horse that dont ship good

Question
Yes my name is ryan.I have a horse that is a very bad shipper and i was woundering if you had anything to help me change this.She is a race horse so i cant tq her. and she keeps getting worse every week. I have tried different trailers and rideing in with her and it dont really work.She just kicks and puts her back end on the wall of the trailer and rubs it till is raw and i am only 15mins from the track i race at.She does the same thing in her stall at the farm and she has been doing it for years.Help if you can thank you ryan

Answer
Ryan,

I am going to suggest several things.  It sort of sounds like she's claustrophobic if she does the same thing in the stall.  If she was my horse she'd be out in a pen with a run-in shelter, or have a stall that opened into a paddock and she could come and go as she pleased and not feel trapped in any way.  That would help the damage she does to herself at home.

The trailering can be a more difficult issue.  I had a friend of mine whose horse backed up to the back of the trailer and rubbed his tail raw in a similar fashion, but only when he was on the way to an endurance ride.  Once it was over with and he was on the way home, he didn't do it.  She had a thick pad made up and bolted it to the back of the trailer to try to minimize the damage.  In your case it might help keep her from hurting herself but won't solve the problem.  I would consider it as 1 step to take. Have you considered a stock trailer what is all open and just putting her in it loose?  I don't tie my horses in the trailer and a lot prefer to turn around and face backwards on the road.  

More so you have to try to stop her stressing so much.  She is a mare and I would try some herbs on her, you can get combinations that do wonders and are not drugs.  Contact Loryhl Davis at Herbs of the World (look her up on Google) if you want some specific recommendations to use.  She's a wizard with herbs and helped my mare enormously.  I ride an ex-racehorse in endurance and it was very difficult to convince Sailor she couldn't trot 35 mph for 50 mi.!! They do take time to work so would be something to be used long-term.

I would also get some essential oils and prep the trailer by sprinkling them liberally around in the front part where her head will be before you put her on.  Look for an oil blend with a name like Serenity, Happiness, etc.  I would rub some on her muzzle around her nostrils about 20 min. before you want to load her.  Also get some Bach's Rescue Remedy, both that and the essential oils are available at natural/health stores.  A dropperful, on your fingers and rubbed into her gums about 20 min. before you load her.  

If this isn't enough, find an animal communicator and talk to her!  This isn't nuts, it works and I do it all the time with mine.  It can be done over the phone, they don't have to come out.  But find out what her issues are.  I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't like being a racehorse.  My communicator said that my mare was unusual because she had enjoyed being a racehorse.  Sailor has a really srong work ethic, she's all business on the trail, she liked racing.  Chanin said that most of the racehorses she had talked to really didn't like it.  They didn't like being stalled all the time, the fillies wanted babies, they missed being able to run in the field, you get the picture.  So, if you can figure out what her issues are you will have a better idea of how to address them.  You may find out some truly interesting stuff!  I know I have when I've talked to horses.  

This is pretty much all that I can suggest.  I've tried to give you multiple avenues to try to resolve your problem.  Everything I would try.  I hope this helps you.

Lyn