Horrible end to an evening :(

[NellRosk]

After cubbing tonight, loaded the 2 horses up in the trailer and set off to go home. It meant we had to reverse down a field. The weight of the 2 in the back started pulling the trailer downhill and there was literally nothing I could do as I was stood outside guiding my mum. Could see the panic in her eyes and she was braking and trying to get handbrake on but it kept sliding back and eventually stopped when it hit another trailer at the bottom of the field (it had a horse in). Thank god it didn't tip over. All 3 horses were fine, if not a little anxious. What made it worse was the fact the owner of the other horse involved started screaming at my already distraught mum. There was nothing she or anyone else could have done, just a horrible accident where thankfully noone was hurt. Can't sleep now argh!

 

[star26]

What a nightmare, your poor mum, hope she isn't too traumatised. That's lucky the trailer didn't tip over, could have been a lot worse if it had.
Sounds like you've had quite a scare. Hope you can get some sleep tonight.

 

[NellRosk]

I don't think she ever wants to drive the trailer again but hopefully tomorrow will have calmed down a bit. I know, feel sick at the thought if it had. Also the owner of the horse was screaming we'd made it lame but she trotted it up in a dark field at an angle so I'm not sure how she could tell. What a mess! But thanks star, ill try

 

[star26]

I don't blame her, if that happened to me in just my car (let alone with a trailer attached, plus precious cargo) I'd be feeling the same- totally spooked and freaked out.

I expect the owner of the other horse was in shock and scared by what could have happened, so don't take it to heart. Unless your box did hers some serious damage, e.g the metal crumpled onto her horse, I don't see how her horse could be lame. Sounds like an unfortunate accident to me.

Hopefully after a good sleep you and mum will feel better.

 

[babymare]

Oh hun what a scarey momemt for you and mother. but you and horses are ok. dont take it to heart with other owner she prob was in shock watching your trailer sliding and like you powerless to do anything. hopefully after some sleep everyone will feel calmer. big hugs to all inc horses x x

 

[FfionWinnie]

Not fun, I have had a trailer sliding on ice with sheep in the back but nothing as dramatic as that. Possibly she could have jackknifed it and stalled the engine in first gear (foot off clutch) to stop it but easy to say that in hindsight.

The other woman was probably just in shock too tbh.

 

[Jesstickle]

You go cubbing at night?! I need to join this paxk, muc nicer than 4am starts.

Your poor mum, hat would freak me right out too!

 

[AmyMay]

Oo nasty. No harm done though, and next time your mum will turn the trailer before putting the horses on.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Not fun, I have had a trailer sliding on ice with sheep in the back but nothing as dramatic as that. Possibly she could have jackknifed it and stalled the engine in first gear (foot off clutch) to stop it but easy to say that in hindsight.

The other woman was probably just in shock too tbh.

Ps if you had gone the jackknifing route, only very gently at the very beginning before it picked up speed and another tip for folk drive across the hill not straight up where possible.

 

[dogatemysalad]

How awful for you all. I expect the other lady was shocked so acted out of character. Your poor mum must have been horrified, but at least people and horses were uninjured.
What vehicle were you towing with ?

 

[NellRosk]

Thanks everyone, calmed down a bit this morning after some sleep. Jesstickle yeah we go 6-8 the first few weeks but last night was the last evening session so I guess it's 4am after that! And dogatemysalad, we were towing with a defender so completely unexpected.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Sounds very scary - glad everyone is OK. Might be worth asking ROG about it on here as he may have some tips on how to avoid or deal with such a situation that we can all learn from.

 

[Circe]

we were towing with a defender so completely unexpected.

I'm glad no one was hurt and the horses were all ok.
What gear was the car in?
Kx

 

[twiggy2]

Oo nasty. No harm done though, and next time your mum will turn the trailer before putting the horses on.

this

 

[FfionWinnie]

From what the op said the trailer dragged the Landrover which the driver was obviously trying to brake, but the landy has skied down because of the weight of the trailer, a case for air brakes on trailers as overrun brakes wouldn't have come on in this situation. I am assuming this was the result of a failed hill climb. Very scary and not a lot the driver could have done unless they acted very quickly to jackknife the trailer so it was across the hill and not dragging them down (I have done this myself on ice, the difference being I was on a road with banks on either sides and I knew if I did it, I would be able to get the tyres to grip on the grass etc on the sides of the banks.). It is extremely frightening and the driver would have milliseconds to react before the whole thing was totally out of control. In a way its lucky it went straight down the hill because otherwise at speed it could easily have couped the trailer.

When this happened to me, I had had a failed hill climb (hardly any kind of hill) and I had to let the sheep out on a road in the snow to get going again. So the trailer empty was still dragged back. Removing the horses probably wouldn't have prevented it, other than of course they would then not have been involved.

 

[NellRosk]

From what the op said the trailer dragged the Landrover which the driver was obviously trying to brake, but the landy has skied down because of the weight of the trailer, a case for air brakes on trailers as overrun brakes wouldn't have come on in this situation. I am assuming this was the result of a failed hill climb. Very scary and not a lot the driver could have done unless they acted very quickly to jackknife the trailer so it was across the hill and not dragging them down (I have done this myself on ice, the difference being I was on a road with banks on either sides and I knew if I did it, I would be able to get the tyres to grip on the grass etc on the sides of the banks.). It is extremely frightening and the driver would have milliseconds to react before the whole thing was totally out of control. In a way its lucky it went straight down the hill because otherwise at speed it could easily have couped the trailer.

