Ifor Williams Horsebox Accident

My breast bar has fallen down at the rear of my trailer before, but I've not had a problem with the partion. I travelled my horse yesterday and was only thinking how easily the pins come out. Luckily I unloaded from the front. So he could have easily stepped back onto the rear ramp had I opened that, mine too is a 2005 505 model.
 
A very unfortunate accident.....but how could it have been avoided?

Obviously the first safety rule is to wear a protective hat at all times when loading/unloading, but a horse could get upset at any time, not just during loading/unloading so the first thought maybe to help the horse and not get a hat on if your horse is in distress.

It would be interesting to hear thoughts on what procedure should be followed....sure you can open the jockey door, but you'll just get a better view of a horse in trouble and not calming down either. You can't do any action...if you climb in you risk getting squashed.
Opening the rear ramp wont help much..so the only option is to open the front ramp to get the horse out, and even knowing some weight of the horse is on it....there really isn't much of an option, except to try and stand back but the ramp could burst down at any time whilst trying to undo the catches.
Then even with a hat on you risk injury.
 
I nothing else, I for one will now think twice if a horse is in distress and make time to put a hat on. The extra thirty seconds might give the horse a chance to calm down too.
A horse got stuck over the breast bar, owner was panicking and wanted to get in, but there was nothing to be done but wait, the breast bar lifted up so we couldn't do anything. The breast bar eventually bent and longed itself free, and the horse was only scraped a little. In total incident took about a minute but if I hadn't stopped the owner opening up and entering trailer it could have been a whole lot worse. I think this also highlights a need for a Breaking point in designs.
 
BoolavogueDC said:
Genuine question, can someone explain how you close a ramp alone, without being stood under it?
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Closing a ramp you can see that the horse is safely tied up and calm and not squashed against a door. So it would be relatively safe to do that alone.

It is opening it after the horse has been in there where the big risk lies: I have had a situation where my horse got his front half over the breast bar and was wedged there. The breast bar only removed by being lifted and the horse was 17hh HW and weighed 650kg+ and was stuck on top of it.

I have to say we were well aware before we opened the trailer that there was a big problem, there was a lot of commotion and thumping that made the trailer move about as we were driving. So we were very much forewarned.

We opened the jockey door and saw what the problem was. We did put hats on before doing anything else. Horse unable to move backwards or forwards. The only way he was going to be able to get out was by jumping from a standstill out over the breastbar and out through the front side ramp.

Neither the partition nor the breastbar gave way. And this was probably approx 2003, so pre-upgrades by Ifor to their trailers. So I wouldnt support the contention that the design was inherently weak and not fit for purpose.

We stood well back and two people opened the ramp, both standing as far to the side as possible. Result: Horse saw daylight, jumped out over the breastbar and out down the ramp. Unhurt apart from small blood blister which healed after about a week.

The design flaw was in there not being any quick release mechanism in the breast bar in this case, altho how you would design that without weakening the strength I dont know, it's impossible to have it work both ways - never give way under panicing horse attack but be able to be released when we need it to. I

ts the sort of thing where I would be writing to Ifor to tell them and suggest improvements but I didnt blame them for an accident.

The cause of the accident was all down to us: we had hired the trailer and didnt see it was on the lower of two breast bar heights, we thought it looked high enough but we should have put it on the higher one.

The reason noone was injured I believe was that we took appropriate precautions (hard hats, several people) before we opened the ramp.
 
When closing the ramps, I think there is little you can do to avoid standing under it as you close it. But you need to be aware of the state of your horse, and if it's calm or not.

I have only started boxing recently, so keen to hear of advice for loading/unloading or lessons learned. Luckily, our boys seem quite good at it....though I did make the mistake of walking the first one to the rear of the box before unloading the 2nd and the one left in the box got rather anxious his friend had left him. So now, one of us unloads the first one and keeps him in view...though it does mean me/the wife has to unload the second on their own.

