Transporting Horses Safely: Feeding, Hydration and Stress Support

Transport is a routine part of horse ownership, whether travelling to a competition, clinic, training session, breeding facility or new property. However, even a short and familiar journey can place physical and psychological demands on a horse.

A 2026 case report by Pellens and colleagues examined a transport-experienced ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding over 17 journeys. Each journey followed the same 13-kilometre route, took approximately 20 minutes and used the same trailer, vehicle, driver and handler. Despite this familiarity, the horse still displayed measurable physiological signs of stress. Salivary cortisol increased during transport and remained slightly elevated throughout the transport, training and return journey. Heart rate was already elevated before loading, peaked during training and remained moderately elevated during later transport stages.

Cortisol concentrations gradually declined after approximately ten journeys, suggesting some degree of habituation. However, the horse did not become completely unaffected by transport, and one unusually strong response occurred during the fifth journey. The study involved only one horse and therefore cannot represent every horse, but it provides an important reminder: a horse that loads quietly and travels regularly may still experience physiological stress.

Why Transport Can Be Demanding

A horse must continuously adjust its posture and balance in response to acceleration, braking, corners and changes in the road surface. Travelling may also involve separation from companions, unfamiliar surroundings, noise, vibration, restricted movement and anticipation of the activity that follows.

Transport can affect more than behaviour. Research has associated travel with changes in cortisol, heart rate, hydration, gastrointestinal function, respiratory health and gastric ulceration. In an Australian survey of transport-related health problems, respiratory and gastrointestinal problems were among the most frequently reported issues, with serious illness becoming more likely as journey duration increased.

The goal is therefore not simply to persuade a horse to enter the float. Good transport management should help the horse remain hydrated, maintain normal digestive function, breathe freely and recover appropriately afterwards.

Should Horses Be Fed Before Travelling?

Horses should not be deliberately fasted for routine transport unless a veterinarian has provided a specific medical reason.

In one study, 26 mares travelled for 12 hours without food or water after being fed either one, six or 12 hours before departure. Transport increased squamous gastric ulcer scores, and the severity appeared to increase as the interval between feeding and departure became longer. Horses fed closer to departure retained more feed within the stomach, which may have reduced contact between gastric fluid and the vulnerable upper portion of the stomach.

A related study examining oxidative stress found that horses fed one hour before the same 12-hour journey had a different antioxidant response from those fasted for 12 hours. The authors concluded that long fasting before transport was not recommended, although further research is required to establish the best feeding strategy during travel.

Before a journey, keep the horse’s feeding routine as normal as possible. Allow access to forage and avoid introducing a new feed, supplement or unusually large concentrate meal on the day of travel. A small amount of familiar forage before loading is generally more appropriate than sending the horse away with an empty stomach.

Lucerne may be useful for horses prone to squamous gastric ulcers. An earlier feeding study found that an lucerne hay and grain diet produced a higher gastric pH and fewer squamous lesions than a bromegrass hay diet. This does not prove that lucerne prevents transport-related ulcers, but a small lucerne meal may form part of a veterinarian-approved management plan for susceptible horses.

Forage During the Journey

For longer trips, suitable forage can support normal chewing, saliva production and digestive activity. It may also help reduce the amount of time the stomach remains empty.

The forage should be clean, familiar and low in dust. A dusty hay net in a poorly ventilated float can increase exposure to airborne particles. The net must also be positioned safely and should not force the horse to hold its head continuously above the withers.

Head position is particularly important for respiratory health. Research has shown that keeping a horse’s head elevated can reduce the clearance of airway secretions and increase the bacterial burden within the lower respiratory tract. A 2024 transport study found that horses given greater freedom to move and lower their heads had less increase in airway bacterial load than horses restrained with a shorter rope.

The horse should therefore be tied safely, but with enough freedom to adopt a comfortable posture and lower its head when conditions permit.

Water and Electrolytes

Begin every journey with a well-hydrated horse. Provide access to clean water before loading and offer water at suitable intervals on longer trips. Some horses refuse unfamiliar water, so taking water from home or gradually teaching the horse to accept water with a familiar flavour may help.

The consequences of prolonged water deprivation can be severe. In a long-distance transport study conducted in hot conditions, horses travelling without water lost substantially more bodyweight and developed marked increases in blood indicators of dehydration. Periodic access to water reduced, but did not completely prevent, weight loss and fatigue during very long journeys.

Electrolytes may be appropriate when transport is prolonged, the weather is hot, the horse sweats noticeably or the journey is followed by exercise. Electrolytes should be balanced for horses and supplied according to the manufacturer’s directions or veterinary advice. They must be accompanied by adequate water.

Research on horses given a large-volume balanced electrolyte solution before exercise found that the supplemented electrolytes were absorbed into body tissues within one hour and helped maintain extracellular fluid volume. This supports the concept of preparing hydration before a demanding event rather than waiting until the horse is already depleted.

However, more is not necessarily better. High electrolyte doses have altered blood sodium, chloride and acid–base measurements in endurance horses without producing a clear performance benefit. Horses should be accustomed to the electrolyte product before travelling, and a concentrated electrolyte paste should never be used as a substitute for water.

What About Calming and Gastric Supplements?

A calming supplement should not be expected to remove the physiological effects of transport. The Pellens case report showed that experience and apparent familiarity did not completely eliminate the horse’s stress response. Products containing magnesium, tryptophan or herbal ingredients may affect individual horses differently, and evidence for preventing transport stress remains limited.

The same caution applies to digestive and antioxidant supplements. Transport has been associated with oxidative changes and gastric ulceration, but there is not yet strong evidence that giving an extra dose of vitamin E, probiotics or a general “gut supplement” immediately before loading will prevent these effects. Correcting an existing dietary deficiency and supporting the horse consistently over time are more sensible than introducing a large one-off dose on travel day.

Horses with a history of gastric ulcers, colic, respiratory disease or travel-related anxiety should have an individual plan developed with their veterinarian. Prescription ulcer medication should only be used under veterinary direction rather than automatically administered before every journey.

Recovery After Transport

After unloading, allow the horse to lower its head, drink, eat forage and settle before demanding work where possible. Recovery requirements should reflect the length of the trip, weather conditions and the horse’s individual response.

Monitor appetite, water intake, manure production, temperature and general attitude. Coughing, nasal discharge, fever, lethargy, poor appetite or signs of colic after travel require prompt attention. Research has found increased airway bacteria and changes in immune-cell function after 12 hours of transport, with some effects remaining for at least 36 hours.

The key lesson from current research is that routine transport should not be treated as physiologically insignificant. Familiarity may help, but it does not guarantee the absence of stress. Consistent handling, sensible journey planning, access to forage and water, appropriate electrolyte use and adequate recovery can all help make travelling safer and more comfortable for the horse.

Featured reference: Pellens, L., Freson, L., Buyse, J. and Driessen, B. 2026. “Case Report: Physiological Stress Responses to Repeated, Standardized Short-Distance Transport in a Transport-Experienced Horse.” Animals 16(9):1293.