Ifor Williams Trailer, full width breast bars or keep partition in?

starbucker

starbucker

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I've recently bought a second hand ifor 505, freshly serviced and done a couple of practice empty tows round. Now moving on to a trial loop with the horse in, she is young however travels fine in a wagon other than getting a bit sweaty. The trailer came with full width bars, should I swap out the partition for the full width bars or keep the partition? Whats easier/ more comfortable for them?

I will only be travelling 1. I worry about her slamming about in the full width, but also want her to learn to balance not lean.

EDIT - Also tail guard or no? I've heard horror stories of them losing blood flow when done up too tight..
 
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Personally, I use the full bars if only travelling the one. My big lad at 16.3 doesn't move a muscle or sweat as he positions himself diagonally & stays there, he's a lot happier without partitions & also loads better.

I always use a padded tailguard but don't always boot. Tend to boot (brushing boots) heading out then come back with nothing on to let them cool, but as I say he doesn't move. The tailguard thing, unless you left it on a ridiculous amount of time or bandaged overly tight and again left on, I couldn't see being an issue.
 
Whichever works best for your horse. We’ve got one won’t load at all with a partition, while the other doesn’t care! Tbh, I think they are better with more room. My lad stands diagonally and when I get him out he’s in exactly the same position as when he went in! I don’t hear him move at all in the box. I have heard our mare go down with the partition in; as she got older she struggled to balance and didn’t have enough room. Taking the partition out sorted her scrabbling and she liked to stand diagonally. Like that she didn’t move.

As for bandaging, it’s the same as bandaging legs - if it’s over tight you could get a problem if you do a long journey. You could use a tail guard - like a boot but for the tail! You’d have to go some to put it on too tight. I don’t tend to boot but always wrap the tail as most horses will lean on the bar. The one time I didn’t, pony came out sporting a superb bog brush. Not a good look for an PBA 🤣 Also, if you are using a full width partition, remember to use both front and back bars - this gives your box stability and strength should you be unfortunate enough to have a problem.
 
Thanks all! We did some practice loading she walked straight on after letting her look and sniff the ramp and think for a few mins, good to know she will walk on as shes only been in 3.5t/wagons before. She pausing in the desired spot for a minute before offloading - so going to try both on a test run this week! Yes definitely don't want a bog brush as she may lean on tail, good to know the guards are difficult to over tighten
 
If only one horse I find it’s better just using the full breadth bars. I find they travel much better without the partitions. Means you can tack up out of the weather as well, I love being able to get everything on him before he even comes off the box 😁
 
full length bars for me, so much easier to tack up etc in there too. i always use a tail guard, its not tight enough to do any damage, i can pull it off without undoing it but it stops them rubbing their tail out more than anything!
 
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