HOW BLOODY DREADFUL...

If enough people call the police and it turns out that it happens to be the same make and model, there is every chance they could be recalled if a fault is found. If you go on the VOSA website you will see that some trailers have been recalled over the years for different problems so, they are not exempt from recalls even though they are not cars.

Please take the time to call if you have had a similar problem as it would really help to prevent such a terrible thing happening again.
 
Hello there,

I have posted a week or so ago, but would like to re-iterate.
I am the police officer investigating this collision.

I need to talk to as many people as possible that have experienced issues with ramps falling on their trailers.
For obvious legal reasons, I cannot, and will not mention manufacturers names.

Unfortunatly, if this sort of incident has occured and no other vehicle has been involved (even if your own horse has been killed as a result) then, technically it is not recorded as a collision. Because of this, it is not so easy to locate people that have, unfortunatly experienced these problems. Some of which, the police may never have been called to anyway.

So, the long and short of it is that, as ever, we rely on the public to help us, to help you (and our horses.)

I too am a horse person, and fully understand the fears and concerns of travelling our beloved horses and also the importance of completing a full investigation to try to prevent this type of collision from occuring again.

So please, if you have experienced similar issues then contact me on 0300 123 4455.
Many thanks, Pc Kate Hardt, Staffordshire police
 
I hope that the results of the investigation of this tragic accident will be published in the national equine press.

I would firstly like to state that metal floors are no safer than wooden floors. Wooden floors rot but metal floors suffer from corrosion between the metal floor and the supporting cross members and angled side supporting struts. Do not be fooled by people saying metal floors are safer. They are not. To reduce the corrosion a membrane should be placed between the different metals however in time this breaks down allowing galavanic action to occur and the floor and the metal supports to corrode and break away.

As far as traiers are concerned you should all have a length of marine grade heavy duty anchor chain which you put around the rear chassis member of your towing trailer and the cross bar behind the towing hitch of the trailer so that if the trailer comes away from the towing vehicle it is still held to it. The chain must be long enough to allow for bends and be linked at the end with a strong u link.

The metal slides that hold the ramp closing mechanism in place should have a sufficiently large hole in them to allow for a threaded nut and bolt to be placed through it and screwed up to prevent the slide pin from unlocking.

Trailers should always be used with full width front breast bars and full width rear breeching straps.

I would also suggest that conventional trailers with ramps should be fitted with rear gates as fitted on to lorries.

May I also suggest that all vehicles used in transporting horses have long sleeved hi-viz jackets in them, a fire extinguisher, a large torch with spare batteries, a human and equine first aid kit and spare head collars and ropes.
 
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