Just wondering if anyone has any stories on their horses getting a hoof (or hooves) stuck in the manger of a horse trailer. I had it happen as a kid in an old straight load 2 horse. Just had it happen again today, thankfully my horse is OK, but for some reason he bolted forward and into the manger of my slant load GN. He did it when the horse behind him was unloaded. I am hoping he will not do it again but just wondering what I could have done to prevent it, other than maybe tying him shorter next time. Any help/tips would be greatly appreciated.
Posted 2009-05-10 7:23 PM (#104735 - in reply to #104731) Subject: RE: Horse getting hoof stuck in manger
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Posts: 119 Location: 99320
Our horse, when under a year old, climbed in to the manger of our two horse straight load trailer. Her front legs were folded up as if she was jumping. We were able to get her out by encouraging her to back up. She walked back with her hind legs, sat back a bit, and slid her front legs off the manger. After that, we put up an aluminum channel on each side of the manger, slid in some boards cut to fit, and effectively cut her off from the manger. This horse likes to climb and climbs other things, too! I've heard some other "horse in the manger" stories from my old neighbor, so I'm not planning on buying a horse trailer with mangers.
Posted 2009-05-11 10:48 AM (#104752 - in reply to #104731) Subject: RE: Horse getting hoof stuck in manger
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Posts: 195 Location: Atlanta, GA
We had a 4 mth old jump into the manger and hit her head on a roof support beam and scalp herself. She was fine after over 100 stitches and some stall rest.
Same baby as a 2yr old would get board in the trailer if sitting still and jump into the manger and wedge herself between the front wall and butt bar and roof so that it made it almost impossible to free her. Once you got the bar off so that she could back off the trailer she would back out and pull her legs out of the manger. She wouldn't get up-set at all. Once she was free she would just load back up as if nothing had happened. I was so afraid that she was going to fall through the bottom of the mangers. After a few times of doing this I got the whip and blistered her butt while she was in the manger and she never did it again. Thank the good Lord she never went through the front wall or manger bottom. This was not a small 2yr old.
I have heard of horses falling through the bottom of the mangers and cutting the front legs up pretty bad. But it was years ago when everyone owned steel trailers with rusted out mangers.... Remember those days?
Good Luck with your horse.... Tying your horse shorter with only worsen your problem. If your horse can't back up and touch the back wall or butt bar it will make him or her set back on the tie and lung forward. Most horses when they set back on a tie will kind of lung/rare forward there for jumping into the manger.
I know this may not help, It is just what I have experienced. Again Good Luck.
Posted 2009-05-12 8:06 PM (#104810 - in reply to #104731) Subject: RE: Horse getting hoof stuck in manger
Member
Posts: 29
Usually tying a horse shorter increases the incidence of them getting front feet up in the mangar. If the horse is tied long enough so his butt will hit the wall before the lead rope jerks him he usually will not jump forward. Horses with little experience being tied will ususally lunge forward if they hit the end of the rope. I haul alot of horses of all ages and I teach my babies to tie a little before I ever haul them, I believe this is the safest way. Good luck and haul safe.
Posted 2009-05-12 9:41 PM (#104817 - in reply to #104731) Subject: RE: Horse getting hoof stuck in manger
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Posts: 201 Location: Lincoln, NE
I sold a muscular 7 yr old QH gelding who didn't like to stand tied. If he couldn't pull loose he'd arch his back, rear up and stike out with a front foot. He'd get a front leg over the tie rope and turned himself upside down a few times but he was stubborn and wouldn't quit.
The buyer loaded him into a two horse straight load and tied him. We transacted our business and the buyer went to leave. As he was going down the drive I heard a loud bang and saw the rear of the horse go up and over the divider and fall upside down into the empty stall.
I suspect the horse had pulled his trick of arching his back and striking out and managed to get at least one foot in the manger. He must have tried to climb in after it and flipped himself over. Fortunately he was unhurt and was able to get up once the divider was removed.
I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it. But after reflecting on the stubborness of that horse his behavior wasn't all that surprising.
Posted 2009-05-13 3:05 AM (#104827 - in reply to #104731) Subject: RE: Horse getting hoof stuck in manger
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Looks like they would learn after they flip themselves a couple of times..... I know of a 2 year old QH mare that has a problem like that..... She'll get PO'd over something and rear straight falling over backwards..... The owner will jump on her neck while she's down and hold her there til she calms down... Let her up and she may be fine for a week, or she may do it again within a minute or three. Some day's she is fine as can be, other day's she can be as dumb as a pillowcase full of knot holes. She's looking for a new home.
Posted 2009-05-13 1:57 PM (#104856 - in reply to #104810) Subject: RE: Horse getting hoof stuck in manger
New User
Posts: 4
Location: grand rapids
yeah, I'm not sure why he did it, he had plenty of slack in his tie, enough where I thought it might have been too long. He could definitely touch the back of the trailer w/ his rear end. He is 18 yrs old and is usually the quiet trustworthy type, he always gets a little ticked off when his 'girlfriend' my friends mare, gets unloaded first. He usually just paws and by the time we get home he is fine. This time was different and he ended up w/ his hoof in the manger. I am hoping he is smart enough to not do it again... Other times he has always had a hay bag in his face too, not this time, so maybe that was part of it. I am just nervous about it happening again. Thanks everyone for their comments.
Horse getting hoof stuck in manger
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