Am I cold hearted?

DanniRenske

DanniRenske

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Joined
19 December 2009
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Shifnal, Shropshire
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About 18 months ago I had an accident whilst travelling to a show, my mare reared up and over the partition in my lorry and broke her neck. Since then the horsebox has been for sale because at the time I never imagined wanting to use it again. I got a new horse who is the complete opposite of my previous one, I have been out to a few clinics and last weekend went out to a dressage competition and "got the bug" again. The problem is I am reliant on other people for transport which I absolutely hate. The horsebox hasnt sold its just sitting getting dusty! I love the lorry, I loved nothing better than popping my horse and going out for the day. Its perfect for what I need and I am starting to wonder whether not to sell it. I'd get it resprayed a totally different colour and get some weave bars put in.

The problem is until it sells I can't even consider getting alternative transport and if I wanted something different I would have to apply for HGV licence or take trailer test and change my car.

What I would like to know is am I being completley heartless in considering keeping it?
 
Not at all, although it must be hard knowing that something bad happened previously. I think a new coat of paint, a bit of a spruce up inside and some additional safety measures sounds like a fab idea. You'll never forget your previous horse and I'm sure you'll feel happier once you've been out and about in you lorry a few times.
 
Presuming it is a 3.5t lorry like mine then for every incident like yours (and that was really tragic) then thousands of horses are travelled every day without incident or accident. Unfortunately, nervous horses have always made poor judgements in lorries and trailers (whatever the weight, design etc) and statistically fatalities will occur. So if you love your lorry then keep it - the weave bars will help to ease your mind.

Good luck
 
barbaraNcolin said:
Not at all, although it must be hard knowing that something bad happened previously. I think a new coat of paint, a bit of a spruce up inside and some additional safety measures sounds like a fab idea. You'll never forget your previous horse and I'm sure you'll feel happier once you've been out and about in you lorry a few times.
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This.

What happened was simply an accident, and it could have happened in any trailer/lorry so it's not as if your lorry is dangerous.
It may simply help you to repsray it, etc so your not constantly reminded of what happened.
 
cai said:
not cold hearted - BRAVE. go for it, it was a freak accident and IMO you are very brave and strong. Go out and enjoy.
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Totally agree with this! A horrible thing to go through, you deserve to go out and have fun with your new horse. Modifications will put your mind at rest! :-)
 
It's only natural for you to feel this way, I'm sure a lot of us would, it's not heartless, you shouldn't feel guity though for wanting to keep a perfectly good box if that's what it is and it's there ready for you to use, I know it must be hard having those memories but every horse box and trailer out their at some point will have had some previous history of something not very nice, their large dangerous silly animals at times and these things happen, doesn't meant it's going to happen again with your other horse.

Give it a good spring clean, get it serviced etc, spurce it up in side and treat it as a new box, a new start and look forward to some good times taking your horse out to lots of parties.
 
Possibly, possibly not. ;-)

All we know from your post is that you have a horse you wish to transport and safe means to do so.

As others have said, get the lorry a once-over and go for it. Changing it is only necessary if you'd feel bad in it and that would upset/endanger your new horse. If you're fine everything else should be too!
 
Kenzo said:
It's only natural for you to feel this way, I'm sure a lot of us would, it's not heartless, you shouldn't feel guity though for wanting to keep a perfectly good box if that's what it is and it's there ready for you to use, I know it must be hard having those memories but every horse box and trailer out their at some point will have had some previous history of something not very nice, their large dangerous silly animals at times and these things happen, doesn't meant it's going to happen again with your other horse.

Give it a good spring clean, get it serviced etc, spurce it up in side and treat it as a new box, a new start and look forward to some good times taking your horse out to lots of parties.
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^^This^^. What about about spraying it a different colour too? Good luck!
 
I'm so glad that you are enjoying your new horse and competing again. My view is that, yes, absolutely, use the lorry. You loved your mare, you grieved for her after a tragic accident, but by contemplating using the lorry again shows the very healthy and normal power of healing and moving on with life. It doesn't take away what you felt for your mare, so please get the lorry back on the road and have fun. Your new horse sounds fab, its a new chapter in your life. You are not cold hearted. Absolutely not, no way.
 
You mare had a really horrible accident but at the end of the day it was just an accident and these will, unfortunately, happen. If there are any safety measures you can add, by all means do so, but try not to stress about it too much. I am sure you and your new horse will have a great time going out and about again.
 
Not heartless at all. But totally understand your feelings about this. Some good ideas already about maybe sprucing the box up, changing the colour and stuff like that. Take care and enjoy getting out and about with your new horse x
 
Accidents happen, no matter how safe we try to keep them. I saw a horse break its back in a trailer last year. Think it had somehow got under the breech bar at the back (wasn't trying to get out, stood quietly beforehand). Nothing wrong with trailer, back ramp had been opened as hot day to let more air in. Terrible for poor owner, everyone felt for her.
 
I'm another who doesn't think you're heartless. I'm sure that it was a truly horrible experience for you but it was an accident. You have already decided to add extra safety measures, so why not use the box.
You started the moving on process when you bought your new horse, now you need to be able to enjoy her to the full and actually there are probably fewer accidents in lorries than with trailers, so it makes sense to use your box.
Enjoy!
 
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