horse panicked went over front bar on trailer: www.freewebs.com/horseawareness

Question
my horse is 7 yr old TB mare(IRISH) she is very quiet and willing to please. today my friend put her on the trailer to transport to a lesson, while she was loading her car with tack she heard the horse kicking (which she does on occasion) as she was pulling off it was worse and the feel of the trailer was different. she got out to check on the horse and she was belly over the front bar, when my friend opened the side door of the trailer Irish tried to lung out of the door but got further stuck over the bar. Irish has never done anything like this before, after we got her out and calmed and first aid to cut on head and leg, we walked her back on the trailer w/o a problem with in minutes she was kicking again and sweating profusely. we got her off then hosed her and walked her until calm then put her out to pasture. Why would this happen now and not before.

Answer
Any number of things could cause this.  Lack of training, lack of preparation, in a hurry, bad day for horse, cramps in the horse, bee sting, nail in floor, fear, loud noise, driving or stopping too fast, horse could have hurt itself when it kick.  But I bet would be it is a persons fault.  I am thinking you have straight load trailer since you talking about a bar, but not sure.  Another reason I would rather a slant load trailer.

If the horse was not able to jump forward over a bar then this would not happen.  If the horse was worked a bit before going the trailer it may have been more calm.  If the horse was loaded last and then started moving this may not have happened.  Using a trailer for a holding stall while you do other things is not good for the horse and only increases the chance of something happening.  Loading another horse may have helped so the horse would not feel so alone and scared.  And maybe nothing could have prevented it.

Without more info on horse and trailer, I can't give you a better answer.
You can my trailer loading page on my site and it may give you some other ideas.

Rick