Advice please, flighty mare and travelling.

[Louby]

My sports horse is usually lovely and laid back and takes most things in her stride but if something upsets her she loses the plot. It can be as silly as something or nothing! in the distance and she turns into a fire breathing devil, pooing and stressing.
Ive downsized to a little 3.5t, shes only been in one once before and Im told she was fine. We've not done much travelling but its always been in a 7.5t. Shes loading herself into the 3.5t, havent tried the partition across yet as if she spots something out of the side window she panics and flies out. She will load again but is then on high alert.
Non horsey hubby says cant we cover the window until she gets used to it? I just want to get going as stress free as possible but cant say Im looking forward to shutting her in it incase she has a panic. Its stallion partitions with no breast bar but Ive never travelled a horse in a 3.5t before and Im told you can hear and feel every movement. Bring back my 7.5t lol
Any advice please?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Cover the window. You say she can freak out when seeing something in the distance. How much worse for her if she can't escape, better not to see anything.

 

[MissTyc]

Yep, cover the window!

Although you might be surprised by her interpretation of things. My mare is very scatty and extremely flighty, but inside the horsebox she becomes totally bombproof to the point of watching heavy vehicles through the window that would normally send her to the hills. In fact, she's become totally traffic-safe INSIDE the box, even if the ramp is open and she can look out at the traffic. So I guess she feels safe in there? Hopefully yours is similar!

 

[oldie48]

The previous owner of my 3.5 used to cover the windows as she had the same issue, just the one at the back as that was the only one the horse can see out of. I've always got going pretty quickly after loading as the horse has to think about keeping their balance and having travelled several horses that had never been in a 3.5 before, they have all been fine.

 

[scats]

You could try covering the window but I had a very similar problem with Millie she I got her. She’d load fine but had a meltdown everytime she was in the wagon if she heard a noise outside or saw something out of the window. I spent loads of time loading her, making her stand and then unloading her. Repeating over and over and standing for longer. Then I’d tie her up and move away and she’d have to stand without me at her head etc. I eventually built it up to being able to stand at the bottom of the ramp and then put the bar across, then the ramp up. I’d have to make sure she stood before I unloaded her as she would try and barge me out of the way. I did this every day, several times in a session.

It took time but I’d say she’s now pretty perfect to travel. The only time she has a bit of a meltdown and rocks the wagon is if we load and shut her in and a horse goes past and she sees it out of the window. I tend to just get the engine started and move off and she settles.

 

[Louby]

Thank you for all your replies. I was going to cover the window on the back door anyway but will cover the window somehow on her side too. She sounds very much like your mare scats, and we are atm taking the box up to just get her used to it and hopefully feel more comfortable in there. Shes odd as she basically loads herself, theres a nice lick in there lol, then flies out if she hears or sees something, then loads herself again for more lick. Weve not put the partition across yet but Im thinking partition across time will mean get going quick before she decides to have a paddy. Im not a fan of transporting horses but I really want to get going and have some lessons etc so it has to be done x