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Post by lucymay on Sept 25, 2014 8:30:10 GMT
I have a 16.1hh warmblood mare that we have owned since a weaned foal she is now 10 yrs old. She has never been the best traveller always shifted around a bit but last Saturday we took her jumping a 40 min journey and when we got there she was foaming white sweat, running down her legs and dripping off her face and belly. We have a 3 stall lorry and we put her in the middle bay, she has taken to throwing herself against the portion near to the back gates and putting her legs on a angle under the portion near the living, so basically she is on a diagonal leaning against one portion. She has cut her shoulder and just below her hip on Saturday from throwing herself on the portion which we have put extra padding on to try and stop her from injurying herself. Just don't know what to do/try as the annoying thing is this mare loves jumping and has won everytime out in the last 3 weeks but has just started to travel horrendously and don't know why?? I have the pyhsio coming out on Friday to check her over then I was wondering whether something like Reiki might be of some help to her, having never used alternative therapy tho I am unsure whether this would be of any help??
I was suppose to be going to a training clinic with the mare last night so we attempted to go but she was travelling badly again and within 10 mins she was foaming white sweat where she has been leaning on the portion so we turned around and came home. I had put ear plugs in her and given her calmer and this made no difference to her.
Having a companion makes no difference neither!!
Any ideas or what might help her??
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Post by roseview on Sept 25, 2014 9:11:27 GMT
I had a gelding that I'd bred who had always travelled fine. He then started leaning on partition, like you describe, when he returned from a loan home. We found that he appeared to be claustrophobic or did not like normal width space in lorry and we could only travel him in a double space or even loose. When he was sold the transporter tried to close the partitions on him and he didn't like it so she travelled him loose and watched him on the camera, said he was fine.
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sarah1
Junior Member
Posts: 114
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Post by sarah1 on Sept 25, 2014 10:17:33 GMT
I had the same with my Connemara -she was always fine travelling until we bought a new lorry and then was horrendous! She would always go in and stand fine not once did she ever refuse to box if anything she got excited about going in!!! but once the lorry started to move she would almost go into a trance falling against the partition. It got so bad we considerd giving her to a girl within hacking distance from our yard who just wanted a nice pony to stay at home and not compete - she tore half her foot off/ cut herself - the sweat would run off her and like i say she would go into a trance and almost not know what she was doing. We took her on very very small journeys (to the end of the drive and back etc) and she got no better - we also began by putting the partitions closer thinking she would be able to balance more easily and she got a whole lot worse!! This is when we considerd giving up as it was not fair on her. However somebody mentioned giving her more space - the full space of 2 partictions (horses) to herself - under duress we tried and she was a different horse! She travelled perfectly - no sweat - no stress - no cuts etc and i spent the next 5/6 year travelling the country with her competing (mostly on my own) with no problem whatsoever. And she really was my pony of a lifetime! I know exactly how you feel and its awful to see, theyre all different but i really hope you get it sorted - let us all know Sarah
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Post by thelwell on Sept 25, 2014 10:24:48 GMT
Just take the back partition out, Tie her up to the centre ring and she will stand diagonally and balance herself. This always worked and with a trailer we always had a full breastbar and no partition. No rug or just a lightweight cooler and open all the windows.
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Post by lucymay on Sept 25, 2014 11:00:28 GMT
Thank you for the replies, we did give her more room last night but made no difference, so once the physio has checked her out we will take the back partition out and see how she goes! fingers x'd she will find her balance.
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Post by fanfarefan on Sept 25, 2014 13:44:30 GMT
stupid as it may sound just make sure you havent got exhaust fumes going up into the horse part !!!!!
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Sept 25, 2014 16:13:35 GMT
I don't think it sounds at all silly to give more space, but logical. Think about it - if you were going to have to stand and travel on a moving, swaying surface would you rather do it with your feet together or would you want to spread them out to balance yourself? I would definitely do the latter! I've had horses who need more space too, especially for the hindlegs to spread.
