Horse breaking headcollar when traveling- ideas?

[SilverLinings]

I have a horse that is a very happy traveler, self-loads and doesn't get stressed on journeys, BUT he is somehow breaking his headcollar (always traveled in a leather one). It has happened three times now, and every time it has been when I've arrived at an event and gone to get my number from the secretary's tent. The first time it was the clip that does the strap up under the jaw that broke, and it left a nasty jagged edge. I thought he must have caught the clip on his hay bag so removed the clip and sewed the jaw strap on to the ring and used the over-the-head buckle to get it on and off (I couldn't find one to buy without the clip). That was >2yrs ago, and he didn't do it again until this summer.

This summer he has broken two more, but this time they broke on the side of the headpiece where the buckle holes are (neither had a jaw clip). No one has seen it happen, but last time the person I was parked next to said she heard a loud bang and the trailer rocked, so she ran over and opened the jockey door and apparently the horse was standing there looking quite happy but minus a headcollar.

When I get to an event/ride/lesson I check him first (headcollar always intact at that point), make sure he has hay and then go to sort out entries/collect number. I come straight back so am only gone for 5-10 minutes at the absolute maximum. He is happy to stand on the box later in the day, and is a sensible and relaxed chap in general. He usually stands and waits to be rescued if he gets into any kind pf pickle.

I am glad the headcollars break as they should, but I don't want the horse to hurt himself, and this is getting expensive. He goes out in the box at least 1/week in summer and 1-2/month in winter so the incident rate is low, but I don't want whatever he is doing to result in an injury.

He travels in an HB506, there is a hay bag in front of him but nothing else he can reach. I have had a really good look around in the box and can't find anything he can get caught on other than possibly with a bit of contortion the fixed-down hook on the front edge of the partition; I would have thought it would have come un-hooked if he pulled against it, but I have covered it now to see if it makes a difference. My best guess is that he's rubbing his head on something and somehow getting the headcollar caught.

Does anyone have any other ideas about what he may be doing and how I can avoid it? It isn't possible for me to travel with another person to watch him, and some events don't allow horses to be left alone tied to the box so I need to be able to leave him loaded for short periods of time.

 

[Abacus]

Could you use one of the fieldsafe velcro headcollars which might just come undone if he is pulling at it or getting it caught somewere? Or is it possible to travel him without one, and get it back on safely before opening the partition to unload?

Or use a camera to see what the monkey is managing to do?!

 

[SilverLinings]

I did think of leaving it off when travelling but horses over 8 months old are legally required to wear halters when being transported, presumably in case there is an accident and they need to be handled, which makes sense. I wasn't sure whether a field-safe headcollar would be strong enough to handle the horse if there was an accident, but I only had experience of them 20+ years ago when the velcro used to come undone too easily to be of much use! I will take a look at what's available now.

I will ask around at work to see if anyone has a suitable camera I could borrow, that's a really good idea that I stupidly hadn't thought of. As he does it relatively rarely it might take a while to catch him at it but at least then I'd know what's going on! I suppose even putting my phone on record and propping it up somewhere whilst I leave him might work.

He is an inveterate fiddler (very good at untying himself, you can't leave anything within his reach without him playing with it), but isn't usually one to get in to trouble so it's a bit of a mystery.

 

[Abacus]

I didn't know that about wearing halters when travelling. As a detail, as well as wearing a halter, do the rules state they have to be tied up...?

 

[SilverLinings]

There is info here:

https://www.businesscompanion.info/...approved vehicle horses,for at least 24 hours.

And also on the Government website if you search 'transporting horses'. I remember learning it for my Pony Club 'B' test years ago but checked before I posted in case things had changed

 

[Abacus]

So they don't actually have to be tied. I suppose if your horse is pulling on the rope hard enough to break the headcollar you could leave him untied.

