Length of Partitions

[Stephl07]

Hi, I was wondering what people think about the lenght of partitions in horse boxes. My wagon has full length partitions that reach the floor but my friends old box only has half length partitions. My horse is excellent travelling, he stands munching his hay perfectly balanced, however my friends horse struggles to stand up, he leans on the partitions and then scrabbles about with his feet when he falls over, this happens for the whole journey. My friends mum has said she was thinking about having the partitions cut in half so her horse can spread his feet more to help him stand up (he has to be squashed in otherwise he panics) however seen as he kicked a piece of the partiton out the otherday and my horse had to stand on the wood all the journey I was wondering if other people thought this would be worse as he may (and has done before) slip under half partitions or injure my horse by being able to get his feet under the partitions.
What does everyone else think about the length of partitons especially with a horse that nearly falls over the whole journey (and it is nothing to do with the driving!). Please help!

 

[conniegirl]

I realy dont know on this one, it depends on the horse.

Could you take problem neddy for a trip in a lorry with half partitions and see how he reacts. some horses need to be able to spread thier legs to balance, some dont, some are better off in a trailer.

Also its your lorry, do you realy want the partitions cut in half?
My lorry has full length partitions and i love them because it means he can travel in company and not threaten to kick the horse next to him.
could your friend not buy some half length partitions that would fit into your lorry, that way you'd have your full length ones when you wanted them and the half length ones for this horse

 

[Stephl07]

Well it belongs to the both of us and when I was in the back with the problem one the other day he was using the bottom to push himself up. I dont really want him doing this into my horses legs.

I have been told by my instructor not to travel mine with him until we have him sorted because mine is perfect and I dont want to ruin him!

I am going to get them to have him checked by the vets because I dont think what he does is normal to be honest (neither does our instructor!)

Her old box which she doesnt have anymore had half partitions and she thinks he went better in that because they hardly heard him but I think that is because there was nothing to bang against!

He pulled both of his back shoes off last Sunday in our wagon but the way he was if they wernet floor length I think he would have fallen over to be honest!

My friend says she was told be another friend of hers from a different yard that half partitions are safer than full length ones because horses can spread their legs more but we have to pin him in, the tighter the better with him!

Im so confused lol!

 

[Maesfen]

How many does your wagon carry? If it's only two, you're stuck a bit but if it's 3 or more although you only travel the 2, then you could have a part partition by him, then another (but full) a hole or two down which would give your horse the protection he needs; you just need an extra space between hers and yours.

 

[Stephl07]

It does carry 3 so that may be an idea!

Have you heard about the half partitions being safer or is it just my friend?

I think he needs checking anyway because he physically cannot stand anymore. He even fell over when we were completley stationary (and had been for about 1 minute!)

 

[rabatsa]

How about a half partition with a rubber drop so that if he paddles the rubber gets it and protects your horse but he is still able to spread his legs.

 

[Folara]

QR.

My old lorry had the half partitions with a rubber bit at the bottom that went to the floor and my horse always travelled beautifully. He liked the partitions in fairly tight so he could lean a bit and then spread his feet out.

We bought a gorgeous new lorry a little while ago that has lovely full length hard partitions and now my horse seems to be struggling to get his balance. We are trying various different partition positions and the best so far has been so that he is slanted facing more to the ramp with much more room than he ever had before.

Maybe your friends horse, like mine, just needs to learn to get his balance in a different way to how he used to. Try playing about with the partitions and doing very small journeys to see which way he travels best.

Good luck.

 

[conniegirl]

stan my pony had only ever traveled in a trailer before we got the lorry, it has full partitions and yes the first few trips were noisey as he tried to sort out his balance but by about the 4th trip he had learnt to wedge his bum on the partitons and use that to balance himself. he stand like that and stuffs his face quite happily now!

The idea that MFH posted could be quite a good idea. it would allow you to realy wedge him in but allow him to spread his legs.

Also have you tried him with lots of space? we had one that even when wedged in with lots of space to spread his legs (we borrowed half partitions) paniced. He was better when given enough space for 2 horses. i think he was claustriphobic.

anouther one ive had is a pony who kept falling over in the trailer, no matter what way she was traveled, tried her in the lorry and whilst better she still freaked, vet checked her and found she was partialy blind so the darkness of the trailer/lorry was freaking her out. Might be worth getting the vet up to check her eyes and putting some lights on in your lorry even when its day time. we managed to get her traveling in the lorry when we bought one with a fiberglass roof that allows light in and we put 4 bright lights in the lorry, it was rather bright for us but she was happy.

 

[Twilight]

I would def avoid travelling your one with this one until you have got it sorted. When I first got my boy he travelled perfectly. I then started travelling him with a friends pony. This pony started to loose her feet whilst travelling and was scrabbling all over the place. It realy upset him and for months afterwards he was really stressy and figetty travelling. I think all the banging and crashing upset him. He is fine now though.

My friend mare was leaning sideways against one partition and then her feet were slipping out from under her and she was nearly going down. We had the chiro out to her and her pelvis was way out. whether this was the cause or the effect I am not sure but she did need quite a lot of work to get it put right. So I would def suggest getting the other horse checked out. If there wasn't a problem before there might be now.

The mare we eventually had to travel backwards on her own. She was better this way but I didn't want to risk upsetting him further. Hope you can resolve it. (I would be worried about partial partitions between the 2 of them incase one caught the other. Rubber may be a compromise)

 

[catnumber5]

If full to floor partitions are being used - bad idea if box herringbone. Spaces in herringbone do not leave enough room to allow horse to spread legs to balance. The half with rubber skirts are much safer.