paddy555
Well-Known Member
Theres a post with that information on. The issue is the trailer IS too small and potentially too heavy to be towed safely. And OP wont change or amend it. Shes had lots of advice offered and disregards it. Its not my issue so I've offered advice and stayed out of it as OP is very reactive and there are clearly strong emotions tied up with the trailer. Frumpoon didnt say it in the right way, but she has pointed out something that is an issue
I haven't commented before because of the risk of being called rude or obnoxious but totally agree with the above. This has been pointed out several times to OP both on this and the other thread. There are serious safety issues but they are going to be ignored if a 17 hand horse is put into this trailer.
I know this trailer, a Rice, very well. Every inch of it.. It was my first trailer. My back aches every time it remembers lifting the central partition. It is a VERY heavy trailer. Far from being light as OP seems to think. We towed a 450kg arab with a landrover. That was a safe set up. Towing a 17.2 horse who must weight 700kg with this trailer with a car is unsafe, in fact ludicrous. It is a lovely trailer, I would imagine the weight to be around 1000kg. With a horse up that is 1700kg plus tack, water bins etc. What is going to happen with the insurance if an accident happens, what happens if the police routinely stop and check? We were called into a weighbridge with our lorry as part of a routine police lorry check. They were stopping all horse transport, lorries and trailers. They, and the RSPCA went through everything with a fine tooth comb. Are the RSPCA going to find the height factor for the horse adequate.
OP commented about rust and the roof (on her other thread) They, as were many metal items of their time, rust buckets after a certain time. I doubt this will be a quick, cheap welding job. To do the job properly it will need the iron supports over the roof replacing and new metal sheeting. Bear in mind that with a 17hand horse his head is going to be very close to that metal roof. It is only going to take a slight accident and his head could go through a poor quality roof.
. Whilst I appreciate OP's father kept the trailer in very good condition mechanically I would suggest (although I know the suggestion will not be appreciated) that OP gets a full assessment on the bodywork and chassis to see what work is required and if it is going to be cost effective to repair. Replacing the roof is not going to be cheap.
I don't think Frumpoon expressed this very well but I do understand her frustration as this has been pointed out but OP doesn't want to hear it. I can see that she is concerned, quite rightly, the horse could get hurt.