Horse leaning in trailer - Advice please!

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kit279

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I travel my two horses in a Bateson trailer, forward facing. One of them (the lighter one) leans very heavily to the left at all times when he's travelling. He doesn't much care for the trailer and I think he's a bit nervous. I've swapped him onto the right side because he leans so much that it might destabilise the trailer! Other horse travels well, no leaning!

Just wondering how I can encourage him to stand up properly or what I can do to make him more comfortable? Any advice welcome!
 
He probably hasn't got enough room - for him. Some horses like to spread their legs out wide to balance. I'n not sure what you can do about it if you always travel them together.

What model is it? I was behind a Bateson trailer one day and I thought the two cobs in it didn't have a great deal of room, but they were travelling well.
 
Agree with Orange horse. Afraid he may be one of those that wont travel 'stood up' unless given more room which would mean travelling him alone without the centre partition.
 
My 3 year old won't stand up in the trailer when partitioned up so she has to have the partition out - for me it's no big deal as she goes on her own anyway as I have nothing else her age. It sounds like your boy just doesn't have enough room to get comfy. I would try him on his own with and without the partition to see how he gets on.
 
No, I don't think that's it! He leans even when he's on his own! And he leans when the trailer's still, from the moment he goes on! It's like he's had a bad experience and just leans because he's afraid. Hmm. I wonder what I can do?
 
I agree that if he is leaning he probably doesn't have enough room.

My horse used to lean really badly when we first had a trailer, to the point that in the end he fell over, freaked himself out and wouldn't travel in a trailer again!

We then travelled him in a lorry for a few years, and have now bought a trailer which he travels beautifully in, no leaning to be seen. We don't use a partition so he has room to spread out. He loves the new trailer so much he hauls me up the ramp, no question that he's not going on!!

In old trailer we had the partition in and didn't try it without, could have saved myself a fortune if we had... isn't hindsight a wonderful thing???!
 
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No, I don't think that's it! He leans even when he's on his own! And he leans when the trailer's still, from the moment he goes on! It's like he's had a bad experience and just leans because he's afraid. Hmm. I wonder what I can do?

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WHen he's on his own, do you take the partition out, or is it still in? If you haven't already, it really is worth taking it out. My boy leans horrifically if in with a partition but travels beautifully without - he likes to have the room to really spread his legs out
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he may just not do trailers, mine does the same as will fall over given the opportunity so he now only goes in side and rear facing lorries!
 
I would try two things. Using bubble wrap wrap the breast bar and tape it in place with tape. This will give your horse something more comfortable to lean into in the forwards direction. Consider fitting either an inflatable pillow (ones for lorries were advertised a few years ago) or a foam cushion on the side he leans to support him.
My mare leans very heavily in the horsebox which she didn't in the trailer so dont assume that buying a horsebox is the solution. I do think its all about confidence and the padded breast bar was helpful to my rather boney breasted mare when travelling in a trailer. But I also learn't to take corners at a very sedate pace and she ended up a good trailer traveller.
 
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