jtp
Newbie
Posts: 31 
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Post by jtp on Jul 10, 2016 20:27:21 GMT
We have a 2 year old traditional who we travel in a new Ifor williams hb403. He has started rearing over the front breast bar! Which has become a total nightmare! Just wondered if any of you guy's had any idea's or tips to get him out of this before it becomes a habit😕 he isnt nervous or scared! Loads fine! And if ge does get stuck on the breast bar! Just stands still untill you take him down! Worried about removing the breast bars incase he tipped the trailer or anything..Help!!!
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Post by halycon on Jul 10, 2016 20:50:21 GMT
Can you take the breast bar out and just cross tie? I have done this with my smaller ones, why do you think he will tip it? Will he rear even if the breast bar isnt in do you think?
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Post by thelwell on Jul 10, 2016 20:55:56 GMT
I would remove the breast bar and the partition and tie him on the left against the front panel. Then take him for a short trip without too many bends or roundabouts. Think you will find that he stands on the diagonal and finds his sea legs. Don't know why this only seems to happen with Ifor Williams Trailers but over the years had to rescue a few from the roadside with the lorry. If they aren't going over the breastbar they are trying to climb up the side with their back legs every time you go round a corner. The above usually works as think its because they cannot spread their legs out and then start to panic. Only problem is that you can only take one horse in a double trailer. Never known the trailer to tip up so wouldn't worry about that.
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jtp
Newbie
Posts: 31
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Post by jtp on Jul 10, 2016 20:57:42 GMT
One or two people have said take both breast bars out. And leave him loose. We are worried he could tip it then. Not tried the cross tying without the bar x
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Post by halycon on Jul 10, 2016 20:59:42 GMT
I would remove the breast bar and the partition and tie him on the left against the front panel. Then take him for a short trip without too many bends or roundabouts. Think you will find that he stands on the diagonal and finds his sea legs. Don't know why this only seems to happen with Ifor Williams Trailers but over the years had to rescue a few from the roadside with the lorry. If they aren't going over the breastbar they are trying to climb up the side with their back legs every time you go round a corner. The above usually works as think its because they cannot spread their legs out and then start to panic. Only problem is that you can only take one horse in a double trailer. Never known the trailer to tip up so wouldn't worry about that. Definitely agree regarding taking out the partition, none of mine travel with it in now unless 2 horses in at once. |
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Post by comanchediva on Jul 10, 2016 21:00:43 GMT
We had one that did this, we turned him round and travelled him backwards and he was fine after that x
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Post by sjw87 on Jul 11, 2016 7:04:49 GMT
If taking the partition out, you need to put a full width breast bar in. The nose area of the trailer is not designed to be weight bearing in transit and can cause the nose of the trailer to tip. Also, in the event of emergency braking, the horses head and neck would take the brunt of it rather than the chest against the bar.
Likewise, facing backwards in a forward facing trailer can be dangerous as it is not designed to be used in this way and the bars are not in the right place to allow space for the head and neck.
A lot of horses travel better with the full width of the trailer but if I've read the OP correctly, it's a single trailer in use so won't have a partition anyway. He may be claustrophobic in it or it could be a case of getting someone to fabricate some kind of weave grill on top of the breast bar so he can't get his legs over.
Please ensure that you know how to use the external safety release for the bars as going in the trailer to get him down can be dangerous.
