How to transport untransportable horse

Heh, I am exhausted already, and I have just started to think about bl@@dy Holly and her little mate!!!
At least I don't have to fly them anywhere...
Some of the others aren't the best travellers in the world, but nothing like Holly, and you know how it is easy to find advice re loading etc, but I DON'T have a problem with loading at all, it's what you do to KEEP her on the bleemin lorry/trailer that worries me no end!
Aaargh!
 
Most NF's, bought from the sales are travelled loose, in fact, I think some transporters INSIST on it. It's perfectly safe and often calms thm quicker if they can move about where they want to and not feel 'penned in' to a partition or tied up.

And face it, if she;s got lots of loose space to use she's going to spend 99% of her time trying to keep balanced so won't be bothered with trying to escape.
 
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then proceed to do a 'Houdini' as soon as the handler leaves the horse area

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What is she like with a quiet travelling companion?
Or if the hander stays nearby- like some of the pro racehore type lories with grooms' seats by the horse area?
 
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then proceed to do a 'Houdini' as soon as the handler leaves the horse area

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What is she like with a quiet travelling companion?
Or if the hander stays nearby- like some of the pro racehore type lories with grooms' seats by the horse area?

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I don't know how she will react to a companion, she has a best mate that lives with her and I was thinking of transporting them together.
As to a handler, TBH I am not willing to risk mine or anybody else's health to find out
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Friend just took hers from Lancs to Devon loose in her lorry (which has a locker) and she travelled fine. Last trip took three hours, sedated to do about five miles, same lorry but with partitions in! This horse has travelled extensively but decided she suddenly wasn't able. Box was bedded up but not sure if horse was bandaged.

Can you do a dummy run?
 
I'd try the "loose in back of whole horsebox with deep straw bed" if you can. Do you have a lorry you could try this in - needs to be well built?
Moved a mare & unhandled foal like plus did same to bring home 5 wild foals off New Forest. Once settled travelled fine.
 
I would def go with the travelling loose in a bigger wagon. Has she actually ever travelled in a 'proper' (as JM07 puts it) wagon? Some horses are fine travelling herringbone styley as opposed to facing forwards. However, you don't really have time to do this so i would go with the travel loose option!

My mum got a big welsh cob many years ago - he arrived loose in a big wagon. We later found out why when we attempted to load him into a trailer. Needless to say we stuck to hacking him to any shows!!!
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She used to travel fine in pretty much anything, but completely flipped some time ago and never got back to normal.
I can't do a dummy run or practice loading/unloading etc as I am loryless atm and won't have access to one before I move, so a bit of a disaster really.
I think I will try to get in touch with some of the transporters and see if somebody will transport her for me loose...
 
Martlin, check out Julie Magnus, she will do it for you (she transported my gelding like this). She's very professional and knows what she's doing and nothing would take her box apart. Good luck.
 
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Can I just add a warning about sedating before travel? You'd have to be very careful to judge the amount of sedative otherwise the horse won't be able to adjust its balance easily. Our vet hospital won't allow horses to travel home for roughly an hour after sedation for scans etc.
 
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