Be good for posters to put as much effort in advice etc. as pointing fingers at the O/P for possible legal claims.
 
rockysmum said:
I'm sorry about your wife.

However I have to say that she ignored the most basic safety measure that most people learn before ever loading a horse in anything. That is never stand in front of a ramp, whether back or front. Half a tonne of horse behind a ramp is always going to do some serious damage.

I have only ever seen an accident with a rear ramp but the potential is there with either.

No trailer or wagon will stand up for long if a horse really goes crazy in it. I also find it hard to believe that she didn't see, feel or hear what was happening. I would never open a ramp with a commotion going on inside, thats what jockey doors are for.

Hope she makes a full recovery
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100% agree with this. The most fundamental safety measure is not to stand in front of a ramp whilst unloading (or indeed loading). Riding is a Risk sport.
 
wes said:
When closing the ramps, I think there is little you can do to avoid standing under it as you close it. But you need to be aware of the state of your horse, and if it's calm or not.

I have only started boxing recently, so keen to hear of advice for loading/unloading or lessons learned. Luckily, our boys seem quite good at it....though I did make the mistake of walking the first one to the rear of the box before unloading the 2nd and the one left in the box got rather anxious his friend had left him. So now, one of us unloads the first one and keeps him in view...though it does mean me/the wife has to unload the second on their own.

Be good for posters to put as much effort in advice etc. as pointing fingers at the O/P for possible legal claims.
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Wes if you cant put up your ramp by standing at the side then you need to get it resprung. Its absolutely vital that you do so. I've been travelling in Ifors for years now and have had horse over front breast bar and been doubled-barrelled down the ramp too. But I would never stand under any ramp. Any reasonable trailer servicer will sort your springs.
 
I had similar happen with Frank but that was due to operator error but it also might clarify a few points. In essence I do not think I had the clip in the front breast bar properly when I left and it lifted coming free on the journey. Pony is a v good traveller so I didn't really hear him banging about etc he just stood there.

I opened the top door on arrival and he stuck his head out as usual (as per dubsie!), at 14.2 he didn't really seem to be in a diff place than usual. Went to open front ramp at which point he pushed forwards and I realised the situ, shouted at him to get back and put it back up quick (thankful for sensible 14.2h) as he wasn't distressed just stood in the wrong place I went in the jockey door and got a fellow hunter to let down the ramp when I said so to unload.

I do imagine the situation might have been worse if I hadn't such a sensible boy.

Craig on one post you mention that the partition broke at the hinge point, by that I take it you mean off the central post but later you state that the horse pulled the rivets out of the partition allowing the breast bar to move downwards. Is that the rivets holding the breast bar or holding the hinge I am a little confused but guessing that it was the rivets holding the hinge so that the partition moved down taking the breast bar with it?
 
Can you not undo the breast bars from the outside using the Allen key?? Has no one thought of doing that when the horse has gotten stuck on the bar?
 
I am somewhat shocked at the reactions of some to the OP whose wife has suffered a life changing injury. We're not talking about breaking a finger or a bit of muscle strain and claiming. Do we know if he's sueing IW. If he is - well that his choice - we're not the judge and jury. There will be far more qualified legal brains to decide about the risk element, the design factor and whethere there was any negligence. It's all very well do say in hindsight how we would have managed the situation but when all hell is kicking off many people react different. Best wishes to your wife OP.
 
I cant beleive some of the reactions here on HHO either!! The OP has NOT indicated he is suing ifor williams. If he IS then thats his business. His wife has suffered a terrible life changing injury. If youve suffered one yourself then you will understand that you want answers as to why/how this could have happened and how it could be prevented from happening again to someone else ( yes i have suffered a life changing injury and went through all these emotions myself ) have some compassion!
OP i hope you get the answers your looking for and i hope your wife recoveres well. x
 
m1stify said:
Can you not undo the breast bars from the outside using the Allen key?? Has no one thought of doing that when the horse has gotten stuck on the bar?
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you can but that was not the issue here, the breast bar had already dropped or come down meaning that the horse was no longer behind it. It wasn't, if I understand correctly that the horse had got 'stuck' over the breast bar.
 
