A Chat About Travel Stress in Horses, with Dr. Kevin Keane

Equestrian Voices

Before you hit the road with your horse again, give this ep a listen. Your horse will thank you.

Travel can be stressful on your horse and, in some cases, even harmful for his health. For the humans, traveling with our horses can be daunting because there are lots of elements you can’t control (traffic, how well your horse eats or drinks on the trailer, weather, accidents, etc.).

Never fear. The thrill of those early-morning trailer trips to your favorite destination can still be yours, because there’s actually a lot that you can control and can do to help your horse fare as well as possible.

Today’s guest is an extremely experienced traveler with horses both as a veterinarian and as a rider. Kevin Keane, DVM has the unique perspective of being both a 5* three day eventing athlete as well as an equine veterinarian for over 40 years. Dr. Keane has served as the team veterinarian for the US show jumping team, the Australian eventing team, and the Ecuadorian eventing team. He has a number of olympic caliber clients and has his own practice in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

In this episode, host Caroline Culbertson sits down with Dr. Keane for a mix of information and practical tips that he’s gleaned from veterinary science but also his own years of experience. A few of the topics they discuss:

• The horse’s immune system and how travel affects it
• Shipping fever and respiratory concerns while traveling
• What you need to know about hydration and caloric intake while traveling
• The horse’s experience in the back of a trailer (hint: it’s loud, and a lot of work for them to balance!)
• How the horses’ dispositions and prior travel experiences come into play
• Thoughts on shipping boots, wraps, tail wraps, and trailer configurations