Always check your trailer/box BEFORE leaving!!

[Fools Motto]

Seems common sense really. Thought everyone did it out of habit. Seems not so. As I was driving down the duel carriageway, I ended up following a landrover and trailer. Couldn't for the life of me see what on earth was flying about attached to the rear ramp. Not until I got closer. It was a leather headcollar and leadrope, still tied to the string just literally flying to the side and behind the trailer. Gawd help those possible motor bikers as they over take too close, would have been wiped out!
Anyway, turns out it was going to the petrol pumps like myself, so I followed it in. The lady got out and proceeded to fill up, still none the wiser. I kept thinking she's bound to see it in a moment, but she didn't. I gave her a fright when I walked up to her to explain. Half the fright was that I clearly knew what it was! She muttered something about the children not tidying up after themselves, thanked me and then continued on her way.
Got me thinking though, if that was the ponies headcollar on the outside of the trailer, what was the pony wearing inside! I thought most people use headcollars, even if it was over the top of a bridle (perhaps hunting?) I saw 2 pony bums in there, so assuming said headcollar belonged to one of them!?!
luckily no damage done (seemingly), but please make it habit to check BEFORE you leave! (and double check all ramp clips ect..)

 

[fidleyspromise]

Youd think itd benoticible when doing up the ramp? I hope they dont leave thechildren to sort the ramp and dont bother checking it.
It did cross my mind, what on earth are the ponies inside the trailer wearing?
Well done you for letti g them know about the hazards.

 

[A Beary Merry Christmas]

Crackers thank goodness you said there were two bums in that trailer. When you mentioned that flapping halter, I imagined some lonely pony standing at some showground, or worse still on a road injured.

Good job, telling them about it people need to be responsible, not rely on Kids, Mine are in their twenties and still can't be relied on 100% when it comes to horses. Probably because it's not their thing.

 

[jeeve]

Need to be OCD about brakes off, chain on, safety clip on etc with float. Know that one mistake can lead to an accident. A friend had a float accident, forget the cause, but you would never forgive your self if it was because something was left undone, not checked.

 

[Thistle]

someone I know of didn't hitch up properly, the trailer came off and landed in a hedge, she turned up at the showground (another 2 or 3 miles) went to unload and was very surprised to see no trailer! Horse had to be sedated and removed from a hedge but was ok barring a few minor cuts and scracthes

 

[muffinmunsh]

Oh my goodness!
And there us me triple and quadruple checking everything!

 

[Capriole]

jeez i was like, wheres the pony that was wearing it!

I followed a trailer with its open jockey door flapping about as they drove along. I told them about it and they just went, grunt, shrug...

We check ours and check it again before we go anywhere, then sometimes we stop and I have to jump out and check everything again lol

 

[applecart14]

How strange! Me and my friend saw a horse box once driving off across a field with the ramp down. You could see the horses standing in their partitions! Everyone was running after the lorry! They did stop within a few feet luckily.

I drove along the motorway once with the front top half of my ramp open. Horses mane had a good blow dry that day. I was horrified but he was chilled out about it luckily. Had to pull onto the hard shoulder, dart out and shut the door. Its the only time in 15 years of regular towing but it shook me up a bit.

If someone else shuts the back of my ramp I always walk round after them and check it, same as boots put on my horse, rather do it myself to be honest.

 

[A Beary Merry Christmas]

Please also check ramp clips etc. after unloading. Two hours ago on the news, a three year old girl was airlifted to a Queensland hospital, after playing on or near the horse float on her parents country property.

The ramp was not properly secured and came down on top of her. She was unconsious there are no details of other injuries at this stage. Poor little mite, hope she comes out of this alright.

Very timely post Crackers.

 

[Tnavas]

At a recent show a competitor reported her daughters saddle had been stolen.

Later that evening an email came through via the local pony club email system - a saddle was spotted flying out of the back of a truck at 5:30am - the car behind stopped and picked it up - and Yes it belonged to the person who'd reported hers stolen.

A tale I remember hearing was of a lady who arrived at a show to find her horse missing and her ramp down. She turned around to go home and found her horse a few miles from home grazing beside the road - she either forgot to do up the ramp or didn't do it up properly - horse had fallen out of the trailer - fortunately the horse was fine! Woman is known to be a bit ditsy!

 

[*hic*]

I have a horror of the anti-luce clips because they DO come loose!

A number of people have laughed at me about it but on trailer ramps (and the back of my lorry) I use a carabiner on at least one of the clips like this:

Might just save one of those nasty incidents where the ramp comes down.

 

[maree t]

I am always a bit paranoid about the ramps on the trailer. Before we get in the car we always just walk round and check that everything is done up properly. A lady at our pony club drove off from a rally and had left her handbag on the mud guard , she came back looking but never found it. She also turned up at a rally having driven all the way there with the jockey wheel down.