Horse pawing in lorry

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LCDB

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Hi, im a fairly new user, although a long time lurker, so I thought I would pluck up the courage and start my own thread.

Does anyone have any tips how I can stop my horse pawing with his front legs when stood in the lorry. He doesn't do it when we are moving, however, as soon as he is loaded he starts pawing, and then everytime we stop, at traffic lights, at petrol station etc, but once we are at the show he will happily stand in lorry all day. I just think it is anticiapation of what is ahead, but it would be a good habit to stop!

So any hints tips would be greatly appriciated
 
Ear plugs!! My horse does it but she also does it in her stable, in her field, kicks at her water barrel when drinking, kicks her stable door etc etc. It's mostly to get attention so I ignore it but please tell me if you get a solution. My solution was to buy extra thick mats for the lorry.
 
Mine used to do this on the way home, around 30 mins from home (he had some weird proximity trigger!)

I'm afraid I didn't want to hobble him, so just bought thicker mats and added another 300kg to the weight of my lorry!
 
Ignore it. They won't stop if you give them attention. I do know how hard that is though as mine used to do it and it drove me nuts!!
 
Jen_Cots said:
Mine used to do this on the way home, around 30 mins from home (he had some weird proximity trigger!)

I'm afraid I didn't want to hobble him, so just bought thicker mats and added another 300kg to the weight of my lorry!
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I have one exactly the same, quiet all the way to the show, (although will stamp close to a regular venue, but nothing like coming home!).

Stands on the trailer fine, loads on/off with a loose rope, then as soon as we leave the motorway for the last stretch home I may as well have some kind of wild animal on the back. He has to go out in the field for 10 mins as soon as we get home, tears around bucks, then is fine to come in and go to bed!
 
tigers_eye said:
spotted-cat is the resident expert on horses that deserve asbos in lorries, she's cured two ;).
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I'd get a complex about my driving if it wasn't for the fact everyone elses horses' travel fine in my lorry ;)

I would probably use the term 'proactively managed' rather than 'cured' too :rolleyes:

I tell you, it is a good job the grumpy bay one has bought home the rosettes this season, because he has also taken the rubber off one wall of the truck, bent a partition, put dents in the new partitions and fractured a weld on the partition. All from a horse which stands like the dead until you are 30 seconds from the venue/home when all hell breaks loose with the back legs. He is horrible.
 
There was a post on here a while back about someone making a "bracelet" out of nuts (as in nuts and bolt nuts) for the horse. Think that was for a kicker/pawer. Guessing the jangling put them off doing it?

Maybe try searching for it.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

I have tried putting a bracelet on one of my other horses and that just made them paw at the ground more.

I think it will just be a case of ignoring him and hoping he decides it not worth doing, and adding another layer of rubber matting to the floor!
 
Water pistol! Our boy used to do it in the trailer when we were stationary, drove me mad so we stood away from the trailer, everytime he pawed he would get a squirt and then told to stand up, we had to squirt him 3 times then he stopped by being told to stand. You have to be quick though so they associate the pawing with the squirt and the voice command. He never does it now and it has not affected him in anyway probably because he doesn't associate the squirt with us (if you know what i mean). He is not headshy and can be hosed down too.
 
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