Claustrophobic horse - next steps for travelling?

[Joyous70]

Fantastic news - well done for putting in the time and effort

Thank you

 

[tallywhacker]

Oh my god, this sounds like my horse all over. I tried an IH associate from my area and micheal peace. None of whom acheived what i was hoping for. In the end repitition won. Every day i would take him in the trailer load him and stand there with a hay net and talk to him when he was calm i would take him out. I then used to get someone behind him talking to me so he got used to someone being there once he was ok they would fiddle with the back ramp. I have no partitions in my trailer just a full width breast bar. We then put back ramp up with front ramp open. He was then fine with that so we started loading with front ramp shut and leaving back down once relaxed we were able to load with front ramp down and shut it all up. He still has a paddy for a few seconds when we load but as soon as we r driving he settles. It took ages and i needed a kick up the rear from a few of the girls up the yard. But hes so much better now not perfect but everytime out hes better. Genuine fear cant be conquered in a day but with patience u will do it. Good luck x

 

[Joyous70]

Oh my god, this sounds like my horse all over. I tried an IH associate from my area and micheal peace. None of whom acheived what i was hoping for. In the end repitition won. Every day i would take him in the trailer load him and stand there with a hay net and talk to him when he was calm i would take him out. I then used to get someone behind him talking to me so he got used to someone being there once he was ok they would fiddle with the back ramp. I have no partitions in my trailer just a full width breast bar. We then put back ramp up with front ramp open. He was then fine with that so we started loading with front ramp shut and leaving back down once relaxed we were able to load with front ramp down and shut it all up. He still has a paddy for a few seconds when we load but as soon as we r driving he settles. It took ages and i needed a kick up the rear from a few of the girls up the yard. But hes so much better now not perfect but everytime out hes better. Genuine fear cant be conquered in a day but with patience u will do it. Good luck x

Sounds like you have done a great job with your horse, well done for perservering, its a long frustrating journey sometimes isnt it?

I took her out again last night with my two friends who have been helping me, again she had somebody in with her for the short trip out, but we loaded her up and took her home solo, the longer way round last night, and although she looked a little "worried" when we got back, she was calm, cool and collected not in any hurry to get off the trailer, and not sweated up at all. I will give her this evening off as i visit my parents Tuesday evenings and don't want to feel pressurised for time, but intend to take her out on my own on Weds for a little trip and a little hack.

Im so pleased, that we seem to be making progress, i can finally (I hope) start looking to book some clinics and get her out and about now and progress with our training doing fun things, like XC training and clinics etc.

 

[tallywhacker]

Ahh thats brill! Well done! On the days i was pushed for time i would lead him in leave everything open wait till he was calm and take him off. Just tried to make it really boring for him. Hope you continue to make good progress

 

[Beatrice5]

Hello,

What a wonderfully reassuring thread as I have had this very issue with my little mare today.

My question is concerning shuttung the rear ramp and top door. I have had single breast and breach bars made so she can travel with as much room as possible. We got as far as loading her with the front all shut up and the breech bar up behind her and then the rear ramp up but she was shaking like a leaf. I asked my husband to gently close the rear top door as if she is going to travel with no partition surely leaving the top rear door open is a big no no? And that is when she started to lift her legs up and down on the spot VERY quickly.

Luckily OH was able to get the front open and ramp down calmly and efficiently and I just managed to release the breach bar and she burst out in a flap - I was not so silly as to try and hold her and risk getting in her way and we were in our field so I could let her go safely. BUT she shakes like a leaf. How am I going to get her happy and safely used to the rear top door going up ? Do we need to practice this with the front completely open so if she does freak she can escape or will that encourage her to rush out ?

I also mainly work my horses alone but am guessing this is not the sort of work I can do on my own or has anyone managed to ?

Many thanks and huge congrats Joyous you have done an awesome job and given me hope we can overcome this.

