Explosive Horse & Travelling

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LG's Skivvy

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Hi,

This has probably been done before, any tips on calming an explosive horse when it comes to unloading and settling somewhere new? At the moment, he has a fit when he unloads and rears/pulls away when tied to trailer, I had to put him in a school and have someone hold him while I tacked him up

I am going to start to try and tie him to the trailer at home groom & tack him up etc but I'm wondering if anybody else has any tips to share.. I am a long way from being able to manage him on my own somewhere new, so going out to compete feels like a million miles away

Thanks
 
My horse would do this when he was on his own to start with at shows.

Do you have another friend you can bring with him who's quiet? Maybe get a little pony companion or similar to keep him company. Worked with mine :)
 
Did he settle down after a while or only with a companion?

I've no suitable companion, but could pick up a friend from another yard.. though I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to load a horse he's not seen for a long time into a trailer with him (yet)

Its an idea though, did you just have to take a companion a few times or is it a permanent thing?
 
Can you not tack him up/do anything you need to with him still in the trailer? If you're only travelling him you don't need the partition in so will have plenty of room to move around him.

Sorry, it's a pet hate of mine seeing anything tied to a trailer or wagon especially since seeing one take the side panel out (which included the steps) and go running down through a crowded showground with them banging about around him; one spectator lost a leg, a child was badly hurt and the horse was cut to ribbons down to the bone. Not something I'd ever like to see again.
 
Maesfen said:
Sorry, it's a pet hate of mine seeing anything tied to a trailer or wagon especially since seeing one take the side panel out (which included the steps) and go running down through a crowded showground with them banging about around him; one spectator lost a leg, a child was badly hurt and the horse was cut to ribbons down to the bone. Not something I'd ever like to see again.
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I'm not sure what you mean, if youd on't tie your horse to a trailer/lorry what do you do with it when you're out and about? do you do it all in your box? genuinely interested if there are alternative solutions?

Accident sounds horrific for all involved :(
 
LG's Skivvy said:
I'm not sure what you mean, if you don't tie your horse to a trailer/lorry what do you do with it when you're out and about? do you do it all in your box? genuinely interested if there are alternative solutions?
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You have to put it back in the box or trailer.

It is the rule of most shows (and certainly all affiliated and county shows) that no horse is left unattended tied to a lorry or trailer (and of course common sense should tell you that it's not a safe thing to do.......)
 
The cure for this repetition travel to work as much as possible at least three times a week .
Don't tie to the trailer until he is calm about it all and never leavehim tied to the trailer always take a friend ( human)until this is sorted .
At the moment if tacking up is hard I would travel with the saddle on and put the bridle on in the trailer.
I would not go down the friend ( horsey ) it's a hiding to nowhere he has to accept that this is his job.
I would make the trailer base camp at home for tacking up feeding going in and standing a while tie him up to it when calm.
It's a pain but it will fix with time and effort on your part the worse thing you can do is avoid the issue.
You may even have to take some holiday and travel daily .
Good luck.
 
I don't want to leave him unattended, perhaps I'm not being clear. i am looking for ways to settle him.

I am also not taking him to competitions yet, just out and about to other places to get him going
 
LG's Skivvy said:
I don't want to leave him unattended, perhaps I'm not being clear. i am looking for ways to settle him.

I am also not taking him to competitions yet, just out and about to other places to get him going
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Sorry, misunderstood.

Just bring the horse out of the box, tack him up, get on, ride.:D
 
Thanks GoldenStar, making the trailer a base at home is what I'm planning to do... I'm not sure I can' get out more than once a week so taking some holiday from work and doing some focussed training might be the way forward.

Do you think I should keep going to the same destination or hire schools on lots of different yards for variety?

Taking a friend with me at the moment as can't handle him on my own right now but this isn't a long term solution :)
 
LG's Skivvy said:
I'm not sure what you mean, if youd on't tie your horse to a trailer/lorry what do you do with it when you're out and about? do you do it all in your box? genuinely interested if there are alternative solutions?

Accident sounds horrific for all involved :(
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Yes, do everything in the box/trailer if you don't have a capable helper to hold him for you; far safer for everyone involved and the horse is usually more settled in the box than when you first get him out when eyes will be on stalks and he won't listen to you. If worse comes to worse I would travel him already tacked up with a rug on top for protection, same as we do with the hunters; all dressed and ready to go barring taking off a tail bandage.

As AM says, most shows now have no tying and leaving rules but they are often bent when horse is tied up and people are inside having lunch/chat/tea. If a horse is tied to a wagon/trailer, someone should be on patrol outside with it, no excuses.
 
Ok, Thanks Maesfen. I won't be travelling him tacked, at least not in the near future. he is new to travelling and travelling him in tack I could see being dangerous in its own right with him.

I would like to get to a situation where I can unload him, tie him, tack him, jump on, ride, tie him, untack him, load him... without a major hissy fit on his part, I don't think that's particularly unreasonable expectation. I'm hiring schools at the moment and making sure its during quiet times at the moment but I still can't hold his head and put his saddle on at the same time by myself and there is only so much good will in people for giving up their time to come out with me :)
 
agree with Goldenstar, repitition repitition repitition, put him in, take him out, walk him round, my boy used to be a nightmare and the worst thing you could do was to try and make him stand, keep him moving walk round the box, warm up area etc.

it will take time, treat all venues the same regardless of where he is, ignore his excitement as best you can, dont let it wind you up.

I still dont tie my horse to the outside of the box unless i am standing next to him to have something to eat/drink etc, and if he is tied up he's attached to thin baler twine.
 
Maesfen said:
As AM says, most shows now have no tying and leaving rules but they are often bent when horse is tied up and people are inside having lunch/chat/tea. If a horse is tied to a wagon/trailer, someone should be on patrol outside with it, no excuses.
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This is totally impractical! Lets say I've done the SJ phase, and nip back for a quick change of boots for horse and change of clothes for me. What's the difference between me walking round to the tack locker to get something for the horse, or nipping into the living to get changed?! I wouldn't leave the lorry with him tied outside, but turn your back for a second and something could happen. Hell, I was stood with my horse and he managed to get his headcollar under a ramp spring and snap leadrope and headcollar and take off round the Blenheim lorry park!

I agree with not leaving them unattended outside the lorry if you're leaving the vehicle, but to say you should have someone with them every second or put them inside a) is totally impractical if you go places alone and b) doesn't mean things like the event you witnessed won't happen.

What exactly were you expecting someone to do if they were stood by the horse when it pulled back and took the panel off?! Sometimes horrible tragic accidents happen - having a person stood there makes no real difference.
 
LG's Skivvy said:
I'm not sure what you mean, if youd on't tie your horse to a trailer/lorry what do you do with it when you're out and about? do you do it all in your box? genuinely interested if there are alternative solutions?

Accident sounds horrific for all involved :(
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I can't bear to see horses left tied to the lorry. Yes we tack and stud up in the lorry and put them back on the lorry between times.
 
I think I am a little surprised that tying your horse at your lorry/trailer while you put it's saddle and bridle on is so frowned upon. I never knew.
 
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