# Advice for transporting a foal?



## Jingleballs (8 September 2010)

Asking for a friend.

She is picking up her 5 month old foal at the weekend in her lorry - she's received mixed advice on whether or not to pen the foal in quite tightly between the partitions or to give it space to balance.

She's also unsure whether or not to tie it up or leave it loose within the partition and whether or not to use any type of boot or bandage although the foal has very little handling so may not be feasible!

Any advice would be much appreciated!


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## Maesfen (8 September 2010)

Loose, plenty of room so it can balance itself, no bandages to frighten or cook it as it will get sweaty enough, take headcollar off too once in so can't get hung up anywhere, make sure nothing it can get stuck in or up on, grills on windows and so on.  In other words, look at the wagon and make it as safe as if you possibly can and remember foals have very tiny feet and heads in comparison to a full grown so plug up every gap you can think of.  Almost above all, give it a very smooth ride for future happiness.  No haynet either to get strung up on, a small handful on the floor will suffice, also give it some bedding if it wants to lay down which it might on a long journey.


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## SKY (8 September 2010)

enjoy new foal, safe journey


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## Jingleballs (8 September 2010)

Thank you very much!!

It's a 100 mile journey so quite a lot to ask for foaly's first trip in a lorry.

Will pass on this advice - I know there is a bit of a gap at the front of the partitions where they swing in so she'll need to block this off.

Luckily, foal is pretty huge (to make 17h ish) which should make it more straight forward.


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## Amymay (8 September 2010)

Is the foal weaned?


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## S_N (8 September 2010)

Is it possible to remove all partitions?  If it were me I'd remove them all, bed down the back with straw and a section of hay in the corner.  Load the foal, hold it whilst the gates are done up AND the ramp is put up, then remove the headcollar and leave via the jockey door, locking it behind me!  Then to unload, go in - making sure the foal is back from the jockey door! put the headcollar on and then take down the ramp.  Try to unload where the ramp is not steep and try to make the foal walk down the whole ramp - horses that unload too quickly can really hurt themselves, so best to instill this from the out IMO.  Basically as Maesfen says  Good luck!


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## SavingGrace (8 September 2010)

Nice big thick straw bed and left loose.  No headcollar or boots etc on.


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## Jingleballs (8 September 2010)

Thanks all.

Yes amymay foal is weaned - they were doing that over the last couple of weeks.


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## Amymay (8 September 2010)

Good news.  Will make life much easier.


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## nijinsky (8 September 2010)

I would take out everything out that foalie could possibly harm himself on.  Once on and ramp up, take headcollar/slip off, leave foal loose, give him plenty of room, nice thick bedding, hay on floor (no haynets), he may throw himself around a bit when first loaded (so maybe a good idea to wear a hat while in with him), just in case he goes up but once you start moving he'll probably be too busy balancing to do anything else. This is my experience of travelling them anyway, whenever I've practiced loading with them they do tend to fly off the top of the ramp coming off which in a trailer isn't too bad but in a lorry the ramp is much steeper but whenever I've actually taken them anywhere, they've walked off nicely, new surroundings etc mine are more wary & careful, at home though a bit too confident!! Ahh how exciting to be having a new foal, good luck with him/her.


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## Toast (8 September 2010)

Most definitely loose, dont pen him in, he'd only panic and hurt himself! We travelled mine loose with straw on the floor as its likely he may lie down. 

Careful unloading, mine launched himself off a wagon ramp about 4 feet in the air and landed perfectly at the bottom. Amusing but not the safest of exits  
x


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## 3DE (8 September 2010)

Loose, no partitions, nice bed of straw. This is how my boy travelled at 5 weeks (with his mum of course) and he was fine. He was that traumatised that now he loads himself


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