Top doors open on trailers (at front) Yes or no?

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BigBird146

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My horse isn't a big fan of loading or travelling (won't settle in trailer, just shakes and won't eat or relax at all). I've occasionally seen people with top doors left open over the front ramp. Has anyone tried this and what do you think? I think my horse is basically claustrophic and I wondered if it might help. I have sliding windows in each side plus a big window at the front (its a Bateson) but he's still hating it all.
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The ramp is on the pavement side so it's not as if he would be facing the traffic and I travel him on the drivers side so he wouldn't be able to stick his nose out; just see more! I would put a fly mask on to stop him getting anything in his eyes!
Opinions please.. I'm worried it might be dangerous if there's something I haven't thoguht of!
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Don't do it!! It's so dangerous. A fly mask won't help him if a stone gets kicked uo into his face at forty miles an hour.

Be patient. Take him on lots of short trips to get him used to it. Do you travel with a partition? My horse is a nightmare with a partition but as soon as I took it out he travels brilliantly. He's so quiet you can forget he's there!
 
imho, i wouldnt do this, you never know what debris would be flying up off the road and into your horses eyes!!!! i hve seen lots of people doing it, and the horse is hanging out like a keen dog, tounge out n all, but unless a pair of horsey goggles (oo giggling to myself now with mental pic of said horse with biggles goggles on) had been invented i would leave all doors closed!!!
 
I never travel with the top door open, I just think if we drove past anything like a fair or play ground etc it could upset the horses. also; buses(in bus lanes), plastic bags blowing about, wagons if your over taking..... I always keep mine closed, I open the little air vent type thing in the ceiling and always keep the top back doors open unless we're going on the motorway. If you drive behind a horse and trailer you'll notice that the horses tend to turn thier head to look out of the back window quite allot.. Also, imagine how windy it would be with the frount open...almost like driving without a windscreen!
 
No don't do this, we used to share rides with a horse and the owner insisted that we left the front open but it felt very dangerous, and thank god we don't travel with her anymore.
 
Thanks, just got some full width bars to try and he was threatening to try and get over them as he had more space than with the partition in!! Took him 10 mins down the rode last night with only the front section of partition in and back removed so he could spread his back legs if he wanted to. He was still shaking like mad when I stopped!
 
My mare sounds just like yours, we used to keep the front door / window open till we got down the drive and out of the yard then close it when we shut the final gate, it kept her calm whilst we were fafing around with the gates etc. My mare travels much better in a rear facing trailer / box.
 
Well that's a resounding No!, Non, Nyet then!!
I'd seen a few people do it and wondered about giving it a try, but couldn't quite bring myself to do it, so thought I'd ask opinions!! Duly received and noted. Thanks!
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Def no far too dangerous whilst travelling.
Have you tried feeding him on there and just getting him used to it?
 
deffo a no, but i did see a trailer with the front top open but replaced with a peice of clear perspex with a circle of holes drilled in it ( if that makes sense). Was thinking of doing something similar for my clostrophobic boy.
 
No, I would not leave the top door open on the trailer.

Have you tried a mirror? I have found these are great for nervous/claustrophobic travellers. You can pick up travel-safe (unbreakable) mirrors now, and I would recommend giving them a go. I used to work with ex-racers and one always had to have his mirror. Don't know if it was the 'other horse' or the sense of more space that he liked, but it definatly worked.

Good luck.
 
Have tried just about every trick in the book (yes I have a mirror, yes feed him in there, natural horsemanship... works great while trailer parked in field, as soon as it's hitched up to the car he smells a rat and is even worse when it comes to loading him home. He just hates it!!)
Only thing I haven't tried yet is blindfolding him, but it may come to that!!!
 
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