How to resolve my horse scrambling in trailer

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trishs

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Last year after 6 1/2 years of my horse travelling in a trailer, she suddenly had a 'scrambling' problem in her IW 510 trailer. She would not even stop scrambling up the inside, when the vehicle was stationery!! Nothing was obvious about the day that could have upset her. In fact, thinking back, as soon as I put her in the trailer she was shaking!! We managed to get 20 miles away before she started scrambling though. We have to travel 2 horses together, but luckily her mate did not panic and stayed munching her hay - all calm - THANK GOODNESS.
We tried her a couple of times after that, but as soon as we pulled away she started to bend and try to crawl up the walls again. Found the only way she was happy was for her to have the full trailer, and not be tied up at all.
She is such a talented horse, and it has left me so restricted, as we only have one trailer, and dont wish to have to get another, plus to buy another 4x4 to pull it with. As we have 2 horses they do need to travel together.
Has anyone any idea how I can sort this? I think I would need professional help at home, as I am now fearful of the same happening again.
I have bought a Van Fautras 3 horse trailer, where they stand herringbone, and have managed to get about the same amount of room for her as the whole amount of room in an IW trailer - however not sure if the sideways stance will not upset her (or her mate) when used to travelling forwards all this time?
Has anyone had any success in boxing their horse again, after such an issue? Do you have a secret plan ?
The strange thing is, she pulls me into the trailer, and she has no problems with being loaded !! She is almost asking to go places.. !!! Any suggestions?;)
 
Have you had her back checked recently? My daughter's mare had a few loading issues last year then had her back done and started loading perfectly. I then read somewhere that issues with the back can cause problems with balance when travelling.
Good luck - hope you get it sorted soon!
 
I feel for you, as I have had horses that have done this initially and have eventually been able to stablize their travelling.

It is difficult and time consuming, but you will be able to sort this.

Are the partitions in your trailer solid to the floor? What boots do you travel your horse in? what side of the trailer do you travel your horse on?

One of my horses came to me and used to trailer gallop and nearly lie down in the back, but we sorted it and now she does travel well but we had to establish what initially was triggering her panic. For her it was her travel boots and the solid partition.

You sound like you are doing the right thing in giving your horse confidence again by giving more space and no restrictions.
 
Try putting a full bale of straw down on the floor. The best stuff is straw that has come out of a stable (clean) as it packs better.

Rubber matting can be very slippery when it has dung/pee on it.

The straw seems to make them feel more secure and also reduces the road noise.
 
Yes, my horse is now a good traveller, having been the most frightening scrabbler in the past. I have a theory that some horses as well as needing lots of room suffer from a form of claustrophobia?

Do you have a trailer camera? That was my secret weapon in finding out how the horse travelled best, how she stands and how to tie her best.

It also means that if something happens, you can assess the problem and decide how to deal with it, before you go into the trailer.

Good luck, it can be resolved
 
Did you always travel her on the same side? I have a mare that scrambles and goes down if travelling on the left but not the slightest problem when on the right. Have heard that travelling herringbone suits many horses with this problem, or facing backwards rather than forward facing.
 
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My friends horse for no reason just started to scrabble, i traveled in the trailer to watch, it was horrible, we gave her time off from traveling, then tried different things, what worked was putting her in the opposite side, and just going very slow short distances in the trailer to start with, building up to longer, normal driving speed, that was 3 years ago and no more problem.
 
pintoarabian said:
Did you always travel her on the same side? I have a mare that scrambles and goes down if travelling on the left but not the slightest problem when on the right. Have heard that travelling herringbone suits many horses with this problem, or facing backwards rather than forward facing.
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I agree simply changing sides can solve this if not travel with no partiton then gradually add one travel with it fastened open gardually move across if you know what i mean you will need a way to secure it ,or again as someone mentioned dont have one that reaches floor so she can spread legs to get better balance whilst traveling x
 
I had the same problem with my pony a few years ago, he travelled fine then one day didnt even get out the yard becuase he was scrambling up the side. I changed sides and now hes fine, so now he always travels on the left.
 
pintoarabian said:
Have heard that travelling herringbone suits many horses with this problem, or facing backwards rather than forward facing.
Click to expand...

