Horse won't travel in trailer with or without partitions - help!

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hmeikle

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Hello, I was wondering if anyone had any experience of my problem and indeed any helpful advice as I am at a complete loss!

I have a 16.3h gelding and a 510 Ifor Williams trailer. When I first got him we travelled him in the trailer with all the usual partitions. He didn't travel very well and would find it hard to keep his balance. This would lead to him getting very upset, and then having a "break down" - kicking out, falling over and generally very distressed.

Because of this I took out all of the partitions and got two full length breast bars (one for front and back) and traveled him crossed tied. He has better balance but is still a very bad traveller. He spends the entire time trying to turn around to look at the cars coming behind us (he can't though) and swinging his bum from one side to another. He also kicks out and bronks. Its very dangerous as it makes the car swerve and I'm very worried that he is going to cause an accident. I'm also very worried about him as he's obviously very distressed.

It doesn't seem to make any difference what speed I go, he's upset at any speed. The trailer is designed for 18h horses so he has loads of room. He also always loads first time and gets upset pretty much as soon as we set off. I have also tried to shut the back windows (ie hoping this would stop him from turning round), but when I tried he immediately started panicking and bucking in the trailer so I didn't go through with it.

Does anyone have any ideas?! I was thinking of trying him in a trailer where the horses face backwards. I can't afford a box (I need to get a licence to drive over 3.5tons and the 3.5ton horseboxes are just way out of my price range).

Any advice gratefully received!
Thanks,
Harriet
 
Have you tried him in other trailers?
Does he only travel badly in yours?
Sometimes even the smallest thing that you won't see he might feel - I take it you've checked the floor etc?
It may be that he won't be a trailer traveller but I would (obviously not on a public highway as its illegal) try standing in the trailer whilst moving to see if something upsets him, hope you solve it - we have a mare that managed to put a hoof print on the ceiling of the box but travels wellish in a lorry. Good luck!
 
some horses are much happier backwards. Having tried without a partition thats the most logical step. In your shoes i think its an accident waiting to happen if he reacts so badly.
 
He's a 6 year old irish sports horse. I bought him last november and he passed a 5 stage vetting. We've never had problems with him so I don't think its his hocks.
 
oh and I also have a camera in the trailer so I can see what he is doing. And nothing seems to be causing it. That I can tell anyway.....

thanks for all your suggestions and guess you can see now why I'm at such a loss! :-)
 
Personally I hate trailers and I am not surprised if horses don't like them. In all honesty if i was in your position I would be looking to get rid of the trailer and get a small lorry instead (well, actually I'd probably get a bigger lorry for the comparison in price and running costs :) )
 
I have a cattle trailer for mine and my 14.3 stands sideways, it's 6ft wide so obv her head is to the side but that's the way she likes to be, she travels really well and never moves. If you have a front ramp you could load him backwards in yours if you can move the breast bars?

Otherwise try other makes of trailer.

Is he wearing boots? Boots make my 13.2 into a less good traveller and she sweats up and moves around.
 
I am not a fan of trailers especially as my friends horse escaped out of the back of one on a motorway. I think you need a lorry before something awful happens. I know my coloured would be a nightmare in one.
 
I just travel him in brushing boots as I worried with him moving about so much he would trip up on the standard travel boots as they are so large.
 
Ah, well that is a conundrum. I have a 17hh ISH who doesn't like travelling in a trailer, but we're fairly sure it's because he has damage to his sacro-iliac. He's slightly better without partitions because he sort of wedges himself in diagonally and with the weight off his bad side, but still not happy.

My friend's horse (Lucyad on here) had the issues you describe with your horse when he was developing hock spavins - travelled great after they were treated, and then started to have problems again when the other hock was sore this year.

The balance/scrabbling thing does seem to be linked to physical issues a lot of the time, but obviously not every single time :)

Only other suggestions are : if you can, borrow other brands of trailer, and if yu can, see how he is in a lorry.
 
hmeikle said:
Sorry rockysmum - missed your post :-) I tow with a Land Rover Discovery. Its a 2.5 diesel.
Click to expand...

OK, the car should be giving him a good ride. I assume you have checked the obvious things like height of the towbar, if its not right it can affect the way the trailer tows.

Not meaning to cause offence, but have you had anyone else sit in the car to see if you could improve your driving. Little things like the speed and angle you take bends, how quickly you accelerate and brake.

Clutching at straws here really.

I had a friend with a large horse who behaved exactly the same as yours. It had an accident in a trailer previously and never really got over it. It wasn't a lot better in a wagon, it had to be sedated.

If what he is doing is bad enough to make a Disco swerve I wouldn't be travelling him at all I'm afraid, you must be brave.
 
If he travels well facing backwards you can have your ifor converted to face backwards. I have know a few have it done. Would be cheaper than getting a new trailer.
 
My old pony was like this, turns out the trailer was on a slope downwards towards the tow-bar and he disaproved! I have the same car and the tow bar was added as an extra so it has different height settings. Got the garage to move it to the highest one and hey presto - he was an angel :) I also took out the back part of the partition so he could still spread his back legs out for balance but couldn't squirm around! Hope you get it sorted out, it is such a horrible thing to have them violently moving about in the back.
 
thanks for all your messages/suggestions. I've had the tyres checked today and also have checked the tow bar height - all fine.

A friend has suggested trying a mirror in the trailer. They are about £20 so going to give this a try..........will let you know how we get on! :-)
 
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