first horse Box journey

[XjenX]

I'm picking up my new hore tomorrow a 15.3 t.b I'm driving 3 hrs down to get her then back up never travelled with a trailer any tips?

 

[Cowpony]

Do you mean the horse has never travelled in a trailer or you have never driven one?

 

[dibbin]

If you've never driven a trailer my only tip would be to get a professional transporter to pick her up for you instead.

 

[Annagain]

I'd have a test drive tonight. The last thing you want is to be on a deadline and a long journey on your first trip.
I wouldn't recommend doing it but some tips if you have to.

Allow yourself plenty of time, take everything slowly (although not too slowly on the motorway!) and take all your turns nice and wide - remember the trailer will take a tighter line than the car so allow plenty of room.

Look ahead for hazards and speed up slow down gently where at all possible. Use your gears and accelerator to control speed rather than brakes unless it's an emergency.

If you need to reverse, hold the bottom of the wheel with both hands and think about turning the BOTTOM of the wheel the way you want the back of the trailer to go. Once it starts moving, steer back the other way and just follow it round.

 

[SarahWeston]

I agree with Dibbin - especially if you are travelling a horse you don't know that well. Better to be safe than sorry for you, your new horse and also other road-users.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I'm picking up my new hore tomorrow a 15.3 t.b I'm driving 3 hrs down to get her then back up never travelled with a trailer any tips?

exciting - this was me 5 months ago


BFGS ask someone else to drive the trailer, it is a scary and nerve racking thing to do first time and have the life of a horse in the trailer. My first time almost caused me to lose my horse in a trailer accident on the M4.



Have a good nights sleep
make sure you have plenty oil/water/diesel
breakdown cover
money for drinks food
haynet
travel things
don't go over 50mph
keep in the slow lane
move slightly to the left when a truck passes or you get sucked into their path
take someone with you who can drive a trailer as driving a trailers different to a car stopping distance - pulling away- larger vehicle in the wind etc.

 

[AdorableAlice]

I'm picking up my new hore tomorrow a 15.3 t.b I'm driving 3 hrs down to get her then back up never travelled with a trailer any tips?

Depending on your age you might not have an appropriate licence to tow a trailer. A six hour towing trip, on what is likely to be an exceptionally busy day on the roads with an unknown horse, alone and with no towing experience sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

 

[foraday]

Like others have said!!!!!

Driving for the first time is very very nerve wracking for the best of us!

No one has mentioned have you got equine breakdown recovery! It is no good just having AA or RAC for the tow vehicle as they will only touch the car and leave the trailer with the horse standing! THEY WILL NOT TOUCH IT!

So I hope you have called Equine Rescue Services and got the add on trailer.

Plenty of drinks, sweeties, and maps with your route cleary done - do not rely on sat nav!

Hopefully all will go well for you!

 

[XjenX]

Update I ended up getting someone to take me down when we got there I viewed her for literally for 2mins and took her absolute angel to bring up and lovely ground manners I'm posting another thread asking if anyone has tips for reschooling