Horse Leaping out of the trailer

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JAMES1

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Having just sold my lorry to try and save some money and bought a trailer instead. I thought I would practise loading and unloading my horse to make sure all is well before going out.

Well he loaded quite well but was a bit worried once in the trailer but soon settled but when it come to getting him off he would just leap off the top of the ramp, loaded him again and waited for him to calm down then fed him and tried to lead him of again one step on the ramp and LEAP OFF.
Loaded him again and thought about reversing him off got half way out and jumped up and back luckly he did not hit his head but it was close. Loaded him again and tried feeding him on the way out again and was a little better but still seams to get in a panic.
Tried again the next day repeated the whole thing of making sure he was calm before attempting to unload, feeding on way out but he was worse today then the day before.

Now am thinking have done the wrong thing in selling my lorrry
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Would an equitrek trailer be better than an ifor williams 510 as it is more like a lorry.

Any sugguestions??
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Hi

I can only suggest that you take all front and rear bars out and just keep walking him though - without stopping to start with and just keep going until he walks through calmly?

My mare was a bit like that but she settled really quickly and i think without all the stopping and starting to begin with helped.

I am sure he will be fine, dont panic xx
 
I did exactly as patchyponies said to acclimatise a young pony we had to trailering. It helped to not make him feel trapped. If poss for your 1st few outings may help to have a laid back companion? Good luck!
 
As patchyponies says - Id actually take out the entire partition so its totally open inside then practice every single day! Park it in his field if you can and put his feed in it every night, he'll soon get the idea!

Whatever you do, just make sure when you unload, always move the front parition section over so he has plenty of room to get out. If he bangs his hip on the way out then that won't help matters!
 
I had loads of trouble with a 510, loading and then travelling, which became terrifying for me and the horse. we both lost our confidence doing nearly everything.. Kept it for 5 painful weeks and would never entertain another.

If your horsey is acting this way he is trying to tell you something. Listen to him and yes, get an Equitrek and a pot of super glue and a spanner.. Bits fall off all over - but my horse loves it so its staying.
 
Ive been there too and ended up buying a wagon
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. We practiced nearly every night walking through, getting him to stand in and have a feed, so far so good. Once shut in he would then fly out at high speed regardless of where I was, even tried the jockey door, scary. So we tried rear unloading him after some advice on here and that worked great for 2 or 3 times, then he would walk straight in and fly out so fast backwards whacking his head on the top. We just couldnt safely get the breach bar up or ramp. He constantly looked behind him and was a wreck.
I hope you have more success than me, please keep us informed if you get an Equitrek as I tried to get him in one but he was having none of it. He was at his worse then though and has been happily travelling in a wagon for about a year now.
 
Thanks for the advice, He is a temperemental horse and could quite easily be fine (or so you think) and then explode again.

To be honest I will probably look for the Equi Trek as it is a bit more like a lorry and see how we get on.

I dont want to damage the trailer I have as I then wont be able to sell it.

Thanks for the response and I will let you know how I get on.
 
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