Travelling problems

[nedzy]

Hi,

I've not had my horse long and he has not done much travelling so this could be just a case of practising, but would be glad of any other thoughts -
He loads fine, but when I go to close the front door of the trailer he panics at being closed in and tied up, then bangs the trailer until I get him out the other end of the journey. I don't like him getting so upset, and have so far taken evrything slowly to give him time settle. I have taken the partition out to give him more room. Does anyone leave their horse untied in a trailer? Shall I just continue taking it step at a time and hope he gets used to it all?
Thanks

 

[JoBo]

Just wondering have you tried traveling him with another horse? He may be a bit more settle if he has company? Then once he is a bit more confident then try traveling on his own?

Just an idea.

 

[nedzy]

Good idea. Don't know why I didn't think of that! I'll try and borrow another horse. Thanks

 

[samp]

My mare prefers my new lorry, we are able to leave the living door open so that she can see us, if she can not see us she starts to get unsettled

 

[sillygillyhorse]

Fine if you have a lorry but not really applicable for nedzy, she obviously has a trailer!

 

[filly190]

I would consider it safer to keep the partition in and tie up, it helps balance the horse.

Most horses create a lot of noise and stamping etc when you set off, the trick is to get the horse loaded and move off as quick as you can, dont stand around. As soon as the box is moving the horse then has to concentrate on balance and will settle better in the journey. When you get to your destination, unload the horse, again dont delay. This way he will get better at travelling and over time, when you get somewhere he will stand in the box until you are ready to get him out.

Even the most seasoned travellers can kick and bang at start and end of journeys, its there way of telling you to "hurry up".

Dont worry too much, be prepared before you load, so everything is in place, you dont have to faff about and you are "on the case", nice, quick and easy.

 

[flyingfeet]

I think you can buy a Lincoln mirror (or any non-glass mirror), which has marketing that says they are helpful for horses who don't like being by themselves. Although I don't know personally how good they are.

Many horses panic, especially if they are not normally used to being by themselves. Practise is generally the answer and doing lots of short journeys to start with before going on longer ones.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

In fact tieing your horse up its always good for saftey etc reasons but i wouldn't with out a partition.

Trying with another horse sounds good but then you could have the trouble of weaning him off.

I like the mirror idea not just because metaly he wont feel so trapped, feel like more horses and give him some thing to watch!!

I know this sounds wierd but i found taking horses on long trips works better... they do soon settle and relax. Rather then unsettleing them with quick ones!

Again drive off as soon as hes loaded and unloaded quickly too!

 

[monica123]

do you have windows at the front of the trailer?

 

[Louby]

I think peoples opinions differ greatly on the partition/no partition theory but in my limited experience they travel better without. I tried my old mare without on the recomendation of a friend and she was so much better, she used to scrabble about when boxed in. My new boy too travelled much better without, infact I think he would have struggled fitting with the partition in. Apparantly they spread there legs to balance and often stand on the diagonal. Some people cross tie but I didnt. I tied him to the ring that allowed him to stand on the diagonal he prefered easiest. Saying that got a new trailer and he was that frightenned as you said panicking when the ramp was up that in the end I sold it as I couldnt cope with the stress of it all.
Can I suggest you practice loading with the front top door shut so he doesnt suddenly feel claustaphobic. I practised walking through, then standing in it, then with the front all closed up and then finally the ramp up.
Good luck.

 

[MagicMelon]

Keep practicing! When I bought my 3yo Welshie (who has serious strength... and knows it!) - I began practicing general things like loading etc. He would load fine but close the doors and he'd freak out - he was basically nuts! He would rear up, banging his head on the roof, charging into the front bar, rocking about - it was awful. He actually went straight over the bar a few times it was that bad..... I did lots of clicker training with him. Putting him in with all doors open and feeding him in there so he got the idea it was a nice space. I found he'd begin freaking out when I left him so Id start slowly going out of sight. Then Id begin closing just one door and once he settled, letting him out. Until Id built up to all doors. He was bareable at that point when we started going places - But I had to travel with him. I know people will say thats so dangerous - but if I left him he would simply rear over the bar everytime. So Id be with him for short journeys giving him a treat when he was quiet and calm. Eventually he had to travel on his own but still kicked up a bit of a fuss. He managed to open the jockey door once and decided he wanted to get out of it mid-journey! The rope luckily held him so he ended up with his entire body squeezed into the very front (in front of the breast bard). THAT was not a good day!!!

So it took a long time, maybe 2 months but eventually he got better and now he's so much better, he's silent in the back and only makes a bit of a fuss if we stop for ages (like at traffic lights) because he wants out!

Yours doesnt sound quite as bad as him though, so its simply a case of making everything simple - ie. putting him in without closing doors and letting him just stand like that for maybe 10 mins a day at first. Good luck - it is a pain of a problem!!

 

[Louby]

I wish I was as brave as you.... well done for getting that far. I gave up when my 16.2hh freaked and made a dash for the jockey door! My nerves wouldnt take anymore so I sold the trailer. Will be moaning again soon though as cant afford a wagon and got money burning a hole in the bank for a ...trailer. Looks like I'll be trying it all over again.

 

[Peanot]

Hi, I used to have travelling nightmares, and so I sympathise with you. I had a lorry built to spec for my mare after buying 2 ready made ones. She would paw the ground, weave, (which she never does at any other time) she would also buck and kick out and generally be really anxious. I had tried everything to letting her loose when I was in there but she wouldn`t settle. This was to see which way she preferred to travel.
I put in a mirror and it did get better as she was always better when she wasn`t on her own.
Last year, I tried a friends trailer, and she was so relaxed, it was amazing. So I bought my own.
I also put the mirror that I had in the lorry, in the trailer. I always travel with the partition in and she is great. One day when we were in a rush on the return from a show, hubby decided to shut the back top doors before I had got her off, and she started to panic. This proved that it was the thought of being shut in an enlosed space.
Perhaps you could try not shutting the top, if it could be securely fastened back? I don`t know if it is legal but I saw someone travelling along with the top door open while on the roads not too long ago. Is it legal?
If it is, then I would go for a mirror. I position mine on the opposite side to the door alongside her head.
I was so desperate, I bought a magnetic rug as these are supposed to calm, used Rescue Remedy, put treats in her haynet to keep her occupied, and I used the Temperalax on 2 occasions.
The things we do for our horses!

 

[MagicMelon]

Forgot to say - I also put in a mirror into the front bit of the trailer (on the other side which in our Bateson was on the top front ramp door). I think it helped a bit, one pony I used to load would neigh at her own reflection! Might be worth a go, I found mine on Ebay - one of those stable mirror companies but they cut it to the exact size I needed.

 

[nedzy]

Thansk for all the suggestions. Good to hear rhat things can improve. I shall certainly try getting a mirror, then practise, practise, practise. One other thing though, when loading alone, how do you safely put the breaching bar across, or door closed leaving the horse just tied - think I'll need to enlist some help with this for a while!

 

[foraday]

Get trailer vision cctv for trailers so you can see what you horse is doing.

Taking the partition out is good as for untieing thats a tricky on in a trailer! In a lorry that's fine.

Would recommend you get the trailer vision first and see what you horse is up too-he may want to travel backwards instead of forwards!!!