Advice needed!!!what would you say to this!?

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hannah87

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Due to have my 13 hh 5 year old pony transported by a professional (who we have used before and is very good) from Scarborough to Gloucester tommorow (from parents to me).
Journey of approx 6 hours.
Pony has not done much travelling at all (guy knows this). He will be on his own in one of those backward facing 2 horse lorries.Guy rings tonight and asks if it is ok if he stops halfway down to go to his Father in Laws crematorium (sp?). He said it will take approx half an hour and will leave pony loose in lorry with hay and water in carpark.
What would you say to this?!!!
Bearing in mind if he doesnt bring him tommorow we cant get him down here for ages as fully booked.
Tbh I was abit gobsmacked and said Id have a think about it!
Thoughts?
 
My first reaction was "fair play to him for being honest!" as he could have done it anyway and blamed bad traffic!! :p :D

To be honest I wouldn't have thought it would do any harm, as it will give your horse a break from bracing against the moving lorry, but that is just my opinion :)
 
I'm sure your pony will be fine.....it would probably be good for him to have a rest from balancing whilst the lorry is moving.....as long as it isnt much more than half an hour....
 
I wouldn't be happy at all. I would have thought he can stop just as easily on the way back as he can on the way down. Daisy was an excellent traveller as long as you were moving but got impatient and started stamping if you stopped for more than a minute or so. I know alot of horses are the same,I don't see that you want to add an extra half hour of stress onto an already long journey.
 
When I brought my youngster back from Devon it took 4 hours and I stopped twice for about 20 mins to give her a break, she'd never travelled before. So a half hour stop in the middle might be nice for your boy.

I'd say it wasn't very professional to be doing a personal errand.... Do you know him on any other terms?

I'd probably go along with it as you don't have any other options. But what did he mean by he leave the pony loose in the lorry? I'd just leave him tied up in the stall with his hay, and maybe offer a drink?
 
Personally it wouldn’t bother me, it’s is his father-in-law after all. I’m sure your pony will be fine. I know mine are as happy as larry as long as there is lots of food.
 
Its a difficult one as its a funeral, feel I cant say no!
As he hasnt really travelled Im hoping he wont know that when the lorry stops its time to get off, therefore wont start getting stroppy like many do.
Although I agree a stop would be nice for my pony, its the fact he will be on his own for around a half an hour with noone checking on him, when hes no used to being in a lorry or travelling.
I think he means he will tie the other partition back, and untie pony so he cant get into trouble tied up and leave him with hay and water.
Really dont know what to do.
 
The problem is not him stopping, its leaving my young inexperienced pony on his own for at least half an hour. My main worry is he might panic or somehow hurt himself and noone would know for some time.
 
Both horse and Driver will need at least one break for a journey of that duration anyway. Better it is at a private car park than on the hard shoulder. But do take your point about how long pony will be unattended

It is good of him to be open with you about it
 
I would not worry, especially as the driver has been so honest about it, in all fairness to him, if he had not said anything you would be none the wiser. The horse will be glad of a break on such a journey, and as others have said the driver would need to stop for a break, and he is entitled to have a pee break and a sit down meal in this time.

I really really would relax, its just the same as him being in a stable, and i would really appreciate the chaps honesty !
 
My first thoughts were also how honest he is, but as someone else said it's not very professional, but then he could have cancelled it altogether, so at least he's still going to transport your pony.
I wouldnt leave him loose, but I wouldn't mind the break, it'll give him a chance to relax a bit, I wouldn't travel my horses non stop for 6 hours. I'd have thought he'd be fine.
 
I wouldn't be happy with the pony being left alone. You only have to think of the accidents you see at shows all the time with horseboxes rocking, crashing, horses getting loose and galloping around. I wouldn't leave mine alone in the box, but I'd be happy for the break if there was someone at the box at all times.
 
All very true, yet I cant stop worrying!
I think I am worried about the journey for my boy anyway and this just tipped me over the edge.
I agree it was good for him to tell us, but then I am paying plenty for his services and would expect that he would tell me if my horse is being left in a random carpark while he does a personal errand.
I am just imagining all sorts of horrible scenarios of pony getting stuck/trapped/panicking, not helped by unloading a mare at work the other day who had got under the partition and skinned her back to the spine :-(
 
Agree the driver has to take a break, but I wouldn't want the pony united and left alone, either.
However, I imagine the crematorium will be packed, as they tend to be conveyor belt- constantly in and out - these days, so even if the driver isn't with the box, should your pony start making noise, or rocking the box, I imagine someone at another funeral would notice and alert the staff, so they can get the driver. Just ask the driver to make sure he makes himself aware to the crematorium staff who can fetch him if they notice or are alerted to a problem.
 
Personally i'd not be happy at all, I wouldn't mind the fact that the driver needs a break or the pony come to that, but under no circumstances would I want my pony left unattended for that period of time, as well all know it only takes 2 mins for them to get into trouble, in half an hour gawd only knows what could happen, sorry but funeral or not i'd have to refuse.
 
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