From an owner’s point of view, mare and foal transport is never an ideal situation, however, sometimes it is a necessary measure. Although in some cases artificial insemination can eliminate the need to transport a mare and foal to a farm for breeding, there are a number of scenarios where this is not a viable option.
For example, a horse’s semen does not travel well and can often be affected by long journeys, or a stallion’s owner might not offer artificial insemination as an option. Also, when it comes to thoroughbred breeding, the breed registry dictates that only live insemination is allowed, therefore mare and foal transport can often be the only way.
Luckily, NRT Horse Transport’s team of highly-trained, skilled experts are well-versed in this kind of transport and operate a fleet of state-of-the-art boxes that offer the very best in comfort.
However, even in the best possible circumstances, understandably the process can be still be stressful for the mare and foal. For this reason it is extremely important to ensure that the correct preparation is made prior to travel in order to make the process as smooth as possible.
How to prepare for mare and foal transport
1. First and foremost, only ever transport mares and foals that are healthy. Even with perfect conditions, transportation can be a stressful experience for a horse to endure – even more so for a foal. Therefore, unless in an emergency, it is important to ensure that both mare and foal are as strong as possible.
2. It is important that the foal has been halter-broken. During long journeys, there will be frequent stops to ensure that the foal can nurse safely and easily without the motion of the moving vehicle to contend with. A foal that is not halter-broken is much more difficult to control and is therefore much more susceptible to injury on one of these stops.
3. It is extremely important to minimise the stress involved in mare and foal transport. In both cases, if the horse is agitated it is likely to injure itself in the trailer. It is for this reason that you must teach the mare and foal to load and unload and ensure that the foal has been handled properly prior to travel.
Once you have made sure the above steps have been taken, you can leave the rest to us, safe in the knowledge that your mare and foal transport is as comfortable, stress-free and efficient as possible.
For more information about the services we offer and to find out how we can help you to transport your mare and foal, give us a call on 01638 663155, or click here to get in touch.