Posted 2005-09-26 9:12 PM (#31021) Subject: Horse hooves in the manger
Member
Posts: 13
Location: Clarkston, MI
I've been reading all the posts on kicking and pawing horses and have perhaps a similar but more predictable problem. When I come back to the barn from an event my horse realizes he's home, gets impatient, and gets 1, sometimes 2, hooves caught up into the manger. The first time I paniced, now I just get pissed - I like to keep my trailer looking good and he isn't helping! At some point this could become dangerous especially if it's at a strange location. I thought I fixed the problem by stuffing a bale of hay in front of him and tying him real short. But, just today he smashed his hoove through the hay and it was back up in the manger. I'm thinking of trying to get the trailer modified by increasing the manger wall height (he's a big horse and the manger wall is short in comparison). My wife got really pissed and said she's going to hobble him. I've read bad things about hobbles in trailers especially if the horse is not use to them. What does the audience suggest?
Posted 2005-09-27 2:01 AM (#31025 - in reply to #31021) Subject: RE: Horse hooves in the manger
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
I had a horse that did this a couple of times to a friends trailer.When I was able to finally purchase a trailer of my own, I got a slant-load instead of a sraight load like my friend.Never had any problems again.Also, I now sometimes groom my horse in the trailer instead of unloading him as soon as I arrive somewhere so he learns not to be to anxious to unload.
Posted 2005-09-27 2:14 AM (#31026 - in reply to #31021) Subject: RE: Horse hooves in the manger
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
I don't think putting the horse in hobbles is a good idea. Ive also learned not to get mad at situations like this because we tend to do things that will injure ourselves or the horse.I could just see him rearing up and hitting his head in the trailer with the hobbles on. Horses that tend to have behavioral problems like this will tend to find another way to express himself.Try hauling him backwards if he will load at a back-up.
Posted 2005-09-27 7:03 PM (#31066 - in reply to #31021) Subject: RE: Horse hooves in the manger
Veteran
Posts: 216 Location: Chillicothe, Ohio
Just curious, what is the width and height of your trailer? Reason I ask, is that I believe the wide/high trailers that are so common now are not always a good idea just for the reason you are experiencing. The horse has too much room to back up and raise their head and get their feet up high...last year we saw a horse get their entire front end out of a trailer window. The horse had to be sedated and pulled back into the trailer, suffering some major skin damage to the legs.
Posted 2005-09-30 8:08 PM (#31199 - in reply to #31021) Subject: RE: Horse hooves in the manger
Member
Posts: 13
Location: Clarkston, MI
My trailer is 8' wide and 7'6" tall. It's a slant load. I actually think it's small for as tall a horse as he is (16.3 hands). He rides with a head bumper to reduce risk of head injury not to mention dents in the ceiling. I also wrap his front legs with shipping boots. I tie him really short! We suspect he has just enough room to lift his shoulder and get his leg in the manger. The dealer is going to modify the manger height - raise it an additional 11" - shouldn't be able to reach that high. It is being designed with rounded bars so he cannot get any type of grip / traction on it - hopefully as the leg goes up not only will it be too high, but his leg will just slide off. We're hoping it will teach him that if the leg goes up, it has no place to go except down.
Horse hooves in the manger
