Hobble for travelling-or any other options?

[buzzles]

I'm having a problem with of my horses and have been racking my brains trying to find a solution but I think hobbles might be the way to go.

The horse loads and travels perfectly (in both of the trailers 510 and 505) partition, no partition, company, no company, long and short distances, stands at shows etc, he always has a haynet but coming home he starts pawing the floor 10-15 minutes from home and does it all the way home! He can be heard from home when we're about 5 min away! The trigger is the road from our village (about 10 min away) is very undulating and twisty - its known as the rollercoaster road! and once we hit this he knows we're nearly home and so gets impatient and starts pawing very vigorously. I don't think it's the road itself as he's fine going out and I do go very slowly. He really does it very vigorously and I need to find a way to stop him as he is going to damage the trailer, he’s already bent one of the pins in the breast bar and knocked it down, he upsets the other horses (who are all good travellers) and he gets himself all worked up and sweaty. When he gets home he always has hay left in his haynet and he either gets tied up to get his bandages off (he’s ripped his boots to shreds) or goes into his stable or might go out to the field- it depends what time it is and where he’s been so it’s not like he just wants to get in for his dinner!

I don’t know how to stop him- it’s been suggested I drive fast so he has to balance and can’t paw but it’s a very undulating road, although the surface is smooth, and you do get that belly left behind feeling if you go too fast in the car so I creep along with the trailer and I don’t want to upset and put him off loading, it’s also been suggested I brake suddenly to jolt him when he paws, but again I don’t want to give him a fright.
So I’m thinking hobbles on his front legs might work unless anybody has any other ideas?
Also those who’ve used hobbles for travelling before, did they work and how did you use them, should I use them all the time or stop in the village on the way home and put them on?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Sorry, no advice but just to say that I had one who did the same, and always at the the same point of the return journey! I just let him get on with it, but he would start when we were just entering the village which was only 5 minutes from home, so he did not carry on as long as your boy. Like yours, otherwise he was fine all the time that he was out.

I have no experience of hobbles but would be very concerned that the horse might panic in them.

 

[buzzles]

Thanks for your reply, that's my worry that he might panic although he's fairly easy going about most things! Good to know it's not just me- people don't believe me when I say he recognises the road! 9 times out of 10 we take that road as it's the main way but when we came back from the other direction recently where the road isn't as undulating there wasn't a peep out of him until we hit our lane so the road is definitely the trigger! I'm worried he's going to damage the floor of the trailer- it's aluminium and recently checked but still he stomps with such force I don't think it'll take it and I don't want to find him with his leg through it so I think for his own good it might have to be hobbles. These were the ones I found
http://www.theequinewarehouse.ie/hobbles.ir

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

we hobble Fig behind to travel and to stand at shows as he kicks seven shades out the lorry.

as long as he has enough lenght to spread his legs to balance i cant see it would be a problem, and def worth a go.

 

[Patterdale]

This forum is ****ing scary at times....:eek3:

 

[Northern Hare]

Many years ago, I had a horse who would paw vigorously at the floor in the trailer - but he would also strike out in front and hit the shoulder wall of the trailer - causing no end of dents! In the end, I bought a large old fashioned coir door mat that I hung from the breast bar using bailer twine - it was almost touching the ground. Job done - and problem sorted. It was just enough to stop him raising his knee under the breast bar to paw / strike out. Don't know if this would help your horse as well?

 

[stilltrying]

My horse used to do this too, very similar, only ever on the way home. Only he would bounce up and down when pawing! If I pulled over, he'd be standing there chilled as anything, i think it was a bit of adrenalin and impatience to get home.

Anyway, might horrify some but i hobbled him in front. Few journeys was all it took and it broke the habit. I got him used to hobbling at home in a safe environment first obviously. I had them lose enough he could move around and balance, just couldn't get his leg up high enough to paw. I took them with me after that but never needed to use them.

I appreciate it is not ideal, but he is 17h m/w and with him leaping about he was going to either go through the floor of the trailer or tip the car. I felt under the circumstances it was the safest option.

 

[scheherazade]

I probably know the answer to this but preesumably there's no other way you can go that avoids this particular road? How about blacking out the window so he can't see he's at the 'nearly home' point?

 

[buzzles]

thanks for all the ideas. unfortunatley its the only way home so have to go that road, he does it in the dark with trailer light on so he must be feeling the undulations rather than seeing where he is. The mat in front is a good idea, might try and rig something up and see if that works. Hobbles will be a last resort but it is for his own safety, hes either going to put his leg through the floor or else like someone else said bounce the trailer off or tip it over! Its good to hear hobbles have worked with other horses to break the habit.

