Video Horse box breakdown on the motorway (ends well)

[Tiddlypom]

Just seen this put on FB by the firm I use for trailer breakdown cover. A horse box to horse box transfer on the M42, which IME is always busy. Other traffic was held both ways. I hope it never happens to me, but this is reassuring to see it end well, and there does seem to be a hard shoulder at that point.

https://www.facebook.com/1662127020756366/posts/2168990540070009

 

[Littlebear]

I have unfortunately been involved in the same situation twice and its pretty scary but the authorities are amazing when it comes to closing and securing the roads to keep everyone safe!

 

[bluepegasus]

It's a terrible worry, especially as hard shoulders seem to be getting less and less.

 

[conniegirl]

I nearly had to do this on the A55.
Unfortunately i had a bad loader on board who could take hours to get into a new vehicle but once he had been in once would load first time every time.
Police and I decided that closing the dual carriageway for hours was not an option so as were not far from a junction where there was a bird sanctuary with a big car park it was decided that we would tow it there with horses onboard, under police escort and then deal with it there.
Pony took 1hr to go on which was a record (shortest time ever taken) for him!

 

[Leandy]

Can't view the video but I have had two blow outs (at different times) on the lorry resulting in needing to pull onto the hard shoulder of the motorway and ringing rescue people who arranged for someone to replace tyre before I could continue. Didn't need to unload horse on either occasion but both times I was told that if need be they would have the police close the motorway for safety whilst actually transferring horse to new lorry but generally this is done pretty quickly by reversing lorries together once motorway closed and lowering one lorry ramp onto the other so horse literally walks from one lorry the other and there is pretty much no danger of horse refusing to load or panickng and getting loose on the motorway as enclosed by the lorry loading gates. My greater concern about breaking down is always actually getting to the hard shoulder in the first place (or if there isn't one at all....) and the time spent waiting to be recovered and for everything to actually happen.

 

[Leandy]

Forgot to say also that on the occasions I broke down the rescue people would either stay on the phone with you or ring back regularly to check all ok, so once in contact with them they were v good an didn't leave you to cope alone if you didn't want to.

 

[conniegirl]

generally this is done pretty quickly by reversing lorries together once motorway closed and lowering one lorry ramp onto the other so horse literally walks from one lorry the other and there is pretty much no danger of horse refusing to load or panickng and getting loose on the motorway as enclosed by the lorry loading gates

Youve clearly not met a pony like my last one, he would have stood on the ramp on my lorry and refused point blank to go onthe new lorry. Loading gates would have made no difference at all, he didnt go out side ways he just grew roots and if you pressured him he went backwards or up!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Another video of the same breakdown showing the long queue of held traffic on the other carriageway.

Someone commented on FB that the horse should have been led in a bridle, to have more control. That’s a thought, I carry many items with me on every trip such as extra water and hay, a lunge line, spare head collar, crash hat, gloves etc., but not up to now a bridle unless the horse is to be ridden. So another item to add to my pack list.

https://www.facebook.com/126231940779232/posts/2407354989333571

 

[twiggy2]

My first thought was that thw horse should have been in a bridle and on a long line-just in case!

 

[Marigold4]

I had an awful experience breaking down on the M40 when my fanbelt snapped unexpectedly. I'd even had an engineer out the day before to check the lorry over in preparation for this journey. The transporter contracted by the rescue company sent his girlfriend with the lorry instead of him, she knew next to nothing about loading or what to do when rescuing a horse on a motorway. All the decision-making was left to me. Young horse I'd just picked up was terrified but we got him home in the end. Never going on a motorway again!