Anyone successfully cured a bad traveler?

Someone once told me, for a bad traveller: space, hunger and short journeys.

Never had one myself so can't comment..had plenty of bad loaders though!
 
We had a pony once that we were told wouldn't go in a trailer and travel so when we bought her I rode her home (not far luckily!).

I then spent a long time with the trailer in her field and eventually leading her up the back and straight through the front, then moved on to giving her feed in trailer and finally driving her about the field in it.

A lot of people drive too fast with horses on board which makes for an uncomfortable ride for the horse. Take it slowly, stand in the back and get someone to drive you (Not on the road just in a field!) and get a sense of how different speeds feel to you when you don't know what is coming up.

After less than a year this pony would load and travel no problem. In fact she would get so excited she would bound up the trailer ramp by herself.

One more thing, make sure that the horse has a good experience when you get where you are going. If they have fun when they are there they are more likely to want to travel.
 
He always traveled fine in other peoples trailers and lorries, alone or in company, I bought my own and traveled him in it for the first time on Sunday......he went ballistic, the trailer was rocking, he was in a terrible state when I unloaded him, fortunately not injured and calmed as soon as he was out. Last night I had an experienced friend come over to see if they could identify the problem, horse loaded fine, started pawing when back door went up, started going ballistic as soon as the trailer moved, friend got in the trailer with him and they went on a very short journey.....horse in a terrible state again.
 
I've got one that is stressy to travel (reared when still, fine when moving) and wouldn't load.

Spent weeks walking him through the trailer, feeding him carrots (his fav) and then letting him out again. I have a system to get him in the box. He does load now and doesn't rear but I can't say he is 'cured', just better.
 
How is the space avaialble compared to what you have travelled in before?

My horse started being difficult to load, which I worked on using a pressure halter to the stage that I could load him (reluctantly), however he began scrabbling at the trailer wall (literally trying to throw himself to the floor) even when the trailer was stationarry, when I tried to travel with partition in place.

I actually read on another forum suggestion to get him checked physically, as another member's horse did this when he had hock pain from spavins. My horse was perfectly sound, so I disregarded this, however did get full width bars, which helped a great deal - horse stands at an angle and speads his hind legs out to balance. I also worked on driving VERY slowly, particularly round corners, and even now, minimise the length of trips.

Some time after, he went lame and was diagnosed with spavins - I kicked myself for not getting him checked out previously.

After treatment, and lots of supliments later, he will actually now travel with half a partition in again, quite happily. he still splays his hand legs out, hence I keep the back half out, but my daughter's pony is only 11hh, so fits in the front half with him.

Recently I took him off his suppliments as a trial - he was still sound, but started scrabbling again. This time we knew what he was telling us, and unloaded him and warmed him up in trot (had loaded straight from stable) - once warmed up he loaded perfectly and started eating his hay, and travelled fine.

Needless to say, he is now back on his suppliments!


I think that the point in that rather long story, is that if they previously loaded and travelled OK, and suddenly stop, they are probably trying to tell you something. it is your job to find out what! Not for a minute trying to say that your horse has dodgy hocks, but something about the new trailer, or his current state of mind/body, is making it uncomfortable. A process of elimination might help you discover what.

Might be worth borrowing the trailer that he travelled OK in as a first port of call - does his still travel OK in it? if yes, and the driving/route also is consistant (i.e. spped, corners, terrain, hills etc..), it sounds like the trailer that is the problem.
 
Dont know if this helps, my lorry was off the road so borrowed sister in laws trailer,loaded fine my OH driving horse went nuts sounded like he was cantering in the trailer stopped several time he got slightly better so carried on. I was in tears as souned so bad. On the way back I changed sides put
him on the left opened the front shut the back and he travelled perfectly and did so for the next two months.
 
Angelz said:
He always traveled fine in other peoples trailers and lorries, alone or in company, I bought my own and traveled him in it for the first time on Sunday......he went ballistic, the trailer was rocking, he was in a terrible state when I unloaded him, fortunately not injured and calmed as soon as he was out. Last night I had an experienced friend come over to see if they could identify the problem, horse loaded fine, started pawing when back door went up, started going ballistic as soon as the trailer moved, friend got in the trailer with him and they went on a very short journey.....horse in a terrible state again.
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I had exactly the same problem with my horse. He was fine to load - I spent months loading him, feeding him on there, grooming etc - but as soon as the doors were closed and we tried to drive he'd go loopy. I couldn't try travelling him with a companion as he'd rear and go crazy and wouldn't risk injuring another pony.