 

[Abacus]

Another idea - this looks like a neat and cheap way to convert a normal headcollar into a breakable one (and you probably have a couple of broken ones to use it with!)

https://www.churchequestrian.co.uk/shires-aviemore-headcollar-breakaway-attachment-3-4.html

 

[SilverLinings]

So they don't actually have to be tied. I suppose if your horse is pulling on the rope hard enough to break the headcollar you could leave him untied.

He isn't pulling the rope though as it's on a safety tie which would give way, he must be catching the headcollar so I don't think leaving him untied would stop it. If untied he would still need to be standing in the same spot as he likes to use the partition to balance (rather than travelling loose with partition removed).

 

[SilverLinings]

Another idea - this looks like a neat and cheap way to convert a normal headcollar into a breakable one (and you probably have a couple of broken ones to use it with!)

https://www.churchequestrian.co.uk/shires-aviemore-headcollar-breakaway-attachment-3-4.html

That's a fab idea, thank you, and yes I do have a couple of broken ones to work with!

ETA I knew asking on here would be a good idea, I think that will solve the problem of broken headcollars, and I will try to sort out a camera to work out exactly what he's doing

 

[Melody Grey]

Is there anything he could be rubbing on and breaking it that way? window bars/ partition/ tie ring? Would it help to try opening the window of its a trailer when you arrive if you’re not already?

 

[Widgeon]

Could you cross tie him while you're getting your number? I.e. tie up normally to travel, park up, check on him and maybe let him have a supervised scratch, then cross tie him short enough that he can't get his head against the wall. Of course that would be a bad plan if you think he'd panic at being tied up short. But I can't think of anything better, this sounds very annoying for you. At least he's not distressed or hurting himself.

 

[Jenko109]

So it's illegal to travel without a headcollar on.

It doesnt happen while travelling though. Only once you are parked up. So take his headcollar off when you get there and pop it back on once you are ready to take him out.

 

[Annagain]

That's a fab idea, thank you, and yes I do have a couple of broken ones to work with!

ETA I knew asking on here would be a good idea, I think that will solve the problem of broken headcollars, and I will try to sort out a camera to work out exactly what he's doing

I've also seen a post on facebook saying you can make a fieldsafe headcollar by using a pair of bolt croppers or a hack saw to cut through the rings (one at each side) at the side of the headcollar (where the jaw strap would clip to). You then file / sand down any rough edges and use it as normal. If any pressure is applied, the rings open and the nylon straps slide off. I wouldn't travel one in it but you could swap them over when you arrive?

 

[SilverLinings]

Is there anything he could be rubbing on and breaking it that way? window bars/ partition/ tie ring? Would it help to try opening the window of its a trailer when you arrive if you’re not already?

The rings are very high up (and he's 14.2) and so big and smooth that I don't think he could get caught on them. The window doesn't have any bars. I open the top door (above the front ramp) when I park so he can watch what's going on and keep an eye on him- I've even checked whether he can reach out and catch on anything on the outside of the trailer but I can't spot anything likely. The first time it happened the top door was actually closed as it was really windy, so don't think the door being open/closed is linked.

Could you cross tie him while you're getting your number? I.e. tie up normally to travel, park up, check on him and maybe let him have a supervised scratch, then cross tie him short enough that he can't get his head against the wall. Of course that would be a bad plan if you think he'd panic at being tied up short. But I can't think of anything better, this sounds very annoying for you. At least he's not distressed or hurting himself.

Thank you- cross tying is another excellent selection that I could kick myself for not trying! I think I might try that for the next few times to try to break the habit of whatever he is doing, plus using the Shires safety link on the headcollar

My main worry is that he must be pulling quite hard to break a leather headcollar so I don't want him then being injured by banging his head etc when the headcollar gives. I am lucky though that he doesn't seem to be at all upset by it; a friend suggested (tongue in cheek) that he was trying to get my attention so that I would have to come back and rescue him- he is a slightly odd and very clever horse so that did make me slightly concerned that if he starts to associate me returning to the box with him having broken free then he will start to do it intentionally. He doesn't appear at all stressed by being left on his own though.

