Does anyone else hate towing?

millikins

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I would describe myself as a competent and confidant driver, I've been driving for 30 years and towing for the last 8 or 9. I can tow well enough, can park and reverse etc but I hate it as much now as when I started. I spend the entire journey convinced I'll get a flat tyre, horse will fall through the (serviced) floor, I'll break down on a motorway.... I tow with a defender so no shortage of power, it's old but reliable, there is no rational reason for my state of permanent stressing, does anyone else think like this, if so did you ever overcome it or buy a horsebox?
 

Equi

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The day you stop worrying the horse will go through the floor is the day you don't care about your horse.

I must squeak about twenty times every time I tow cause I'm convinced every bump is a broken leg.
 

zoelouisem

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I'm the same driving my lorry every time I hear a noise I think it's the floor or something silly even my 12 year old daughter tells me to calm down half the time!! I regularly do 100 mile plus round trips at weekends and it doesn't seem to get any better!!
I'm not stressy when there's not a pony on board though!
 

CMcC

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Yes, like you competent driver, never anxious - well only once driving in the Isle of Man in TT fortnight with 80,000 crazy bikers on the road! But towing makes me anxious, I plan routes to avoid certain villages round here where the roads are narrow and always huge lorries to squeeze past, so end up going miles out of my way.
 

millikins

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Well I'm glad I'm not the only one, but sadly it doesn't seem that I'll get over it. I'm certain if I won the lottery and could buy a brand new Range Rover and Equitrek I'd still be just as anxious :(
 

pec

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I am much more confident towing than in a wagon. when towing I am using the same car (Shogun auto) that I drive with every day, with a wagon I felt I was driving something that I may use at best once a week (in summer), I felt the wagon had the potetial to break down.
 

Antw23uk

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I hate the idea of towing and I've not even past my test yet :( to be sensible it makes sense to upgrade the car and get a trailer ... but i hate the thought of towing so im holdin gout for that elusive little 3.5 ton lorry within budget!
 

Tyssandi

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I would describe myself as a competent and confidant driver, I've been driving for 30 years and towing for the last 8 or 9. I can tow well enough, can park and reverse etc but I hate it as much now as when I started. I spend the entire journey convinced I'll get a flat tyre, horse will fall through the (serviced) floor, I'll break down on a motorway.... I tow with a defender so no shortage of power, it's old but reliable, there is no rational reason for my state of permanent stressing, does anyone else think like this, if so did you ever overcome it or buy a horsebox?

I wont tow a trailer - I did once and after the last time I decided never again and bought a horse box and wont go back to a trailer again. I love driving my horsebox and cannot wait to buy my new one.

I have a 4x4 which I could tow with but hate the idea of there being two vehicles attached and not being able to hear the horses and knowing that I only have to control one vehicle not two. Even though horse box is not used as much as a car and trailer would be as I would make use of the car for every day, I love the luxuriousness you get with a box wc hot/cold water/toilet/horse shower, somewhere to cook and sit down in etc.
 
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Annagain

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I was towing my trailer empty at the weekend and was surprised to find myself speeding (ever so slightly, about 62mph) on the motorway for a split second. I never go over 55mph with the horse(s) on board. It just shows how much more attention I pay when I've got them on board. I dread to think what I'd be like if I had kids and had to drive them around!

I don't hate towing but I'm always slightly relieved to have arrived safely.
 

9tails

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I'm an anxious tower too. My car is excellent, the trailer is a fairly new Ifor 511. I tend to arrive with a stiff jaw and hunched shoulders, though on the way back I relax around a mile from home as I know if anything happens I can walk my horse home.
 

spacefaer

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I remember the first time I took my horse out with my trailer (and my parents' car!).

No more blazing rows with my dad because I didn't like the way he towed, no more stress about what time we left, no more discussions about whether he'd take me to a particular show ..... It meant freedom!

That was in 1988..... I have had a lorry (several lorries) in the intervening years, and am now back to a trailer. It takes practice, and hours spent doing it. We tow every week, sometimes several times a week, sometimes short distances although I have taken several trailers to Scotland and back.

The only time I'm worried is with a poor traveller but that was just as alarming in the lorry, tbh.
 

tda

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I was terrified when I first started towing, and was regualrly in tears at every bang, convinced she had fallen over!

20 years later, and lots of miles I'm pretty relaxed about it now. I tend to purse my lips with tension, but have a strange thing where I pull my top lip over my botton lip, it looks odd but stops me getting tense...
 

stormox

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I used to be, it helped that while driving I kept telling myself 'youre ok at this minute, dont think about what MIGHT happen' some things are out of you control and if does happen you can deal with it then.
Just make sure you are happy with the floor (get a trailer with an aluminium one if you dont like wooden floors) make sure ALL your indicators/lights/brakes work, make sure your spare tyres are good and you have jack and brace (get a long bar to put in brace, creating more leverage) to make it easier to use. I put strips of yellow reflective tape along the sides, and red triangles on the back so I can be seen easier, eliminate all rattly banging noises that create stress by oiling hinges/closures and packing breast bar, and you should be fine.
The more you tow the more you and the horse will become relaxed about it.
 

skint1

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I'm an anxious tower too. My car is excellent, the trailer is a fairly new Ifor 511. I tend to arrive with a stiff jaw and hunched shoulders, though on the way back I relax around a mile from home as I know if anything happens I can walk my horse home.

