Q&A: Travel Tips with Brook Dobbin

Kentucky Equine Research (KER) recently caught up with Australian showjumper Brook Dobbin at Equitana after his win with Devos GP in the 1.30-m showjumping competition. We discussed how he manages his horses when traveling to distant competitions.

KER: How far away do you travel with your horses for Australian showjumping competitions?

BD: We go as far as Queensland, which can be a 20-hour trip with horses.

KER: Wow, that’s a long way. Do you do that nonstop?

BD: On the way there, we’ll make two overnight stopovers so the horses don’t spend too much time on the truck before the competition but, after the show, we’ll pack up on a Sunday night and be home by Monday night.

KER: That’s a lot of travel. What do you do to manage your horses’ travel to help them stay healthy and recover?

BD: We do a lot of things! As I’ve already said, on the way there, we make a couple of stopovers. One thing that I think is really important to the horses for long-distance travel is that there is really good ventilation throughout the truck. We make sure that the air can circulate in and out of the horse area. This helps with temperature regulation and air quality.

Also we keep lots of sawdust on the floor to help prevent the horses inhaling the bacteria from manure and urine, a leading cause of travel sickness.

To keep them hydrated while traveling, we offer them water frequently and everyone has Drink-Up in their water to encourage them to drink more. If it’s hot, we try to rest during the day and travel more at night.

Then, when we arrive, we make sure when the horses are fed and watered. They are fed at ground level, so they have their heads down to encourage drainage from their airways.

After we return from a long trip away, we make sure that the horses have five days off to give them a chance to rest and recover from the competition and the long trip back.

Brook Dobbin is an FEI-level showjumper and master farrier based in Victoria, Australia. He relies on KER Targeted Nutrition products to help his horses achieve and maintain optimal performance at home and on the road.