How to... Stop my stroppy horse kicking my lorry??

[Arkmiido]

Any suggestions welcome - while traveling in my lorry, driven very carefully and respectfully, facing backwards, he boots the wall behind my seat when we slow down or stop at traffic lights, and it sounds like a pistol shot!! I decelerate very gently, and I have mirrors into the back so I can see what he's doing - he isn't unbalanced at all, and doesn't look scared. He just gets impatient. I give him haylage nets, he has a horse mirror which he ignores, a lickit (also ignores...) He was a box walker at home, and generally impatient when tied up, pawing the ground, weaving and being a stroppy g*t about getting his own way - something we have done lots of work on! But I can't school him while I'm traveling him. He stands quietly if I'm in the back with him - but I need to transport him alone when competing etc.
Box walking 'fixed' with ground-tying. He always loads fine, and eats his haynet. He is often resting a back leg when I go in there eg at a petrol station.
He did go through a phase of rearing alot in the lorry too - now cross-tied lower so can't do that... So he has taken up kicking. Grr.
I have had the wall checked - it's pretty strong and solid so no worries
Have tried stamping on the brake while shouting at him through the open door - that stopped him for a while (cruel as it sounds!!) But he still does it. Keep going with the harsh braking? He actually travels much better when I drive more quickly, the more tentative I am, the more he kicks... - but he LOVES motorways. Didn't even realise he was in there all the way to oxford, until we stopped at traffic lights on the A40...

Short of tying his legs together, any ideas? He travels a couple of times a week. I thought of putting a bum bar in for him, with a rubber sheet hanging down from it - as people do for horses who strike at stable doors?

 

[*hic*]

Short of tying his legs together, any ideas?

Tie his legs together

Or swap your lorry for one where he's not travelling backwards. None of mine like travelling backwards, even though they are all perfectly behaved when travelling herringbone and/or forward

 

[Louby]

I was going to say a few sharp brakes but youve tried it. This was suggested by a horsebox builder for my horse that kicked and went through the matting on the wall. He is an old time horse man who reckonned a rougher journey would keep my horse concentrating on standing up rather than kicking the wall. My horse travels great but is a spoilt brat and kicks when we get near home.
I resorted to having the sides reinforced

 

[Meandtheboys]

Sorry I know your pain!!!

I swapped to a trailer, std facing forwards and he has never kicked since the day I tried him.

Obviously I had my doubts as he is full up 17:2, but I would never swap him back to a lorry it was awful as he kicked out permantly................

Just to add someone else suggested this as they had the same problem, unfortunatly one solution does not fit all so its going to be trial and error for you!!

 

[Arkmiido]

Tie his legs together

Or swap your lorry for one where he's not travelling backwards. None of mine like travelling backwards, even though they are all perfectly behaved when travelling herringbone and/or forward

I'm really thinking some hobbles could be a good idea. Tied to a gum line perhaps? See the irony, people!!!
My last lorry was herringbone, and he did it even worse! I have had alterations done to the partition today so that he can now travel herringbone in it, so will try it, but not sure it will help. Don't think it makes much difference - and I don't think it's the traveling - he's a complete sod at petrol stations when it's stationary, except when I go in the rocking shaking lorry, and say "Ahem??" and he looks at me with such innocence and eats his haynet like nothing has happened!

 

[Arkmiido]

a rougher journey would keep my horse concentrating on standing up rather than kicking the wall. My horse travels great but is a spoilt brat and kicks when we get near home.
I resorted to having the sides reinforced

Yep... But this feels a little harsh! It works, but it's the traffic lights/roundabouts/junctions that cause the problems. I think my instructor thought I was mad when I took off up bumpy her track, 0 to 25mph in about 5 seconds. He has no problems balancing, just like yours, spoilt brat!
I might keep 'schooling' him with the brakes, hopefully he'll get the hint... It does work for a little while, until the next time we stop!

 

[christine48]

2 of ours did this, hind hobbles for a while worked a treat

 

[Honey08]

A placid travelling companion helps with my mare...

 

[Louby]

Yep... But this feels a little harsh! It works, but it's the traffic lights/roundabouts/junctions that cause the problems. I think my instructor thought I was mad when I took off up bumpy her track, 0 to 25mph in about 5 seconds. He has no problems balancing, just like yours, spoilt brat!
I might keep 'schooling' him with the brakes, hopefully he'll get the hint... It does work for a little while, until the next time we stop!

Sorry had to laugh at the 0 to 25mph in 5 secs
I was too much of a whimp to try it, hence the reinforced sides.
Horsebox builder said he ended up removing the window on the wagon and his horse travelled fine after that

 

[Arkmiido]

2 of ours did this, hind hobbles for a while worked a treat

I'm really glad I'm not alone in thinking this - TBH it's what I want to try with him but I wanted someone to suggest seriously before I tried it because I wondered if people actually do this.... I'm very innocent to these things!
If so, what should I be looking for - I don't want him so close together so he can't balance... Any tips/instructions on putting them on?


I have traveled him with quiet companions - my sister's mare who spent the whole journey eating haylage, and he still does it at the "Right, we're slowing down, time to get out, LET ME OUT!"

I also thought about whether those covering boots that mares wear to protect the stallion might help cushion the blows, and give him less satisfaction...