01 September 2008 11:25
My 15-year-old, 14.2hh gelding will load in a horse lorry, but dislikes our one-horse trailer. I can persuade him to stand in the trailer to eat, but as soon as we put the ramp up he panics. Is there anything I can do?
Answer
By Your Horse
Instructor Jane Vargerson replies:
A one-horse trailer is quite narrow, and many horses find them difficult to travel in. It may be that your horse would prefer a wider, two-horse trailer. To find this out, you need to borrow one and remove the partition so there is just the front breast bar.
Go through your usual loading procedure, and once your horse is in, go for a short drive. By using a double trailer and giving him more room you might find he is a lot happier. A lot of horses and ponies need to stand at an angle while they’re on the move, which they can do in a double trailer with the partition removed.