When this happened to me, I had had a failed hill climb (hardly any kind of hill) and I had to let the sheep out on a road in the snow to get going again. So the trailer empty was still dragged back. Removing the horses probably wouldn't have prevented it, other than of course they would then not have been involved.

Thank you FfionWinnie, this exactly.

 

[Jesstickle]

Thanks everyone, calmed down a bit this morning after some sleep. Jesstickle yeah we go 6-8 the first few weeks but last night was the last evening session so I guess it's 4am after that! And dogatemysalad, we were towing with a defender so completely unexpected.

Well done OP, I am well impressed you actually managed to decipher what I was trying to say on my iPad at seven in the morning. There are so many typos in my post I can barely read it.

Hope ponies and your trailer and your mum are all ok this morning!

 

[legaldancer]

How awful for you all! However, thank you for posting this as I've learnt something from your post and the replies. I didn't know this could happen. I've had a laden trailer look as though it might tip when on a sloping verge once so I'd have been wary of traversing the hill sideways too.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Good post, I understand now Ffionwinnie. I was surprised, Defenders are such good workhorses.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Good post, I understand now Ffionwinnie. I was surprised, Defenders are such good workhorses.

Thanks. Sadly in that situation it wouldn't matter what was towing it. The end of my post isn't quite clear, after I let the sheep out (and ran them through to a field in the village!) I attempted to get going again and got most of the way up the steeper part of the hill which is when I ended up having to jackknife it.

I've done a lot of off road driving training and also my trailer test and thousands of hours of towing on and off road but nothing prepares you for the feeling that your foot is on the brake and the whole thing is sliding away.

I had a failed hill climb on a tarred road once with 4 cattle in the back ( horrendous left hand hair pin and I couldn't see to be across the road to make the corner and ended up stopping!). Luckily I was able to reverse back down the hill but I was on the foot brake the whole time as just reverse was too fast to get down without hitting something. One tip I now have is if you are reversing a long way even on flat ground put it in low ratio then you can basically sit with your foot off the clutch/brake as it won't get too fast and you will go back smoothly as you have time to make small adjustments (absolutely kills my knee/hip keeping the clutch in on a defender!).

 

[Goldenstar]

Was it in low ratio if it was I am amazed it would not pull forward.

 

[Moomin1]

Oo nasty. No harm done though, and next time your mum will turn the trailer before putting the horses on.

That comes across as a little condescending IMO. Good point though.

 

[AmyMay]

That comes across as a little condescending IMO. Good point though.

Wasn't meant to be.

 

[Moomin1]

Wasn't meant to be.

Fair enough, just the way it was typed then!

 

[Jesstickle]

Was it in low ratio if it was I am amazed it would not pull forward.

I'm not! I tried to park my trailer (empty) in the snow on a very slight incline and even using my low ratio box I was struggling for traction. I wasn't sliding anywhere but equally I couldn't get the grip I needed to shove a tonne of horsebox up a hill either (fortunately I was only trying to park in my paren'ts garden so didn't matter overly!) I imagine on a steep hill with lots of mud once you get going you're off, especially with a road tyre! Mind you, I do live where it is very flat so my knowledge of hills is rather limited

 

[Goldenstar]

But was it parked in mud.
I am not suprised the other lady had a bit of a meltdown it must have awful watching something crash into your trailer with your in.

 

[pip6]

Just as a precaution (I'm not saying it was the cause but there is no harm in being doubly careful), check the towing weight of the vehicle, compared to the loaded weight of the trailer, plus all the equipment you took, maybe some water to wash the horses, plus any gear in the back of the landie. As with lorries, sometimes there is little leeway between the weight with horses (& there again horses vary in weight a huge amount even within the same height bracket) then adding on any 'stuff' taken as well. Has caught out lorry owners before now. Advice about not parking facing uphill very good not matter what you tow (I've been a driving instructor for 13 years & also teach towing)!

 

[OrangePepper]

Sorry to hear about this accident.
pip6 has made some very sensible suggestions. Unfortunately trailers will not brake when going backwards only when going forwards. (It is the braking or slowing down of the vehicle towing the trailer that activates the breaking mechanism of the trailer). I would also have the tyres of your Discovery and trailer checked and ensure that your trailer has trailer tyres fitted rather than standard tyres. Maybe you should consider having grass tyres fitted which will have far more grip when driving in fields. Parking downhill is a very sensible suggestion and if not possible then turning round before going downhill. I would also have the trye pressure of your trailer and Discovery checked out.

 

[NellRosk]

But was it parked in mud.
I am not suprised the other lady had a bit of a meltdown it must have awful watching something crash into your trailer with your in.

My horses were in the trailer as well and I managed to keep calm and collected. It was a terrible shock to see but there was no way anything could have been injured really, it only reversed in very slowly so the trailer just moved slightly. Only the same movement as the horse would feel on a bumpy track. Absolutely no excuse to talk to my already extremely distressed mum like that.

 

[NellRosk]

Thanks pip6, we already checked prior to towing but the car is a defender and easily up to the weight. It was just the nature of the accident and where it was parked and the ground. But thanks, all I can say is I'm glad noone was hurt and we can all learn from this, a few people have commented saying it's made them aware of the danger.