Problems with trailering older horse

[codysgal]

Hello,
I have a senior appaloosa gelding that has never been very steady while being on the road. Hes fine while going on a flat road with little turns, but start taking sharper turns and hes down to his knees. I'm now trying to figure out if there is any way at all to be able to trailer him without that happening or worse. I've moved from my parents house and I need to move him as well if at all possible. Any ideas are welcome!
Susan

[BUDDYSGIRL]

Boy thats a good one, I know I can't help but someone here will be able to. Good luck

[MrsJake]

Hi there Susan, I'm not sure if this will help at all, but I can try!
First of all, I'm wondering what kind of trailer you have hauled him in. My old mare has NEVER been able to stand up in the trailer. Well, what I mean is that she can't balance. She used to fall over sideways in the 2 horse straight load and step all over herself with her back feet. She was fine just going straight, but when we went around a corner, no matter how slow, she would start banging around back there trying to stay on all four hooves. We thought that having the divider in would help to hold her up, and we tried everything to save her pretty little legs, but she would always cut herself with her hooves when she tried to step over to get her balance. MAJOR BUMMER!!! Well anyway, we decided one day to pull the divider all the way over to one side to give her more space at her back feet, and ever since then we haven't had a problem. She doesn't even clunk around, all she needed was to be able to put her back feet out really wide to lower the old center of gravity a bit, and she's golden. I picked her up from the pasture about a month ago, and even though she was wobbly on her feet from having rampant pneumonia, and not having been in the trailer for about 8 years, she didn't have one bit of problem standing in her trailer. So.... to make a short story long :oops: I would try to make sure that he has plenty of room to get his feet set, and also that you're not tying his head to tight. I know it sounds kinda weird, but the more slack he has in his tie, the better they usually can balance. If he can't lean to one side or the other and move his neck and stuff, it's really going to be hard for him to keep his balance.

Ok, should I keep rambling on with my uselessness for a while or what??? :P

[westmar]

Depending on your trailer size.......can he ride at a slant or backwards? Sometimes that cures the problem. Good Luck!

[codysgal]

MrsJake, I don't have a trailer, but could easily borrow a 2 horse straight load trailer, which is what we used to have, ours just needs to much work to bother repairing now. You may slap my hand for this but i've never kept his head tied, hes been abused in the past and is very fearful of being tied up, so we just let him be, seeings how hes well behaved in there other then the falling down. I'll have to give that a try though, it sounds like it could be something that would work.
Thank you so much for your help!
Susan

[mart]

I do not tie mine either so they can use their neck for balance !! How are her feet ?? Sometimes if feet are too long it throws them on their heels and balance will be off !! Be sure and get a good level trim and if they have shoes I would take them off !! Bare feet grip better !! Something else you might consider is a rubber mat liner for the trailer. Could be the footing !!
And one other thing , it could be a pain issue with an older horse !! You know trying to stand in a way that is comfortable in a moving trailer !! You might consider giving him some bute just to keep him comfortable !!

[Candice_17]

Codysgal, can you post a pic of your gelding? He sounds like a horse I had when I was a kid, he had been severely abused and was deathly thin. I broke him at the ripe old age of 10-11... We had to sell him a few years later and I've been looking for him ever sice... Short story long, could you post his pic?

[bixfarmboy]

lots of peole think that slant trailers were designed with space in mind but the truth is that at that angle all the forward backward and side to side motion is more or less evened out . they have one foot under them in each direction and can usually correct balance with out moving. I can push a horse forwards backwards and sideways but i cant push one at an angle. And responsiveness of you horse ( attentive or daydreamer) makes a big difference. And how much trailer time does the horse actually have under its belt. How's your driving can you put a 3/4 glass of tea in the cup holder and not spill it.

[codysgal]

Candice, I don't believe that my horse is the one your looking for. Hes 31 years old, registered appaloosa gelding who as far as i'm aware of has always been in the state of Maine, but here is a picture of him, I hope it works! I always love to show him off.
Susan

[Candice_17]

He is beautiful! But alas, you're right, he's not Cherokee :( Some day I'll find him and hopefully he will be in good hands, maybe I'll even get to take him home and cherish him the rest of his life.

Good luck with your trailering issue, I'm no good at that.