My horse is a pain in the backside at the moment. Any ideas?

[arwenplusone]

My big grey ned is seriously testing my patience with loading/travelling.

Following on from my question about dually halters I borrowed one and actually found it very successful. Loaded & unloaded him about 15 times with it - no fuss (this horse won't load without lunge lines in a chifney or stally chain).
Anyway, I then loaded him. swung the partition over & stood on the ramp.
After about 5 minutes he starts leaning on the partitions and barging into them, generally just being a thug. Then he sits down.

Of course after that he struggles to get up, and barges/shoves the partitions out of place. Which, quite frankly is bl00dy dangerous.

Thing is, if there is another horse on he will go on happily and stand there all day long. He is also fine whilst the lorry is moving. But if it is stationary he starts to throw himself around.

I don't want to always have to have someone with me when I travel, so how can I solve this? Should I remove the partitions or will this make it more dangerous?

Getting a bit fed up with him. He is not scared, he's just nappy and throwing his weight about.

Suggestions?

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

Mine would throw herself about in the trailer, she would scrabble up the side walls and get in a right panic.
We removed the partition and she was loads better.
Couldnt believe how much of a difference it made.
We wondered if she had a pelvis problem or inner ear infection that would maybe affect her balance or be a pain thing but had her checked out and she was fine.
She would always load first time though which was bizarre.
Try with the partition out, I'm sure you will see a difference.
Good luck

 

[arwenplusone]

Hmmm. Might try that then. It's a big lorry though so not sure how he'll balance himself.... It's also quite bew - I don't want him to break it!

!

 

[MrsMozart]

Yup, defiantely try without the partition: he'll have to learn to balance himself: they usually do okay without a partition, it gives them more space to sort their legs out.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

No useful suggestions though - I'm glad the dually worked for you as at least that has resolved one problem for you.

 

[Vizslak]

definately take partition out!

 

[canteron]

Omg without partitions I would love to give it a go for my girl, but don;t know if I dare.

I have a horse who sounds so similar, most of the time I win, but sometimes she does and loading, etc becomes quite a game.

The only thing I have found which helps is to get her head straight before she gets on the lorry, for example, 5 or 10 minutes of long reining or some other activity which makes her believe I am in control - then she seems to accept the whole thing with much less angst.

Mind you, if you try the no partition idea and it works please would you PM me as I am so up for any suggestion, just don't have the courage to go down that route just in case!!!

 

[Flame_]

My friend used to have a really stroppy traveller. He wasn't scared or unbalanced, he just ar$ed about and made a racket before you got going, whenever you got to a venue and at lights. She just used to get going as quickly as possible, leave a huge stopping distance at lights so every time he started she could roll forward a bit then give him a (small)shock by breaking a bit sharply, and she'd get him straight off at the other end before the trailer started rocking!

 

[arwenplusone]

[ QUOTE ]
My friend used to have a really stroppy traveller. He wasn't scared or unbalanced, he just ar$ed about and made a racket before you got going, whenever you got to a venue and at lights. She just used to get going as quickly as possible, leave a huge stopping distance at lights so every time he started she could roll forward a bit then give him a (small)shock by breaking a bit sharply, and she'd get him straight off at the other end before the trailer started rocking!

[/ QUOTE ]

This is good in principle but what if you need to go and enter - or leave horsey on wagon for any reason. This is my concern, really.

Seems the best shot forwards is to remove the partition. I will try it tonight!

 

[BFG]

If it is a big wagon i am presuming they are traveling herringbone (correct me if i wrong). You could always remove one partition so he has double the room but not the whole lorry then if he snaps his string etc he cant roam about the lorry.

I truly believe that some horses can be claustrophobic and prefer to travel with plenty of room.