Hobbles for travelling

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Charlie007

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Following on from the horse kicking whilst travelling post....

I have an ex racer who really is a lovely horse but he kicks the trailer whilst travelling and dances on the spot when we arrive/ just about to leave. He loads well. I think it's him just being impatient.

He only travels with brushing boots on, no partition and cross tied.

I would be interested in trying hobbles as they could be the answer to my prayers but my worries are

Getting them done up in the trailer
Him freaking out in the trailer whilst wearing them
Trying to get them undone once at the venue

Help!!
 
Personally think hobbles while travelling would be mental, very dangerous. He can;t move enough to shift his feet should something happen like slipping. It does happen, especially with no partitions for support (I don't use partitions either)
 
I don't have a problem with it, as long as the are correctly fitted and horse has been trained to wear them.

It's quite common in racing and international travel, I think there's a few posters on here who use them regularly.

Don't just put them on and hope for the best, you need to get them use to hobbles in the stable first

Edited to add: can you check with his trainer to see if he was hobbled when they travelled him, it's a distinct possibility
 
No way!!! Far too dangerous. Sorry, but kicking in the trailer and dancing on the spot, would, for me, never even trigger me to think of using hobbles. It's not a dangerous thing he's doing.

And I couldn't care less who uses them, unless it's a life or death situation, I (personally) think it's madness. Sorry OP.
 
Perhaps it's a racing thing as my ex-racer likes to kick on the way home.

Have to say I agree with most of the above too, I wouldn't entertain the thought of hobbles whilst travelling.
 
Having travelled in the back of a truck with horses a lot (yes, I know its very naughty) and knowing how much they widen and move their feet around to counter balance every twist, turn and hill I am another one who wouldn't consider it.
 
I haven't read your other thread I'm afraid. I knew someone whose eventer used to kick the holy heck out of her truck. She literally padded every surface imaginable so that the horse couldn't injure itself. I think the fact the sound was masked by the padding probably helped too. Does the horse do it when travelling with company or just when its travelling solo?
 
Random qu but have you tried him in a different trailer or a lorry? Friends horse used to travel brilliantly then one day started to really sweat up. Turned out the trailer had developed a problem that meant it was a really unpleasant ride.
 
Impatience? I really doubt it

I would say if he is a novice in the trailer he is more likely anxious, could be for any number of reasons such as not liking being on his own, not happy at the idea of going out, not feeling safe, possibly loses balance - it's your job to try and figure out why and then try to resolve it
 
No I haven't tried him in anything else. It's an IFor 505 and unfortunately he may just have to get used to it. Will keep taking him on short trips to see if it helps. He has traveled all over UK and abroad, just not in a trailer :(
 
OP, after speaking to trainer, look up service hobbles, these DO allow horse to spread legs, just prevents them from kicking backwards.
Have used them myself to address specific issues, really only using them a few times once all other avenues have been explored.

Good luck in finding a solution :)
 
Silly suggestion but have you tried travelling him with the partition? If he's travelled all over likely he was in a 3.5t or a big waggon and in either he will have been in a stall which is probably narrower than the trailer with no partition.
 
It definitely is quite common with racehorses and does not result in horrific accidents as frequently as some of you seem to think. My trainer has had to hobble my horse as he is a persistent kicker in the lorry; after three short journeys with them on the kicking has all but stopped and before long he will attempt journeys to the races without them.

He has also used them on another horse which was the worst kicker whilst travelling that I've ever seen. His owner was at his wits end because the horse was in danger of injuring himself (they had travelled him in about every position going to try to improve things). The horse will probably travel in hobbles for the forseeable future but the kicking is much less of an issue now.
 
hilarious responses!

one of ours travels hobbled as previously has managed to kick through the rubber, marine ply,grp and safety glass in to the cab.............which do you think will do more damage?!

i know LOADS of pros that will hobble horses in front or behind to stop them kicking, stop them climbing on tack lockers and to stop stallions trying to get amorous on the move. no accident, no even near misses.

calm down!
 
Charlie007 said:
Following on from the horse kicking whilst travelling post....

I have an ex racer who really is a lovely horse but he kicks the trailer whilst travelling and dances on the spot when we arrive/ just about to leave. He loads well. I think it's him just being impatient.

He only travels with brushing boots on, no partition and cross tied.

I would be interested in trying hobbles as they could be the answer to my prayers but my worries are

Getting them done up in the trailer
Him freaking out in the trailer whilst wearing them
Trying to get them undone once at the venue

Help!!
Click to expand...

Must admit I have hobbles for one of mine sometimes in the stable, but I would not use them in the trailer - they need to balance etc in case of emergency too. I would seek help for the horse by a professional to help solve it without restraints
 
Yes I am going to try with a partition First. I have emailed trainer to find out if they hobbled him, or if they have any other ideas!! I have a lesson on Monday so I will also mention it to my instructor. Its the only thing that's spoiling him at the minute and id like to get it sorted x
 
Good luck OP, hope you find a solution. Those hobbles that someone else suggested that allow them to spread their legs laterally without kicking fore or back would be worth investigating.
 
Interesting how you've had a stronger response against than on my thread (which I think is the one you're talking about OP). I might check out the service hobbles but I'm also a bit tentative. Easier for me as it's not my horse so at the end of the day I can always just say not to travelling, but if it were mine and I'd tried lots of different things to no effect, it's something I'd consider I think, but I'd hope never to be in that position. I'd try no boots and extra padding first. Hope you find a solution that works for your case.
 
Charlie007 said:
No I haven't tried him in anything else. It's an IFor 505 and unfortunately he may just have to get used to it. Will keep taking him on short trips to see if it helps. He has traveled all over UK and abroad, just not in a trailer :(
Click to expand...


My ex racer thinks a trailer is a start box and races out of it at speed... Tried him just walking into one to stand and hen try to tie up. Lucky we had the front ramp down as he just ran out of it. No matter if another horse was in there. In a lorry he is as quiet as anything.
 
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