horse pawing in trailer

[milkmaid]

OK, so this horse is going to have to cooperate or he's going to get a lead injection between the eyes. I'm just not going to put up with my trailer getting torn apart. I'm planning to try hobbles first; think they'd be easier to find and cause less damage to the trailer than putting a chain around his leg. Figure I'll put the hobbles on him in a pen first and let him wear them for a few hours; I assume he'll fight them at first and I'd rather he not do that in the trailer. Good plan? Anything in particular I need to know about choosing hobbles? and anything in particular I need to know about putting hobbles on a horse?

Thanks-

 

[Angus Cowman]

first of all have him out in the open when putting hobbles on him for the first time because more than likely he will fall down and you don't want any fences or buildings around him when he does so he won't fall on anything and hurt himself
2nd have a long lead rope on him so you can catch and control him, I have had horses that can outrun you with hobbles on

I used to take a horse shoe and bend the heels together slightly so you could slide it over the canon bone and then it would rest right at the hair line on the hoof when a horse started pawing the shoe would slap him and it would hurt so he wouldn't paw anymore
goodluck

 

[msscamp]

OK, so this horse is going to have to cooperate or he's going to get a lead injection between the eyes. I'm just not going to put up with my trailer getting torn apart. I'm planning to try hobbles first; think they'd be easier to find and cause less damage to the trailer than putting a chain around his leg. Figure I'll put the hobbles on him in a pen first and let him wear them for a few hours; I assume he'll fight them at first and I'd rather he not do that in the trailer. Good plan? Anything in particular I need to know about choosing hobbles? and anything in particular I need to know about putting hobbles on a horse?

Thanks-

Rather than hobbling him, you might consider attaching a free swinging weight of some kind to his front legs so that when he paws it bangs into the back of his legs. We rented a stall to a lady with a high dollar show horse a few years back. Her horse had a tendency to paw when confined to a stall, and she simply put a hobble-like device around his front legs above the knee with a free-swinging weight that would whack him if he pawed. Without addressing the underlying issues of why he is pawing in the first place, I doubt this would teach him not to paw, but it would condition him to not paw when it was on him.

 

[talldog]

Thicker rubber mat and hobbles---Wide velcro size !

 

[FarmGirl10]

I'm not really answering your question, but make sure you check that floor. Because I always remember hearing about one of great grandpa's good race horses pawing through the trailer floor. And it took his hoof off and he bled to death in the trailer. So make sure you keep an eye on the floor.

 

[jdot]

I would try to determine why the horse is pawing first and address the problem from that angle before attaching anything that causes pain. Hobbles maybe??? But a device that hurts the horse in my opinion is a bad idea. At best a last resort. I am a farrier and if the horse associates pain with that foot and picking it up or even with you putting the device on the leg then you are going to cause an even bigger problem on down the line. Is she pawing because she has been standing in there for an hour and is bored or does she do it right away? Is it playful or aggressive? Could there be something causing discomfort? Doesn't have to be discomfort in a foot either. There are a lot more questions to ask before hanging something from her leg and possibly ruining her. If she's worth anything now she won't be later with a bone chip in her leg or even worse worth nothing after losing trust in you or becoming aggressive towards you. Work with her, try changing trailers, tieing more losely or even not at all. Could be that she just feels trapped.

 

[kerley]

My daughters Quarter horse would paw and kick the side of the two horse trailer when hauled alone. I just pulled the pin on the divider by the rear door which opened the rear width of the trailer so she could keep her feet under her. She is wide, and that solved the problem. When we haul with the Goose Neck I just put her in one section alone and dont tie her, she rides fine.

 

[Double R Ranch]

My filly (which is being debated on another post) is wearing kick hobbles that i made. I use them when tied and also when being trailered because she paws like a SOB. The kick hobbles (i can tell you how to make easilly) don't harm your trailer if made right.
It only takes a time or to and they stop. I usually do start them tied outside first so they figure out when they paw/kick they get wacked. Best part is they do it to themselves so your not the badguy.
Then I put them in the trailer (if they paw in the trailer) and they paw once or twice, get wacked and realize they'd better stop. Be sure to be fair and not to walk them with them on.
I personally don't use standard hobbles in the trailer. In my opinion it is unsafe for the horse. They need to be able to spread there feet to balance and with hobbles this is restricted. This can lead to many problems later on.
Best of luck. Pm me if you want to know my secret cheep kick hobbles.
Double R

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

OK, so this horse is going to have to cooperate or he's going to get a lead injection between the eyes. I'm just not going to put up with my trailer getting torn apart. I'm planning to try hobbles first; think they'd be easier to find and cause less damage to the trailer than putting a chain around his leg. Figure I'll put the hobbles on him in a pen first and let him wear them for a few hours; I assume he'll fight them at first and I'd rather he not do that in the trailer. Good plan? Anything in particular I need to know about choosing hobbles? and anything in particular I need to know about putting hobbles on a horse?

Thanks-

Rather than hobbling him, you might consider attaching a free swinging weight of some kind to his front legs so that when he paws it bangs into the back of his legs. We rented a stall to a lady with a high dollar show horse a few years back. Her horse had a tendency to paw when confined to a stall, and she simply put a hobble-like device around his front legs above the knee with a free-swinging weight that would whack him if he pawed. Without addressing the underlying issues of why he is pawing in the first place, I doubt this would teach him not to paw, but it would condition him to not paw when it was on him.

Not good advice because then it can cause tissue damage on the legs or cuts and then the horse wont be worth anything. According to clinton anderson.

 

[jersey lilly]

Tie that horse up to a tree somewhere every day, saddled. Just needs to learn patience. And that it CAN stand still when tied.