Advice please for nervous traveller

Ravenwood

Ravenwood

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If any of you have any advice please for me. Lottie hates travelling, as soon as she sees the trailer she starts shaking and sweating, and although it didn't take very long to get her in today, as soon as she is in she is neighing, pawing, stamping, sweating and shaking and continues to do this for the whole journey. Todays journey was just 20 mins but when we got there and home she was a total mess - as always.

I have tried instant calmers to no effect, I think the adrenaline just kicks in although a good dose of sedalin does the trick, but obviously I cant use that if I am expecting her to work!

A little bit of background:-

In her younger years she used to practically load herself until one journey from Exmoor to Leicestershire she was attacked by her travelling companion. When they unloaded her, blood was pouring from her neck.

Unbelievably this happened a second time (different owners/different companion) just a few months before I got her. You can still faintly see the scars on her neck.

Also (different owners again) beat her visciously (I really mean visiciously) to get in a trailer once.

With me once, the brakes on the trailer got stuck and as I went round a corner she went down.

So the poor old girl has had a few bad experiences.

A couple of years ago I spent 6 weeks, leading her through, feeding her in it, driving round the block etc etc and I could get to load easily after that but it never cured the actual travelling part. She is the same with even her stable mate in the box but it is much harder to load her with another horse in plus she seems to prefer to travel without the partition anyway.

If anyone has overcome a similar problem I would be very grateful to hear how you did this :)
 
I assume that you travel her forward facing??

Is there a possibility of short journeys for training...with her facing rearwards?
The stability issue may well focus her mind away from the distress shown.
I personally have used the tactic a number of times with varying degrees of success.

Alternatively... Is there any possibility of borrowing or hiring a box.. with groom seating facilities.
A wise old police trainer once taught me the tactic of... loading up a difficult traveller into a box rather than a trailer... and having a human companion within sight of the horse during the journey.
 
Difficult one I agree, however it may help if you change the travelling arrangements around as suggested above.

I have a difficult traveller and observation is the key to making sure she is OK. Here are some thoughts which helped make my horse feel better about travelling.

1. Check the ramp is as solid as can be - that makes a horse more secure to begin with.
2. Are the partitions too deep - in the horsebox mine went down to the ground so the horse couldn't spread her legs properly, when I had them cut to half height she was loads better.
3 I have just changed from a horsebox to trailer (equitrek) and have the horses seem much happier - is there any chance of borrowing another type of vehicle and seeing if you can give her some confidence travellling before reverting back to your vehicle.
4. If have full height partitions, could you borrow a pony who travels well as a travelling companion? (ie wouldn't be tall enough to attack!).
5. I found that my horses had too much width when travelling. I have bought some 4 inch deep heavy duty foam to line the partition (had it made as split seat so can just chuck over partition) which again has seemed to make them feel both more secure and comfortable.
6. I have also got a trailer camera, which means I can see what is happen and when the problem spots occur (ie does it bang into the sides, loose footings on cornering.
7. Drivie really smoothy, always look well ahead so can anticipate problems.
 
Agree with all the above.

Also pay attention to the floor of the box. I borrowed a trailer a few times with a flat rubber floor and my mare hated it, now it's only the proper groved floor for her. Also consider what bedding if any you put on the floor. My mare likes a thick layer of shavings or nothing at all. It might be trial and error for a little while.

If all else fails you might have to invest in a lorry if that's feasible, very few horses load or travel badly in trucks.
 
Thanks for your replies.

I have also been told to try travelling her facing backwards but not sure how this would work in a trailer? I would be terrified that she would try and scrabble over the top of the ramp. When you travelled yours backwards - how did they react?

Canteron - the partitions are half length with a sheet of thick rubber to the ground (normal Ifor ones) so she can spread her legs but she does seem happier without any partition (with a full width breast bar) so that she stand diagonally.

