Backward travelling

G

GrandmareS

Member
Joined
9 May 2014
Messages
12
Visit site
Has anyone had a problem with horse or pony travelling in a backward travel trailer? Our nine year old , no problem pony, had always travelled well in an IFW trailer. We upgraded to a Equitek trailer and he began to resist loading, especially after a competition. This has been going on for the past 6months. Whilst we could get him in, it was getting a bit upsetting for all involved so we borrowed an IFW practised a few times at the yard and next day loaded, competed and reloaded to return home. A much less stressful experience and a contented pony. I always thought that us humans had "control" and we were very patient but had to become firmer. If "enthusiastic"help by well meaning people., the pony became quite upset..
As I've always understood, horses prefer to travel backwards and relevant research has proved this, is our pony an exception? I would be grateful for others to share this experience. Would this mean he would not travel well in a Lorry.

Thanks
 
Yes, my dressage mare who is a seasoned traveller up and down the country (both herringbone lorry and forward facing trailer), could barely stand up in a rear facing 3.5t
 
Thanks for the reply - pony travelled ok apart from sweating a little but seemed tense, snatching at hay and wanted to get out ASAP! We have a camera and he appeared ok.
 
A friend of mine got a backwards facing trailer made for her horse and he hated it so she is getting it converted to front facing, so your pony is not alone.
 
I have never traveled a horse facing backwards in a straight load, whenever we travel horses loose they choose to stand facing backwards but at an angle, sort of backward facing herringbone. Perhaps the position could be the problem.

I would be lead by the individual horse, if they prefer a forward facing position then so be it.
 
Enfys said:
I would be lead by the individual horse, if they prefer a forward facing position then so be it.
Click to expand...
^^ this, but it can depend on the box - my cob struggled to find her balance in the one i used to hire, but finds my own backwards facing box totally fine.
FWIW she always sweated up and got agitated travelling herringbone in a 7.5t.
My other horse doesn't seem to care which way she faces :)
 
Hi..
I once had a horse who kept scrabbling to get his balance in an IWT so was recommended to take out the partition and let him stand on his own to find his balance.
I duly did this and he was totally free in the trailer...and he stood forward facing!
I guess you can have all the research on the world...but some horses just don't believe it !

As he is a pony...it might be worth talking to Equitrek to see if you might modify your trailer for him to face forward as he would not be as long as a big horse? Maybe they can turn the partition around and fit a breast bar a little bit back from the front? Might be worth an ask ?

Bryndu
 
I have heard of a few with Equitrec, and people have discovered that the ventilation was not good enough. Once improved the horses travelled better.

Also, the partitions are quite narrow, so maybe the partition could be made to a 60/40 split, with space for equipment on the other side?
 
A well respected horsewoman I know blames a lot of sacro iliac problems on travelling horses backwards. I don't have a view on it as I've never done it, but the comment stayed in my mind.
 
I have a 3.5 backwards facing box. I would say they need to get used to it as every horse I've put in there (except one) were terrible on the first trip but by the 3rd/4th seemed to have a handle of it. The only one that can't deal with it is my retired hunter, which I think is to do with him have pretty serious arthritis in his hocks, so he goes in the forward facing trailer if he has to travel.

I went down the 3.5 route as it's handy having something small for hunting and there where all these studies about backwards facing being the best, but I'm really not the biggest fan and am thinking about going up enough to get forward facing but keeping the size minimal without too much body roll.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top