 

[stilltrying]

thanks for all the ideas. unfortunatley its the only way home so have to go that road, he does it in the dark with trailer light on so he must be feeling the undulations rather than seeing where he is. The mat in front is a good idea, might try and rig something up and see if that works. Hobbles will be a last resort but it is for his own safety, hes either going to put his leg through the floor or else like someone else said bounce the trailer off or tip it over! Its good to hear hobbles have worked with other horses to break the habit.

Good luck with the matting, hopefully that will work for you. If you do decide to try the hobbles, just have a good practice with them at home first to get him used to the idea. Personally I think they are useful bit of kit - get horse used to not being able to move if his legs are restricted, so if he ever becomes tangled/trapped he doesn't panic. Just remember to take them off before you take him out of the trailer! ; )

 

[TarrSteps]

This forum is ****ing scary at times....:eek3:

Why? Because of people suggesting they hobble horses for travelling?

 

[buzzles]

Thats why l posted here instead of TR! Thought ld get more sensible answers here and less dramatic replies! I did get some useful advice and ideas to try so thank you and will update on how we get on. Not travelling is not an option so will have to figure something out, even if it is using hobbles!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Why? Because of people suggesting they hobble horses for travelling?

It was a new concept to me too, and not something I'd be happy to try myself. I was quite surprised that others have done it. It's always useful to hear alternative viewpoints, though.

FWIW, my preference is for the heavy mat hanging down from the breast bar rather than using hobbles.

 

[TarrSteps]

There are a considerable number of horses that are hobbled for transport after all other avenues have been attempted. As you say, better than having a disaster.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

OP, have used hobbles in the past to great effect, particularly on 1 pony stallion who would do the same as soon as I left the motorway on the way home from competing.
Had to let his owner know, but she was most keen to try, as the little stinker had done it with her. At least in my big box I had at the time, he was fully enclosed travelling side on in the lorry.
I could not even send a groom in with him to remonstrate (despite him being a sweetie to handle usually) as the front legs were continually striking out hard - pony was also piller-reined too.
4 trips it took, thats all, tho the hobbles always lived on the lorry.

Just do try them out at home 1st a few times.
In your situation, they are something I would try out, good luck & hope you find they are a solution

 

[Joss]

I have a pair of hobbles you can buy if you wish to give it a try. Have now sold the horse I bought them for. I needed them for a kicker for back legs & it was blooming scary putting the hobbles on. I think it would be much easier for a paper. Anyway mine look just like your link. Pm me if interested.

 

[Honey08]

Are you absolutely sure that he is pawing and not falling around? My mare does that and it does sound like pawing or kicking. (The wrecked travel boots are the result of her standing on her own legs when she can't balance). She is fine on straight roads or motorways, but dreadful on winding road... We also have an Ifor and there have been a lot of threads about horses that can't balance in them on here (I believe they have a different, stronger build system to other trailers - according to my OH who is a mechanic..) Would it be worth getting a camera in the trailer so that you can be sure? If I hobbled my mare I think she would go down for sure.

 

[nikkimariet]

There are a considerable number of horses that are hobbled for transport after all other avenues have been attempted. As you say, better than having a disaster.

Spot on.

Fig put both his back feet through rubber, marine ply and GLASS into the front of the cab last year. He was completely unharmed (somehow!). No way am I risking that again.

He's an impatient little toad and other than not wanting him to shred his legs, I also don't want to be forking out close to £800 to get the lorry fixed very often!

 

[buzzles]

Honey- He's definitely pawing, it's his default- when he's impatient he paws and stomps! He used to do it at feeding time or when he was waiting his turn for a jump out hunting, just dig really vigorously which I've now stopped him doing, but it's very hard when he's back in the trailer and if I stop and go into him he's stopped and looking innocent! I used to have a mare who like yours couldn't get her balance and used to scrabble and fall so she traveled with no partition and was fine. He shredded his front boots because they fell off as he was pawing so hard and then he stood and trampled them! When I go in the shavings are all pulled to the back from around his front feet and he's started to rip the rubber matting at the front so I'm pretty sure he's pawing, luckily he doesn't kick out with his hind legs. It's only gotten really bad the last few times so I want to nip it in the bud before he gets even worse or causes himself or the trailer damage.
Joss- I'm going to try the heavy matting hanging from the breast bar the next time we go out and see how that works, if not I'll PM you about the hobbles.

 

[buzzles]

nikki- eeek that sounds terrible and just the type of thing I want to avoid so if he has to end up wearing hobbles for a few outings so be it! Glad your boy was ok- that could've been very nasty.

 

[nikkimariet]

nikki- eeek that sounds terrible and just the type of thing I want to avoid so if he has to end up wearing hobbles for a few outings so be it! Glad your boy was ok- that could've been very nasty.