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Post by robrocks on Sept 25, 2014 19:08:29 GMT
In going through exactly the same- he even tore half his hoof off. I took the back half of the partition(505) out and he went on a short trip- with top door open so I could call to him and he was ok. When we stopped his back kegs were splayed beyond where the partition would have been so he must have needed the room. Tomorrow is another outing being ridden at the other side and sat is first dressage outing since march. I feel your pain! Fingers crossed for you.
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Post by fanfarefan on Sept 25, 2014 19:42:09 GMT
the only other bit of advice i can give to you is , with no horses in the back to travel in the back yourself and experience just what the horse does , i know from experience , if i was a horse i would never ever be a horse that you would get in a trailer or a lorry, or for that matter be able to be clipped , its just another angle to think of , it horrible in the back , and i know you cant attach too much human sentiment , it is a thought ,,,, try it !!!!!
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Post by Karen, garrettponies on Sept 25, 2014 21:14:00 GMT
Yes, it's horrid trying to stand in a moving lorry!! I tried it!
I had one who hated travelling herringbone in a lorry, would sweat, bounce about and get stressed. She travelled perfectly fine in a trailer. She just didn't like going sideways, couldn't cope at all.
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Post by izzybepop on Sept 26, 2014 19:46:05 GMT
I had a pony who used to climb the side of the box or partition until we gave her a double space and then she was fine. She would travel facing diagonally forward with her back legs spread out really wide and like this she was happy and content and would eat hay on the journey, but if you put her in a narrow partition facing forward in a trailer or sideways in a box she would clamber about and panic and get totally worked up. She would always walk straight in the box and stand all day so it obviously did not really bother her. Ive never had another like her since.
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Post by daisycutter on Sept 26, 2014 21:56:57 GMT
I would travel your horse loose for a while and see if she is any better, you say she is doing very well with her jumping, its a shame to have the worry travelling her it takes all the fun and pleasure out of it, been there !!!! just make sure you have her legs bandaged or travel boots. You never know once she is travelling well you may be able to put her back in a two space partition. Hope this helps.
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Post by Guestless on Sept 28, 2014 19:41:34 GMT
I changed from a forward-facing to herringbone facing lorry earlier this year and had issues with a couple of my ponies. I did find it improved a lot when I gave them more space which is a pain as it means I can only take 2 instead of the 3 I had hoped, but it's more important that they travel comfortably so that's the way it has to be
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Post by bubbles1822 on Sept 28, 2014 21:32:59 GMT
We have ponies that will only stand in certain partitions in the box and if not they threaten to sit down on use. Maybe if you can accompany him or feed him small handfuls of feed/treats to take his mind of it. It's hard when they don't travel as I feel awful for the first time we take a baby out... If you could maybe borrow another wagon with different layout it could be the direction of travel... Hope you manage to find something that works for your pony
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Post by lisadundee on Sept 28, 2014 22:33:18 GMT
I have a major problem with travelling my stallion, he absolutely kicks the s**t out of the box with front and back legs, he kicked the living door through and has almost gone through the body of the box! He travels herringbone and is dripping wet and extremely tucked when we take him off, he's the same on my mums 7.5t as he is on my 3.5t, I have thought about travelling him in the 3.5t without a partition but it worries me that he will have more space to really double barrell and kick out and he would be be able to stand front on at the living door and possibly kick it through again even though it does have 3 bolts on it now
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Post by lucymay on Oct 20, 2014 8:23:06 GMT
Just to let everyone know that we took the back partition out (the one she was leaning on) and she has travelled absolutely fine, travelled 1.5hrs yesterday and didn't kick and wasn't sweating when we got there. :-) Thank you to everyone that suggested taking the partition out.
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kirky
Full Member
Posts: 238
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Post by kirky on Oct 20, 2014 13:49:37 GMT
That's great news, | had a similar problem and my boy just wanted more space, as everyone keeps saying they seem to like to spread their legs to balance.
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