Double_choc_lab said:
I am somewhat shocked at the reactions of some to the OP whose wife has suffered a life changing injury. We're not talking about breaking a finger or a bit of muscle strain and claiming. Do we know if he's sueing IW. If he is - well that his choice - we're not the judge and jury. There will be far more qualified legal brains to decide about the risk element, the design factor and whethere there was any negligence. It's all very well do say in hindsight how we would have managed the situation but when all hell is kicking off many people react different. Best wishes to your wife OP.
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Couldn't agree more
 
OP soo sorry to hear about your wifes horrific injuries - the description of the metal part of the ramp hitting her head made me gasp.

I have an equitrek which has a large side unloading ramp - there is no way that you can realistically lower or raise this without being in front of it - I have never thought about this before but before pulling the ramp down to unload will now ALWAYS look through the window first to check all is ok - I will also warn my friend to do the same. These things do happen and cant always be avoided - if there was a fault with the trailer or its design then I would be looking for compensation.

I hope she makes a full and speedy recovery.
 
OP, I am really sorry to hear of your wife's accident. And Yes, I have hearn of various accidents involving horses getting over and indeed UNDER and STUCK on / under breast bars etc. It seems the manufacturers really cant win - as someone else said, the components need to be man enough to do their job but easy enough to dismantle in the event of a crisis... unfortunately there isn't a satisfactory middle ground. Bottom line is, Horses do stupid things... especially when put in stressful situations like being put in a confined box on wheels and being trundled about the countryside. I would not like to aportion blame at all in this situation... it was just an accident.

As an asside - Am I the only one who ALWAYS opens the Jockey door first or looks over the tailgate to check all is ok before attempting to unload??
 
CBFan said:
As an asside - Am I the only one who ALWAYS opens the Jockey door first or looks over the tailgate to check all is ok before attempting to unload??
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Nope, I always get in through the jockey door first and do what I need to, then drop the ramp. I find, personally, dropping the ramp makes mine eager to come out, so I leave it up til we're actually unloading.
 
CBFan said:
OP, I am really sorry to hear of your wife's accident. And Yes, I have hearn of various accidents involving horses getting over and indeed UNDER and STUCK on / under breast bars etc. It seems the manufacturers really cant win - as someone else said, the components need to be man enough to do their job but easy enough to dismantle in the event of a crisis... unfortunately there isn't a satisfactory middle ground. Bottom line is, Horses do stupid things... especially when put in stressful situations like being put in a confined box on wheels and being trundled about the countryside. I would not like to aportion blame at all in this situation... it was just an accident.

As an asside - Am I the only one who ALWAYS opens the Jockey door first or looks over the tailgate to check all is ok before attempting to unload??
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No, I do this too. Due to a design fault on the 510 (never said it didn't have them) the only way to tie a haynet most horses can reach is to stretch a leadrope between the tie ring by the breast bar to the tie ring at the front and hang the net on that.

I have to go in the jockey door first to undo the haynet, then I open the top door above the ramp and only if everything is calm does the ramp come down.

I can lift my ramps easily with one hand from the side, no way I have to stand under them, but my trailers are always serviced every year.
 
