Is there such thing as a horse that will not travel in a trailer?

L

Louby

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 July 2005
Messages
6,591
Visit site
Ok appologies as I have done this before but theres lots of new H&H members so thought I'd do it again :D.
My horse has travelled a few times with me in a trailer, no partition and he was ok ish. He has always travelled in a wagon before I got him and after a few times in my trailer he was back in a wagon again as friend had one. To cut a long story short I tried him in a trailer again and he was awful, dangerous, scared not naughty and hubby reckoned he'd kill me, the horse not hubby if we continued. We did practice, he would load but not stay in it more than a few minutes before freaking out and getting out one way or another, including trying the jockey door!
I bought a wagon and everything was fine but I wasnt using it enough to warrant the cost so sold it. So now Im transportless and am itching to get out and about.
Its on my mind about a trailer again but just wondered if some horses genuinely wont travel in a trailer?
 
I had one that wouldn't travel in a trailer. Going round any corner, no matter how slowly, he'd throw himself repeatedly at the side and it seemed it'd tip over! He was quiet as a lamb in a lorry. Obviously wasn't comfortable travelling forwards.
 
I have one who really struggles with his balance in a trailer - but its not a front facing thing, as he travels great in a front facing wagon. I think its the stability of the ride.

IMO its just not worth it - its a front / rear facing wagon only for him. He will travel fine in an Equitrek - again, I think its a suspension thing!
 
Dispite some hiccups, which my mare is getting over, she actually travels better in a trailer. When things were at the worst with the trailer, we tried a waggon. Dispite loading better we ended up spending the hour journey there and back from our destination holding her up!!. She is absolutely fine in her trailer now!!
 
I first had the issue in an Ifor, to be fair it was a 505 and my horse had gone from a 4 yr old gangly 16hh that fit fine to a proper mw that struggled to fit. During his growing stage, he was in my friends wagon, so it was a shock when I tried him in it again and he was too big. We never left the yard. I sold it and bought a big Richardson, supposedly gives a better ride, no leaf springs and he travelled in it fine, but the next time he was a looney, never left the yard but he bent the ramp, wacked his head numerous times flying out backwards, squashed me etc and months of practice later we gave up.
 
I quite fancied an Equitrek but Im worried I will buy one and he wont travel in it or I will be one of the unlucky ones that gets a bad en! The build quality of the Ifor is so so much better.
 
Yes, I have one 14.2 who won't go any where near any sort of trailer and also there's a livery on the yard who won't either.
 
Thanks for your replies. At least Im not alone. Looks like I will have to keep looking for another wagon then :(
 
My TB. I spent months last year loading him EVERY day and feeding him on there - but as soon as we shut the doors / try to go anywhere he freaks out. The last time I tried it was so awful that I made the decision never to try again - and am even too scared to try in a lorry.

He rears - and last time got one leg stuck over the breast bar. He was then thrashing around so violently I have no idea how he didn't break his leg. He's not being naughty - is just genuinely 100% scared and I wouldn;t put him through it again.

I don't take him anywhere i can't hack to, and if ever needed to travel to the vet he would either have to be sedated, or if that was not possible he wouldn;t go!

I genuinely think that if I tried to travel him in a trailer he'd seriously injure one or both of us.
 
Probably totally O/T, in answer to OP I've heard of this a few times but no idea whether it's correct or the owner/handler is doing something. But last week I had one who simply could not travel in a herringbone wagon, been out once before in its life (yearling) in a trailer, no bother.

Went down twice on the way there, four times on the way back. Was horrendous. We think after 120 miles it finally "got it" :) thank Goodness no damage to horse bar two fat eyebrows!!!
 
Maxapple, thats exactly what my horse is like. He does travel brilliantly in a wagon though so dont lose hope. We did knock his confidence with the trailer and he was awful to get in a wagon afterwards but after a few journeys he was almost back to normal.
 
Yes, my big clydesdale x tb was so awful in a trailer we had to buy him a waggon! We persevered for 12 months but he just could not balance and freaked out. He eventually kicked the ramp off in the middle of the village!!!!
The waggon was definately worth it as he travelled beautifully thereafter and did not injure himself or any travel boots once!
 
Louby said:
Maxapple, thats exactly what my horse is like. He does travel brilliantly in a wagon though so dont lose hope. We did knock his confidence with the trailer and he was awful to get in a wagon afterwards but after a few journeys he was almost back to normal.
Click to expand...

Thats good to hear - but I'm too scared to try him in one now. He freaked out the same way in a lorry so not sure if its the trailer or just travelling in general.
 
Which way have you tried to travel him, one of ours cannot for the life of her travel forward or rearward facing, but put her herringbone or sideways in a lorry (only a 14.2 Welsh) she is absolutely fine. It may be that with forward/rearward facing the horse cannot understand how to balance.

Also if you are using a lorry, look to see how far the partition starts above the floor, again our mare stood really oddly to get her balance and we had to allow more room that I would have thought to accommodate her weird stance.
 
