An elderly horse travelling to a vet hospital is coping with stiff joints, worn teeth, thinner reserves and a reason for referral that may already hurt or frighten it. Extra care starts before the ramp comes down: the journey is arranged around this horse, not fitted into a standard transport routine, and nothing about loading, travelling or unloading is rushed.
Agree the Plan With the Hospital First
Phone the hospital before the day if the referral allows it, or before you set off for an urgent case. Confirm where to park, who will meet you, whether the horse goes straight to a stable or an examination area, and what the team wants brought along. Ask whether a calm companion should travel too; a familiar companion can steady a herd-bound older horse, yet an extra animal can also crowd a tight unloading area, so follow the hospital's advice rather than assuming. Tell the team about known stiffness, poor vision, trouble backing off a ramp, or a history of scrambling, so handlers are ready with time and help instead of surprises.
Prepare the Vehicle and the Horse
Spread deep, clean bedding so an unsteady horse has grip and cushioning when it shifts its weight at corners and stops. Check partitions move freely and that the ramp surface is not slippery. Fit leg protection carefully: wraps or travel boots should sit smooth and snug without wrinkles, tight edges or slipping down over the fetlock, because protection that slides or overheats helps nobody. Offer water and a small amount of the usual forage before loading, keep the horse warm without overheating, and allow far more loading time than a younger horse would need. Walk it in straight, let it stand and breathe between steps, and never drag, chase or back it repeatedly to win an argument on the ramp.
Carry Feed, Notes and the Usual Routine
Take the horse's usual feed, clearly labelled, plus forage it recognises, because an elderly horse that must stay in should not face a sudden diet change on top of treatment. Carry written notes covering current medication, recent appetite and droppings, known conditions, teeth problems, allergies you are aware of, and what the horse has been referred for. Write down when it was last fed and watered and how it loaded. Hand those notes to the admitting team directly rather than leaving them in the vehicle, and make sure your contact details travel with the horse if you cannot stay.
Drive and Unload for Stiff Joints
Drive as though the horse is standing unaided behind you, because it is: accelerate gently, brake early, and take corners wide and slow so it can brace without splaying. Keep ventilation steady without a cold draught on a sweating or thin older horse. On arrival, park where the team directs, lower the ramp fully, and give the horse time to look, breathe and step down in its own rhythm, with a handler at the head and help at the side if the team provides it. Walk it only as far as the team asks, on firm, even footing.
Report What the Journey Showed
Tell the veterinary team immediately if the horse sweated heavily, trembled, went off its forage, scrambled, became reluctant to move, or stepped off unsteady. Those details help the team judge whether they are seeing the referred problem, a travel effect, or both, and they may change the order of examination. Mention anything you noticed while loading too, such as new stiffness on one side or difficulty backing. Do not hide a difficult load to appear competent; an honest account protects the horse on the return journey as well.
Before you leave home, check KinsLe once more and confirm the Pet Passport packet for this horse holds the referral reason, medication list and feeding notes the admitting team will need.