Anxiety in trailer

[pippa]

Hi I need some help I am an experienced rider but I have hit a wall and need some help. I bought an idx 3 years ago she had only travelled a few times in both a trailer and lorry, I’ve had to take things slowly with her as she can escalate and bubble over the top, she is now ready to start taking out and about but we are having major issues with the trailer. She trusts me and relies on me 100% and walks into trailer as quiet as a lamb, has a big haylage net, stands while I shut partitions and back ramp but when I am out of sight she gets very anxious and starts to erupt, if I stand back with her she is quiet, if I leave front ramp down but step out of her sight she kicks off again, I’m worried she will injure herself, I can then take her out and she will walk straight back in as long as I’m there, she kicks off if someone stands wirh her rather than me. Any ideas suggestions I’m at my wits end and so sad she is so anxious

 

[Identityincrisis]

She is training you. As difficult as it is to accept, that is what is happening, i have been there! My young horse was a nervous traveller and to begin with, just getting from A-B safely was an achievement, but as soon as we got there the dancing and pawing and rearing would start. It took my instructor to point out that as soon as he kicked off, he got unloaded, he got the result he wanted. So I slowly started to train him to wait, he had to be quiet before he was unloaded (or allowed to see me, as that was a thing for him too) i would stand just out of view and as soon as he paused I would ‘present’ myself, I gradually built up the time but i was tough as well (as hard as it was) if he was kicking off , I wouldn’t show myself until he was quiet

Having had a bad accident with a horse in a trailer, this was counter intuitive and very difficult for me but he now stands quietly on the box

 

[dottylottie]

mine were both like this! i used to start the car, load the pony, and have someone stand in the trailer with her whilst i got in and got my seatbelt on, then the helper would leap in and we’d go so there was about 2 seconds before we were moving i found as soon as we were off they were fine!

unfortunately it’s one of those where she’s just going to have told get used to it i feel, diva is still a bit iffy with me closing the ramps on the box, ive been giving her a feed on there since she had ulcers and if im quick enough she’s still got her nose in the bucket when i’m shutting her in which helps!

 

[pippa]

She is training you. As difficult as it is to accept, that is what is happening, i have been there! My young horse was a nervous traveller and to begin with, just getting from A-B safely was an achievement, but as soon as we got there the dancing and pawing and rearing would start. It took my instructor to point out that as soon as he kicked off, he got unloaded, he got the result he wanted. So I slowly started to train him to wait, he had to be quiet before he was unloaded (or allowed to see me, as that was a thing for him too) i would stand just out of view and as soon as he paused I would ‘present’ myself, I gradually built up the time but i was tough as well (as hard as it was) if he was kicking off , I wouldn’t show myself until he was quiet

Having had a bad accident with a horse in a trailer, this was counter intuitive and very difficult for me but he now stands quietly on the box

Thank you for your response

 

[canteron]

I’ve been here do this is my experience.

I (am still) treating it as a form of separation anxiety.

I only do this when I have all the time in the world as you need to be calm yourself! If the weather is nice to begin with, that’s a bonus.

Put the horse on the box/trailer, sit outside the box where she can’t see you, through the traumatic stage, shouting at her if it gets extreme. To begin with look for the smallest bit of calm - your judgement but may be only a couple of minutes to begin with and then go in. Take lots of calm time unloading and I immediately reload stand with her for a minute or two take her off. If she does that nicely that’s it for that day.

Build up the time but never reward the bad behaviour, she only ever gets to come off when calm.

Assuming your yard is quiet, after a few times you can add in noise distrations around the box.

Sadly no quick fix, consistency is your friend!