I drive incredibly sympathetically when towing her!! I even avoid running over the cats eyes! But, it is all very hilly, small twisty lanes here so I drive really slowly.

Other people have said that she would probably be much better in a box than a trailer too and I know she would love to be able to see me - she shouts to me constantly at home, even if I just disappear into the tack room and out again! However - there is a cat hells in chance of me ever getting a box!

The trailer camera is an excellent idea too - how do they connect to your car and roughly what is the cost?

I am very grateful for your replies :)
 
Jonnyjumper said:
Agree with all the above.

Also pay attention to the floor of the box. I borrowed a trailer a few times with a flat rubber floor and my mare hated it, now it's only the proper groved floor for her. Also consider what bedding if any you put on the floor. My mare likes a thick layer of shavings or nothing at all. It might be trial and error for a little while.

If all else fails you might have to invest in a lorry if that's feasible, very few horses load or travel badly in trucks.
Click to expand...

Interesting point - one I hadn't thought about!

We recently had a new floor put in the trailer and it is covered with a bobbly rubber matting. I don't put anything else in there - perhaps I should try putting shavings in.

Very little chance of me buying a box unfortunately!
 
Camera cost around £250 it is fixed in trailer and have screen in car. Think there are various ones on the market, some you can even take with you if you leave the trailer/box so you can check on your horse. Will check details tomorrow and PM you!
 
I am so grateful for all these ideas to try - no, I hadn't thought of a travelling mirror either!

Gah, at this rate I might as well save up for a box!!! :)
 
I would put some shavings down in the trailer. Some people even suggest leaving a barrow (leave the barrow itself in, don't empty it in!) of your horse's own poo in there for a week so it smells of her. I always put a skip / tub trug of shavings from my boy's bed (not dirty but not fresh pristine either) on the floor of my trailer when we're going somewhere; firstly it smells more familiar and secondly he always wees so it's a bit nicer to have shavings in.

Are you able to do some very short journeys? Load her, feed her in there and progress to getting the doors shut, then reopen. I'd then drive literally around your yard, or down the road, turn around and come home. Put doors down, feed her, unload and reload. Richard Maxwell's site has an interesting suggestion on which is to load 10 times per day for 10 days. Load, unload, reload and so on until it's automatic. Progress to going for a 2 min drive, unload, reload etc. I wouldn't do longer journeys or do anything like going to a competition until she is thoroughly bored of the short journeys.

If she travels better alone and without the partitions then accommodate her. Can she see out of the windows in your trailer? I've just had new, huge, windows fitted in my IW trailer and so far, my boy loves them. It's made a massive difference to how he travels.
 
I wonder if its going to be as simple as that then - do something about the flooring! ;)

I will try your idea of using shavings from her stable CC.

Are you able to do some very short journeys? Load her, feed her in there and progress to getting the doors shut, then reopen. I'd then drive literally around your yard, or down the road, turn around and come home. Put doors down, feed her, unload and reload. Richard Maxwell's site has an interesting suggestion on which is to load 10 times per day for 10 days. Load, unload, reload and so on until it's automatic. Progress to going for a 2 min drive, unload, reload etc. I wouldn't do longer journeys or do anything like going to a competition until she is thoroughly bored of the short journeys.
Click to expand...

I did almost exactly this for the six weeks a couple of years ago (although not ten times a day!), led her straight through, fed her in it, shut one ramp, let it down, shut another ramp, progressed to driving round the block etc etc and like I say after that she loaded brilliantly first time for ages..but..she was still desperately upset during the short journey :(

She can't really see out of any windows - the piddly little one at the front usually gets covered up by the haynet!

Infact, thats another thing I thought of, is she trying to turn around to see out the back?

Also, I know some people travel with the top door open, but you couldn't do that here - she would be swiped by all the branches!
 
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Try a stable mirror - I had one in my trailer and my horse loved it. Try it out in her stable first to make sure she likes it and gets used to it.
 
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