10/02/2026
Weanlings Hitting the Road 🐴
We love hauling the weanlings. For many, this may be their first trailer ride—or their first long one.
When hauling youngsters, I always have two scenarios in my head:
The dream scenario… and reality. 😂
The dream:
• Weaned for at least two weeks
• Halter broke and comfortable being handled
• Eating and drinking on their own
• Accustomed to their forage and concentrate w/o GI issues
Basically, they’ve read the Perfect Pony handbook. 😂
Reality:
Sometimes we get a youngster who has never had a halter on. Sometimes they’re halter broke, but have apparently decided today is the day to file a formal complaint.
That’s where experience matters.
We adapt to the youngster in front of us and handle the situation as safely, calmly, and positively as possible. Sometimes that means extra time. Sometimes creativity. Sometimes a baby simply needs help understanding what we’re asking.
Perfect angel yesterday does not guarantee perfect angel today. 😉
One thing never changes: calmness matters.
Young horses feed off the emotions of the humans around them. If we get frustrated or start freaking out, we can make an already stressful situation worse.
So we stay calm, patient, and focused:
Load safely. Get comfortable. Get safely down the road.
And one thing we’re firm about: we will not use transportation as the weaning process.
A youngster needs to be weaned, eating, and drinking regularly on their own before hitting the road.
Because a baby going on a hunger strike is not exactly the travel itinerary we’re looking for. 😂
Dream scenario or reality, we roll with the punches, take care of the babies, focus on the details and enjoy every mile.
That way, you get a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed bundle of joy on the other end. ❤️