Right here I go again (hopefully!!) trailers again sorry

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Louby

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Last time I posted about this I was in a position to buy a trailer then my boy fractured his leg. That was about six months ago. Thankfully he has recovered and we are now riding again and I want that trailer again!
My horse travels great in a wagon but is petrified in a trailer, he had only ever travelled in a wagon until he had to go to the vets in a trailer (no partition) and he did scrabble all over when we set off but then settled. We bought another IW last year and he just wanted out, shook, nearley burst my ribs on his way out and even tried to make a dash for the jockey door athough he would load quite easily. I did persevere and practiced but I would never have felt happy going anywhere. It was an IW505 and to be honest I think he needed the 510, hes a 16.1 ish middleweight and I put him in without the partition.
Has anyone had any success with a horse like this and what trailer did you have. I sold the 505 and dont fancy another IW. I would love an Equitrek or the Fautras where they travel herringbone but it would have to be 2nd hand and they dont come up often.
Thanks for any replies
 
i have just sold my lorry and got a IW 505 he will not load in it for love or money i'm getting really frustrated about it so wondered like you was it to small but then loaded my 16.2 dutch warmblood in it who has never been in one before ( had her 15 years not an easy horse to handle) loaded fine plenty of room so now don't know what to do is it the trailers do you think!!!!
 
Id definitely go for the 7'6 headroom. I had the same with my mare who always travelled well but shook the whole time. i bought a Rice B60 and she is much happier. The same in a Richrdson is cheaper but Im a bit of a traditionalist! However they are very hard to find secondhand.

I also bought the single breast and breech bars as extras, but have never yet had to use them.

These boxes are wider and longer and the Richardson has 7'8 headroom so is higher than many lorries.

The secondhand IWs will hold their money so if it doesnt work you can sell it on.
 
I agree that horses that worry in a trailer prefer the Rices, they seem to be more substantial, and IW have those stupid partitions that don't come down to the floor, so the horse cannot brace its feet if it wants to.
 
the partitions not coming down to the floor is what made me buy an ifor!! my mare likes to spread her legs and felt resticted in my old trailer that had a solid partition, so we sold that and bought the ifor, honestley if i had kids they would put up and shut up no matter what form of transport, but horsie - she gets a new set of wheels!!
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The new rices are lovely but pricey. I realise you get what you pay for and as a rice dealer said to me, the Rice are like the Rolls Royce of trailers. Id be so worried that its just trailers my boy doesnt like if I bought a new one.
Out of interset, has any Equitrek owners out there had a horse that didnt travel well in a traditional trailer?
 
Louby - Ebi was the same as your lad. We bought a brand new IW 510 and everything was hunky dorey till it was on recall (something to do with the rubber matting fixings) So it went off and got sorted. When it came back she was still fine. Then it got nicked and we bought another new IW 510 to replace it. At first she was funny but still loaded. Then she had an accident it in and it all went tits up from then on in. She would load great but as soon as it started to move she freaked. In one small distance, she ripped 3 shoes off, destroy her back travel boots, and was soaking wet through. Whilst reading a magazine at the time of these problems, there was a lady that was in the process of taking IW to court because her horse had seriously damaged itself. Mum got in touch with her about our problems. We never heard the outcome of her court case, but we sold the trailer and bought a wagon.

It took Ebi months to get used to travelling in the wagon and for safetys sake she had 2 partitions and had it right on the back so she could sit on the back door. Eventually she realised it wasnt that bad and travelled normally again.
Last year we sold the wagon and bought the Equitrek. I hoped and prayed that Ebi would travel well in it. Well she does. She loves it. Granted she has always had all the trailer but thats because of the foal but travelled her for the first time with partition and she was still as good as gold with no performance.

Certainly would try him in an Equitrek before you splash out on a wagon (they cost a fortune to keep). Equitrek hire them out to try before you buy.
 
One of mine was absolutely dreadful to travel when I first got him. The horse was only a 3yo though so just not used to it. But he was really really bad. He has always loaded perfectly, but once I start closing the doors he would panic. He reared over the breast bar quite a few times...... I eventually went into the trailer with him and gave him a treat when he was calm and tried to keep all his 4 feet on the floor. My friend would then drive round the field VERY slowly. We did this quite a few times, and I also did things like put him in with his feed and closed the doors up etc. Then we began going to local shows (had to be local to begin with as we were too nervous to go very far!). I still travelled with him the first 8 times Id say (yes, probably illegal but it was the only thing to calm him down!). Then I left him in on his own to travel (did try twice with another pony but it simply freaked my other pony out!). He did kick up a right fuss, crashing about. One time he managed to open the jockey door and tried to get out........ But after about quite a few months he very slowly improved the more we went out. Now he is fine!

I had always travelled him with the partition in, in a Bateson. It had nothing to do with the trailer though, it was just him getting used to the motion etc. TBH I dont think it would have made any difference if he'd travelled herringbone or whatever since it seemed to be the movement he objected to.

Batesons are excellent IMO. But with a horse like yours, I dont think it makes any difference what trailer you have (as long as its big enough), I think its all down to pratice!
 
Our TB hates Ifors...well she hates most trailers but it tends to have been Ifors we've had the use of for her and it would take about 2 hours to get her to go in, and she also does not like 2 horse wagons that travel the same way... She just fights and fights and fights and rears...

We bought a Cheval Liberte 2003XL which can take 2 x 17.2 (though she's only 15.2 and my mare is 15hh) and we were totally astonished that the TB walks straight in it, no fuss, no arguing, no rearing, not even a stop and look!

No idea why she approves of this and won't go in the others but I cannot believe its the same horse some times!

And they are a good price with a very good spec.
 
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