Sent from my SM-A300FU using proboards
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Post by kateanne0 on Jul 11, 2016 7:36:57 GMT
HB403 is a single trailer, sjw87's idea of having an anti-weave grill fitted is the ideal solution, providing it can be released quickly in cases of emergency. Years ago we had a youngster that got his legs over the bar but he only did it the once, he scared himself and never tried it again! How big is the youngster? if he is quite small maybe the breast bar sits in the wrong position, i.e not against his chest? I would also try some hay, straw or shaving bales stacked in front of the breast bar to give him a sense of security; he could feel insecure with the empty space in front of his legs. Good luck and I hope you find a solution quickly  |
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jtp
Newbie
Posts: 31
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Post by jtp on Jul 11, 2016 7:49:42 GMT
He is 13hh, thanks for the idea's guys :-) And yes it is the new design single, so he does have a fair bit of room in there x
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Jul 11, 2016 8:02:13 GMT
I've had a few who would only travel happily (with a partition in) on one or other side of the trailer, and it was explained to me that when travelling, they stand on the pair of legs on one side and spread out the other two for balance. Mine were fine when they could spread the "spreading" pair under the partition, which wasn't solid to the floor but had a rubber skirt, but if I tried them on the other side the legs came up against the wall instead, which frightened them. I gather it's often heavier bodied cob types that are like this. My best mare had to be given a wider space in a herringbone lorry for her hind legs to spread too.
I'd guess that this may be why yours isn't happy in a single trailer? Could you borrow or hire a double just to try him in it - no partition, just a single breast bar. If only a 2yo he will get bigger and heavier yet.
I must admit I used to travel mare and foal going to stud completely loose, the mare (big C) would turn herself round in it of f her own accord, and it was never a problem. Big double axle front opening Sinclair trailer towed by a LR, so maybe that dealt better with any weight imbalances. The only trouble I had in that way was one 16hh who used to sit right back on the ramp, which tipped the trailer back so it then snaked and gave a them a terrible ride, a vicious circle. Solved that one by hanging a tyre between her bum and the ramp so forcing her to stand further forward. Who'd have horses/ponies?
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Post by catkin on Jul 11, 2016 9:47:12 GMT
Lots of good advice here. Also, is the pony inexperienced in general with regard to travelling. You may find that taking him out in alternative transport, with a companion will settle him. He might then learn from this and panic/strop less when on his own in your trailer. We usually travel the less experienced with company and in larger stalls to begin with, but this option is limited in a single trailer. Travelling loose or back to front definitely has its benefits, but I do worry about this in a trailer as opposed to a lorry. How do you safely get in with them to unload or help them should the need arise without endangering yourself?
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Jul 11, 2016 12:22:12 GMT
Luckily that problem never came up for me, especially as I drove about on my own, but I did take anything out of the trailer so nothing to damage themselves on, hopefully, and always shut the top back doors in case they took a fancy to jump out, and stop them being spooked by anything behind. To unload I went in the groom's door with a headcollar and tied the mare up first, then dropped the ramp, or held the mare while A N Other dropped it for me.
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Post by bigmama on Jul 11, 2016 12:32:33 GMT
We once had a young 13hds Welsh C who, when he came to us, had already established the habit of getting both his front feet up onto the front lockers of a 3.5tonne whilst travelling. To retrain him, we would cross tie him with one side onto the lowest ring setting of horsebox ties and the other onto the front bar part of the partition and this worked wonders .. he stopped his bad habit and would travel normally again and, in time, he went back to normal, single tying.
Stick with it, though, takes time and patience and good luck 
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Post by millwillow on Jul 11, 2016 12:36:39 GMT
We had a breast bar jumper and we took our trailer to where we got it from and asked them to add 3 more breast bars at different heights, did the trick so now we can travel the horses and ponies and pains in the neck and not have any problems.
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jtp
Newbie
Posts: 31
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Post by jtp on Jul 11, 2016 15:21:29 GMT
Thanks Everyone :-) X
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Post by deucoch on Jul 11, 2016 17:16:03 GMT
As it's a single trailer, it wont have a partition in?
I'd say the fact it is a single trailer is more likely to be the problem, as someone has already mentioned, be could be wanting more room to spead his legs out to balance. I'd try him in a different type of trailer and see. I also think trailer cameras are a total god send, i wouldn't be without mine now.
Travelling backwards or without breast bar is against Ifor Williams guidlines as they haven't been designed for this (this is what i was told when i asked a few years ago.)
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