Photo by Kevin Trotman/Creative Commons/Flickr.
Two weeks ago, I spotted an off-track Thoroughbred for sale out of state whose pedigree caught my eye (he has that F word we all love: Fappiano). After seeing a few videos, I decided to pull the trigger. The next step was to find transportation for him from his old home to his new one with me.
As a person with a limited budget for such costs, I wanted to find a hauler at an affordable price and with a good reputation to ensure my precious cargo was hauled safely from point A to point B. Cue the paranoia.
We constantly hear horror stories about horse hauling gone wrong. From the unfortunate (and, at times, tragic) accidents that could happen to anyone to downright negligence, it’s a very difficult task to find someone you trust enough to haul your horse hundreds of miles.
Sadly, last week, Rate My Horse Pro published a horrific story about a hauling company named Hitchin a Ride Transport that ends in the death of an event horse. (WARNING: The images in the original article are disturbing. Click at your own risk.)
Doubly Courageous was a tall bay Dutch Warmblood who carried Peter Green through a successful Advanced career. At the age of 22, it was time for “Pete,” who was still happily competing, to find his new forever home, and Kathryn Roan bought him to pack around the lower levels.
Kathryn went onto the popular website, uShip.com, to find feedback on a company that had been recommended to her. She’d been told to check out Texas-based Hitchin a Ride Transport, owned by Gary and Janie Lyn Skelton, after a boarder at Pete’s barn recommended the company based on positive previous experiences, Rate My Horse Pro reports.
Hitchin a Ride was already scheduled to make a stop at Pete’s barn, and upon searching for the company on uShip, she found enough positive reviews to put her mind at ease.
Screenshot via uShip.com. Click to enlarge.
A few days later, however, Kathryn’s world was turned upside down as she found out — from a source other than the shipping company — that Pete had gone down in the trailer and later died from trauma and shock. To make matters worse, the hauler abandoned Pete on the side of the road, and a call had to be made to the local sheriff’s office to confirm that the horse was, in fact, dead.
You can read the full story and all the grim details on Rate My Horse Pro here, with the warning that the photos and details of this terrible story are quite graphic. Pete lost his life at the hands of a company that had been entrusted with his care but did not take the proper action upon discovering the horse went down in the trailer.
It also turned out the company did not have valid licensing and documentation — despite claiming to be “fully licenses and insured” on Uship.com — meaning Hitchin a Ride Transport was illegally hauling horses. The company has since shut down its website and removed its Facebook page, both of which still show up in Google searches.
This story hit very close to home with me, as I, too, used uShip to find feedback on hauling companies within the last two weeks. I received a bid from a transport company by the name of Highland Trucking, which runs a route from Florida to Colorado and back.
I had a wonderful experience with this company, which kept in communication even through numerous delays that pushed the delivery to the wee hours of the morning. I, too, found pages upon pages of positive feedback, much of which was from the last month, so should this have been enough to put my worried mind at ease?
Based on my experience, I’ve learned a few things. You absolutely cannot be too careful when it comes to hiring a hauling company for your horse. While reputable companies such as Brookledge are high on many recommendation lists, the reality is that some may not be able to afford their services. So, then, what precautions should you be taking when searching for transportation?
1. Google is your friend.
I received several bids for my shipment, and Google searches on more than one of them revealed enough negative feedback to make me uncomfortable. I combed through as much negative feedback as I could find and kept crossing haulers off my list.
[UPDATE]: Kathryn kindly commented with some additional tips when searching for information. If a hauling company has a negative experience, a common practice is to simply change the company name and continue hauling. Searching for company names may not yield in-depth information, but a search for the phone number (which is rarely changed) and/or the owner’s name may bring up more hits on your search.
2. Talk with the company on the phone.
I spoke with three companies on the phone to get a feel for their attitude and professionalism. It made it slightly easier to narrow my search down once I spoke with the companies. Even just a brief phone conversation can tell you a lot about a company.
3. Ask for DOT and insurance information.
If the hauling company is properly licensed, they must display their Department of Transportation number on their rig. Ask for photos of the rig that display the DOT number and then search for it on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration record database to confirm its validity. You can also ask for a motor carrier operating authority (MC) number and search for it in the same database.
Licensed transport companies must also carry insurance. The amounts carried by each transport company will vary, but you need to get confirmation of their policy and find out exactly what is covered. In addition, carrying your own insurance policy on your horse provides an extra level of protection.
4. Don’t go for the lowest bidder.
While many of us may be shipping on a budget, be mindful of the fact that if a rate seems too good to be true, it likely is. I received an extremely low bid for my shipment request, and upon doing my research, I could not find any credible information that made me feel like it was a reputable company. For a mid-range price, I was able to find a hauler that I felt I could put my trust in.
One of the most gut-wrenching parts of Kathryn’s ordeal is that she appears to have done her due diligence, only to have the worst possible outcome happen. In an industry where there is little regulation and enough options to make anyone’s head spin, you can never do enough research. Even the most cautious can be duped.
The best we can do for our beloved horses is to leave no stone unturned and avoid making rushed decisions when it comes to transporting them.
Our thoughts are with Kathryn and Pete’s former owners and connections during this terrible time, and we hope the operators of Hitchin a Ride are swiftly brought to justice. Please spread the word about this illegal hauler, and give your horses an extra hug tonight.
Rest in peace, Pete.
[Horse’s Death Exposes Illegal Horse Transporter] Warning: Graphic images
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