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Discussion on Pawing and anxious on trailer | |
Author | Message |
Member: quatro |
Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 12:28 am: Anyone have any tips for easing the anxiety of my Paint on the trailer. He loads, and unloads well. In fact, when we bought him, we were talking to the owner, by the back of the trailer and he walked right on while we were talking, and finishing the deal. He seemed ok on the 2 hour ride home.When I take him out alone, he goes bananas. The first time, when I opened the trailer window, I thought he was going to leap out. I put a hay net in the trailer, and as long as Levi is with him he is happy and munching. I have been loading him and Levi together, for hang out time. As soon as I removed Levi, he paws and carries on. Should I correct him, ignore him or what? I need to take him alone to ride hopefully, since Levi is still on the mend list. He is extremely herd bound. I have hand walked him down the lane to his anxious point, and he has increased his distance away on lead. He is a good boy otherwise. Any tips to ease his stress level, and mine would be appreciated. thanks |
Member: mrose |
Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 1:14 am: OMG, Susan! Where did you get this horse? He is the identical twin of a young horse a friend of mine has. She stands an old Paint stud called Handy Man, and your guy looks just like some of Handy's foals!As to the trailering...is he alone besides when he's in the trailer? If not, maybe you should start getting him used to being away from Levi for short periods of time. It could be seperation anxiety instead of trailering. |
Member: ajudson1 |
Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 7:50 am: How is he in a stall alone? I'd do like Sara suggests and check out how he is alone in other places. I am always amazed at how a horse that acts so laid back will be the one that goes berserk when stalled alone!Then I think I try working him a little before to do 2 things: Wear off some energy and get him focused. Lunging with lots of direction changes, backing, flexing, etc. Not an hour marathon to exhuast him, maybe 10 minutes. Then load to rest, unload work, load to rest. I'd spend hours doing this one day. If he acts up in the trailor, ignore it, and unload, work. You can't make him be calm, just have to convince him it's o.k. to be in there and standing quietly is a wonderful idea. Maybe parking the trailer so that he eats in there every day would help to. Eats alone being the key. He looks like sweetheart! Bet DT or Alden have some great ideas too. |
Member: quatro |
Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 9:54 pm: Thanks all. You know I think it is separation anxiety, not really trailer problems Sara. I know that in dogs it is a difficult diagnosis. He is ok in his stall alone, as long as someone else is in the barn with him. If not he wears a path in his bedding so I know he has been circling.What can I do to make him more secure alone. I thought of sending him off to my trainer for a week or 2, would that help or hurt him.? He is fine in the trailer as long as he is with another horse. The first night I got him, I had him in a round pen alone, I had to move him to the outside pen by Cody, or he just worked up a sweat. I hope to hear from D.T. or Alden, they always have great tips. Sara, I looked at his Pedigree and saw no horse like the one you suggested. He has an A+ brand, and was foaled in North Dakota. Lived most of his life in Minnesota. Has lots of "scat cat" on the Dams side, One man's opinion on the sire. he is a registered paint, (I forgot to add the "t" when I first typed this, so he was a registered pain, I think that was more accurate! lol) He is a sweetheart really. suz |
Member: mrose |
Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 10:49 pm: Susan, I have a few "registered pains" also! One of whom decided to try and kill himself on a wheel line yesterday, so I'm not totally functional today. It seems to me that there was recently a long discussion on separation anxiety. Try doing a search. If you don't find it, I'll try and locate it. There were some good suggestions. |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Monday, May 28, 2007 - 8:03 am: How about this one: Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Behavioral Problems » Separation Anxiety.DrO |
Member: alden |
Posted on Monday, May 28, 2007 - 7:44 pm: Susan,May I add that using a hay net is very risky, too easy for a calm horse to get tangled let alone a nervous horse. I have used a hay bag, the kind that's solid with one hole, when I have to leave very early and don't have time to feed. But that thats pretty rare. The best training I know of for calm trailering (loading and unloading is a different matter) is practice, practice, practice. By that I mean load and go some place. Even my most frantic pawing horse, people must of thought I listen to rap in the trailer with all the pounding, now travels quiet even at stops. He slowly gave up pawing a little each trip. One other thing I do is delay unloading 5-10 minutes after I stop just so they don't get the idea that stopping means getting out. Good day Alden |
Member: quatro |
Posted on Monday, May 28, 2007 - 11:31 pm: Dr. O, I saw a lot of discussions on Separation Anxiety, but not really an article addressing it. Did I miss something?Thanks, Alden. I have been unable to get away from my business very often, but I have been trailering him, with his buddy for about an 1/2 hour to an hour. I would like to put him on the trailer alone, but wondering if I should correct him for pawing or ignore him. I thought I would put him on the trailer and put Levi in the front yard so he could see him from the window for a few times, then eventually work up to Levi out of site, then hopefully get a few lone trips in. I use the hay nets, and tie them up really high in the trailer, but I think I have one of the bags, so I may try that! Hoping to have one of my worker bees, come and ride him a few times before we actually get off the farm, if that is a possibility in my lifetime. It has been too windy around here, when I do have the time to go out for a ride. will keep you all posted. thanks suz |
New Member: rdrj |
Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 7:10 am: I also have a registered "pain", one who used to paw constantly in the trailer (he could paw the mats right out of it) and also would do the same in the wash rack. I had my farrier fashion me some anklets out of large horse shoes. He drilled a hole in each end, which could fit around my horses ankle and was secured with baling twine and a snap. This was definitely not an instant fix, but it made a significant difference. With time and practice, the pawing behavior went away. |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 7:45 am: No Susan,We don't have an article on this topic. The problem is I don't have much to add other than the personal experiences already in the discussions. It is not a well studied problem, which is a shame since every horse is capable of it under the right circumstances. Frankly I do not know of any cure other than separating the horse and then letting him get use to being alone. I do think punishment makes the horse more nervous and treats reinforce the behavior you are trying to extinguish. Ignoring the behavior is the key in my experience. DrO |
Member: dtranch |
Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 8:38 am: For trailer pawing, I like to work my horse away from the trailer, then allow rest near the trailer. I then work away from the trailer, then load and simply let them rest inside. I ignore the pawing for a while, and just leave them alone and give them a chance to figure it out. I will then unload, and go back to work. I do a lot of lunging, sending, and direction changes so that it is actually work, then back to the trailer to rest. In my experience, they soon learn that the trailer can be a safe and happy place.My program for the buddy sour or barn sour horse is much the same. I will work hard at the barn, or near the buddy, then go away to rest. If mounted, I will ride next to the barn or buddy and work pretty hard, then ride a few feet away to rest. Keep expanding the distance away before resting, then ride back and do it all again. Eventually, your horse will actually look forward to leaving the barn or buddy. DT |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 7:11 am: Excellent idea Dennis.DrO |