02/10/2025
โจ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น โจ
Who knew that the topic of sedation for travelling was such a controversial one?! ๐ช๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ปโ๐!
Having run Mates Rates Horse Transport for nearly 8 years now, weโve experienced some fairly horrendous journeys and also seen the success of sedating for travelling. ๐ช๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ธ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐น๐ฒ and try and answer some of the questions weโve come across over the years when sedation has come into the picture.
โธป
๐ด ๐ ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Firstly, sedation should always be done individually for your own horse โ the best way to do that is by taking direct advice from your vet.
๐ Your vet will likely want to have seen your horse recently to check that their heart beats normally and that sedation wonโt impact their health in any way.
There are two main categories:
โข ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป (e.g. Sedalin, Domosedan)
โข ๐๐ป๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป (intramuscular or intravenous)
โธป
๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น?
โข ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐
Carolineโs own horse once had to get to RVC for colic. In these cases, vets usually meet us at the pick up where they can top up pain relief and administer sedation if needed, making the journey as pain-free and low-stress as possible.
โข ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ โ๐๐๐๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐โ ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ผ
โ exhausted owners have been trying for hours to load a horse that wonโt budge. At this point we suggest borrowing a stable if possible, or otherwise calling the vet for sedation so the horse can load safely. Once home, we can then work on making the next time more successful. Sometimes, simply popping the horse in a stable overnight and trying again fresh the next day is the kindest option for both horse and owner.
โข ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐, ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐, ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฝ๐
โ sometimes a horse has to move that day. We always ask owners to be honest with us about whether their horse might be tricky to load or travel. Itโs not to hike the price or scare anyone off โ itโs so we can be prepared. Forewarned is forearmed.
โธป
๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐
Transporting a horse is bizarre from their perspective. Horses are designed to be in herds in wide, open spaces โ not shut in a box on their own, rattling down the M25.
For some anxious horses, the kindest option is to โtake the edge off.โ We never want to see a horse in full flight mode in an enclosed space. Itโs dangerous for them, for us, and it sets them up for even more trauma next time.
In these cases, we may recommend a vet-administered sedation โcocktailโ โ fast-acting, not too heavy, and adjustable if needed once the horse is on board.
โธป
โ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ผ๐ป ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ
โข ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ?
Yes. Vets wonโt give a horse anything so strong that they risk falling. In our experience, sedated horses travel standing safely.
โข ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ท๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป?
This happens. But once the sedation peaks and begins to wear off, most horses remain calmer than they would have been otherwise. For example, we recently transported a horse on a 4-hour journey with intramuscular sedation. He was a little unsettled again in the final 20 minutes as it wore off, but overall he travelled calmly and unloaded brilliantly โ his first ever journey was a positive one.
โธป
๐ฉบ ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐ด๐ผ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐
๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐น๐
Sometimes we only discover travel issues mid-journey. If a horse is dangerously throwing themselves around in the lorry, we will sometimes divert to the nearest vet for sedation. This is never a decision we take lightly โ but it is always safer and kinder than forcing the horse through escalating panic.
A vet bill in that moment is a much smaller price to pay than a traumatised, injured horse or a wrecked lorry.
โธป
๐ฌ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต๐๐
As transporters, our job is always to put horse welfare and safety first. Sedation isnโt about taking shortcuts โ itโs about compassion, safety, and giving horses the best chance of a calm, positive journey.
And now, Iโll hand over to my dear friend, ๐๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ต ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฃ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ, who has kindly written a bit about sedation for travel for us. Sarah is my own horseโs vet, someone Iโve known and trusted for many years, and an incredibly experienced, horse-welfare-focused professional.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น?
An important point is that it should not be the norm for travelling horses. In an ideal world horses should be appropriately trained, desensitised and comfortable with travelling. Occasionally however, horses need to move from A to B at short notice or in an emergency and thereโs no time for training. If those horses are anxious travellers, sedation is a good way to get them to their new destination safely.
While tricky loaders, โtrot on the spotโ-ers, horses that kick out and those that try to climb out are who weโre primarily considering here, there are also horses under veterinary care that require sedating to travel. These may be painful colics or mares having difficulty foaling that need to get to a hospital. Safety for all involved is still the main aim here but speed of transport and treatment becomes just as crucial.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒโ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐?
The idea is not to sedate a horse so heavily that they canโt maintain their balance. The aim is to make the journey as safe as possible for the horse, the driver and other road users. If a horse happens to be sensitive to the dose given, it would be advisable to wait a little while once they are loaded to make sure they can maintain their balance whilst on the road. Typically, horses that are anxious travellers can override the effects of sedation which reduces the risk of them falling.
๐๐ณ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฑ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น, ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ธ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐?
Every case is different when it comes to travelling anxious horses. Whilst it is highly unlikely that a horse goes down whilst travelling, itโs impossible to say for certain. Horse boxes are designed to have minimal sharp edges that might cause an injury and should have easily moveable partitions to allow space for a down horse to get up again. Itโs important to say that any horse, sedated or otherwise, can go down in a lorry and itโs advisable to have a plan in place should it happen to you. In most cases, you should be able to continue driving to a place where it is safe to open the lorry and assist the horse with standing if needed.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต?
On a basic level, sedalin (ACP) can be given orally to reduce anxiety in those horses who feel slightly on edge whilst travelling. This still allows them to eat whilst in the move.
Domosedan gel is an alternative oral sedation option and results in โproperโ sedation - lowered head, less reactive, can be sweaty and wobbly if heavily sedated. This kind of sedation means that the horse canโt eat whilst travelling but they shouldnโt notice that their favourite snack is not available!
The downsides to oral sedation is that they take a while to take effect and cannot be easily topped up if the level of sedation isnโt good enough.
Injectable sedation options are a more flexible option and can be titrated depending on the horse and the situation. Vets can concoct the perfect combination to make it last as long as needed and to suit the horse.
All sedative options should be used under the guidance of your vet to ensure that the dosage suits the situation and your horse.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ท๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฑ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฒ๐
๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป?
As weโve already touched on, travelling an anxious horse is dealt with case by case and safety is the main consideration. It is an option to plan a route via multiple hospitals to allow a horse to be โtopped upโ on the way if needed although we often find that once a horse is settled in a lorry on the road, they donโt require further sedation.
๐๐ณ ๐ฎ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐
๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐น๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ?
No. The best way for a horse to learn is at the lowest level of arousal possible. That means that we donโt expose them to a situation that makes them anxious before they are ready. That also means it may take multiple sessions for them to load confidently and reliably and thatโs ok! Depending on the event that made them anxious, it may take a while to teach them that the lorry is actually a safe space.
โจ ๐ช๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ around travelling horses and sedation โ and shown how, when used thoughtfully, sedation can be a really valuable tool for keeping horses safe, calm, and well.
โ ๐๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒโ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ปโ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ, please do drop a comment below โ ๐๐ฒโ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ and share what weโve learned over the years.