I just gave up in the end. He is 19 so is just a happy hacker anyway. When the worst case scenario happened and we had to travel him to the vets, I had him sedated ( by the vet) once he was on and the same coming home 12 weeks later (he had a broken leg hence 3 months at the vet)

Since then - anywhere we need to go has to be hacking distance.
My advice would be to get am expert out - as I'm someone like Richard maxwell.
 
Watching this thread with interest.

My Doris is a bugger to load and, once in, refuses to come out. She broke my hubby's nose when he tried to back her out last time. I think I'm going to have to buy a new trailer that has a ramp at the front. At the moment we're using an ancient Rice trailer with only a rear ramp.
 
Lucyad said:
How is the space avaialble compared to what you have travelled in before?

Ive got a 505 and the others were 510, so will have to google and see if they are wider


however did get full width bars, which helped a great deal - horse stands at an angle and speads his hind legs out to balance. I also worked on driving VERY slowly, particularly round corners, and even now, minimise the length of trips.

Im going to try this, remove partitions and full width bar, as the person who got in the trailer with him said he was trying to open his legs wider to balance but couldnt and so was scrabbling, the side of the trailer


Recently I took him off his suppliments as a trial - he was still sound, but started scrabbling again. This time we knew what he was telling us, and unloaded him and warmed him up in trot (had loaded straight from stable) - once warmed up he loaded perfectly and started eating his hay, and travelled fine.

What does warming them up in trot before hand do?


I think that the point in that rather long story, is that if they previously loaded and travelled OK, and suddenly stop, they are probably trying to tell you something. it is your job to find out what! Not for a minute trying to say that your horse has dodgy hocks, but something about the new trailer, or his current state of mind/body, is making it uncomfortable. A process of elimination might help you discover what.

process of elimination has begun :-) although Im going to have to be very carefull, Im going to try and feed him in the trailer later but have a feeling hes going to be to stressed to eat, if he is then I will just walk him in and out a couple of times and build up the time we are stood in the trailer gradually, untill hes relaxed enough to eat. Then I might travel him a couple of meters in the friends trailer, then try him without partitions in mine. Perhaps I should try another horse in my trailer too to check trailer out BUT whos going to want to take that risk! I feel its to risky to try and travel him in company until hes relaxed on his own again, I thought perhaps some mirrors???

Another thought I had, the new trailer doesnt have windows above the unload ramps, anyone think this could have an effect?
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Angelz Get the floor and ramp of your trailer thoroughly checked from the underside and inside as it may be that the floor is unsafe (it may be rotten). Yes! aluminium floors rot as well due to galvanic action.
 
I had a horse a few years ago who was horrendous at travelling. I got him as a 3yo and he was simply the most unnatural traveller I've ever seen. It took a lot of my mum driving us round the field with me in the trailer with him trying to keep him calm (and not rear up over the bar!). Basically the horse would flip out and try to rear up the whole time. Eventually after an awful lot of practice I ventured out to local shows with him but I remember I still had to travel with him to the first few as every time I went out the jockey door when I'd loaded him he would go nuts and launch over the breast bar! It took a long time but eventually I could travel him without anyone in with him, but we still couldnt leave him in the trailer when it wasn't moving. As soon as we stopped, he wanted out. So wasn't fun when we met traffic lights (we tended to creep slowly up to them!) and the day we met a big accident... There was the odd time where mid-journey he'd just jump over the breast bar for no reason and we'd have to dislodge him (not fun when the horse was a very solidly built 15.2hh!). But thankfully those occasions had gone down to maybe 2 / 3 times a year, which was a huge improvement trust me. Was very odd as the horse never had a bad experience, prior to us having him he'd only been in a lorry to be delivered to us that was it and I kept it extremely kind (lots of praise / food etc. when he behaved). He just didnt get travelling it seemed!

I also had a pony many years ago who travelled great for years then suddenly started falling over. The trailer would shake but only for a few seconds mid-journey occassionally. Slowly it got worse until one day I'd only just loaded him and he went down, scrabbling all over the place - very nearly broke my friends arm. So after that we tried numerous things, one being we moved the partition over to one side at the back which gave him more room and that sorted it immediately. He travelled beautifully thereafter. I've had a horse since who started doing the same thing so he travels with the rear section of partition missing.
 
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Isn't it a bit "un-pc" to talk of "curing" someone of being a traveller - bad or otherwise? :eek: I know they have a bit of a reputation, which "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" isn't doing much to help, but they are still people :rolleyes:

:D
 
510 is a fair bit wider than 505. I would definately think it is the space (or lack of). Try friend's 510, and try your 505 with full width bars, horse cross tied.