Clannad48, Herringbone, well side on really. Ive looked at the herringbone trailers and they just arent wide enough, the horses are pretty much diagonal which is how I tried to travel him in the trailer, as in no partition. Apparantly the UK has some law that says a trailer cant be wider than 7ft I think it is, so no chance of getting one that is true herringbone. Mad though as a caravan can be wider. I always gave him more room in the wagon too and the partitions werent to the floor so plenty of room to spread his legs to balance
Looks like I will have to get a wagon again (oooh hubby will be pleased :eek:) and make sure I use it this time :D
 
Mine can't - falls over travelling around corners and tries to scramble up the walls. He's fine in rear or side facing lorries, though he's not as easy to load since we made the mistake of trying him in a trailer.
 
That happened to my horse too, he was fantastic on a wagon, tried the trailer and wrecked his confidence. It took over an hour to load him into a wagon the first time. He has got better but is still a bit anxious, travels great but doesnt touch his net now whereas in the past he would stand eating and nosying at what was going on.
Now I cant find a wagon anywhere aaagh. Been looking for weeks now and anything decent is hours away,
 
maxapple said:
My TB. I spent months last year loading him EVERY day and feeding him on there - but as soon as we shut the doors / try to go anywhere he freaks out. The last time I tried it was so awful that I made the decision never to try again - and am even too scared to try in a lorry.

He rears - and last time got one leg stuck over the breast bar. He was then thrashing around so violently I have no idea how he didn't break his leg. He's not being naughty - is just genuinely 100% scared and I wouldn;t put him through it again.

I don't take him anywhere i can't hack to, and if ever needed to travel to the vet he would either have to be sedated, or if that was not possible he wouldn;t go!

I genuinely think that if I tried to travel him in a trailer he'd seriously injure one or both of us.
Click to expand...


I had exactly the same problem with my arab. We tried to get him to travel for 3 years in our trailer (we had an ifor williams) we tried a rice trailer too and another one (cant remember what make). I could feed him in there, tie him up, shut the partition, shut the front and back ramps and he would stand there fine. Turn on the engine on the car.......all hell would break loose. He would rear, leap over the breast bar, kick, buck out and literally would totally smash the trailer to bits. We tried driving on, but he got worse. We never did travel him in a trailer, it was simply too dangerous and it was costing us a fortune repairing it.
We didnt have access to a lorry at that point. But when we sold him, they collected him in a lorry....and he walked straight in and travelled perfectly!
I totally believe there are some horses that are petrified of trailers and simply wont travel in them.
 
skychick said:
I had exactly the same problem with my arab. We tried to get him to travel for 3 years in our trailer (we had an ifor williams) we tried a rice trailer too and another one (cant remember what make). I could feed him in there, tie him up, shut the partition, shut the front and back ramps and he would stand there fine. Turn on the engine on the car.......all hell would break loose. He would rear, leap over the breast bar, kick, buck out and literally would totally smash the trailer to bits. We tried driving on, but he got worse. We never did travel him in a trailer, it was simply too dangerous and it was costing us a fortune repairing it.
We didnt have access to a lorry at that point. But when we sold him, they collected him in a lorry....and he walked straight in and travelled perfectly!
I totally believe there are some horses that are petrified of trailers and simply wont travel in them.
Click to expand...

Wow - that is really interesting to read. Thats exactly what my horse did!! Loads of people said 'just drive' so we tried literally getting about 20 feet with the trailer looking like it would flip over and my poor horse going frantic in there! Needless to stay we stopped, opened the doors and just got him out!

My pony travels ok in my trailer but gets stressed loading and I don't think he's really happy in there. I'm thinking of just selling my trailer and hiring a lorry as and when I need to.
 
maxapple said:
Wow - that is really interesting to read. Thats exactly what my horse did!! Loads of people said 'just drive' so we tried literally getting about 20 feet with the trailer looking like it would flip over and my poor horse going frantic in there! Needless to stay we stopped, opened the doors and just got him out!

My pony travels ok in my trailer but gets stressed loading and I don't think he's really happy in there. I'm thinking of just selling my trailer and hiring a lorry as and when I need to.
Click to expand...

We tried countless times driving just a short distance.....it was always the same. Then we decided enough was enough and it wasnt worth the risk of injuring him.
He would come out drenched with sweat and was absolutely petrified.
If he was just kicking or fidgeting we would have kept driving as people say.
It was limiting which was a shame, but he was endurance fit....(couldnt compete him at endurance due to trailer issue lol) so i used to hack everywhere. He though nothing of hacking an hour and a bit to a show, being at a show all day and hacking home.
Re selling your trailer and hiring boxes....i have to admit....the new 3.5 tonne boxes are fab. I hired one (with driver) when i collected my new horse. He came from plymouth to pick me up at taunton to swindon to collect my new horse, back to taunton area, then back to plymouth for £140!!! The box had cctv, it was temperature controlled and my horse loved it. Also they are so light and airy and also they are really low so the ramps are lower and less daunting. If you dont do events all the time its definately something worth considering. Also it means you dont have to drive, you can relax. Also you dont have to maintain and insure a trailer/lorry.
I tend to always get a lorry for longer journeys...i think its a bit more confortable for the horse and also, i think just that little bit safer on motorways etc.
 
