Incredibly unbalanced mare in trailer - HELP ASAP please

[hev1994]

I have 4yo mare who sweats a hell of a lot and can't stay balanced in a lorry so I dread to think what she's going to be like in our trailer. I'm very worried to try!

I need advice as I know the best solution would be to take the partition out and cross tie her however, I have the ifor Williams new spec and I can't get the partition out! So I need advice on what to do for the best? As I don't want her to fall or freak out!

Sorry for waffling but any help would be so much appreciated!

 

[zipzap]

Hi, my 12 yr old homebred mare has developed issues with travelling over the past few years. It started when her old sharer took her out a few times in a friend's trailer but I never really got to the bottom of whether anything happened. (Some people not forthcoming with this kind of info!)

Anyway, mine always loads willingly but is a quivering wreck as soon as she's in my Ifor trailer and often breaks out in a sweat. When moving, She's fine in straight lines but any turns or changes in road camber and she crashes around, kicking at the sides. I've questioned her balance when she does this. It sounds awful and is fairly unnerving for me as the driver. It doesn't seem to matter how carefully & slowly i drive & manouver. Buying a lorry is out of the question for us so I've had to steele my nerve, and just get on with it!

I don't take out the centre partition but have bought a 2nd breeching bar which, I believe, supports her better as she sits her weight back on it.
I also have bought some expensive, heavy duty travel boots that don't move and protect
her much better if she's crashing about.

I hope you can find a solution. I'd be interested to hear more. good luck!

 

[hev1994]

Thank you for your response!
Mine loads like a beaut too, loads her self. She has not ever had a bad experience as I am close with the previous owners.
Next weekend is the D-Day so I shall let you know if the extra breech bar helps etc. fingers crossed.....

 

[Kallibear]

Why can't you get the partition out? It's easy enough once you know how (took me a while to work out though!).

I have a mare who is a terrible travel with a partition but without she stands and travels like a dream.

 

[Lucyad]

Certainly the old Ifor's partitions come out easy enough. I would certainly try - maybe contact dealer to ge instructions? Or someone on here must have one and know how to get it out?

My horse travels much better with at least the back half of the partition out - he can cope with the front one being in place, but needs the extra space behnd to spread his back legs out to balance round corners. I use a full width breach bar and put it on the lowest position - he does sort of sit on in on occasion!

 

[posie_honey]

i would def be removing the partitions. i have friends who have the new IW trailers and its def possible - cant help with how though as i just have the older version and its dead easy.

my mare will not travel with partitions but will travel fine (if i go slowly) without. i do find though that i can never keep up following another trailer - i must drive very slowly in comparrision to other drivers and it does shock me how fast some folk drive round corners! try taking it really slowly - just pull over to let folk past so you do not annoy other drivers

 

[dollymix]

I used to have a mare that you could only travel on the right hand side of a trailer. If she was on the right, she would be a bit sweaty at the end of the ride, but was reasonably surefooted. However, if she was on the left, it felt like you had an elephant in the back!! The trailer would litterly be bouncing about and it sounded like she was scabbling so much it sounded liked galloping hooves.

I would try with the partition in to begin, but make sure she is on the right (has something to do with the camber (sp?) of the road I believe. Also, I wouldn't put boots on, they tend to move and slip down, causing an already unbalanced horse to panic even more....I travel mine with brushing boots all round and knee boots on. Depending on the horse, I might also put over-reach boots on all 4 feet too.