Travelling Disaster!

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bobz1305

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Last night I was on my way to a schooling session that I attend most weeks and loaded my horse and my friends as usual. My pony was on the left as normal with my friends on the right - somethign which has never been a problem before. I have had a few problems travelling my pony recently but swapping her sides reguarly has helped and on Sunday she travelled like a dream - wouldn't know she was there!
Anyway started on our way and she was falling badly so we stopped at a bus station (only place able to stop!!) and opened the trailer to find my pony on the ground unable to get up! We took my friends horse out and in the process of trying to get her out she panicked and jumped up but she was caught between the floor and the front rail. She then reared up and broke the front bar and the partition and was clearly very shocked - as was I at this point totally panicking! We were now stuck in the middle of town with a broken trailer. Luckily a friend of our came and picked them up and took them back to our house - she is a saint!! Pony loaded into a trailer that she didn't know straight away couldn't belive it!
My pony appears to have escaped with a small cut on her back leg but is not lame or even stiff!
I am now absoloutly terrified of travelling her as I will be a nervous wreck - she used to travel without a problem.
I am so thankful that this lady helped us and that the situation wasn't any worse but I have now given up all faith in travelling!
Anyone faced this problem before? I really don't know what to do!!
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What trailer were you travelling in at the time? What car do you use to tow it? What about the rescue trailer and car? Maybe your pony is just not confident for some reason in your trailer?

I am really sorry this happened and am glad pony seems to have escaped from would could potentially have been a disaster
 
blimey well done you for coping - i would be a nervous wreck too

glad the pony wasnt hurt too much....lucky you knew some nice people to help you out!
 
She is always travllerd in our trailer - Ifor Williams towed by Isuzu and this hasn't changed. We did get a new 4x4 but pretty much same as the old one and she was a pain with the old one too so im sure thats not the problem. She is a bit odd at the best of times - maybe she's just saying she doesn't want to go away from home anymore!!!
 
how old is your pony?older horses can develop a claustraphobia type thing - iv had 2 who as they aged could not travel in a trailer as so little space - they had a panic attack type thing - v similar to wat ur describing. but would travel fine in a wagon. im not sure why it happens as both mine were fine wen younger.
 
That would figure actually. She is 19 and had always travelled fine until about a year ago when I started having problmes. Even if she doesn't fall about she is still very sweated up and panicky when travelling. I am not one for giving up but I have been so scared by this incident that I really dont want to travel her again so am thinking our days of competing might be over.
 
could you perhaps borrow a wagon and try her in that? both mine would load fine in to trailer, set off and then i wud hear horrendous banging about - rush out and trying to lie down, thrashing about v paniky. as soon out of trailer fine again. however wud travel no probs in a big wagon. one was in her twenties with it started and other late teens. apparently its quite common unfortunetly.
 
Take out the partition and get a full length breast bar - travel her alone for short journeys to start off with...my old pony did exactly this and it cured her.
Also, drive VERY slowly round bends/corners/roundabouts, especially right turns - this is where my pony used to fall, and is very common.
 
Thanks thats good to know! Im sure I could find someone that would lend me a wagon but I do not compete much now anyway so its not too much of a problem. So glad Im not the only one thats gone through this!
 
Has she fallen over before? A pony I used to have began falling in the trailer (not due to bad driving!) - it got to the point that as soon as he was loaded and I was tying him up, he would begin scrabbling like hell and continually fall until he was unloaded! Very odd. What solved it was to give him MORE room - sounds odd but Ive heard of other horses doing the same and being 100% cured this way. We moved the hind section of partition out completely (we have a Bateson but you can do it in an Ifor as well I think) so he could spread out his back legs. Travelled perfect from then on. Id definately advise it. You can still travel 2 horses together (since have the front bit in) as long as they know each other and don't kick! But make sure to put on long well padded travel boots just in case.
 
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