Overnight stabling on the way to a show: a checklist

A long drive to a show, a sale or a new yard often means a night on the road. Horses travel better when the journey is split, and drivers need sleep too. A good stopover stable makes the second day easy. A bad one leaves you with a tired horse and a sleepless night in a lay-by. Here is what to check before you book a box for the night.

Plan the route first

Work out where you want to stop before you look for a stable. A common rule for horse transport is to stop every few hours to check the horses and offer water. Aim to arrive at your overnight stop in daylight, with enough time to settle the horses before dark.

Search for stables near a point on your route, not just near your destination. A stable ten minutes off the motorway is worth more than a nicer one forty minutes away.

The box

• Size: 3 × 3 m is the minimum for most horses; 3.5 × 3.5 m is more comfortable for a big horse after a long drive.
• Bedding: straw, wood shavings or linen pellets, and whether it is included or charged.
• Water: automatic drinker or buckets. Some horses will not drink from an automatic drinker they do not know, so bring a bucket anyway.
• Hay and feed: whether hay is supplied, and how much. Bringing your own feed avoids a change of diet mid-journey.
• Isolation: a box away from the resident horses limits the risk of passing on, or catching, an infection.

Somewhere to stretch

After hours in a lorry, a horse benefits from a walk or a short turnout. Ask whether there is an individual paddock, a lunging ring or an arena you can use.

For the driver

• Electric hook-up for the lorry (usually 220 V, 16 A), free or charged.
• Water point to refill the lorry’s tanks.
• Sleeping: in the lorry, in a room or gîte on site, or in a hotel nearby.
• Toilets and a shower.
• Dogs: allowed or not, and under what conditions.

Arrival and departure times

Most stopover stables have a window for arrivals, often afternoon to evening, and ask you to leave by late morning. If you know you will arrive late, say so when you book and confirm the day before. A stable that offers late arrival on request is worth noting for future trips.

Special cases

A stallion, a horse coming back from injury or one that needs medication: tell the stable when you book, not on arrival. They may need a specific box, or may not be able to take the horse at all.

Paperwork

Carry each horse’s passport and keep the flu vaccination up to date: most stables ask for it before accepting a horse they do not know. Check that your insurance covers your horses away from home.

The next morning, use the trip to work your horse somewhere new: our guide to renting a private arena lists what to check before you book.

After your stay

Leave a review. Other riders choose on three things: cleanliness, welcome, and whether the stable matched its description. Honest reviews keep good stopover stables busy and push the others to improve.