This is true, a study was carried out monitoring horses stress levels when travelling (results can be accessed on the net). Highest stress levels were monitored facing forwards, less stress travelling sideways and the lowest stress levels were facing backwards.
The Faustrus Herringbone configuration could very well make a big difference as she will find it easier to balance; also if you had access to try an Equitrek (horses travel backwards) that might be a runner also.
 
We had a very similar mare who basically had claustrophobia in the trailer. She would always load with no problems but as soon as you started the vehicle engine she would scrabble up the walls like she couldn't stand up.

The only thing that resolved it was removing the partition and travelling her without it. She still travelled with another pony in the trailer with her and we never had any problems with either of them travelling side by side without the partition.

We think what triggered it was that when the partition was in there she felt she was restricted as to how far she could spread her legs out to balance herself. Without the partition she could move her legs to wherever she needed to get the balance. We even tried adjusting the partition so it wasn't full length to the floor but she associated the partition with no space.
 
Take the back 1/2 of the partition out completely. Sorted out 2 horses I've had who have begun the "scrabbling" thing. They are far happier being able to spread their hind legs right out.
 
In many cases the problem is caused by a fault in the floor. Get the floor thoroughly checked out from below (also checking the cross members) and above.
 
Is she showing any other signs of possible ill-health? I've had two horses that have scrabbled in the past.

My old tb had been fine for years, then started for no reason that we could ever work out. Eventually had to resort to borrowing a lorry, and herringbone worked fine for her. She was later diagnosed with pedal osteitus (disintigration of the pedal bone) which would have been affecting her for years, but had been undiagnosed because of very wet summers. Thinking back, the summer she started scrabbling was the first prolonged dry spell, which worsened the osteitus. I can't help but wonder if her sudden change was linked to a gradually worsening pain in her feet. She was perfectly sound at the time, but the pain would have been there.

Equally my current pony, out of the blue, started scrabbling a bit. Not as badly as the tb had done. For him, moving him to the passangers side from the drivers side solved all problems, but again the next day I felt he was a little reluctant to move forward and a bit footy over stoney ground. I made the decision to put shoes on and he's been fine ever since, though I admit for my own nerves I have never tried travelling him in the drivers side again. He either goes alone with full breeching bars, on in the passangers side when in company.

I can't say that my suspicions are certainly true but my experience seems to suggest a link between mild foot pain and scrabbling. If you have any doubts at all about your horses health, I'd be tempted to get a vet out and a thorough health check done.
 
I had exactly the same problem with my gelding and have bought a 3 stall Fautras as well as the solution!

I have found that he travels ok if he goes in the rear of the trailer facing forward (but still herringbone) this way he can lean against the side of the trailer or the back bar- both of them are solid and he seems to balance ok.

I suggest you try this way?

Good luck!
 
Ali27 said:
Have you had her back checked recently? My daughter's mare had a few loading issues last year then had her back done and started loading perfectly. I then read somewhere that issues with the back can cause problems with balance when travelling.
Good luck - hope you get it sorted soon!
Click to expand...

Haven't read all the answers, but just wanted to say that this^^ is a very good point
 
My mare started scrabbling in a IW505 so travelled her without a partition, now I have two big youngsters as well so I bought a IW510 thinking she would be ok with more room, last summer travelled her with one of the youngsters with only the front partition which she was ok with for a short journey but as I increased the journey time she started scrabbling again so back to no partition not a problem boys were only three. This summer tried to take her out for a 5 minute journey with one of the youngsters with the front partition in, imediately started scrabbling again, only went out of the yard !! So now have done a couple of short journeys with no partition with her and a youngster and she has been fine, not really keen on doing this but if I want to take her somewhere with a youngster its the only option, she will not travel in a box, due to being badly handled by transporters when brought over from ireland, so if you are confident the horses are happy together you could try no partition at all.
 
take the partition out and add a front breast bar. Also have you had the trailer serviced some times the Springs get blocked and rigid so they stop working under the wheels and give a very hard ride
 
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