Advice on horse pawing in the trailer - it's doing my head in.

[Exasperated]

My horse does little bunny hop rears and I would like to stop those before they turn into big rears.
Would hobbles stop that, or just make them more dangerous - ie could the horse get its feed over the breast bat with hobbles?

You’d have to see what she is like in the stable with them, or in a schooling arena. In theory, if she tucked both hobbled feet up together and lunged over the breast bar with them paired together, I suppose it might be possible, but generally horses that realise and accept they are hobbled would be far less likely to attempt something so unbalancing.
For general safety ( hobbles or not), make sure you can drop the breast bar safely from outside your vehicle, or if not, consider fitting a weaving gate to it. Years ago we had a (seasoned traveller) stuck across a breast bar, sheer brute force to get the pin out and drop her onto the floor, took several hefty blokes, a lump hammer, a lot of stress, and an exhausted horse. When Rice Richardson started with their safety bars - first in the queue!

 

[Cragrat]

Sounds about right, but please tell us why you were horrified at the mere suggestion of hobbles? Is it just the word with overtones of human penal systems, or had you ever seen them used? Seems to be a common reaction, but unclear why, yet it usually stops this problem dead in its tracks.

Curious and wanting to learn more - I've never used them (except when working at a stud) Do you find that the hobbles eventually become unneccessary? So can they be used for a period to teach the horse not to do the undesired/dangerous behaviour, but then can be despensed with?

 

[Exasperated]

Curious and wanting to learn more - I've never used them (except when working at a stud) Do you find that the hobbles eventually become unneccessary? So can they be used for a period to teach the horse not to do the undesired/dangerous behaviour, but then can be despensed with?

You probably need to ask an expert in hobbling! Long riders who travel huge distances use them on overnight camp stops, to keep the horse from straying far, and I think that’s the original purpose.
We use shackles with cows that have ‘done the splits’, to prevent their legs going east / west again, while they recover the strength in their limbs. Sounds a bit Christmas Carol ghostlike while recuperating!
Re pawing and kicking, can testify to long term / permanent cure with what horses we have used hobbles on, and same for people I know, altho bound to be others with different experiences. Typically, you forget to put them on, then realise the behaviour is no longer happening! I’d also suggest putting knee pads on first time, just in case, but horses do work it out quickly. Elastic stud hobbles on the mare are different, and for very specific circumstances, I don’t think a mare could be ‘taught’ not to kick an unwelcome stallion, only prevented from doing it.

 

[JCbruce]

Today I tried stopping off a few times before home and stopping when he started pawing and I made everything 100% worse. When we got back to the yard I made him stand in the trailer for 20 minutes and he was good as gold

 

[nettle]

This will be controversial but i would gently brake check him. My horse used to be like Michael flatterly and dance a tap dance in anticipation so i would remind him feet are for standing on and just give him a little jolt and pull away again with another little jolt, he soon learnt. I would NEVER normally do this and it was very low speed, horses have to be confident travellers and the only way to do that is by driving considerately

I’ve done this too; in a rear facing lorry so horse sat back on his well upholstered behind. Only had to do it twice and at a very low speed. He stopped pawing immediately.

 

[sport horse]

Sounds about right, but please tell us why you were horrified at the mere suggestion of hobbles? Is it just the word with overtones of human penal systems, or had you ever seen them used? Seems to be a common reaction, but unclear why, yet it usually stops this problem dead in its tracks.

I had never seen them used and it was an old horse dealer who suggested them. At that time it felt to me like something awful out of Black Beauty era. I am now converted!

 

[Stacy_W]

Please don't use hobbles, he could lose his balance!
Buy some ear plugs (for you)

Probably not entirely safe to use earplugs when driving!

 

[Spiderpig2009]

It’s a long thread I haven’t read them all- but try tying a lick it at the front of the trailer - keeps them distracted