 

[SilverLinings]

So it's illegal to travel without a headcollar on.

It doesnt happen while travelling though. Only once you are parked up. So take his headcollar off when you get there and pop it back on once you are ready to take him out.

He is an incredible escape artist so I'd be a bit concerned about what trouble he'd get into whilst left unattended if not tied up, for a start I'm not convinced he'd be the correct side of the breast bar and/or facing the right way! I will resort to that though if the other suggestions don't work

 

[SilverLinings]

I've also seen a post on facebook saying you can make a fieldsafe headcollar by using a pair of bolt croppers or a hack saw to cut through the rings (one at each side) at the side of the headcollar (where the jaw strap would clip to). You then file / sand down any rough edges and use it as normal. If any pressure is applied, the rings open and the nylon straps slide off. I wouldn't travel one in it but you could swap them over when you arrive?

I'm afraid that having seen what happened the first time I wouldn't risk this- when pressure was put on the cheek clip (which was a thinner piece of metal than one of the rings) rather than bending it sheared off with such force that I found it outside the back of the trailer. It also left very jagged and sharp edges. I don't know what headcollar fittings are made from but they are only brass coloured rather than actually being brass, and don't appear to be a soft enough metal to bend (they look like a composite when you can see the core). It alarmed me that the fixing broke before the leather, especially as it didn't break in a 'safe' way.

It is a good idea in theory though, and I suppose that thinking along those lines I could remove one of the rings and replace it with something breakable like a velcro loop or thin cable tie.

 

[Birker2020]

I have a horse that is a very happy traveler, self-loads and doesn't get stressed on journeys, BUT he is somehow breaking his headcollar (always traveled in a leather one). It has happened three times now, and every time it has been when I've arrived at an event and gone to get my number from the secretary's tent. The first time it was the clip that does the strap up under the jaw that broke, and it left a nasty jagged edge. I thought he must have caught the clip on his hay bag so removed the clip and sewed the jaw strap on to the ring and used the over-the-head buckle to get it on and off (I couldn't find one to buy without the clip). That was >2yrs ago, and he didn't do it again until this summer.

This summer he has broken two more, but this time they broke on the side of the headpiece where the buckle holes are (neither had a jaw clip). No one has seen it happen, but last time the person I was parked next to said she heard a loud bang and the trailer rocked, so she ran over and opened the jockey door and apparently the horse was standing there looking quite happy but minus a headcollar.

When I get to an event/ride/lesson I check him first (headcollar always intact at that point), make sure he has hay and then go to sort out entries/collect number. I come straight back so am only gone for 5-10 minutes at the absolute maximum. He is happy to stand on the box later in the day, and is a sensible and relaxed chap in general. He usually stands and waits to be rescued if he gets into any kind pf pickle.

I am glad the headcollars break as they should, but I don't want the horse to hurt himself, and this is getting expensive. He goes out in the box at least 1/week in summer and 1-2/month in winter so the incident rate is low, but I don't want whatever he is doing to result in an injury.

He travels in an HB506, there is a hay bag in front of him but nothing else he can reach. I have had a really good look around in the box and can't find anything he can get caught on other than possibly with a bit of contortion the fixed-down hook on the front edge of the partition; I would have thought it would have come un-hooked if he pulled against it, but I have covered it now to see if it makes a difference. My best guess is that he's rubbing his head on something and somehow getting the headcollar caught.

Does anyone have any other ideas about what he may be doing and how I can avoid it? It isn't possible for me to travel with another person to watch him, and some events don't allow horses to be left alone tied to the box so I need to be able to leave him loaded for short periods of time.

Bailey managed to break 2 leather headcollars four times in 3 months despite never breaking a headcollar in the previous 16 yrs I'd owned her.

