Horse Caravans - A Fun Way to Travel
by Mary Melton 
 For many of us, traveling and camping with our horses is the way we share adventure with kindred spirits. Cruising down the road with many watchful eyes on our rigs provides a unique way of traveling. For those vacationing with their horse for the first time, it can provide the added benefit of being with seasoned horse travelers. How much fun or stress is derived from the experience is managed by careful planning. A "trail boss" should be appointed to gather directions for the group to follow. Preferably, this person has been to the destination before. He will decide how many miles to travel and where the group will overnight, if necessary. Also decide who the "trail gunner" (last person in line) is. 
Once the destination is chosen, everyone agrees to meet at one location at a specific time. A shopping center with plenty of room to gather and maneuver is a good choice. The "trail boss" will hand out maps to all, a sheet with everyone's cell phone numbers and what channel the CB should be on. Once on the road, some of the best comedians come out of the woodwork when behind the veil of anonymity the CB offers. 

Don't even consider caravanning without CB's or radios using the new FRS frequencies. We have put rigs without radio communications in the center of the group, but they may get mighty low on gas or very much need a potty break long before the others. Don't worry if everyone doesn't have a cell phone. Do leave a copy of all cell phone number back home for receiving emergency calls. In remote areas, two phones next to each other can have different results trying to call out or receive calls. Most rigs will need to stop every 200 miles or so, which is also when we are likely to get tired and hungry. If you are on the interstate, rest areas provide a good parking spot and have water available for the horses. Plan to go n o more than 400-500 miles per day and stop for the night if you need to go further. I've noticed that our horses will urinate in the trailer when we stop for lunch, but pay attention that your horse does. If not, you may need to unload and walk him around. Check horses for excessive sweating. Temperatures go up as the day progresses and trailers get warmer. Open or close vents accordingly. Truck stop gas stations are another option with plenty of parking for lunch breaks. As a matter of course, check tire pressures and oil at gas up time. One of the most common causes of a trailer flat is an under-inflated tire. I've never been turned down at a gas station when I asked in advance to unload a horse for a break. They can direct you to a little used corner of the lot. 

Our group likes to plan several meals while traveling with each person assigned to a particular meal. It may seem like a lot of work to provide lunch for 12 people, but when the next several meals are provided for you, it is a dream come true. Lunch should be something quick like a lunch meat platter and chips so we can get rolling soon. I have a no problem with someone serving me lasagna and garlic bread for dinner though! Caravans tend to travel slower than cars, so be sure to leave space between rigs for them to enter. It's not our intention to create a solid wall of horse trailers. Let the trail boss know if the speed feels unsafe for you. His rig may stick to the road like glue, while yours is being buffeted around by the wind. An advantage of caravanning is the fact that someone is watching your rig from behind. You will know your tarp on the hay is loose long before it blows off. The most memorable part of caravanning is the picture sharing part after the trip. It's almost like being there again!