stressed pony whilst traveling

[sarahp]

I was going to say take out the partition - many of them fuss because they don't have enough width to spread their legs, particularly the hinds, to balance while the trailer is moving. Full width breast bar and cross tie.

[prm]

We had a pony which use to stress he got in a dreadful state. We found a mirror really helped he stopped stressing completely. I hope you find something which will work.

[wilbs]

As others have said take out the partition. And also try a mirror as prm suggests. Friend of mind had a bad traveller, and a mirror transformed the mare. They can be picked up quite cheaply on e-bay rather than the equine mirrors which are quite expensive. Just make sure it is acrylic and not glass!

[frozzy]

I have a mare that refuses to travel in an IW trailer! Having spent all her life travelling in a wagon, the only way she will travel is in an Equitrek!! Up a ramp, turn, fasten partition!

[catkin]

Apart from removing partition, other things to try; taking a travelling companion, taking off all rugs, driving more slowly/smoothly... good luck

[Mum, skivvy, groom, driver]

We had one who was similar but we couldn't take partition out as usually travelled two! We travelled her on the left and tied the partition back slightly (didn't put bars on) so she had more room for her back legs for stability and she was fine! Traveled fine like that for years, worth a try, I have heard of a few that can't travel on the right

[sarahp]

I had two (very inconveniently as we took them to the same places) who had to travel on the right! It was explained to me that they tend to stand on the two legs on the same side and spread those on the other side, so if their "spreading" legs are up against the solid side of the trailer instead of the flexible rubber bottom of a partition, as in my case, you are in trouble.

[wilbs]

But some don't like the flapping rubber. My other friends mare used to trash the trailer - she was travelled for a while without the partition to regain her confidence. Now they travel her with the partition in but the rubber rolled and tied up and she is fine with that.

[sarahp]

Mine was fine with that, she just didn't like to feel she was going to fall over as she couldn't balance! The big horse wouldn't contemplate even loading on the left, so we had to travel her on the left, with overreach boots on her hinds to protect them, otherwise she trod on them. She was OK with this for ages, then we had to stop when we went for hack one day (had to trail to do that) as she completely freaked out - when we looked she had managed to unbolt the partition and both she and it were leaning on the big boy, who luckily couldn't care less. We had to unload and sort out on the village green, daughter hacked one home along the nasty main road we didn't ride on under normal circumstances and I drove trailer and the other one - traveling on the RHS! That was the last time we took both together. When the D started having to travel in a lorry she needed extra width for her hind legs too.

[whitesocks]

Try travelling her on the other side, my mare can only go on left, and stands like a rock. If on right thrashes out and looses balance!

[pencaedu]

We had one who would go down & under the partition - first time we had moved all of 2 feet. He was 16.2h & it wasn't funny. We eventually found the answer. Take everything out, put horse in, do up back ramp & doors. Invariably horse will turn round & travel facing the rear. Happy horse. We now travel everything in this way, unless we need to travel 2. It may also be that he doesn't like the noise of the traffic behind him if he's used to a lorry, in which case, just try shutting the back doors.

[pipandwill]

We had one that did this, he did it on a 2 hour journey and I had to sit in the back and hold him the whole way!He used to wear boots while travelling so we put bandages on instead and he stopped.
Worth a try x