Travel toubles -forward, back or sideways??

[sodslaw]

Hi. I have a horse that for years of travelling without incident had a bit of scrape in the trailer thru no fault of the driver or loading etc (vet over sedated horse etc... long story). My horse still loads quite happily, but then gets very nervous and tries to lie down when the trailer is moving. I tried him in a lorry (forward facing) this weekend. We had to stand in the back of the lorry with him and kept moving his head fro side to side to stop him leaning a specific way. He was much better and on the way back he seemed more relaxed, but still tried to go down when we got to a mini roundabout! I am now thinking about buying a lorry , but am not sure if herringbone, forward facing or backwards would be better... most of the bigger lorries (7.5t) travels herringbone -can they be altered easily? Also, my horse has kissing spines which we have successfully got under control, but travelling makes him a bit sore... and I am starting to wonder if it would be better to sell him to a hacking home (with full disclosure of his condition!) because I currently compete with him. He is just such a gentleman and geniune boy that it breaks my heart to see him so distressed. any ideas or advice PLEASE??

 

[AngieandBen]

Haven't got much experience traveling horses in trailers, mine's only been in one a couple of times and he wasn't keen, paniced a bit, but that could be because he's used to travelling in a lorry.

I have a 7.5t that travels them herringbone, the partitions are telescopic making the sections either smaller or bigger. I find mine travel really well in them as the partitions are padded and they can lean on them. They seem to be able to balance better as they have a smoother ride, the floor in mine is suspended so moves with the lorry over bumps etc

 

[Tnavas]

My truck is side loading and when I bought it horses travelled facing forwards. After a few trips and listening to the banging from the horses I had the truck converted and now have them travelling backwards.

I sometimes wonder if I remembered to load them as there is not a peep out of them.

A thick layer of straw on the floor will also help the horse feel more secure.

Have the horses back checked over as well as sometimes a back injury will cause the horse to travel badly.