As an asside - Am I the only one who ALWAYS opens the Jockey door first or looks over the tailgate to check all is ok before attempting to unload??[/QUOTE]

I travel mares and foals a lot of the time and l look through the front window before opening the top door above the side ramp, then I look over the ramp to check the position of the foal before lowering the side ramp. (mare and foal travel without partition but with a full breast bar and the foal loose) I wouldn't open the Jockey door first in case I got double barrelled by a foal with his backside under the bar.
I have a friend who had a horse get over the front bar of the partition and they pulled in to the side of the road when they heard the commotion. They opened the Jockey door and the horse fell out on to the side of the road but got caught in the door (not designed for a 16.1 3 year old to come out through). With hindsight, they'd have been better opening the top door over the ramp and on seeing the situation, letting down the breastbar using the Allen key from the outside but in the panic they opened the Jockey door, thankfully no one was hurt although the horse suffered cuts while trapped in the jockey door which will leave him with a few scars but could be worse. As the saying goes "You live and learn" and this is certainly through with horses.
 
Double_choc_lab said:
I am somewhat shocked at the reactions of some to the OP whose wife has suffered a life changing injury. We're not talking about breaking a finger or a bit of muscle strain and claiming. Do we know if he's sueing IW. If he is - well that his choice - we're not the judge and jury. There will be far more qualified legal brains to decide about the risk element, the design factor and whethere there was any negligence. It's all very well do say in hindsight how we would have managed the situation but when all hell is kicking off many people react different. Best wishes to your wife OP.
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Echo this^^^
 
deicinmerlyn said:
Echo this^^^
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Snap and frankly wondering how many would score highly on a psychopathy scale!

It's always these sort of reactions that make me get totally sick of this forum. Some really nice people, some having bad days, and some .....!

If anyone feels that this post is directed at them then it probably is!
 
This is probably a long dead thread, I trust you wife has fully recovered by now. We are in NZ and have a 2005 HB510 identical to the one we had in UK before we left. It has been used for daughters ponies over the years but daughters grow aand now she has larger, 15.2hh horses. Two weeks ago two were being moved, they seemed ill at ease, we checked and saw nothing wrong. Two miles later after a huge performance from them whenever we went slowly, very slowly, around a left hand bend, we stopped at the first possible place and opened the rear door.

The right hand horse was in a serious way, blood everywhere, the rear partition had pulled out at the front rivets, collapsed and ended up underneath her. Only her tough full length travel boots saved her life. Bad cuts to the hoof area, her side where the remains of the partition had sharp edges and under her tail where the bar had caused the damage. She is a darling, quiet show hack and will never be able to compete again, even if she becomes ride-able.

The Ifor Williams agent in NZ inspected the damage very quickly and did exactly what we expected, not our fault, the trailer wasn't to blame type response! Ifor Williams UK, the manufacturer, haven't deemed to reply at all!

I got an engineer to look at the damage, it only took him minutes to find the fault. The partitions are very poorly made. A composite of thin alloy sheets riveted into a frame of extruded aluminum sections. The Rivets on the front edge that take the load were only a few mm into the alloy sheet, the polystyrene extended a further 9mm on this edge stopping the alloy sheets bedding down into the frame section. Fatigue has slowly weakened the area around the rivet holes until under light load they failed the partition collapsed and nearly killed my horse not to mention seriously damaging the interior of the trailer. The engineer took the whole partition to bits, the rivet holes at the rear where no stress ever occurs where 20mm into the sheet, he feels this would have been safe on the front edge. The holes were all out of alignment, build quality was amateur at best, deadly is a better description.

This sound so like the problem with your partition, I just wondered what had happened in your case and did you sort it out with Ifor Williams?
 
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I would echo previous posters with regards to NEVER standing directly in front or behind either ramp when loading or unloading. I have previously owned 2 of the models in question and owned both of them for 4 and 5 years respectively. I never had a single incident in all those years despite competing all over the place on a very regular basis. I think we are all guilty of the old adage 'familiarity breeds contempt' where horses are concerned? It's only when accidents such as this happen, that we get a stark reminder of how very dangerous and unpredictable they CAN be to be around. Even now that I have a 7.5 ton lorry, I never stand directly behind the ramp due to the fact I am aware of incidents where springs have failed and ramps have fallen on people. I hope your wife continues to improve but please don't take it out on the manufacturer. There are literally thousands upon thousands of these trailers in use and accidents will happen from time it time sadly.
 
