It is not a comfortable situation to have to send someone home as a facility owner, but for the safety of other’s equine, it is imperative to the equine industry that documents are checked. Here are some tips to help avoid an awkward and painful situation.
1. Get rid of your expired paperwork. This will help you be able to quickly locate
what you need.
2. Have your veterinary email you a copy in addition to sending a hard copy. This
way you retrieve proof easily.
3. Take a photo and keep it on your phone. I have seen this tip come in handy
for several trail guests.
4. Send a photo in a private message of your Coggins test to your spouse or to
the person you are traveling with to ensure you can easily access the paperwork
when needed.
Navigation and Parking
I Wish I Would Have Thought About That!
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By Brandy Von Holten
Brandy is a ranch owner, horsewoman, instructor, competitor, judge, equestrian event host, a wedding host, a black belt in martial arts as well as a former biology teacher ranging from college to middle school for 11 years. She is driven, ambitious and confident. Operating out of her family ranch in Mora, MO, Brandy and her husband David are in the business of hosting a wide variety of equine events.
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As a facility owner and event host, I have seen the same situations time after time. Here are some tips to assure you have an even more enjoyable time while venturing out to trail riding and event facilities.
Negative Coggins Test and Health Certificates
When you pull into a facility for check-in, you could save yourself and the person checking you in some valuable relaxation time by having your current paperwork ready.
Here are a few examples of when things went wrong that I have experienced:
1. Friends traveled together and someone left their paperwork in their truck back
home.
2. A spouse cleaned the truck and took the equine papers out.
3. Forgot to check the date, and paperwork was expired
4. Left Coggins test at home because person did not know they would be checked.
5. Switched to a different equine last minute and brought the wrong set of
paperwork.
In this day and age, people rely
heavily upon their Smart Phones
for directions. I would highly
recommend checking a facility’s
website for directions prior to heading
out. There are typically tips or better routes
available from the owner that technology might
not know.
Regarding Coggins and Health Certificates, each state has their own requirements. Be sure to plan ahead and travel legally when crossing state lines.