Service Detail

Shared Hauls — split the trip, split the cost.

If other owners near you are hauling the same direction on the same day — including race-day trips to the same track — we can pool your horses on one trailer, up to three. Everyone saves about 20% compared to a private haul. Same two-person operation, same care, same trailer — just shared instead of running half-empty.

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How it works

Three steps. Nothing fancy.

1

You request a quote

Tell us your route, your dates, and how flexible you are. Flexible date windows make a match more likely. Firm dates still work — they just narrow the pool.

2

We look for a match

We check our other pending quotes and our lead list for another horse going your direction in your window. If we find one, we confirm the pairing with both clients before anyone commits.

3

Everyone saves

Each owner pays their own base fee and their own loaded miles — with 20% off the mileage rate. Each owner gets a separate quote, signs their own agreement, and saves real money.

When it’s a good fit

Shared Hauls work best when…

  • Your route runs along one of the corridors we already serve (Berne ↔ Indianapolis, Berne ↔ Lexington, Fort Wayne ↔ Lafayette, etc.)
  • Your date is flexible by a few days (the more flexibility, the better the match odds)
  • Race day to the same track — if other owners are hauling to the same event on the same day, you can share the load
  • Your horse is healthy and loads cleanly with another horse on board
  • You have a current Coggins, plus a health certificate for interstate trips
  • You’re okay with a small detour (up to about 30 miles) to pick up or drop off the other horse

When it’s NOT a fit

Shared Hauls aren’t right for every horse. If any of the following apply, we’ll quote you a Specialty Haul instead — same care, just a private trailer:

  • Mares with a foal at side — they ride alone
  • Stallions traveling without a behavior-compatible companion
  • Horses on stall rest or in active rehabilitation
  • Any horse showing respiratory symptoms in the last 14 days
  • Horses from a property with an active infectious-disease event

If we can’t match your shared haul in your date window, we’ll quote you a private haul at our standard rate. You’re not obligated to take it.

How the savings work

Each owner gets their own quote based on their own loaded miles. The shared rate gives 20% off the mileage portion — so a longer trip saves more in dollars than a short one. Everyone saves; we still earn enough to make the trip worthwhile by filling the extra stalls.

Your exact quote depends on your route, dates, and whether we can find a match. Request a real quote and we’ll come back with the actual number within 24 hours.

Biosecurity & safety

More than one horse on a trailer means more health responsibility. Here’s what we do every time:

  • Trailer is cleaned and disinfected between every haul — not just between shared trips
  • Stall dividers stay in place during shared trips (horses don’t physically touch)
  • We verify current Coggins and health certs before either horse loads
  • We will not load a horse showing respiratory symptoms at pickup, with no penalty to either client
  • We refuse shared bookings from properties with a known active disease event

More on our standards: Safety & Standards.

Common questions about Shared Hauls

We’ll quote you a private haul at our standard rate. You’re not obligated to take it. We’ll keep looking right up to your stated match deadline.
About 20% off the mileage portion of your trip, which works out to roughly 15–20% off the total. Longer trips save more in absolute dollars because more of the total is mileage. Request a quote and we’ll give you your specific number.
No. You tell us the latest date you’d accept a match, and if we don’t find one by then, we move on. Most matches happen within a few days, especially on common routes.
RD Heartland Hauling LLC — same as a private haul. Each owner signs their own agreement. The other client is not a party to your contract. You don’t handle any paperwork or payment with them.
If a cancellation happens less than 48 hours before pickup, you have three options: (a) keep the trip and pay the private rate, (b) reschedule the shared haul at no penalty, or (c) cancel and get a full refund of any deposit paid.
Usually no. We only match horses on the same general corridor. Detours to a second pickup are normally under 30 miles. Pickup and drop-off times become windows rather than fixed times, because we’re coordinating more than one client on one trip — we’ll text or call with updates the whole way.
Tell us when you request the quote. We can route you to a Specialty Haul instead, with a private trailer. Better to know up front than fight it at the loading ramp.
Yes. Different companies use different names — partial load, pool haul, co-load, ride-along, split haul. We call it a Shared Haul because that’s what it actually is.

Common shared routes

Match odds are highest on these corridors:

  • Berne / Adams County ↔ Indianapolis
  • Berne ↔ Lexington / Bluegrass
  • Fort Wayne ↔ Lafayette / West Lafayette
  • NE Indiana ↔ Columbus, OH
  • NE Indiana ↔ Lower Michigan

Don’t see your route? Ask anyway — new corridors get added as demand shows up.

Service Areas

Related Services

Want to find a match?

Tell us your route and dates. We’ll let you know within 48 hours whether we’ve got a match or whether to quote you private.

Request a Shared Haul match

Same route, one trip, shared savings.

Tell us your route and dates. If we can pair you, everyone saves.

Request a Shared Haul match