 

[tallywhacker]

I leave the back top doors open and shut the front. I now have bought a new 511 and can travel him with a friend which has done him the world of good have u tried travelling with a buddy? Its hard doing it alone as i needed someone at the back and someone to keep me calm at the front! Xx

 

[tallywhacker]

Also if shes really worried. What worked for me was not putting bars up or ramp, i would get him in happily and calm and have someone at the back scratching his bum and chatting to me until he was ok with that then they would pick the ramp up knee height and drop it. Then progress further up so but not locking it and drop it if he stood calm. Just do lots of it make it boring xxx

 

[tallywhacker]

You should be fine leaving doors open. Will u be tying her up x

 

[Red-1]

Hello,

What a wonderfully reassuring thread as I have had this very issue with my little mare today.

My question is concerning shuttung the rear ramp and top door. I have had single breast and breach bars made so she can travel with as much room as possible. We got as far as loading her with the front all shut up and the breech bar up behind her and then the rear ramp up but she was shaking like a leaf. I asked my husband to gently close the rear top door as if she is going to travel with no partition surely leaving the top rear door open is a big no no? And that is when she started to lift her legs up and down on the spot VERY quickly.

Luckily OH was able to get the front open and ramp down calmly and efficiently and I just managed to release the breach bar and she burst out in a flap - I was not so silly as to try and hold her and risk getting in her way and we were in our field so I could let her go safely. BUT she shakes like a leaf. How am I going to get her happy and safely used to the rear top door going up ? Do we need to practice this with the front completely open so if she does freak she can escape or will that encourage her to rush out ?

I also mainly work my horses alone but am guessing this is not the sort of work I can do on my own or has anyone managed to ?

Many thanks and huge congrats Joyous you have done an awesome job and given me hope we can overcome this.

If she was already shaking like a leaf I would not have chosen that time to further shut her in. Then, if she is panicking unless I thought she was going to imminently injure me I would not choose that moment to let her out.

From her perspective when she was brave and despite shaking stood still the situation was made worse. When she lost it, reared, made a fuss the box was opened. It is kind of training her to not be brave and to make a fuss.

I would do daily practice, but stop before she loses it. As in take smaller steps. She would load a few times in a session, as in when she was good, and standing still I would open the box and take her out. Then put her back in. When she was good take her out. Only when she was relaxed would I make the situation more complex, as in shut more doors etc. If she is relaxed she may eat from a haylage net, or hay if she is usually on haylage as they seem to like whatever they do not normally have.

 

[Beatrice5]

She is a funny girl as yes she shakes for a few moments then stops to eat, but yes I do think I tried to push her beyond her comfort zone as I was hoping to try and take her on a small outing tomorrow. Luckily her panic was just stamping and no rearing or kicking but yes if it had been possible I would have waited until she was calm I just felt a little vunerable stood in the trailer with her bouncing about.

After her little outburst we walked straight back in and stood, then out again a few times and left on a good note before retiring for the day. Tomorrow I will go back to feeding in the trailer and boring her with doing the easy walk in stop walk out and take it really really slowly.

I will re introduce the rear ramp once she is really calm. As for the rear top door when travelling without partition do I shut it or not ?

Thank you again.

 

[tallywhacker]

If shes tied at the front if leave it open. I always did. Its very dark all shut up x

 

[Beatrice5]

Yes she will be tied up but if she went into a spin no amount of bailer twine will stop her and with no partition surely the temptation to try and turn around and jump out the back would be too strong?

We loaded again tonight but went back to basics all open and then went back to front bar up and shutting the front ramp but left on a positive and didnt attempt any rear ramp action

I am going to get extra windows put in at the front and sides a bit like the american trailers so we can get extra light in and make shutting the back top door less of an issue.

 

[be positive]

Have you tried her with a mirror, many react very well to them if you get them in the right place.

 

[tallywhacker]

I cross tied mine. Long enough to eat but not long enough to spin. X

 

[Llanali]

Cross tied and rear doors open. I am afraid I also don't tie to bailer twine of its cross tying; instead I use a very old leather headcollar, that has seen better days. I feel confident it would snap before te horse's neck, but most of mine would ignore bailer twine and barely even register it.

I appreciate that is probably anathema to many though.