Brook Ledge Horse Transport is the oldest and largest Horse transportation company in North America. Family owned and operated, founded in 1955, by brothers Bill and Bob Gotwals, with one truck. While Brook Ledge has transported Kentucky Derby winners and World Champions, and the family pet equine, Brook Ledge Drivers consider all their passengers’ precious cargo, and here’s why.

“Our world doesn’t function without horse people,” said Andrea Gotwals Boone,” director of sales and marketing. “We’re not looking for drivers. Our team does much more than drive a truck. While there has always been a shortage of CDL drivers, Brook Ledge drivers are so much more. Our trucks don’t back up to a dock and wait to be loaded and unloaded.  Our ‘product’ can’t be refused on delivery due to shifting or damage in transit.”

“Living, breathing, horses. That is what is in our care,” adds Andrea, part of the Gotwals founding family. “Hopes and dreams, faithful steeds, family members, multi-million dollar horses, and miniature pasture companions.”

Before a Brook Ledge Truck pulls into a farm, drivers make sure their truck has all the things needed for their passengers: lead ropes, extra halters, hay, and buckets are just part of the list. The trailers are sanitized, stalls configured for their passengers with hay, bedding, and plenty of fresh healthy water for the trip. Upon arrival a ramp must be assembled with side-boards, cocoa mat rolled out, hay nets loaded, buckets filled with water, and loading any equipment that may accompany the horse. 

Brook Ledge drivers are horsemen, and proud of their job. They can assess when a horse may need a little more patience with loading and a reassuring pat on the neck. They know colts don’t get placed next to fillies. Keeping horses comfortable by managing window and dutch doors to regulate the interior temperature, is all part of the routine they take seriously.

A closed-circuit camera feed from the back of the van monitors signs of stress during the trip. Easing into and out of stops and turns, knowing their living breathing four-legged charges are kept comfortable and balanced. Scheduled stops are made every 3-5 hours to visually inspect horses, replenish hay and water, and take off or put on blankets if needed.  

Unlike most truck drivers transporting cargo, Brook Ledge Drivers are in charge of lives, all valuable whether an Olympic Gold Medalist, a Kentucky Derby winner or a pet mini.

The details involved in transporting horses go far beyond the standard job description for a truck driver.  “There is not a recruiting firm or Facebook forum which can provide us with the type of skilled people required for this position,” Andrea emphasizes.  “Our team is filled with incredible horse people who love and care about the precious cargo they’re entrusted with. So when someone asks us: Are you hiring drivers?  The answer is: No, we’re hiring horsemen. “

If you or someone you know would like to join Brook Ledge’s team please visit our website to fill out an application here: http://www.brookledge.com/employment