skychick said:
We tried countless times driving just a short distance.....it was always the same. Then we decided enough was enough and it wasnt worth the risk of injuring him.
He would come out drenched with sweat and was absolutely petrified.
If he was just kicking or fidgeting we would have kept driving as people say.
It was limiting which was a shame, but he was endurance fit....(couldnt compete him at endurance due to trailer issue lol) so i used to hack everywhere. He though nothing of hacking an hour and a bit to a show, being at a show all day and hacking home.
Re selling your trailer and hiring boxes....i have to admit....the new 3.5 tonne boxes are fab. I hired one (with driver) when i collected my new horse. He came from plymouth to pick me up at taunton to swindon to collect my new horse, back to taunton area, then back to plymouth for £140!!! The box had cctv, it was temperature controlled and my horse loved it. Also they are so light and airy and also they are really low so the ramps are lower and less daunting. If you dont do events all the time its definately something worth considering. Also it means you dont have to drive, you can relax. Also you dont have to maintain and insure a trailer/lorry.
I tend to always get a lorry for longer journeys...i think its a bit more confortable for the horse and also, i think just that little bit safer on motorways etc.
Click to expand...

Thats true - I hire a small box for long journeys anyway. I can actually hack to most local places and my pony is very fit (arab x so goes like a duracel bunny anyway!!) - I find when we hack he goes so much better in classes as he's relaxed!

I think you've just helped me make my mind up about selling my trailer!! x
 
Lol good old arabs! i miss mine so much! despite him being strong as an ox and as fast as a race horse, he was just amazing! I never once managed to tire him out! and that includes going out for a long ride around the common, getting lost, getting home 9 hours later with pharoah still jogging and prancing having never actually managed to find the common that i set out to ride across!!! I was shattered! pharoah loved it!
 
Louby said:
I quite fancied an Equitrek but Im worried I will buy one and he wont travel in it or I will be one of the unlucky ones that gets a bad en! The build quality of the Ifor is so so much better.
Click to expand...


Barlows in preston/ leyland hire the equi trek you could try before you buy so to speak.
:D
 
my old boy wouldnt go in a trailer he would do the off backwards and was dangerous but would walk happily into a lorry and travel fine so thats what we done didnt see the point in stressing him when he was more than happy in a lorry
 
Thanks for your replies, Im relieved it isnt just my horse as I was told too to get him in and just drive. I dread to think :(. Im no fluffy bunny and will take no nonsence but my boy was genuinely scared and its quite sad really to think although petrified, he loaded first time every time. Poor boy.

We went to Barlows a couple of years ago looking at the Equitreks and thought of hiring one recently. When I looked at the website the other night there was no mention of Equitreks so I just presumed they had stopped selling them too, so thsnks for that.
 
Mine's the sweetest boy you could imagine, until you try to load him into a trailer that is! Then the little toad metamorphosises into a total raving monster - snorts, rears, jumps off the ramp, runs back, you name it. He's never had a bad experience travelling as I've travelled behind, and he's been fine, chomping away at his haynet and totally chilled, its just the initial going in that's the problem.

When I've travelled him in a lorry, he walks up the ramp like a lamb! The slimey Toad.
 
I had an old mare who was petrified of travelling in trailer or lorry after having a very bad accident when being travelled as a foal (before i had her)!! She hadn't loaded for 8 years and nobody thought she ever would. She was my friends mare and she didn't have much time for her so i was given her as a project mare i built up a great relationship and bond with her. I decided 2 practice loading her when her owner was there one day not expecting anything 2 happen. She slowly put foot by foot onto the ramp and slowly made her way into the trailer it brought tears to my eyes!! After 8 years of being petrified and not trusting anyone after her accident it was amazing to know that she trusted me!!!:D
 
Hi Guys,

Sorry, must apologise, not read all your quotes as short on time, but get the gest that your having problems with some horses in trailers, especially when going round corners, etc and the way their thrashing themselves about - very scary!

Thought it was worth mentioning that alot of horses I know that have done this, have done it because they don't like the rubber flap that hangs down on the bottom part of the partition, it moves away and towards them and touches their legs, and they hate it!

My mare used to be an absolute angel to travel, stood like a lamb, then moved her into a trailer that had a partition as described and she gradually got worse and worse until all you'd do is put the car in gear and she would start trying to tip the trailer!

As soon as we tied the rubber flap up so it didn't dangle, she was fine again! Although the first couple of times doing this she would antisipate it still being there, I would shout out the car window to her to stand still and once she did she realized it wasn't there any more and stood perfect the whole journey! :D

We would tie up the flap so it was folded up on the side that she wasn't, so not sure how much room this would leave if traveling another horseon that side as well.

Also, know if you've got quite big or heavy horses and travel them on their own in a tralier, this can make the tralier feel really unbalanced to the horse when you go round corners, roundabouts, etc. I always drive soooo slowly, and go as wide as poss everywhere and take up as much room as I need to and is safe to do so, found this really helps too - sure you guys have too, but thought it was worth mentioning. :)

As have known people to do the complete opposite and then still wonder why their horse doesn't load or like travelling :eek:

Sorry again for not reading all quotes, I hope I've come from the right angle :o
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top