Naughty when travelling!

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Tao

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My horse won't travel-Help!

My Boy is 17hh big Dressage horse and a handful! He will load very easily, walks in straight away with out a care in the world and will stand forever on the lorry with the partitions open but.....As soon as he is shut in and drive off all hell brakes loose!
Just so you know i have asked may people to observe him from trainers to an psychologist and they are stumpted.
The lorry is a 3 horse ,back loading, on a wish bone, 7.5 ton with outside lockers.

He will stand for a few mins but then stars to bang his knees on the lockers, then he will sink his bum, rear and stand on the lockes with his front feet. He has put his head to the roof and buckeled it. He has got his leg stuck down between the back door, and the ramp.(we thought he had broken his leg, but thank god he was ok) And it doesn't matter where he is in the lorry- back,middle or front he is the same, weged in or loads of room. I am worried he will get stuck on the lockers, get stuck on the window grill or his head will go through the roof or even brake a leg.

He is not scared or worried i have had this checked. He has had his back checked and a full physical by the vet and there is not reason physically why he should do this.
I am at my wits end trying to get him to travel and to be calm and happy in the lorry.
Oh and dopeing doesn't work, he had two mm of sederlin so i could get him to a lesson and he fought it the whole way there. We went early by 4 hrs to let it wear off before the lesson but couldn't do the lesson anway as he was "sleeping". He was a nightmare on the way back and sill was "asleep" in this stable 6 hrs later at home.
We are about to spend 4K to remove the lockers, new padded partitons, padded roof, reinforced padded walls ect (like a padded cell) so he can travel with out hurting himself, and will learn to just stand.
As he is such a tallented horse and i would like to compete him,and have fun, as when he comes off the lorry he is as good as gold and relaxed!

Does anyone have any tips or sugestions before we spend all this money and time, i would like to cover all the bases before going down this route.
The Trainer and Psychologist think it's excitement that comes out as naughtiness, so how do you correct this behavour????Please help if you can in any way, esp if you have experanced this yourself!
Thank you
 
Thats a difficult one. He sounds claustraphobic.
Have you tried a mirror(one that is like a stable mirror and non glass so is safe to use and non breakable)It may give him a sense of security like travelling with a companion.
Sorry not alot of help really
 
my horse reared up over the brace bar in our trailer-got stuck upside down on his head and had to be cut out by the fire brigade and i nearly lost him so i learnt a valuable lesson by this to never put myself in this situation again by trying to work out why he did it-i went out got myself a lorry with no internal tack lockers for him to get his feet stuck on and i got the partitions totally padded and heightened so basically now he is travelling in a padded cell with nothing to injure himself on-after seeing him stuck upside down i would nevertake any nore risks!!
 
Have you ever tried him in a forward / rear facing lorry (preferably rear facing) - do you know what he travelled in before?
My mums horse is hopeless at keeping his balance unless on a herring bone, but it may be the opposite for yours.
I think your right to remove the tack locker, we had a horse that used them as a set of drums, and when we padded them he would kick behind instead - he was having a steady ride, but was not very good at keeping his balance and complained about it.
Ultimately you may have to accept its just the way he is, make sure there's no way he can damage himself and let him get on with - he may eventually give up.
Marlayclays idea of pillar tying him is a good one.
Goodluck
 
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Oh and forgot to add ,he may be better if you pillar tie him.

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Yes we have tried that but to no avail. I will try him with a mirror, thats a good idea! as we can't travel him with anybody due to his past.
Thank you very much! x
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Thank you irishdraftlover i think it sounds llike he might be a padded cell boy after all. I have felt the feelings you have had with your young man! I can't take any more risks with him like you said as not only is he valuable, but i love him and i want him to be safe!

millimoo he has always travelled in 7.5 ton lorries with wishbone and lockers. Before we got him he had travelled ie from holland, north of britan down to south with us. but every time he would rubb and bash his knees. It's only in the last year he has lernt he can stand on the lockers as well as just bash them.

I'm hoping when he is in his padded cell he will just give up!(actually praying)

Thank you for your time x
 
When I had my lorry built, I wanted to keep costs down so asked for no lockers. The builder whos been doing it years said they dont put them in any more unless specifically asked for as so many horses try to stand on them, often going through them.
I hope removing them cures him.
 
You haven't mentioned if he is ok travelling with a companion. The mirror idea sounds plausible if you have to travel him alone.
 
I have tryed to travel him with my ex-advanced eventer who just stands and watches. (as it's far too much like effot to get involved) He is his field companion but this made no odds to him. It was the day we thought he had broken his leg. I think my other horse thought he was going to "have a go" at him, poor old boy. He just stood solid, while my other one lost the plot.
We tryed the mirror and it didn't work.
I think i will just have to resign my self to removing the lockers and doing the work to pad it out.
Thank you everyone
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