 Here in North America, the horse has always had a special place in our culture. Some of us rely on horses in an emotional sense, considering them as being companion animals, oftentimes keeping them in backyard stables. Others of us depend on horses in an economic sense, maintaining them on ranches to perform a variety of tasks. But whether a horse is wanted as a companion or needed as a laborer, it might be at an auction where it's bought and sold. This includes horses for riding, for working, for other purposes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, through its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, AFIS, is charged by Congress to ensure that horses sold at auction for slaughter are treated mainly when being transported. In fulfilling this responsibility, AFIS has initiated a collaborative effort between the public and private sectors. It has sought out the opinions of various animal welfare groups, as well as research findings by leading experts in the fields of animal handling, animal stress, and transportation. Like other animals, horses must be transported in a humane way. But there are unique considerations having to do with their proper handling and movement. This program will explain how everyone who is part of the transportation cycle is a vital link in this chain of humane care. To understand how to properly treat these animals with the respect and dignity they deserve, it's essential to understand that horses respond differently to stress they encounter while they're being transported. Things that might influence their reactions include previous experiences while being transported, the condition of their health, their social interaction with humans and other horses, environmental conditions, their breed, age, and gender. It's important to make the distinction between injuries that are caused by being improperly transported and those resulting from owner abuse or neglect. That's because USDA sponsored studies have shown that neglect on the part of original owners is a primary cause of severe welfare problems in horses that are sold for slaughter. Reputable auction houses should refuse to accept a horse that has severe injuries or ailments. Instead, its owner needs to arrange for the suffering animal to be euthanized as quickly as possible. Horses that are purchased in generally good condition need to remain that way. The first step in safeguarding their welfare is to observe the behavior of each horse before, during, and after the auction. That's because aggressive horses need to be placed in separate pens. This helps to prevent painful injuries from being inflicted on more submissive animals. Many times, dealers go from auction to auction to build up a load of horses. But when doing this, they need to avoid filling a trailer as they go, taking previously purchased horses along with them for days at a time. Instead, after each auction, newly purchased horses should be taken to a nearby feedlot or farm. There they can be fed and watered until enough have been purchased to make up a full load. In most cases, dealers hire commercial shippers to transport their horses, but some do it themselves. Either way, it's often necessary to transport a load of horses over long distances. An important part of humane handling has to do with the vehicle that horses are loaded onto. There are three styles now being used to haul horses for commercial purposes. The smallest of these is the long, single-deck Gooseneck trailer. It's designed to be pulled by a pickup truck and is used most often for shipments originating within the same state as the final destination. That's because the Gooseneck has roughly half the capacity of larger trailers. USDA sponsored studies indicate that the long Gooseneck carries an average commercial shipment of 11 horses. During loading and unloading, the design of a Gooseneck makes it necessary for a horse to take a step down or up, so it's important that the loading area's floor have a non-skid surface. This can help to avoid injuries resulting from a horse slipping and falling. Another vehicle that's used frequently is the straight, single-deck Semi-Trailer. Studies have shown that on average, 22 horses are transported in this style of trailer. A straight trailer needs to be parked flush with the dock during loading and unloading. It's also important for the dock's ramp to have a gradual incline and non-slip surface. That's because horses have long legs and a relatively high center of gravity. They can easily lose their balance and fall, sustaining painful injuries, injuries that could easily be avoided. A third design is the double-deck Semi-Trailer, commonly called a potbelly. Due to its larger capacity, this is one of the most common types of trailers used when transporting commercial horses. Studies have demonstrated that this type of vehicle is used to transport 28 horses on average. But the potbelly's two-tier configuration makes it awkward for transporting most horses other than smaller foals and yearlings. The reason for this is the lower ceiling height that's caused by using two decks, rather than just one. A horse needs room for a full range of motion. In that way, it's able to move its head around naturally. But in a potbelly, there isn't enough ceiling height to do that, which can create a problem. For example, when startled, a horse may suddenly rear its head. That might happen if the trailer hits a pothole, or comes to a sudden stop. As a result, the horse could hit its head on the lower ceiling, resulting in trauma to its head. Double-deck trailers can also result in injuries during loading and unloading. Many horses are reluctant to walk up and down a potbelly's steep internal ramps. When forced to do this, the animal might panic. If it jumps and falls, the result could be a serious injury to its head or withers. For these reasons, the two-tier trailer is most practical when using a floating deck. This creates just one level and maximizes the overall ceiling height. Basically, although more horses can be loaded onto two-tiered potbelly, Goose necks and straight semi-trailers are more sensible from both an economical and humanitarian perspective. That's because fewer injuries can result, ensuring that each animal reaches its destination in the best physical condition possible. And this ensures that its worth is maintained from a financial perspective. Think about it. If a horse is seriously injured during transport and needs to be euthanized, the dealer loses his entire investment in that animal. One of the most serious problems during transport is fighting. However, bite and kick injuries that are inflicted by aggressive horses can be significantly reduced. That's done by separating stallions from more submissive horses. Although certain ones can be safely penned with other horses, two stallions must never be placed together. This