If you’re transporting a younger foal who isn’t weaned yet, plan to stop every two to three hours for bottle or pail feedings. Consider blanketing lone travelers. A single foal traveling alone can get cold very quickly, depending on his age. It’s a good idea to monitor his temperature and watch for signs of cold, such as shivering, each time you stop to feed him. Bring a blanket along and blanket the foal if you decide he’s too cold. It’s always better to transport two foals or a foal and his mother if you can, that way they can help keep each other warm. Your foal’s first taste of travel, whether it’s from the breeding farm or just around the corner to the vet, should be a stress-free one. After all, the lessons he learns the first time he travels can affect how he behaves in the trailer for the rest of his life.