Horse Travel Issues

[RachelMck]

Hi, I'm hoping I could get some advice from more experienced horse owners. My boy has traveled in a horse box on quite a few occasions but at the weekend he took out and started throwing himself at the middle partition and scrambling around getting himself severely worked up, it was only a 25 minute journey but when we arrived he looked liked he'd been in the grand national he was white with sweat his breathing was really short and his pulse was racing it was like he was having a major panic attack. He has traveled on his own and with another horse before, on this occasion he was with another horse. Any ideas what has caused this all of a sudden and how can I get him over this?

 

[Shay]

There are several possible causes.

The driving might have been a bit rougher / faster than he is used to. Was it your usual box / driver? Did something happen en route?

The box might have a slight fault. A tyre with lower than usual pressure produces a massive change in how the ride feels to the horse and that might have upset him.

The partitions might have been too tight or too loose. I don't know if this was your box or a hire box - but he might have felt unsupported or slipped and panicked himself.

A travel boot or bandage may have slipped. Horses tend to hate things under their feet when travelling.

His traveling companion might have been making faces. Some horses just don't like their companions. I had one who would spend the entire journey trying to lean over the partition and bite his travel mate.

He might have been tied to short, or too loose for him? Different horses like to be able to take different head positions. Although obviously being able to reach to bite is not a good thing!

Was he traveling with the same orientation as usual? Some horses prefer forward, some prefer herringbone.

Do any of that list sound like it might be a cause?

 

[paddi22]

was he on the side he usually travels on?

 

[RachelMck]

He always travels on the right hand side as he is the heaviest, and I'm always the driver, I really can't understand what's going on his travel companion is very well behaved and they get on well together, he also starts stomping if u stop at a shop for 5 minutes not sure how I'm going to deal with him when he's at a show! The box itself is a 505 but it's in mint condition like a new box which he has travelled in before I'm completely lost and miffed.

 

[Tnavas]

Its a common symptom of a back injury - he may have had a fall in the paddock goofing around - get him checked over by vet/chiro.

The modern trend of travelling with just rubber matting can also lead to travel problems. A deep bed of clean, preferably used straw makes travelling a lot more comfortable. Rubber flooring can be slippery if it gets wet from dung or urine.

Also check tyre pressures as uneven pressure causes the trailer to sway (Fish tail) in varying degrees.

 

[RachelMck]

I had his back done about a fortnight ago and his left side at the rear had dropped, but he was all fixed so it shouldn't be it, might get my tyre pressure checked. He was physically throwing himself against the centre partition for no reason! any idea how I can get the stomping out of him for when he does go to a show and may need to stand in his box a while?

 

[D66]

I had his back done about a fortnight ago and his left side at the rear had dropped, but he was all fixed so it shouldn't be it, might get my tyre pressure checked. He was physically throwing himself against the centre partition for no reason! any idea how I can get the stomping out of him for when he does go to a show and may need to stand in his box a while?

I had one that did this. IMO the horse thinks the partition is pushing them so they push back, and push and push. We fixed him by taking the partition out, and travelling him crossed tied.

 

[Fiona]

Have you got a full length breast bar?

I'd try on his own without partition.

Fiona