traveling nightmare

[jcorsie1959]

has any one got any idea's as to why our horse has started to unbalance him self in our trailer. He has traveled happily for years in a trailer on his own. and on Tuesday night got him self in a panic after i turned left out of our yard. I was traveling very slow and we felt him rocking when we looked in the trailer he was standing leaning to one side instead of spreading his legs to balance himself. I tried him in again today and he did the same but worse. He travels on the right side in a 505 with the partision,in the floor is dry with shavings, the trailer is new
style. I am sick as this has never happened before and don't know what to do about it. I tow with a discovery the tyre pressure in the trailer is as it should be and my veichle is fine to. Any suggestions

 

[Louby]

Has this only just started happening since you got your new trailer? Just that the new Ifors have an aluminium floor and its known that some horses just dont like the 'give' in the aluminium. Someone I know swapped her old wooden floored Ifor for a new one and her horse travelled awful. She had to cover the floor with wood and he was fine again.
Just sold my new Ifor as my horse shook and we hadnt even moved anywhere. Just a thought.
You could always try taking the partition out and using a single breast bar but if he was ok with a partition befor I cant see it being that he needs more room to spread his legs.

 

[jcorsie1959]

ive had the trailer for 6 months and he travels just about every week in it. I am picking up a breast bar and back bar tomorrow as i thought the same as you remove the partision. but agree he was fine with it in up until now but i am at wits end as I am terrified he will fall so i will try traveling with out partision.

 

[Louby]

I really hope it works for you, it made such a difference with my old mare. Its terrifying isnt it, I couldnt even get off the yard with my boy, he was petrified and he is a very good traveller although mainly in a wagon.
Im sure you will get some good advice on here as Im sure this has been discussed before. It is odd though how hes been fine for 6 months.
Good luck

 

[jayvee]

My mare travelled perfectly in my old wooden floored trailer. then got a new HB510. She was all over the place when taking RH bends.
Have yet to take her out init again, but your post sounds similar.

 

[calon]

hi i had the same with one of mine .she had been in same trailer no probs then started climbing the walls and scrambleing and falling around , found she was fine if no partion and aslo fine if behind the driver but couldnt stand being at pasenger side , hope yours is ok

 

[SSM]

Article in this weeks H&H that horses travel better in trailers if they have a mirror - hubby says so they can do their hair before they get there

 

[FMM]

I bet he will be fine if the partition is removed. Definitely worth a try.

 

[Bosworth]

I wouldn't worry too much. A horse of mine did this after having travelled fine for a few years - then all of a sudden couldn't cope - he normally travelled on the left as he was the smallest. he was leaning heavily, spreading his legs and nearly sitting down. if I turned left he just about managed to not fall over. I swapped him to the other side and travelled him on his own for a few trips. I also made sure I took him on straight roads and generally made sure he was Ok. It took about 10 journeys but that was all, then back to his own side and travelling with my other horse. No problems. It was almost as though he forgot how to balance I bought a lorry a couple of years ago and he travelled in tha no problem. But circumstances have changed and I am now back with the large ifor Williams - and he travels no problem. travelling him lose was never an option as I needed to take 2 horses.

 

[brighteyes]

This has happened to me, too! (Lorry and trailer) In my case both ponies were quite old (20's) though I am not sure if it was part of the cause. For some reason, they stop spreading their legs and start leaning instead. I have even watched, whilst driving my lorry behind a trailer, this happening to others. The poor driver couldn't have gone any slower round the gentle turn of the roundabout, so it wasn't speed in this instance. Our pony also decided after many years that couldn't travel on the end of the lorry, next to the loading wings. It seems to be a 'sides' thing. As soon as their feet meet a solid barrier, they swap to a leaning approach. We moved pony to middle section and hey presto, fine. She can now also go on either end, but you have to get their confidence back. Both mine did, trailer and lorry.

I agree that removing the central partition ought to fix it for you - and eventually you should be able to put it back. In fact, wouldn't you be able to start by putting just the front half in? It's a bit since I swapped from Ifor to lorry, but I recall they come out in half, so to speak.

Good luck, and try not to worry. It is very common, and rarely the driver's fault.

 

[MagicMelon]

A pony we had a while ago did this. It was fine to begin with, then over a month suddenly the pony started to lose balance like you say until the pony basically started leaning heavily as soon as it went in the trailer! It would lean so heavily, it would fall over sideways and keep thrashing until I let it out. It was awful. We have always driven very carefully so have no idea why he begun doing it.

Only thing we found which cured it was to move the back of the partition over - the back section (if you can), move it over to the other side and like pin / tie it back, so they can spread their hind legs right out or stand slightly over. Honestly, as soon as we did this the pony was so happy and stood perfectly!! If we wanted to take another horse, we'd take the partition right out (we had a breast bar made) and again, travelled perfect.

I think some horses just get claustraphobic! They seem to want to spread their back legs RIGHT out. But definately try moving the parition or taking it out - we travelled my pony like this for about 10 years!!

 

[Sparklet]

My daughters pony did exactly the same in our lorry - started leaning on the partitions, scrabbling about and stamping. We cured it all by removing one of the partitions in the lorry to give her a ridiculously large space and she is fine.

Try removing your partition and trying again.

 

[1928sky]

My horse suddenly started doing that for no apparent reason one day rather than spreading her feet to balance decided to put all her feet against the outside wall and lean on the partition. Took the partition out and she was fine!

 

[jcorsie1959]

Thankyou to all for your kind help
I have just arrived home with two breast bars and will try traveling with out partisions. I am really worried but I am praying it works. will keep you all posted

 

[magic104]

My sisters mare did exact same thing, removing the partition did help. Now she has a lorry Tan has to travel in the middle where there is no fixed wall ie between horse area & tack is solid.