Warming up if loading straight from stable helps relieve any stiffness which could make travelling uncomfortable.

Sounds very like mine does in even 510 with full partition - flings himself against walls and scrabbles, all feet leaving floor! Very scary! As soon as he had enough space to balance, he just stopped doing it and stands fine. At least yours still loads despite it being uncomfortable once he is in - what a good boy.
 
Getting lots of confidence we can get through this-thankyou :-)

Back partition is staying open tonight then......

ha ha!! JFTD :p
 
I m another one who had a bad loader/traveller (due i think to a few outings in a row to vet hospital).

I bought a dually halter, did loads of groundwork in it, got him loading (took a couple weeks), took out partitions and travelled him cross tied with a full length breast bar. He's a big lad at 17.2 and now travels extremely happily (standing diagonally with slightly splayed legs) and fairly LOVES when the trailer gets hitched now (so much so that he whickers at it and has an obvious grump if its my youngster who is off for an outing instead of him).
 
Tonight's practice went well I think, I loaded him approx 7 times, so fortunately hes still loading easily BUT 30 seconds and hes pawing the floor, so I increased the time gradually, we got to about two mins and he even accepted one treat and sniffed the hay net......long way to go I know but its a start. Had it confirmed that other trailers were both 510's now its not like hes big or anything, hes only 14'2!!:o
 
I am a terrible loader and traveller, having had some scary experiences as a child.
Here's my (almost) failsafe method:
1. Park the offending trailer/float/truck near the horses eg just outside their paddock for a few days, so they get used to seeing it.
2. Put it in the paddock, put the ramp down, and relax with a good book and some carrots or treats for a few hours!
3. Repeat step 2 a few times, 'til horse is relaxed enough to step onto the ramp to talk to you.
4. IDEALLY (not always possible, I admit) have another horse around who is a GOOD loader, and practice loading him first. Soon enough the bad loader should follow.
All the above makes the loading part easier, and has worked so far for me....
THEN
ALWAYS: never load in a rush, with too many unusual stimuli e.g bunches of strangers etc - again, not always possible unless you have your own yard.
AND drive slowly, frequent breaks, make sure he has hay in the trailer.

To be really honest (never mind the law...!) I always stay in the trailer with my horses and let my hubby drive. Not sure about the UK but if you're towing a trailer where I am, no-one is supposed to go in the trailer with horses. My view is that it's safer to have someone in with them in case something goes wrong, but that's just my personal preference.

And ALWAYS check the floor of the trailer/float or have it professionally checked on a regualr basis..... there have been horrendous incidents here where floors have rotted and horses fall through on the road.

Overall, I'v always managed to get my "bad travellers" right, and am working on one now. It takes a lot of patience and repetition, though.
 
Travel with a bale of straw spread over the floor - make sure it is well shaken up and then whack flat with a fork. I've found this has worked with many bad travellers.

While rubber cushions the floor and reduces road noise it can become slippery with dung or urine.

The straw seems to reasure them.
 
Check the floor of the trailer! Is it an older wooden floor? Many have soft spots you can't notice without stripping the floor up. It would send any horse mad! Esp if he's travelled well in the past.
 
we had a bad traveller who now travels fine. spent a lot of time loading and unloading and feeding carrots in the trailor. also changed to bandages on back legs rather than boots. also use a calmer. his main problem was on corners so we travel him on opposite sides of the trailer to minimise the number of corners where he feels he is falling to the outside of the trailor. all this appears to have done the trick - it's really about getting their confidence up. good luck it can be done!
 
The trailer is 2005 with Aluminum floor, I bought it a few weeks ago from a IW approved dealer SO I would have hoped/thought that the trailer floor would be ok??

Hes traveled alone and in company in lorrys and 510's before, never was the most patient, once loaded just go and he'd be fine but hes always rushed out.

Got plenty of straw down. Trailer is parked infront of his stable :-)

Not going to do anything today because the weather is terrible here and I dont the wind setting him off.
 
I cured it by getting a travelling companion! Horse always loaded fine literally spent every day for months trying to get her to relax inside & come out then start again. Our progress was minimal..I rang a IH practitioner & asked the question to monty Roberts at a demo..both told me this was part of the process I couldn't influence. Horse was dangerous travelling on own with a number of v scary moments when doing partitions up etc but with a companion she was a pussy cat so thought safer to stick with that.
 
It is really surprising how wide they need to spread their legs to brace and balance. Sounds like he may not have been keen to begin with (from what you say about him rushing off) and not being able to balance was the final straw for him, to me anyway.
 
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