What was your youngster like to travel first time?

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GeorgeyGal

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I will be boxing up my 2.5 yr old soon and just wanted other people's experiences. She hasn't had a bad experience of it yet so hopefully it will run smoothly. She's quite inquisitive and usually follows me anywhere so I'm hoping it will be fine.

I shall be hiring a small box and using a dually, putting a bit of her bedding in, any other tips? I won't really have much time to practise and cannot load with any others.
 
try to avoid a steep ramp and/or a step into the body of the lorry, take your time let her look and take one step at a timeif that is how she is happy, ideally walk in and walk out till she is happy to pause in the body of the lorry at that point offer a treat, when she is happy to just stop and wait then give her a few handfuls of treats whilst someone puts the partition across, when she is on don't hang about close up and get going.
Ideally travel her with a nice calm companion too.

mine was fine when she first traveled but when the hunt were around I used to walk her in and out of the lorries with our 12hh pony (who would load in anything), I used to be on my own with the pair of them and just go in and out, she gets hot traveling and I would suggest not putting a rug on and get her used to wearing travel boots before the day if you intend putting them on to travel
 
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She'd just arrived at the yard and didn't know how to back up off the trailer. Had never been taught. Travelled well but it took placing a small feed bucket between her legs to get her to back up and about 15 minutes.
So I'd say load on and off a few times and plenty of ground work without the trailer on leading, voice aids and backing up just in case.
 
Great advice thank you, yes I did think just because she is on don't shut up and go, unload and reload so she gets used to it first.

I am worrying a lot actually as I want it to be a good experience for her, was even thinking of having a IH associate there for confidence.
 
Hopefully she will be fine, but it is quite concerning that you mention that you have little time to practise. You will need as much time as it will take. If you are wound up at the start because you are on a deadline, she will pick up on that.

Ideally, hire the box for a longer period so that you can practise for longer in a more relaxed fashion.
 
GeorgeyGal said:
Great advice thank you, yes I did think just because she is on don't shut up and go, unload and reload so she gets used to it first.

I am worrying a lot actually as I want it to be a good experience for her, was even thinking of having a IH associate there for confidence.
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If you are worried then getting someone to help is a great idea
 
Hi Georgey - this IS a big step so do be prepared as much as possible. I'm glad it's a small box to start with and not a trailer - just a bit safer. My George had Pie as a companion when he came from Devon to Berkshire. I'm sure this was a comfort but didn't stop him just 'dropping down' as the lorry set off and laying there. I wasn't there but my sister was watching it on the camera and actually, going very slowly, jerked on the brakes a couple of times and he got up and travelled fine after that (that's not a general recommendation of what to do - just what she told me happened - there would have been a plan B!) I know of two different horses travelling for the first time alone in trailers that climbed over the breast bar which wasn't discovered until they got to the other end - it proved a real problem in both cases. The more practise you can do re. walking over different surfaces, teaching him to come off pressure will pay off - plus of course you'll have an extra person travel with you, can you keep an eye on him as he's travelling, and the right companion can be really helpful. Have fun!
 
First time (going to be backed) fine, but has since gone over the front bar in our Ifor, terrifying and when I look back it's amazing that neither me, my husband or the horse were hurt. Starting again from scratch in the spring when I have daylight and enough time. If I had to travel him now in an emergency I would take out the partitions/anything he could be injured on, bed the trailer down and travel him loose, obviously with all doors shut, fingers crossed I don't have to do this. I'm sure he just doesn't know what to do in the trailer.
 
My 2.5 year old was dragged out the field he was born in, put on a trailer and travelled 4+ hours back to my yard!

It took about 5 minutes to get him on the trailer, we were very patient and didn't put too much pressure on. The box was next to a hedge one side and I stood the other to keep him straight. He worked it out for himself. Shut it up and got going sharpish as he did have a 'moment' once he was first on, and sweated up at first. But after a little while travelled well and ate all his hay so can't have been too traumatic!

I put a bar on the top and bottom in the iFor to discourage him from going over the front. Every horse is different but I found with my boy if you just got on with it he was much better.
 
Thanks guys, yes I think a nice open lorry would be best. I've been doing the ground work leading over tarp etc and even into a dark lorry container (used for storing). She's a real foody so I think she'll be ok with a nice big net of hay, distance wise it will be local but being young and busy roads I daren't walk her there.

I remember a year ago I was posting similar as the first time moving to a new yard and had to walk down the road and she was actually fine even with a idiot white van revving and beeping behind us! Hopefully I'll be updating soon with a yay we did it!
 
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Good luck! I had an IHRA out to help with my youngster and she was fabulous. One brilliant bit of advice she gave me was that the first time you actually travel, go for at least 20 minutes as if the horse's heart rate is up, it cannot keep it up for more than 20 minutes and will automatically calm down after that. On our first trip Xas followed this to the minute! He has always loaded brilliantly but we havent been out much so I think I too will have to do the whole thing again in the Spring!
 
tobiano said:
Good luck! I had an IHRA out to help with my youngster and she was fabulous. One brilliant bit of advice she gave me was that the first time you actually travel, go for at least 20 minutes as if the horse's heart rate is up, it cannot keep it up for more than 20 minutes and will automatically calm down after that. On our first trip Xas followed this to the minute! He has always loaded brilliantly but we havent been out much so I think I too will have to do the whole thing again in the Spring!
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Ah interesting, spesh as it may just be up the road! Could do a few slow laps. I will get someone experienced to help as a second person. Did you get the IHRA especially for first time loading for a move on the actual day or for practise beforehand?
 
My boy at 1year 9 months travelled well first time with us. Asked what the owner thought would be best and just came to conclusion to travel like normal on the trailer -luckily only had a 40 min drive.
However saying that, took longer as we broke down on the motorway bringing him home! He was incredibly calm seeing as we were on hard shoulder and the trailer was rocking when lorries went by. Just happily ate his hay until all fixed.
He had been loaded on a trailer beforehand which I think helped with dam. But this was first time alone moving away from dam etc.
 
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