Is it safe to tie-up a horse to trailer or lorry?

Pidgeon said:
about as safe as anything else we do with our horses :rolleyes: Basically if done properly its fine, leather headcollar on, tied with stripped baler twine (full strength doesn't break easily) and never left unattended.
With ours we always do everything when tied outside unless it is peeing it down and they get tacked up on the box. However they always have someone with them at all times and are never ever left alone. Have seen too many accidents when horses left alone tied outside. Plus do get peeved if people ask us to keep an eye on their horse for 5mins and disappear for ages! Not really on IMO.
However on the flip side of the coin have seen numerous horses flip when left tied inside the box so not sure that is really any safer? thoughts?
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^^^ Agreed. Sadly my friends horse was killed IN the box........
 
Cuffey said:
Tied to trailer to boot up, stud up, put saddle on and wash off afterwards, never unsupervised--seen too many accidents, loose horses and broken trailer tail lights
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^^ same, The horse tied to the lorry or trailer may be as good as gold but what about other things happening, like loose horses galloping around the lorry park, dogs, children and worst of all killer push chairs :p one of mine, who is a very steady old timer had a complete mental break down the other day at the sight of a small child leading a large dog – they were about the same size, if he’d been tied to the lorry alone he’d have left the scene as fast as he could have.
I know children ect shouldn’t be wondering around unsupervised but you often see them.
If you can leave them on do, if not then have someone with them at all times.
 
Evelyn said:
Perfectly safe so long as you have a vehicle attached to the trailer and tie up to a piece of baling string.
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One local school used to bring out a truck and trailer load of horses and they had loops of baling twine on the headcollars so if anyone pulled back the rope would be left behind - so no fleeing horse with rope trying to trip it up. They tied up to the solid ring and clipped the rope onto the weak link.
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Hooray someone that agrees with me! I always leave my horse tied to the trailer, the only time he has ever 'got away' was twice when I left him untied (thought I'd attached the rope to his headcollar but hadn't after taking his brilde off). When he did escape all he did was walk to the nearest patch of grass and eat. My horse is quite calm so long as I leave him a nice haynet and he is always tied to bailing twine or one of those trailer ties and has a leather headcollar and quick release on his lead rope. When his net runs out he has been known to kick out the rear taillight of my trailer out of boredom so i make sure he has more than enough to eat. I try and park where I can see him most of the time and always park so his bum in next to a fence or out of the way of passing traffic. I wouldn't leave him on his own if I thought lorries and trailers would be reversing or driving past him. I really don't see a problem with tying your horse up to a lorry/trailer and walking off to collect your entry or watch some rounds. But it does depend on the horse/pony and their temperment/sense. I have been doing this for the past seven years with Bailey and he has been fine. Whilst I agree no horse is 100% bomb proof its always worked this way for us without problems.
 
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Yes, have always tied them up to the trailer. Mine all tie and stand well. Some I would leave in the trailer if I have to go off for any reason, others are safer tied up with a haynet (have seen a horse left in the trailer panic so much they broke the partitions)
 
Personally I don't, simply because horse doesn't like being tied, and she is too spooky to be trusted to do anything sane! I always have help in holding her, and never find it too problematic. I may do road studs before we set off, and then full tack up and change studs when we arrive and being held. I can't unload with tack on (saddle anyway) as I don't even trust her to unload in a sane manner!
I have tied horses to a lorry before, part of my job as an event groom. It was a worry, but its what I had to do, and luckily nothing bad happened. I think trailers are lethal, and still am amazed at how many people do it, and seemingly get away with it.
About 9 years ago, I was at a show. My class was very delayed, and I found myself hanging around for some time. During this time, I heard a commotion in the lorry park, but thought nothing more about it. After my class, I was making my way back to the borrowed lorry we had that day, and saw a horrid sight. A dead horse was laying next to a trailer, semi covered up in a tarporline. Apparently, a horse from another box had pulled back, and galloped around a bit. The loose horse then had thought it wise to go between this horse who was tied up, but on a long line allowing it to eat grass. This 'crash' of horses, left the tied horse dead (broke neck they said) and the loose horse badly cut on this trailer.
There was a bit of blood, and I assume he would have been treated by on site vet.
The most worrying thing was, that neither owner were there. What a scene to come back to? I imagine they were walking the course or having a long lunch break at the burger bar. Must have been horrendous.

Back when I was a kid, as far as I can remember we tied them up to our trailer, but equally, I don't remember any accidents. So, I do wonder what has changed? Maybe todays horse is more highly strung? Maybe you can get away with it if we are talking about ponies as apposed to horses?
Who knows, but I don't and I doubt I ever will regardless of how 'sane' the animal in question may be!
 
No dogs can't read if u put signs up warning. Livestock or. Warning horses kick and bite. But at lease she covered if one does kick. And injure or kill a dog. And dog owner wants. To take her to court. At least she can say. I did warn her. There were signs to warn. Horses kick. People sue for anything these days. So it's just to cover herself. Same as guard dog signs if u go in and get bit. Can't say didn't warn u
 
If it was so unsafe at your average event there would be an awful lot of accidents!

Perhaps we should be also worying about is it safe to feed our horses grass?
 
Yes but never unattended - even our incredibly safe and mature mare decided to take herself off and visit a stallion :0 when I left her for literally a minute at Solihull. Luckily I'd asked a friend in a neighbouring lorry to keep an eye on her :D and they caught her and removed her!
Lorries are better than trailers cos there's usually much less for them to get caught up on, and I used to do all my show prep with the mare outside the lorry unless it was raining.
The 3yo we don't tie up - wouldn't trust him even with both of us standing and looking at him, he'd find some way to get into trouble LOL!
 
Diamonds been tied to the horse box for 21 years she has seen loose horses etc but never pulls back

only 1 in a blue moon to we see a loose horse and SP and they always shut the gate
 
diamond_light said:
No dogs can't read if u put signs up warning. Livestock or. Warning horses kick and bite. But at lease she covered if one does kick. And injure or kill a dog. And dog owner wants. To take her to court. At least she can say. I did warn her. There were signs to warn. Horses kick. People sue for anything these days. So it's just to cover herself. Same as guard dog signs if u go in and get bit. Can't say didn't warn u
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PLEASE can I make a suggestion.
That you use proper punctuation and that you put your sentances together so they make sense.

IE: I went to the shop and bought an apple
NOT: I went. To the shop. And bought. An apple

It hurts my head reading your posts so I tend to skip them.
 
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