Did You Know?
When your horse travels in a horse van there are considerations to give you peace of mind.
• A better ride – the trucks and vans have air ride suspension for a smooth and comfortable ride for the horses, especially since many roads are rough to travel on, and many horses are delivered on rural roads. The weight of the van also contributes to a much steadier ride.
• Maximum head clearance and space for the horses.
• Several different stall configurations are available to accommodate any horse’s needs.
• The layout of a horse van allows for access to every horse on the van, in the event a horse needs assistance on the road.
• For horses travelling in standing stalls, the horses are watered regularly by hand, and this is possible because the driver can easily get into the trailer and stand in front of each horse to offer water comfortably. There is space on the van to carry many large water containers for use when there is no access to a tap.
• Proper box stalls can be configured in the horse van, with bedding, hay, and a hanging water pail in the stall. A van is wider inside than a trailer, so the box stall is larger. This box stall allows for a horse (even a mare and foal) to rest during the ride. The ride is smooth enough that the water pails do not spill, and horses have their own free access to water at all times. All horses, including those in box stalls are checked on in person regularly.
• Every horse is provided clean fresh bedding underfoot so they can relieve themselves comfortably if they need to.
• LED lighting creates a well-lit trailer to give horses safety and security during loading and unloading, as well as during the shipment.
• Coco mats are used on the loading ramps to give the horses good footing and side ramps are affixed to the ramp on all vans during loading and unloading, even those closest to the ground.
• Remote cameras in the horse vans with a monitor in the cab of the transport pulling them, so that drivers can keep an eye on the horses.
• Construction of the horse vans is specifically geared towards strength and towards safety for the horses. Even a minor traffic incident where a trailer is hit could cause harm to a horse, but the same incident would not affect a horse on the higher van. A horse van is much heavier than a truck and trailer and is not as easily compromised. The floor of a van is much higher than other options, contributing to their safety.
• Cross-ventilation is a factor in design of a horse van, to ensure good air circulation within the van for the horses and there are multiple windows on all sides that are opened and closed when temperatures change.
• Commercial trucks and horse vans must have an annual safety inspection and emissions test.
• Drivers of Commercial horse vans are properly licensed and insured Commercial Drivers with significant experience and clean driving records. Drivers comply to medical and testing requirements for Commercial Drivers.
• Drivers and all equipment are commercially insured to move horses that are owned by other people.
• We are registered in the IRP Program (International Registration Program) and IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement) because we ship horses to and from Canada/USA. Licensing is paid annually, and our trucks are plated with IRP plates and annual IFTA Stickers. Additional tax returns are filed quarterly and tax paid.
• Commercial horse shipping companies must be fully compliant and are LEGALLY required to display on each vehicle: their CVOR # (Commercial Vehicle Operators Registration), IFTA Compliance stickers, USDOT #, provincial and state credentials, as well as the company name. The equipment is subject to safety inspection at any time.
• Commercial horse shipping companies are businesses licensed and insured to carry other people’s horses, and not permitted to put “Not For Hire” on any equipment.
• In addition to proper commercial insurance, compliance to all licensing and governing bodies, including US and Canadian Customs which ensures our clients have proper documentation available, if audited.
• Our fleet of transport trucks and horse vans is a significant investment. Each unit has value of hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to provide quality, safe and reliable service. The equipment is very well maintained in our shop and pressure washed/disinfected regularly.
