Horse booting the hell out of the trailer!

squidsin

squidsin

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Feb 16, 2013
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I took Angel to horse camp this weekend and although I was worried she'd be a horror as she's been very on edge and hard to handle since I moved her, she was fantastic. Didn't really like the indoor arena but I think, like me, she's not the biggest fan of dressage training anyway! And jumped like a stag. We did a course of 85cms on grass and she flew over everything in the XC field, and didn't even bat an eye at the steps that she normally hates. We did a few 80s so I was really pleased with her.

When I tried to load her - both ways - she went absolutely nuts. Went onto the trailer OK but then started double barrelling and carried on kicking angrily even when the back went up. It's quite dangerous getting the pole up behind her! Thank goodness Ifor Williams trailers are incredibly sturdy. I don't think it's my driving as she's fine once we get going and she's fine to take OFF the trailer but she does seem to get separation anxiety about being on her own. I think this is why she hates loading so much as I've been travelling her alone. I doubt she'd be like that with another horse on board. Any tips or advice on how to deal with this? I'm worried she'll injure herself or kick someone in the face. (She never kicks normally btw.)
 
I'd put your theory to the test, load another horse with her and see if she stops the kicking, if so you could maybe put a stable mirror in there to help her feel better about being alone? if not then you can keep hunting for the real cause of the problem.
 
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Jessey said:
I'd put your theory to the test, load another horse with her and see if she stops the kicking, if so you could maybe put a stable mirror in there to help her feel better about being alone? if not then you can keep hunting for the real cause of the problem.
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I'm pretty sure it IS that as last time I travelled with a friend's horse, she loaded herself! Then she had ridiculous separation anxiety at the other end, when we tried to go our separate ways on the XC course, which was a pain though. She's a horse who gets massive anxiety when she's not around other horses. It was quite sweet at camp as she recognised a horse we have lessons with sometimes, and started neighing excitedly as soon as she saw him, but then typically she started to stress a bit every time he went away!
 
squidsin said:
I'm pretty sure it IS that as last time I travelled with a friend's horse, she loaded herself! Then she had ridiculous separation anxiety at the other end, when we tried to go our separate ways on the XC course, which was a pain though. She's a horse who gets massive anxiety when she's not around other horses. It was quite sweet at camp as she recognised a horse we have lessons with sometimes, and started neighing excitedly as soon as she saw him, but then typically she started to stress a bit every time he went away!
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My arab was like that, it was way easier to take him places alone. Thinking about it he would also get stompy and fidgety on the trailer when we weren't moving, though I think he did the same with company too, I just used to have everything ready to go as soon as he was on and avoid stopping for fuel with him on board :rolleyes:
 
Jessey said:
My arab was like that, it was way easier to take him places alone. Thinking about it he would also get stompy and fidgety on the trailer when we weren't moving, though I think he did the same with company too, I just used to have everything ready to go as soon as he was on and avoid stopping for fuel with him on board :rolleyes:
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God yeah I do that too - everything packed up, chuck her in and go, and frankly I'd rather wet myself than stop for a wee en route!
 
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squidsin said:
God yeah I do that too - everything packed up, chuck her in and go, and frankly I'd rather wet myself than stop for a wee en route!
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Haha yep, and I used to haul him all over the country. Bo used to refuse to load to go home on occasion too :rolleyes::mad: He did eventually improve all round, it took years but I never specifically worked on the problem (apart from the loading to go home bit, I def worked on that)
 
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Take the partition Out of the trailer when you are travelling her alone. Stops the kicking and feeling of confinement they have. Also helps them balance better and reduces travelling stress.

I can't travel Kia in a double trailer as he was kicking and fell over multiple times doing it, he even went down once before we had even left the yard. I got a set of single breach bars and we haven't looked back since. If I'm honest I prefer it as I can plait, tack up and change rugs etc without him leaving he trailer in the typical crappy Scottish weather ;)
 
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MrC said:
Take the partition Out of the trailer when you are travelling her alone. Stops the kicking and feeling of confinement they have. Also helps them balance better and reduces travelling stress.

I can't travel Kia in a double trailer as he was kicking and fell over multiple times doing it, he even went down once before we had even left the yard. I got a set of single breach bars and we haven't looked back since. If I'm honest I prefer it as I can plait, tack up and change rugs etc without him leaving he trailer in the typical crappy Scottish weather ;)
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Really? I hadn't thought of this - is it safe to travel them without the partition? Definitely legal?! I mainly travel her alone so if this has a chance of working I'll definitely try it.
 
squidsin said:
Really? I hadn't thought of this - is it safe to travel them without the partition? Definitely legal?! I mainly travel her alone so if this has a chance of working I'll definitely try it.
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I used to travel Jess without when we were going any distance as she was too wide for my 505, her shoulders touched both sides!
 
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We travel Charlie without the partition, full length breast and breach bars, he still kicks up a fuss though if the trailer stops but not half as bad if you confine him in a partition.
 
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How does it work in terms of breast bars though? Or do I just not have them? And the bars at the back (whatever they are called)?

If there are full length ones, can I just get them off eBay or something? It's a 505.
 
You can get them from any ifor Williams dealer. I got mine they weren't cheap but I had them for ten years, the one I have left is a Bit bent and battered now but I use that for the front breach and the back breach I use the smaller ones for the partition joined with two d shackles used to connect chains to tractors :) gives me a flexible bar as my friends big horse destroyed one of my breach bars by sitting on it as really he was too big for my trailer but she insisted on using it to move him. :mad:
 
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squidsin said:
How does it work in terms of breast bars though? Or do I just not have them? And the bars at the back (whatever they are called)?

If there are full length ones, can I just get them off eBay or something? It's a 505.
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Ifor Williams make full width breast and breach bars, you can buy them as an extras.
 
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My previous chap was a bad traveller. In the end we traveled backwards. Some prefer that and he obviously was one of those.
 
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