Me too! �� except I have a 510
 

Spottyappy

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I towed over 30 years ago, as a teenager. Hated it and brought a small horsebox as soon as I could afford to.
Last year had to sell my Lorry for financial reasons,so it was back to towing and still hate it. I'm not good at it, and struggle with the silly things like driving in too high or too low a gear. I have a horse camera and I know the horses travel well,so I'm obviously not doing it all wrong, but it's so stressful! I worry the trailer will get a puncture, come detached from the vehicle, remember to go extra wide round corners and so on. Hate,hate hate it!
Money situation changed and I'm goign back to a 7.5t horsebox, and can not wait!
 

cheekywelshie

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I towed over 30 years ago, as a teenager. Hated it and brought a small horsebox as soon as I could afford to.
Last year had to sell my Lorry for financial reasons,so it was back to towing and still hate it. I'm not good at it, and struggle with the silly things like driving in too high or too low a gear. I have a horse camera and I know the horses travel well,so I'm obviously not doing it all wrong, but it's so stressful! I worry the trailer will get a puncture, come detached from the vehicle, remember to go extra wide round corners and so on. Hate,hate hate it!
Money situation changed and I'm goign back to a 7.5t horsebox, and can not wait!

Yes ! I don't like it especially after recent incident!

I bought towing mirrors and order some signage for the back.

The week after my experience on the road - I went back on but only 5 miles away on a very straight road with no bends. that was ok. I think i will have to keep going out as much as possible but i have the fears everyone has mentioned and also being on my own. I recently popped into my local garage about getting a dent fixed on my car - the owners wife has horses and he has to accompany her :) i told him about the guy running out in front of me a few weeks ago and he said 'it wouldn't have happened if you were a man'. So not keen on being a sole female tower but no choice...if I want to go out.
 

poiuytrewq

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I'm similar with our little lorry. I think with big boxes you don't notice the horse moving or banging as much as 3.5's or trailers.
We put a camera in ours on the horses with a little screen in the cab. This has helped a lot as I or my passenger (usually daughter) can see that actually they are fine!
Not sure if that's possible with a trailer?
I don't go further than say 1.5 hours!
Breaking down with a horse on board is like my worst nightmare!
 

Goldenstar

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The day you stop worrying the horse will go through the floor is the day you don't care about your horse.

I must squeak about twenty times every time I tow cause I'm convinced every bump is a broken leg.

Total total nonsense you get your trailer serviced energy year ,you check your floor yourself as well and you know it's ok so you don't worry about it .
 

Spot_the_Risk

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I don't mind towing but really don't like having a horse in the trailer - my elderly horse travels fine but kicks if you have to stop causing me mini heart failure, the young one has been over the breast bar and God only knows how we're going to sort that out. I'm quite happy towing an empty trailer or our clay traps around, I can reverse through our very narrow Devon lanes but don't pressurise me, I'll do it at my own slow speed thanks!
 

peaceandquiet1

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I thought I was the only one.....am a nervous wreck, every noise or tug makes me fret, drive very slowly especially around bends-but I have no choice as can't have lorry.
 

bubsqueaks

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I would describe myself as a competent and confidant driver, I've been driving for 30 years and towing for the last 8 or 9. I can tow well enough, can park and reverse etc but I hate it as much now as when I started. I spend the entire journey convinced I'll get a flat tyre, horse will fall through the (serviced) floor, I'll break down on a motorway.... I tow with a defender so no shortage of power, it's old but reliable, there is no rational reason for my state of permanent stressing, does anyone else think like this, if so did you ever overcome it or buy a horsebox?

I Absolutely loathe it following an incident 4 years ago when I learnt an extremely costly lesson that our pony cannot balance on the left hand side!
Unfortunately cannot afford a lorry at the moment but the ones in my budget I wouldn't travel my dog in!!
Every time I leave the yard I am convinced it is going to unhinch up the steep hill!!!
Totally paranoid - always do second/third/forth checks before leaving.
The only way I have found to slightly alleviate any of my stress is by fitting a camera inside the trailer so that me or my daughter can see exactly what she is doing & if she did fall through the floor we would see it instantly!
I personally would not tow without it & can highly recommend getting one.
 

Follysmum

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Hate travelling a horse in whatever vehicle. Get so het up and worried before i go. I refuse to tow after an incident many moons ago , hubby tows and I have a van. When I am on my way I am not so bad but any noise and I have a wobble. Will travel wherever in my car, its the fact of having an animal on board. I do think a lot of us have these fears, its not nice but a natural fear incase anything happens.
 

9tails

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I Absolutely loathe it following an incident 4 years ago when I learnt an extremely costly lesson that our pony cannot balance on the left hand side!
Unfortunately cannot afford a lorry at the moment but the ones in my budget I wouldn't travel my dog in!!
Every time I leave the yard I am convinced it is going to unhinch up the steep hill!!!
Totally paranoid - always do second/third/forth checks before leaving.
The only way I have found to slightly alleviate any of my stress is by fitting a camera inside the trailer so that me or my daughter can see exactly what she is doing & if she did fall through the floor we would see it instantly!
I personally would not tow without it & can highly recommend getting one.

I really like the big window in the IW511. I or my passenger can see them in there; bickering away, stealing each other's hay or falling asleep. I've towed with an IW510 but even though the day was fairly cool the trailer had no slidey front windows and the horses got slightly sweaty and I couldn't see them. The horses must arrive dry otherwise I beat myself up that I've not driven well enough.
 
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