We are having a trailering problem with a 9
yo gelding we've owned a little over a year. Our trailer is a two horse
slant load with a divider between the two horses. The problem is that when
we haul him and go down even a slight incline he panics and scrambles with his
feet. It is hard to explain but he is actually scraping up the front wall
( wall in-between living quarters and hauling area). I rode back with him
to see exactly what he was doing and he is throwing his body against the divider
(on his left) and his feet are climbing the wall on his right
side. Sometimes it is so violent that his left rear
leg gets scraped up bad. We have tried wrapping legs and shipping
boots and it just seems to make it worse and he gets them loose enough to try to
kick them off too. He doesn't always do this... I would say
that he did it a little when we first got him, then quit for several months, but
has been doing it for on and off for the last several months. The
problem is that I can't figure out what is causing it or what might be different
when he is or isn't doing it. He loads very well... doesn't seem to
dislike the trailer, and stands fine when we aren't moving.
The only time I've seen him do this is when we are going down hill.... even
slightly. (And in east TN there is allot of hills). I have tried
creeping down hills and when I hear him panic and start banging around, I stop
let him get his composure and then creep again. No luck.
We are considering moving him to the back slot, but am concerned that he would
try his maneuver and end up on his side! Or we are considering
taking him in the trailer alone with the gate latched open so he doesn't have
anything to lean against. Or maybe hauling him backwards, is that a
possibility? We really feel sorry for this guy, when he gets in
these panic modes he is really scared! We haul this guy quite
a bit... and like I said, sometimes he can go months without it
happening. Has anyone ever seen something like this or have any
suggestions?