I couldn't understand how she did it but as the one headcollar was repaired 3 times and was therefore weakened and both headcollars during their lives lived out in the paddock gate whilst she was turned out thus exposed to wind, rain, sleet and snow further weakening the stitching it was no surprise really.

 

[Lady Jane]

So it's illegal to travel without a headcollar on.

It doesnt happen while travelling though. Only once you are parked up. So take his headcollar off when you get there and pop it back on once you are ready to take him out.

I was just about to suggest the same

 

[rabatsa]

Use a tethering collar while you leave him in the trailer and take the head collar off.

 

[SpotsandBays]

https://www.equilibriumproducts.com...MIirThk7Ol-gIVAe7tCh2Zag1XEAAYAiAAEgJzovD_BwE

What about one like this? (Designed to come undone if needed, but if he gets it off you should be able to just pop it back on again?)

 

[OlderNotWiser]

My daughter’s horse broke a leather head collar by getting caught on the fixing at the front of the partition in our 511 where you would drop the pin for the head partition piece. It’s so small you wouldn’t think it possible but she saw him do it! We taped a piece of sponge over it and covered it with tape and it hasn’t happened since. I’m not sure if the 506 is the same but might be worth a try.

 

[bubsqueaks]

Sorry but I would never leave a horse unattended in a trailer/horsebox - I know lots of people do but I dont & wont as seen far too many nasty incidents.

 

[007Equestrian]

My mare used to do the same, only when standing at the show ground though? We were actually told not to leave the headcollar on if the top door is open because they can get caught and hurt themselves. I travel her in her headcollar then take it off when I arrive at the show (with the front ramp closed, just the top door open). Not much use of your monkey is doing it during travel though!

 

[fiwen30]

Might be a silly idea, but maybe double head collars? A larger fitting or larger adjustable one, over the top? At least set up a little wildlife camera, so you can see exactly what the booger is doing to break them!

 

[Fieldlife]

Sorry but I would never leave a horse unattended in a trailer/horsebox - I know lots of people do but I dont & wont as seen far too many nasty incidents.

I compete solo. It’s physically impossible not to. And how is alone tied in lorry with net significantly different to alone whilst I’m in traffic/ on motorway.

It is slightly different if horse is alone and unsettled / unhappy.

 

[Cragrat]

OP - is your trailer an Ifor?

One of mine broke 2 headcollars before we realised he was catching it on the front of the central partition. There is a sort of tube designed to take the head divider I think. It only sticks out 5mm, but this is definitelty what he was hooking his headcollar on. We taped over it with hige amounts of duct tape, and haven't had a problem since.

 

[bubsqueaks]

I compete solo. It’s physically impossible not to. And how is alone tied in lorry with net significantly different to alone whilst I’m in traffic/ on motorway.

It is slightly different if horse is alone and unsettled / unhappy.

I know its very difficult when competing solo - when travelling I always have a camera in the trailer/lorry so you can see & hear when difficulties occur - sorry Ive just had & seen too many travelling/trailer/lorry issues to chance it & maybe your horse is trying to tell you something by breaking its headcollar when left - not easy to resolve I know just my own thoughts.

 

[Fieldlife]

I know its very difficult when competing solo - when travelling I always have a camera in the trailer/lorry so you can see & hear when difficulties occur - sorry Ive just had & seen too many travelling/trailer/lorry issues to chance it & maybe your horse is trying to tell you something by breaking its headcollar when left - not easy to resolve I know just my own thoughts.

It’s not MY horse breaking his headcollar! I responded to your never leave a horse unattended in a lorry. I don’t think that’s practical and they are alone when travelling

 

[bubsqueaks]

It’s not MY horse breaking his headcollar! I responded to your never leave a horse unattended in a lorry. I don’t think that’s practical and they are alone when travelling

Sorry misread.

 

[Abacus]

I'm another that mostly goes solo, and there is just no alternative to leaving the horse alone for a while. I've never had a problem and so on balance I would call it low risk.