My post relates to an incident that has nothing to do with ramps, familiarity breeding contempt or anything you mention. Clearly many, if not most of the Ifor Williams Floats work OK but the way the partitions are put together is shoddy.

If you are unlucky enough to get one that is very poorly put together the partition can fail, the rivets pull out and the damage to horse or owner can be very severe. Most of us, fortunately were not killed in an aircrash which was proven to be a manufacturing error, it does not show that the manufacturer was not responsible for the deaths of those who were unfortunately killed!

Ifor Williams sell their trailers on a 'well engineered' basis but the fact that the partitions fail due to poor design, build and quality control issues proves this is untrue!

I have a seriously damaged horse, a trailer needing serious repairs and modifications due to the fault in manufacture and Ifor Williams in NZ and UK are happy to say nothing!

WinkingWillow said:
I would echo previous posters with regards to NEVER standing directly in front or behind either ramp when loading or unloading. I have previously owned 2 of the models in question and owned both of them for 4 and 5 years respectively. I never had a single incident in all those years despite competing all over the place on a very regular basis. I think we are all guilty of the old adage 'familiarity breeds contempt' where horses are concerned? It's only when accidents such as this happen, that we get a stark reminder of how very dangerous and unpredictable they CAN be to be around. Even now that I have a 7.5 ton lorry, I never stand directly behind the ramp due to the fact I am aware of incidents where springs have failed and ramps have fallen on people. I hope your wife continues to improve but please don't take it out on the manufacturer. There are literally thousands upon thousands of these trailers in use and accidents will happen from time it time sadly.
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chrisr224 said:
My post relates to an incident that has nothing to do with ramps, familiarity breeding contempt or anything you mention. Clearly many, if not most of the Ifor Williams Floats work OK but the way the partitions are put together is shoddy.

If you are unlucky enough to get one that is very poorly put together the partition can fail, the rivets pull out and the damage to horse or owner can be very severe. Most of us, fortunately were not killed in an aircrash which was proven to be a manufacturing error, it does not show that the manufacturer was not responsible for the deaths of those who were unfortunately killed!

Ifor Williams sell their trailers on a 'well engineered' basis but the fact that the partitions fail due to poor design, build and quality control issues proves this is untrue!

I have a seriously damaged horse, a trailer needing serious repairs and modifications due to the fault in manufacture and Ifor Williams in NZ and UK are happy to say nothing!
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I was replying to the original post not yours.
 
Chrisr224 - I'm sorry to hear about your horse's horrific injuries. do you mean the central partition that runs the length of the box, or the breastbar that goes across the horse's chest? If partition - is it fixed rather than swinging? Is it a horsebox (lorry) rather than a trailer? What in NZ is a "float" - is it a trailer or a lorry? (We get confusion in UK with "horsebox" which to most horsey people means a lorry rather than a towed-trailer, but to the non-horsey population, and often in media coverage of road accidents, there will be refernce to a "horse box" when it was a towed-trailer).

The OP's IW was a trailer and the breastbar came adrift with the horse's weight on top of it after the horse tried to jump/rear over the top of the breastbar.

If the original poster is still reading H&H (probably not as his post was back in 2012), I sincerely wish his wife, him and his family all the best. We all know we should wear hats, not stand under ramps, that horses are unpredictable and heavy and quick-moving, that breastbars aren't designed for horses weight to be on top of them, etc, etc, and most of the time we follow these guidelines and everything is fine, but it only takes a split-second wrong decision on our parts for a life-changing moment sometimes, esp if that's an emergency panic stressful situation.
 
I have heard of so many accidents involving trailers, that I will never again travel my horse in one. My own mare a few years ago managed to go down in a trailer and became trapped under the breast bar and central partition. She managed to lose three of four shoes, and completely ruined her back - she was never the same again. I will never travel a horse of mine in one again!
 
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