Impatient horse

[NotAnotherChestnut]

My boy is wonderful, talented etc etc etc (praise him before I have a moan!) but at shows, he finds it almost impossible to stand on the trailer patiently and paws the floor. Whilst I wouldn't normally be too bothered and leave him to it until he realises it doesn't achieve anything, he simply does not stop and last week he managed to cut himself on his coronet band (cue lots of blood from a wound no bigger than a paper cut - he's fine).

He is absoutely fine when I get him off the trailer, not hot at all and all he seems to want to do is have a look around - he's the nosiest horse I've ever met! However, I would really like him to be able to stand on the trailer while I go and do things like register/walk courses etc without worrying about him damaging himself or the trailer!

He wears travel bandages, loads and travels absolutely fine, I've tried giving him hay but he's not interested... Does anyone have any other ideas?!

 

[live2ride]

No help sorry, just wanted to say I'm in same boat. Only mine does it standing tied up on yard and I've run out of ideas to stop it too

It's gotten so bad she has started sharpening her shoes on the concrete

Going to be following this post to see if anyone has any ideas

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Not sure if you mean leave him safely on his own in the trailer without anyone watching him. If so, I'd say don't even go there. The horror tales when horses have been left on their own inside lorries and trailers abound. I was at a dressage competition some months ago and a highly respected lady rider turned up with 2 horses in her trailer. She tacked horse #1 up and rode off on him to warm up. Horse #2 started crashing about in the trailer and calling frantically. The lady was informed but chose to carry on riding horse #1. Next thing, horse #2 tried to jump the breast bar and got stuck halfway and he couldn't be released because his weight and thrashing around meant that the breast bar safety release catch on the outside of the trailer was jammed shut. It could have been a tragedy. As it was, the safelty release had to be hack sawed off to free the horse who was left shaken and bruised. Bet he won't be looking forward to his next trip in a trailer or to be being left inside on his own!

 

[Mizzbecx]

If he's nosey could you get him off when you first get there so he's seen everything, then put him back on and see what happens? Obviously as NotAnotherChestnut says always having someone there while he's standing on the box too

 

[Littlelegs]

Could you box share with someone so he has company, & there's two of you to take it in turns to watch them tied outside the box? And as someone who has hacked to loads of local stuff I just tend to take horse with me. Usually someone about willing to grab them for 5mins when you walk a course or go to the loo if you aren't with a friend. Or rope in a local ponyless teenager & let them do a class in exchange for helping.

 

[charliehands]

Not sure about the horse on the trailer as can't even get mine near one! As for the horse scraping his feet on the yard try putting down a rubber mat. A friend of mine did it for her pony who kicks the door and scrapes his foot and it's saving his shoes from all the wear

 

[Goldenstar]

You just have it ignore it and try standing the trailer at home for long periods.

 

[NotAnotherChestnut]

I think getting him off the box to have a look round before popping him back on might be worth a try - might just satisfy his curiousity. He's 6 and I've only had him since June so I am hoping that the more I get him out and about, the more used to it he will become and be less bothered about having a nose.

I always try to have someone with me who is able to keep an eye/hold the horse etc, but that doesn't stop him from pawing.. I wondered whether I could fashion some kind of rubber matting equivalent to attach to the interior side of the trailer so when he paws, it makes less noise and therefore attracts less attention which might just make him think twice? (He kicks the stable door at dinner time / when he thinks he deserves attention so it's that equivalent in the trailer rather than digging)..

 

[NotAnotherChestnut]

Thanks Goldenstar - I agree with you, he just needs to get used to the idea - the only thing then is my trailer is getting more and more dented - not that I'm being too precious about it, it's there to be used after all, but I'd rather not have so many dents!

 

[JenHunt]

Tom is the same. he just wants to be walking around to look at everyone and everything. if you take a friend for him he's fine though, and he's not fussed about leaving them behind to do his class or anything! Dad resorts to sitting in a deck chair next to him and reading the paper and this seems to work!

 

[Goldenstar]

You can use hobbles not for the faint hearted but it will stop them pawing.

 

[NotAnotherChestnut]

ooh, no, I'm not about hobbles or anything like that - if it ever got that bad and I had no one, he can just walk round with me and I'm sure some kind soul would hold him which I walk courses etc.

 

[NotAnotherChestnut]

JenHunt - what a lovely Dad you have!

 

[JenHunt]

JenHunt - what a lovely Dad you have!

indeed.... fortunately he is happier doing that than traipsing round walking courses or pinning on numbers or tightening girths or whatever!

Ron is better on his own as he likes to just snooze by the trailer! and a friend being there makes him worry.