Kate Considine, who owns hunter/jumper show barn Willow Brook Stables and travels throughout the country from her home base of Lake View Terrace, Calif., makes it a point to find comparable feed and hay wherever she takes her stable in order to minimize stress on her horses.

“Normally, feed stores carry the same products,” she said. “If you give them a heads up, they can get what you need.”

For example, when traveling on the East Coast, Considine often finds the hay to be much richer than what is available in California. Because of this, she seeks out a dry timothy hay, which is more similar to what her horses eat at home.

She also emphasized the importance of doing research prior to leaving for the show and starting the search for similar products early.

“The key is getting in touch with the resources in the area you’re going to and doing your homework early. If you wait until you get there you’re too late,” she said.

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Reprinted with permission from The Chronicle of the Horse. 

The gold standard for equine transportation has been truck and trailer for some time now, but many trainers elect a different option when moving their stables across the country—or even the world.

Flying isn’t always a viable choice, but when it is, trainers say their horses not only arrive more quickly, but also fresher and in better condition…

Kate Considine, owner of hunter/jumper show barn Willow Brook Stables, Lakeview Terrace, Calif., agrees that the time saved by flying is worth it.

“It’s a bit more money—$1,000 to $1,500 more—but it’s 12 hours door-to-door to fly them,” said Considine. “One of my horses was ridden and had a lesson on Friday, got on the plane Saturday morning, and was here with me on Saturday afternoon.”

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Reprinted with permission from The Chronicle of the Horse.