Behavior and Health Problems During Short-Distance Transport

Many horses find transport stressful. A recent survey of German owners found that even during trailering lasting less than two hours’ duration, injury, illness, and stress occur frequently, affecting up to 42% of horses.

In total, 432 horse owners, primarily (80%) amateur owners, responded to the survey, but only 258 completed the entire survey. Of those, the majority (63%) participated in sport, including show jumping, dressage, and eventing. Most horses were transported for a short duration, less than two hours, and most horses were transported either alone or with one other horse.

Behavior problems were observed in a third of all horses and included fear, flight reactions, aggressiveness, rearing, and reluctance to load.

“These behaviors were observed at various phases of the journey but most often during loading and during the journey, and less frequently during unloading,” relayed Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research. “When horses were transported alone, they were significantly more likely to display behavioral problems than horses transported with another horse.”

Health problems occurred in 42% of all transported horses. The most common health concern was diarrhea (34%). Injuries occurred in 19%, and respiratory issues were only reported in 2% of horses.

“The incidence of respiratory disease was lower compared to other studies, which may be due to the short duration of transport in this study or that most owners (87%) allowed their horses to lower their head below the withers during transport,” Crandell explained.

Diarrhea was observed in one-third of all transported horses, but this was primarily reported by amateur owners. The survey authors suggested that amateur owners might have overreported diarrhea, confusing soft stools often seen during periods of stress with diarrhea. Most horses that developed diarrhea were transported alone.

“Together, these data show that horses had a high rate of behavioral and physical concerns during short-distance transport, and that stress might have contributed to the behavior problems, injuries, and reported diarrhea. Transporting horses in pairs may alleviate stress and improve welfare during transit,” Crandell explained.

“As the research shows, even short duration transportation can be stressful enough to affect the delicate balance in the digestive system. Supplementing horses that travel often with EquiShure, a time-released buffer, can assist during transport by limiting pH fluctuations of the hindgut and the associated problems,” Crandell said.

^*May, A., C.B. Riley, A. Scharre, Y. Zablotski, and B. Padalino. 2025. A survey of welfare problems associated with transporting horses by road in Germany (2022-2024). Veterinary Journal 311:106322.