Help... Horse cant stand up in lorry :(

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Winklepoker

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Okay, to save the ramble... here is the basic gist;

Horse is- 16.2 18yr old gelding (in great condition, good to to everything with) Has competed in 2 olympic games, badders, etc and retired from the razzle dazzle eventing in 2006 (for reasons unknown to us) had him over a year and always been a dab hand at travelling and competing.

Recently (over last month) he has been coming out of the lorry with rubs on his hip bones but no really chaos in the back to suggest odd behaviour.

Spent time padding out his partition and sewing padding to inside of rug to stop him rubbing. Went to little ODE 2 weeks ago, travelled okay- bit shaky and swaying on the way there but nothing really outrageous. Loaded on the way back, poor boy started swaying and leaning even before we pulled off to leave. Slugged along for about 1/4 mile and ended up taking both boys off and hacking home. Tried him again this weekend and still terrible.

Does anyone have any experience of this? Any suggestions as to why?

Thanks - banoffee pie with squirty cream for those who havent fallen asleep!
 
Having the same problem, just happened recently. This is the link to the post

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=369735&highlight=travelling

I'm just about to have his back checked for the second time in the last 2 months by someone different and think he just need a little more room that he's got in a trailer.

My vet said to try taking center partition out and a lorry (although we haven't got access to a lorry!) so he can try travelling sideways instead

Good Luck. It's a horrible thing to see when you're following behind and they can't keep their feet in the trailer
 
Have you tried giving the horse more room between partitions?

Travelling is hard work, particularly for the hindquarters. At 18 could your horse have some discomfort from something that makes it hard for him when travelling? This would be particularly evident on the way home after the horse has worked hard.
 
I had a horse who was terrible to travel used to throw him self on floor of lorry very scary. Through lots of trial and error we found he love to travel backwards in a trailor and he would stick his head out the back and travel like a lamb..............random I know but it worked.
 
I had the same problem with my 16.1 ISH a while back. She was 100% in a lorry and was fine in a trailer, then she just seemed to decide one day in the trailer that she just could not stand up. It was horrible it didnt matter which side of the trailer she was on, how fast or slow we drove she just could not stand up. The following week we put her in the lorry and she did exactly the same thing. So we took her back boots off, she still banged around a bit but we took her on a few short flat straight trip and she seemed to regain her confidence. She is now back to 100% in the lorry but does not have back travel boots on, I just put brushing boots on. It was as if she just forgot how to travel, we also now only travel her in the middle of a 3 horse lorry.
Good luck hope you get it sorted
 
At his age and from the fact that he has obviously worked hard I would have him checked over by a vet. I had a horse that gradually became awkward to travel in a trailer - he would sit on the rear ramp and would fall about on right hand bends and I eventually found out that he had developed arthritis in his off hind fetlock joint.

You might be able to improve the way he travels by taking out the partitions and letting him choose how he wants to stand, but I would go for a check up first.
 
Thanks for all the replies, its so frightening for everyone and he isnt stressed or grumpy just seems disorientated, we get him off and he looks at me like I'm mad! I think a trailer might be the next step

x
 
Generally trailers are worse for horses having this problem - is he travelling herringbone in the lorry or facing forwards? If forwards then i would suggest travelling him backwards/herringbone if possible. If already herringbone then maybe travel him backwards if you can or take out the partition totally and let him decide which way he likes best.

What partitions have you got - are they full length or half length? If full length then this can mean they ca't stabilise themselves as easily as if you have rubber skirts or just half length partitions without rubber. From the sounds of his past he will have travelled a fair bit and you'd assume in a lorry so, ruling out and physical problems I would look at how the horses are angled in the lorry and see whether that is something you can change.

It seems odd he'd start this behaviour now though after (supposedly) travelling well previously so I would be inclined to get him checked over to ensure he's not developed any balance/neurological issues that could cause this.
 
Oh dear, I assume it's poor Sparky bless him?
I don't have any suggestions other than try more herringbone than sideways IYKWIM... and give him more room.
Would it be possible to turn him around in the lorry, so he faces right rather than left and his bum is nearer the front? One of mine prefers travelling that way.
I would have him checked out by a vet/back person just to be sure.
 
i'm having the same problem with my ex racer, he use to travel really well but the last to outing he has gone all funny. he is on the left side of box as he is smaller then the other horse but it only when we turn right he throws himself on to the partionion and his back legs on the other side of trailer which he has dented really badly,
its like he doesnt like his body to lean on the trailer wall but he is fine on the straight and when we turn left when his body is leaning on the partion, he come out the other end as if i have just given him a bath,
he loads on his own and gets excited when he is walking to the trailer.
i'v been told he may need his back and teeth doing but would this really cause him to lose his balance on one side
 
Friend had a mare do this - suddenly unable to stand. It's as if they forget how they used to manage and get on a merry-go-round. She took this mare on a 6 hour trip to stud perfectly fine travelling completely loose. More space is absolutely the answer. A wee pony we had did this - couldn't travel on the end. In the middle she was fine but partitions were not to the floor and had no flap/skirt either. They can't find their feet if they can't splay them out. Give them heaps more room.
 
Buy/beg/borrow a cctv - that will give you a chance to analyse and see what works. Having the same problem with my mare - after a bad journey having to work very slowly at building up her confidence ... trying all the things suggested above, but a cctv lets her tell me what is best.

Make sure you have someone else with you though so you can concentrate 100% of the driving!!!
 
Hi I know of two people who have had this problem, they both called on Grant Bazin to come and help, he is brilliant! assesses your horse and then travels with and advises on how to overcome the problem. If you want his details just google him.
 
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