23/05/2026
☀️ How hot is too hot to transport your horses? 🥵
It’s quite unusual to have hot weather in this country, and most of us enjoy it when it happens … on the odd occasion it is really hot, a beach trip with the horses can seem like a great idea! BUT we must consider is it safe to travel our horses?
😎 When is it too hot?
As a type 1 equine transporter, we have guidelines from APHA and they usually remind us every year on hot weather conditions & cold weather conditions with things we should & shouldn’t do to keep everyone’s horses safe.
ℹ️ APHA say if you DO NOT have a temperature controlled vehicle you should NOT transport your horses in temperatures over 30 degrees. ℹ️
With a heat wave due next week I thought I would put some information out to make sure we are all keeping our horses safe during transportation. 🐎 ☀️
Exposure to high temperatures and humidity poses a serious risk to animal welfare during transport. Failing to account for hot conditions can lead to significant distress, and in severe cases, even death.
Humidity makes the impact of high heat far worse, increasing the level of suffering for animals. To stay cool in warm weather, animals rely on releasing water vapour through sweating or panting — but when humidity is high, this natural cooling process becomes much less effective. When high temperatures combine with high humidity, animals are at greatly increased risk of dangerous heat stress.
What can we do to make sure our horses are safe transporting during the warmer weather??
Firstly, ask yourself Is it essential to travel your horses today? If it is…
🐎 Avoid travelling during the hotter parts of the day
🐴 Travel early in the morning or overnight where possible
🐎 Plan your journey, route & check traffic before departing
☀️ EQUIPMENT & EACH INDIVIDUAL HORSE ☀️
What is my horse travelling in?
🐴 Bulky travel boots, rugs, and fluffy head collars could encourage your horse to overheat in hot weather
🐎 Consider if your horse loads and travels well; if your horse usually stresses or sweats on a cooler day he may overheat quickly
☀️ VENTILATION & MONITORING SUPPLIES ☀️
🐴 Consider the number of horses travelling and how much headroom the horses have for airflow around the Horsebox or trailer, some horseboxes can have the same effect as a green house depending on the materials the horsebox is made from and the colour of the Horsebox can impact how hot it gets too!
🐎 How many side windows, roof vents & fans does the horsebox have, is it enough to keep them cool today?
☀️ MONITORING & SUPPLIES TO HAVE WITH YOU ☀️
🐴 A thermometer in the horse area can provide you with accurate temperature readings
🐎 Ensure there is enough fresh water and hay
onboard for the journey length
🐴 Electrolytes can be added to your horse’s water to help rehydrate them
🔧 Is your horsebox reliable?
Check tyres, water, oil, ramp, floor, doors, fans, windows, etc the last thing anybody need is to break down, let alone on a hot day!! 🥵
🆘 Emergency contacts, do you have breakdown cover with horse recovery? Essential for anybody travelling horses whether by car and trailer or horsebox.
