Horse does not settle/stand and paws in trailer when stationary

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JasmineandPikkle

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Just wondering whether anyone has any experiences or tips with resolving/improving horses behaviour on trailer?


Horse loads and travels well in trailer but when I get them on and after I have tied them up/put the ramp up and get ready to leave, they start to aggressively paw the floor. When we get moving it stops it is just when we come to a stop. It makes things difficult at shows when I want to put him on the trailer between classes or if I need to go to the loo etc.


Trailer is structurally fine (regularly serviced), horse travels well (have a camera and does not sweat up) and has haylage. Have tried lickits, toys, music. loading and reloading when we get somewhere, practising at weekends increasing the time (but can usually only manage a minute or so), different venues, lengths of journeys, tacking up/getting ready both on and off the trailer.


I am at somewhat of a loss now! As I cant leave him tied up if I need to step away etc.


Any tips, experiences or suggestions would be gratefully received!


TIA
 
Someone I know uses hobbles on their horse, but whilst that might stop it, it’s not really a cure to the actual issue and I think the horse can still paw quite successfully. Mine fortunately grew out of the habit but it did take quite a long time but as a former racehorse I think he always thought there was something exciting about to happen. He would only do it on arrival and funnily enough if you stopped at the services on a long journey he wouldn’t do it then even with the engine switched off and me going in to see him. He knew the difference between motorway services and a horsebox park. Good luck and hopefully you’ll get some more suggestions cause it’s difficult, particularly if you are on your own.
 
No cure but sympathy and commenting so if any great suggestions come in I will be notified 😅

Mine is a horror. Loads perfectly every time - and travels TO any location quiet as a mouse. But as soon as we set off back home he paws and fidgets constantly.

Things I have reasonable confidently ruled out:

  • Balance or trailer issues - because he is 100x worse when we are stationary either in traffic or at traffic lights etc. He also travels fine on the way to wherever we are going.
  • Soreness from competing/being ridden before going home - he is exactly the same even if I travel him somewhere, unload him and then put him straight back on the trailer and go home. In fact the worst he has ever been was when I took him to the vets for his vaccinations and he didn't even get off the trailer - travelled great all the way there, as soon as I set off for home he started kicking off.
  • Needing a wee - does sometimes amplify the issue but most of the time I get him home and put him straight in his stable and he doesn't wee.

He doesn't stress or sweat up, loads perfectly, travels at least once a week 52 weeks of the year. He is just impatient to get home I think - he is equally the sort to paw and fidget/spin round if he's tied up on the yard for what he deems an unacceptable amount of time.
 
A lot of horses like this don't stand still relaxed while tied up at home and something I always test is can you walk round yard and they just stand in relaxation. If your answer if no then it's a bigger stress/ relaxation issue which can be worked on. They need to let go and learn to manage their emotions. A lot of young horses will be like this because they are impatient and haven't learnt to manage themselves as it's all a bit exciting. I tend to build them a routine. Off the trailer, graze, let them have a look and when relaxed pop them back on.
Travelling they do tend to get better but it's practice and being disciplined. Making it less of an unpleasant high anxiety place. Feeding them in the trailer every day, just loading and standing for 5 mins all calm and relaxed and building it up. You might only manage 1 min but you build that up and remove them when they become anxious.

I had one who would paw 2 miles from home. Just knew where we were and never worried about it.
 
My Arab used to be like this. He was a very nervous traveller but once I'd cured that he still created when we got to the venue or home, I would rush to unload him as A) it was embarrassing and B) I didn't want him to hurt himself or the box! I had a right whinge about it to my trainer one day, she used her favourite saying 'He's training you, not the other way around' and although it stuck in my throat, it was true! The more he created, the quicker he was unloaded! It took a while to reverse the 'training' for both of us, and it was difficult at first, but I wouldn't unload him until he was quiet, even just for 30 secs to begin with, and if I was about to unload and he kicked off, even though it was difficult to stop myself, we waited. I now have a horse who waits patiently when we arrive anywhere, to the point he travelled poorly home last week (dancing all the way home) but as soon as we pulled up at home, he was quiet :D
 
JasmineandPikkle said:
Just wondering whether anyone has any experiences or tips with resolving/improving horses behaviour on trailer?


Horse loads and travels well in trailer but when I get them on and after I have tied them up/put the ramp up and get ready to leave, they start to aggressively paw the floor. When we get moving it stops it is just when we come to a stop. It makes things difficult at shows when I want to put him on the trailer between classes or if I need to go to the loo etc.


Trailer is structurally fine (regularly serviced), horse travels well (have a camera and does not sweat up) and has haylage. Have tried lickits, toys, music. loading and reloading when we get somewhere, practising at weekends increasing the time (but can usually only manage a minute or so), different venues, lengths of journeys, tacking up/getting ready both on and off the trailer.


I am at somewhat of a loss now! As I cant leave him tied up if I need to step away etc.


Any tips, experiences or suggestions would be gratefully received!


TIA
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Don’t use hobbles! I had the same problem with my mare but we got the chiro out, she got clunked back into place and then was fine! The problem was, she wasn’t able to balance properly, but once she was all clunked back she could balance just fine so stopped pawing
 
IslaNZeq said:
Don’t use hobbles! I had the same problem with my mare but we got the chiro out, she got clunked back into place and then was fine! The problem was, she wasn’t able to balance properly, but once she was all clunked back she could balance just fine so stopped pawing
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Your chiro sounds good, fixes bouncy canter plus balance for travelling, who do you use?
 
LEC said:
A lot of horses like this don't stand still relaxed while tied up at home and something I always test is can you walk round yard and they just stand in relaxation. If your answer if no then it's a bigger stress/ relaxation issue which can be worked on.
Click to expand...

How would you work on this? I’m pretty positive this is definitely the issue with my boy kicking off on the trailer, it’s pure impatience, as he’s exactly the same tied up on the yard. Will happily stand normally but if horses are coming/going past him will paw and dance. I generally just ignore him, I’ve never gone over to him when he’s started creating or moved him, so he’s never been rewarded for it, but he definitely just doesn’t know how to manage his emotions!
 
KikiDee said:
How would you work on this? I’m pretty positive this is definitely the issue with my boy kicking off on the trailer, it’s pure impatience, as he’s exactly the same tied up on the yard. Will happily stand normally but if horses are coming/going past him will paw and dance. I generally just ignore him, I’ve never gone over to him when he’s started creating or moved him, so he’s never been rewarded for it, but he definitely just doesn’t know how to manage his emotions!
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Sorry I have a feeling I know you is your name Khiana? Apologies for my bad spelling lol. Anyway it could be a touch of separation anxiety?
 
Warwick schillers stuff will probably really help you with this. It's about managing yourself to manage the horse. At the same time creating boundaries for the horse.
 
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