Horse trailer transport is a significant welfare event causing acute stress, physical exertion, and dehydration. Best practices for loading, driving, journey duration, and arrival management can substantially improve welfare outcomes.
Horse transport is a recognised welfare challenge that can cause significant acute suffering if poorly managed. The physical effort of maintaining balance on a moving vehicle causes muscle fatigue equivalent to moderate exercise — over long journeys this is exhausting. Dehydration from reduced water intake during transport and sweat loss impairs performance and organ function. Shipping fever — pleuropneumonia following transport — can be severe and life-threatening. Poorly trained loading responses create a welfare cycle: horses that experience stress during loading are more difficult to load on future occasions, perpetuating higher stress transport experiences. The direction of transport, journey duration, rest provision, and arrival management all materially affect welfare outcomes and are modifiable with appropriate training and equipment.