type of isolation should also be used for aggressive mares and gildings. It's important to keep in mind that a load of horses is made up of animals that are different from one another. Each one has had a varied level of experience with other horses, with people, and with being transported. For that reason, every horse needs to be carefully observed and, if needed, separated before transport. Keep in mind these are herd animals. When initially placed together, a group of horses establishes its own pecking order, with one being dominant and the others taking their places in a descending order of dominance. So it's normal for some degree of biting and kicking to occur. An overly aggressive horse, one that continually attacks other horses for no apparent reason, will quickly become obvious. On the other hand, a horse that's extremely submissive, one that's repeatedly being kicked or bitten by several horses, may need to be separated as well. Removing rear shoes before transport is very important when putting horses together in loose groups. That's because this simple practice can help lessen the severity of kicking injuries. It can also reduce damage that's done to the sides of a trailer due to kicking. Removing hind shoes from a horse you haven't worked with before can be somewhat challenging, so be careful. When being loaded, swing gates in the trailer should be used to keep overly aggressive or overly submissive horses separated from the others. Again, carefully observing how pinned horses interact with one another is crucial before loading them for transport. By doing this, compatible animals can be selected to travel together. Using proper handling techniques when loading and unloading horses is also very important to help avoid injuries. For instance, horses have very sensitive hearing, so it's important to avoid creating loud noises when moving them. They also become easily frightened by sudden movements, so handle horses quietly and with patience. A horse's sight is also very sensitive to rapid light changes. As a result, it may balk when being prodded to go from the trailer that's in bright sunlight onto the ramp of a dark barn or loading area. A possible solution might be to add skylights in the roof above the ramp, creating soft, even lighting with no shadows. That's because shadows can also frighten a horse. When moving a horse, it's essential to understand the position of its flight path. When a person stands just behind its shoulder, the horse will move forward. Standing in front of a horse will cause it to move backward. Horses have a fairly thin skin, so at no time should an electric prod be used. The only exception to that is if someone's safety is at risk. When sorting and moving horses, the use of rattle paddles and flags is much more effective and much more made. The number of horses loaded onto a trailer can also affect the amount and degree of injuries. Generally speaking, each horse should be given enough space to ensure that it's not crowded, which might cause discomfort or injury. If too many horses occupy the same compartment, one may bite or kick those around it to gain more room. Or if a horse falls, it's more difficult for it to stand back up if there's not enough room. This problem can be compounded if other horses trip over the down horse, causing them to fall. Allowing more space is extremely important when transporting horses on a very hot day. Depending on the temperature, it might be advisable to drive the load only at night when it's cooler. Making sure that a trailer offers enough ventilation is also essential. Whether driving during the day or nighttime hours. Horses have a natural tendency to kick, so the sides of a trailer that's used to transport them can be damaged over short periods of time. To solve that problem, some carriers use plywood as reinforcement. Although this protects the trailer, unfortunately it can cover much needed ventilation holes that provide the horses with air. In this way, damage to the trailer that's caused by kicking is prevented and the horses that are being transported are provided with enough air. The flow of air also increases the more that a trailer is kept in motion, so a driver should stop only when necessary, such as for checking on the condition of the load. When hauling a load of horses, good driving techniques need to be used. This involves accelerating slowly, decelerating slowly, turning corners slowly and with care. That's because sudden starts, stops and turns can cause horses to lose their balance, fall and become injured. Drivers need to check on a load as often as circumstances allow. This entails observing the physical condition of the horses and providing veterinary assistance as soon as possible if any are in obvious physical distress. Before being transported, it's essential that horses have an opportunity to rest with easy access to food and fresh water. This needs to be done for a minimum of six hours beforehand. Their feed prior to being loaded onto a trailer should consist of hay or grass, as because oats can cause digestive problems during transport. Studies have shown that when provided with adequate food, fresh water and rest at least six hours beforehand, horses can remain on a trailer for about one day, but leaving them on for a longer period than that can compromise their welfare, especially during hot weather. After that time, the horses need to be unloaded at an appropriate location where they can be fed and watered. Once they've rested for a number of hours, the group can be reloaded to resume the trip. Treating horses humanely when being transported is the responsibility of everyone involved. As part of that responsibility, it's critical to follow certain guidelines, ones that help ensure the health and well-being of each animal is safeguarded. This means never transporting a horse that isn't able to bear its weight on all four legs, isn't able to walk without assistance, is blind in both of its eyes, is younger than six months of age, or that is likely to give birth while in transit. It's important that the condition of each horse be accounted for during transit. That's accomplished through the use of an owner-shipper certificate. This USDA form documents essential information about each animal, along with the vehicle that used to transport it. There should be no argument about the need for treating horses that are sold for slaughter in a humane way. Their health and well-being must be safeguarded for both economic and humanitarian reasons. This needs to be done by every individual who is a link in the transportation chain. These animals deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. They need to be kept in the best physical condition possible. And when being transported, they need to be free of fatigue, dehydration, stress and trauma. It's simply common sense. It's simply common decency.