BWD Equine Services
Spaces are going fast!
An Equine Transportation Course:
Large Animal Rescue, Insurance & the Ministry of Transportation Ontario
B.W.D. Equine Services welcomes Jennifer Woods of J. Woods Livestock Services, Mike King of Intercity Insurance and the Ministry of Transportation Ontario to FoxFire Equestrian in Uxbridge to present an informative one day course tailored to those of us who transport horses in Ontario, and throughout North America.
Do you know when you’re required to pull into the MTO Scales?
Are you clear about how your insurance works when hauling commercially?
Does your trailer have an emergency situation kit?
How does fatigue affect your driving ability?
What should you do if you’ve been in an accident with a horse trailer?
And many more topics will be covered!
Registration: $150 (Includes lunch, manual & certification)
Saturday June 23 2012 from 9am to 5pm
@ FoxFire Equestrian 5110 Concession 8 Uxbridge ON L9P 1R4
Contact us at 905-751-4625 or info@bwdequineservices.com to register today!
New From Overseas Horse Services
We have great news! As from April 19th 2012 CFIA has lifted the 30 days pre import Isolation in Europe. Geldings will be back to 7 days quarantine and mares/stallions will be no longer then 10 – 14 days in CEM quarantine. This is shorter CEM testing then the 2011 requirements.
This is great news for anyone who felt they needed to go through the US to bring a horse to Canada conveniently. No longer necessary. Call Kenneth at Overseas Horse Services and land them right in Toronto instead of New York. Have them home sooner!
Travel Tips to Minimize Stress Associated with Transport
- Train/teach your horse to load calmly well in advance of the event. A calm horse will likely be more comfortable on the journey. Even if you never plan to travel with your horse, it is advisable to teach it to load. Practise this several times a year; it may come in handy if an emergency trip to the veterinarian is in order.
- Keep the trailer in good repair and in a clean condition. A trailer that travels quietly and smoothly will provide a more comfortable and less stressful ride for the horses.
- Ensure the tow vehicle is well maintained to avoid breakdowns. It is essential that the exhaust system is in good repair and fumes are expelled to the side of the vehicle. Fumes emitted straight back under the trailer may lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Ensure the trailer has good ventilation. Avoid draughts.
- For longer trips, plan to arrive several days earlier to permit horses' immune systems to stabilize before any major athletic endeavour.
- ‘Long-tie' horses by the cheek ring of the halter. This allows maximum head movement and facilitates sinus clearing and airway drainage.
- Transport horses with others they get along with whenever possible.
- Drive ‘passenger-friendly'. Practice slow take-aways. Careful braking and smooth cornering are key elements to towing a trailer in a responsible manner. Always ‘think ahead'.
- Plan ahead. Chart a route and time of day when traffic is minimal and the weather is conducive to horse comfort.
- Offer hay and water, but no grain. Water horses prior to departure and every four hours for longer trips to help combat the threat of dehydration. Hay serves as a pacifier and helps retain water in the gut during transit. Refrain from feeding grain, as stress affects gut function, causing grain to sit and ferment with the possible result of colic.
If international borders are to be crossed as part of the journey, ensure all documentation for all horses is on board and current. A negative Coggins test is mandatory for all horses travelling into the USA. ‘Temporary entry' (from Canada into the USA and returning within 60 days of date of entry) requires horses to be negative for equine infectious anaemia (Coggin's test) within 180 days prior to entry into the USA.
History of Horse Transportation
The history of moving horses from one place to another dates back as far as 3500 years. Some of the reasons for transporting include: shipping horses long distances to participate in military conflicts in far- off colonies, breeding, racing competitions and slaughter. It is documented that Queen Anne (1702-1714) had one of her race horses carried to the track in a large, horse-drawn conveyance that carried the horse in a sling. The modes of transport evolved from shipping cavalry horses by sea, to moving race horses in trailers drawn by other horses, to railways until the 1920s. By the middle of the 1900s, motorized vehicles, both vans and trailers, were the main method of moving these animals to shows and competitions. During the 1950s and 1960s, an increased use of horse trailering led to a dramatic increase in the number of horse trailer-related incidents on highways. Horses are also transported by air, but this mode of transport is reserved for the elite athletes and horses of great value, as the cost is very high.
Source: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/facts/info_trailering.htm