In desperate need of help!!

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s_w1234

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Hi guys:)

I've got a 14.2hh 8 year old mare. I am lucky enough to have a 3.5t horse box and we compete regularly. One slight problem if another horse is in the box with her she kicks out around every bend/wind in the road/roundabout. We did know this problem in our trailer before we got a horsebox so we payed extra to have a solid partition. However she still kicks out in the box it stresses my sisters horse out and we can no longer travel them together :( this means no lovely beach rides or competitions together !!! Its sooo annoying and I am really at my wits end. We even have a extra head partition and they still do it. Any advice? Do kick chains work or is this mean? I just want to be able to go out with my sister and not have to negotiate who goes out each weekend!!
THanks x
 
Can you get a camera or similar to see what she is doing?

The fact she only kicks on the bends suggests she isn't balanced or that the other horse is swinging into her causing her distress so as to kick out. Or that she isn't actually kicking out but loosing her balance and staggering.

What happens if you travel her alone? Have you tried traveling in a different direction (i.e. forward, backward or herringbone - not a different road route!)

I'd be immensely reluctant to use kick chains, hobble her or anything else until you know why this is happening. If she is off balance or distressed effectively tying her down is the worst thing you can do!
 
Check your floor, some of the older boxes only have wooden floors and my horse was slipping, because they become polished with time. I had rubber matting put down and it made all the difference. However, in time even that can become slippery. Slipping can reaaly sound like they are kicking the hell out of the box.
 
She may need more room to spread legs, not a full height partition. Many that kick on corners etc travel silently when they have more space and not feeling confined. Even if she is ok on her own, it might be because it seems more spacious without another horse in the box?
 
sychnant said:
Do you have the payload to carry 2 horses? If the box is overloaded maybe it gives a different feel to her and she doesn't like it?
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This is a good point, it's unlikely that unless the second pony is the similar height/weight or smaller that it would be under a payload for a 3.5t, even at max weight the feel would probably be very different?
 
Is she the same whatever side of the box she is in? I have known several who travel terribly on the passenger side but fine when you put them on the driver's side.
 
Yes we can see what she is doing as we have a camera ! Sometimes she does kick out on straight. When on her own she NEVER kicks !!! Our trailer was forwards and or horsebox backwards and with another horse in their she kicks out whatever way. She is sometimes unbalanced on her own when going around corners so maybe it could be linked .....
 
I think it is because it seems more spacious alone ! Ive tried with a wider partion but then it boxes my sisters horse in more
 
Have you got rubber skirts fitted to the dividers? If so it may be worth taping them up to see if this makes any difference...our horse hating the skirt flapping against his legs and would do the same.... He is Irish and stands splay legged when travelling...
 
s_w1234 said:
I think it is because it seems more spacious alone ! Ive tried with a wider partion but then it boxes my sisters horse in more
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Does your sister's horse actually mind?

My sis' horse is about 16.3hh, but prefers to be properly sandwiched in by the partitions.
 
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