traveling with horses from missoui to calif.

[pat]

I will be pulling a trailer with 2 horses from missouri to Calif on I-40 soon. Are there rest stops with corrals that I can stop at for the night? I have located some horse motels. Is it safe to camp at a rest stop?

[Mark Sedenquist]

As a general rule, it is illegal or unwise to "camp" overnight in Interstate rest stops. But with the variety of equestrian networks out there, it certainly seems like you can find one that fits your budget. Have you looked at the offerings found on http://www.horsetrip.com? The interstate routes are shown and there seem to be a good range of places.

I have never seen (or at least noticed) a public rest stop with an attached corral.

[Brandy]

I spent most of the last year travelling all over the US and Canada with a production show starring 11-13 horses. They travelled in a semi-trailer, and though we stopped to water every four hours, never took them off the truck until we reached their destination. I never once saw a rest stop that provided faicilities for horses, and wouldn't recommend risking handling your horses so near a highway, anyway. There are, however, quite a few horse motels, fairgrounds, and even private homes that welcome horse travelers. Through the internet you should be able to find them. If you find more than one place to stay in some towns, I do recommend keeping the info for at least 2 or 3 with you, because sometimes they don't end up being quite the horsey Hilton you thought. That way if you are uncomfortable with the facilities available, you will easily be able to take your horses somewhere else. Some campgrounds also allow you to camp with your horses, though generally you need your own temporary setup to contain the horses. If you have time and are going to use the campgrounds on your trip, get your horses used to a rope corral ahead of time (I'm sure you already know this stuff). Best wishes!

[Mark Sedenquist]

Brandy,

Do you have a short list of some of the horsey hiltons that you liked?

Thanks

[Brandy]

Actually, no. I might still have some iteneraries from the show, which include info on the places we stayed during that time frame. I will look for it, and send you any info on fairgrounds and any other public venues for short term boarding. Our horses stayed at private residences quite often, many times the same ones for many years running. I of course can not give out the info on those places, but I will try to find anything I still have that was either public, or a definite short term boarding facility. Perhaps you could post some of them on the website to assist travelers with horses. Hopefully I can help!

[Brandy]

Also, I suggest horse publications (Horse Illustrated, Horse and Rider, Equus) as they always have a section in the classifieds for horse motels. There usually is at least one ad, as well, that offers a listing of horse hotels across the U.S. I think it costs a few bucks, but for someone who travels a lot, it could be very usefull. I'm not sure how up to date or complete of a list it is, but might be worth a try. Many states also have their own publications, which often can be found on the internet (i.e. California Horse Trader), which would probably be helpful in locating places in specific towns.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Brandy,

What was the nature of the professional tour you were on? I have read most of your other posts as well. Thanks for the information.