He was very lucky! It's pure impatience.

Interestingly, we forgot to put them on more recently (only going 10 mins down road) and he didn't kick at all. So definitely just habit for him. He travelled quite a lot when he was racing, incl by plane and he was always known to load and unload well but kick like a little devil!

 

[SpruceRI]

Would it be worth, on your next drive home, to continue past your yard, turn round and drive back and forth down your home lane, in the hope that after a while your horse will stop getting so excited?

 

[mil1212]

Glad to hear I dont own the only daft hobbled traveller. Mine has always been an impatient toad on the lorry, i tried all sorts of things, feeding on the lorry, a mirror, radio, company, many little trips returning home, the only thing that settles him is his hobbles. He has the habbit of boxing at the windows without, if I put his hobbles on he stands quiet as a lamb! They are like his seat belt and travelling is a lot more relaxed when he wears them. Hes capable of moving a lomg way in them too!

 

[Carefreegirl]

A friend has a horse that used to kick out behind in the lorry and trailer so she hobbled him. She couldn't find any hobbles so used vet wrap. If he'd of panicked it would of just snapped. After a few journeys he stopped kicking and now travels fine. This was both outward and home bound journeys.

 

[burtie]

Mine has done this his whole life, always the last bit or road. Does not matter how far we go. We can even get a bit the last few minutes to a show centre I go to regularly. Other than that he is the easiest traveller and loader ever. As it is only front feet pawing (he's also a door banger at food time) and he's in trailer I've stopped worrying about it now. I think for him any attempt to restrain him further would actually upset him more.

 

[twiggy2]

well my lurcher gets noisy in the car when we are nearing a 'known' destination, I keep driving and come back round and NEVER stop and get her straight out.
I would pad up with a coir mat as suggested and leave him on the lorry at home till he stops or as already suggested drive past home and back up the lane again/round the car park and back out again till he stops then unload him.

I would want to deal with the problem not the symptoms-it would be worth it in the endto have something that travels nice and quietly surely?

 

[wench]

Dependant on the horse, driving up and down the same road could wind them up more?

Also the logistics of being able to manover a trailer around is not like a car... There may simply not be anywhere to turn around...

 

[Laafet]

Hobbles are a valid solution, I am trying to convince my travel buddy to hobble hers as he is awful with scraping and kicking out at the ramp in the trailer, my poor lad who travels very well is really upset by it and now reluctant to travel with said horse. He also scrapes constantly when tied up on the yard or anywhere TBH so it's not a travel thing. She was mortified when I suggested it but having worked professionally with horses and now as I am doing a lot more involved with international movement of horses I have seen the benefits.

 

[TarrSteps]

Wench has a point. This sounds like a 'confinement vice' or stereotypy, like weaving, especially since the horse does it at other times. Frustrating him even further might make the situation worse! I think you can help horses with stereotypies through gradual training and desensitisation but the whole problem is they are stress reduction mechanisms so have a tendency to reappear under stress again. Weavers are sometimes helped, oddly, by hanging things for the ceiling or even confining them in standing stalls, so it's not an insane idea that pawers might respond positively to something touching the front legs, matting or hobbles.

 

[buzzles]

It's not possible to drive up and down the lane as it's very narrow and steep, it's hard enough trying to manoeuvre the jeep and a nightmare when you meet something! I could try driving past the lane and on up the road and turning around, although when we did come home from that direction recently he was quiet until we got to the lane and then started. But still worth a try as it might confuse him. I never let him out of the trailer when he's pawing and actually he stops as soon as we're in the yard and will stand quietly eating his hay in the parked trailer so he's never 'rewarded' as such. This is how we stopped him at feeding times, he was never fed if he was pawing but as soon as he stopped he was. As for feed lifting, I'll probably be slated for this but just to say this horse is fairly bombproof and unflappable- he once reached up to eat a hanging basket which then fell on his head and he wasn't remotely bothered! But I used to lob light grooming equipment ie sponges, plastic curry combs into the stable from the feed room, not to hit him- my aims not that good! but to distract him as he'd go and investigate what was landing on the stable floor and so stop pawing. As for out hunting, I'd just walk a circle or touch his leg with the crop and tbh he only did it the first time out and has been fine since, now he realises he will get to go and so waits politely.

Also I'm not sure people are getting how vigorously he's stomping- he's not just scraping but he's really putting a lot of effort into it and digging as hard as he can and he's a big strong lad, that's why he's usually sweated up- from the effort he's putting in, not because he's getting stressed.
I'm going to try the mat first as even if it doesn't stop him altogether he mightn't be able to do it as hard and do as much damage and maybe drive past the lane next time and see what his reaction is.