Travel Problems...Advice...

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Bowmar

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I own a 16.3 ISH who has always travelled perfectly in a lorry, however as i don't use it enough I decided it would be best to get a trailer. I had a brand new Bateson but although my horse would load in it, as soon as it moved she threw herself on the floor. After attempting outings a few times, she injuryed herself and took off half of her hoof. After this she would not travel and i sold the trailer and got another horsebox where she travelled herringbone again. After a year of bad loading following the incident she is now back to loading and travelling perfectly. But due to finances and university i will not use the lorry so much and can not afford to keep it. I really want a trailer as i already own a discovery to pull one, but am reluctant to purchase one and end up with a horse that won't travel. Has anyone experienced the same problems with a horse travelling in a trailer and managed to solve the issue?? If so how did you do it?? Are there any trailer's that travel Herringbone which will fit such a large horse in?
 
How about travelling her without the partition? She would be able to stand on an angle then, which she may prefer. Don't forget to cross-tie though...
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Mo (the bay in my sig) used to do this. Apparenty when she went to shows with her old owner, it was a boy-racer who towed, so Mo would launch herself at the sides/on the floor when going round corners. It got to the point where she'd do it as soon as she'd loaded and we the trailer hadn't started moving!
It took us a while, but thanks to my dad she's now pretty much normal! We would just load her up and CRAWL around the block soooooooo slowly. As she got better, we increased the speed and the journey time. We also opened up the top part of the front ramp, so she could see out and get her barings/balance (wouldnt do that at speed though, although i know quite a few who do).

Is it only around bends that he cant cope? Is he ok once you're going fast and straight (like on a motorway)? Is he the same alone as he is in company?
We use a regular Ifor Williams. They do have a new one out now, which i LOVE - http://www.ifor-williams-trailers.co.uk/products/horse/hb610.htm - would he fit sideways in that? Quite expensive though. Do Equitrek do Herringbone trailers?

Lou. x
 
sell the Bateson and buy an Equi-trek...she will be travelling backwards..therefore being able to utilise her centre of gravity better.

only "herringbone" trailer i can think of is an Ifor 610.
 
if you didn't before definitly try her in a big trailer with the partitions out and just a breast bar in she can then stand on which ever angle she finds the most comfy.

What about swapping to a little 3.5 ton lorry? There are some horses that will just NOT travel in a trailer.
 
Im in the same position and Im tearing my hair out
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. My boy will go in but freaks out if I try to put the ramp up and legs it out backwards. I think hes claustophobic and am going to sell my trailer and save up for an Equitrek I think.
Deffinately take the partition out and get a full length breast bar. Bigger horses just cant spread their legs to travel in the space allowed and it cures lots of horses that scrabble and fall on corners. Alternatively do away with the rear breach bar and secure the back half of the partition to the other side allowing him more room to spread his hind legs. My friend has cured her mare doing this.
There is a trailer that does herringbone travel, well almost, its the Fautras Obliq 2. They have now brought one out that has front unload too as apparantly turning a large horse round was difficult for some horses. Theres a video to watch too.
Good luck, I hope you sort it out.
 
Hi, i am experiencing probs with my boy at the mo too. He doesn't like traveling in lorries herringbone (beats crap out of it and sweats up) He used to travel in a trailer fine until i bought my own ifor 505, only diff is (after thinking about it) he never used to travel on his own when i 'caught lifts' it was alwasy with someone. I do have two ponies as well but it's not an option to take one for company as they are inseperable! When i bought mine he traveled fine the first time then gradually got worse, we have only ever been 5 miles down the road to my friends manage. I don't think it's my driving i drive auto so no jerky gear change and never go over 40mph and as smooth as poss on corners. He had always been first on a trailer 'come on where we going then' know i have to load with food (he's a welsh ob) he's goes on but looks behind him all the time, get ramp up etc but as soon as i walk away he starts pouring the ground banging around and trying to rear, so i have been getting my helper (who ever draws the short straw) to stay with him while we leave the field then i stay with him til the gate is locked them once we are moving he is better, still looks behind him and not happy but doesn't bang, but you have to stick about 30mph. I bought a 3.5t backward facing within 2 mins he reared up and got over the bar (which is fixed) after screaming and panicing i got him off but needless to say i haven't travelled him in it again yet. This was when he got even worse in the trailer. I have now installed a stable mirror in the trailer (soooo funny when he first saw it in the stable!) He was also bad in he stable (not stabled at night just to have his dinner wait for the farrier get him out the way etc) but started barging the gate and rearing up like in trailer but he saw the mirror storted and stood by it for about an hour, mirror now moved and he is still fine in stable- mirracle! So put in trailer and def better, not cured but he's genuinly petrified so am pleased with the progress. Anyway sorry it's so long (waffle waffle waffle) but im basically saying get a mirror, it's wortg a try for the cost. There are herringbone trailers on the market to. Good luck!
 
Was thinking about the mirror today. Read somewhere that someone put some tin foil up just to see before splashing out on a mirror.
 
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