Traveling in Europe – 3,000 km in one weekend
For those of you who find loading horses and driving a few dozen kilometers a nightmare, this story may seem almost incredible, but the opposite is true. After many recommendations, we finally replaced the trailer with a horsebox. Our first trip with the new transporter was trouble-free and we all enjoyed it.
We are off! The four of us – stallion Amadeus and young filly Pretory.
The goal was clear, unimaginable for some, but a routine for us; we and our wards must get from point A to point B in a short period of time. Today, it is from the Czech Republic to a race track in west France, and back.
We loaded all the luggage we will need on our trip into our new five-seat Excelsion horsebox from Paragan. The trip is long and we will take turns driving to reach the destination on time. We loaded our thoroughbreds, but we were a little worried because it was the first long-distance ride for the young Pretory, and with the zealous stallion Amadeus to boot. In the end, all was well. We unfolded the head partition between them, thanks to which the horses didn’t come into contact with each other. Soon the horses calmed down and we could finally get on our way.
Hay, water and the right temperature … necessary comforts for long journeys.
Since we are not limited by a trailer and its maximum speed of only 80 km/h, we arrived quickly to our first stop in central Germany. During the trip, we could watch the horses on a display located in the front cabin. Thanks to the contact window, I could see the horses directly and could calm them down while driving. The temperature indicator showed an elevated temperature in the horse compartment, so we decided to adjust the ventilation to provide the horses with a stable and pleasant temperature throughout the journey.
Finally, we stopped at a gas station. We gave the horses water and added hay to the nets to distract them a little during the journey. Water and food intake is very important for horses during long journeys, due to proper peristalsis of the intestines and the prevention of, for horses very dangerous, colic.
It was very obvious, that Pretory and Amadeus were already looking forward to the start of the next day’s race, where they would put to good use the rest they had in the transporter, and show their qualities at the racetrack. It is good that our horses do not see the transport as a necessary evil but as a pleasant time for rest. None of this would be possible with our trailer.
After taking care of the horses, we ourselves went to get something to eat at a restaurant and soon were back on our way to France.
At the finish line!
We arrived at our destination late at night, settling Amadeus and Pretory in the racecourse accommodations, and exhausted from the difficult journey, got ready to sleep. To save money, our truck served us as a hotel. In the cabin, we folded the rear seat into two sleeping beds. Another two people slept in the luton above the cabin. We lodged simply and comfortably on our own. However, if you don’t know the area, you never know what may happen.
Successful Amadeus and Pretory’s debut!
We got up early in the morning. We pulled the bridles from the tack room, saddled the horses and went to stretch out and prepare for the races. Pretory ran first. We were satisfied with her performance because in her first debut race she was full of determination and showed that she has what it takes. And Amadeus? Our racing veteran finished his race in a beautiful third place and for his final sprint, he received a well-deserved bronze.
After this experience, I know that our horses are not stressed or stiff from riding in the horsebox, as was often the case with the trailer. Therefore, I can always rely on them and expect their maximum.
After the races, we loaded our champions back into the transporter and we are proudly returning home the same way we came. Maybe we’ll celebrate the gold next time!
