Leaving horse on trailer alone.

[Pink Gorilla]

A random ponder...but I often go to shows alone. When people have to leave their horse alone inside the trailer munching a haynet while they pop off for the loo, to get cheesy chips or collects score sheets etc; Do you have the front window (fold back Ifor Williams HB510 type, not small siding type) open or closed while you horse is shut inside? He gets a little worried/impatient shut inside when the trailer is stationary, but I worry if I open the front window/panel he may try and stupidly get out of it somehow?? What do you do?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I have my phone number chalked on the partition and chest wall of my little 3.5. A Fuzzy is usually left with top door open and ramp up, unless v hot, but they have the partition between them and ramp.

Cant answer about trailer window, but the 1st couple of times out I dont leave the box but will put myself out of sight and observe at close quarters, I go well stocked with snacks etc and take a flask to make a hot drink as well as taking drinking water bottles.
RC training is a good outing to start with as not long.

 

[Pink Gorilla]

I have my phone number chalked on the partition and chest wall of my little 3.5. A Fuzzy is usually left with top door open and ramp up, unless v hot, but they have the partition between them and ramp.

Cant answer about trailer window, but the 1st couple of times out I dont leave the box but will put myself out of sight and observe at close quarters, I go well stocked with snacks etc and take a flask to make a hot drink as well as taking drinking water bottles.
RC training is a good outing to start with as not long.

Oh yes I've been competing a while. I just haven't braved leaving the window open yet. He's not bad in there, just paws and fidgets a bit.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I leave the front ramp down or top door open depends on the weather. He’s been left on the trailer loads since a young age as I go to shows alone most of the time. He’s never tried to get out as he’s always had food and being Welsh food is life

He does nicker after me when I go then get excited to see me again when I come back, people have commented that he’s watched me until I’m out of sight then kept a close eye on me until I’ve come back he loves his mum

 

[irishdraft]

I always have top door open and possibly ramp if it's warm. I've never known a horse attempt to exit thru that top door.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Not a trailer but I leave a sheet with rider contact details and emergency contact details on dashboard. Also have home address/stables on the back.
Saw someone else with it and thought a good idea.

 

[Honey08]

I always have top door open and possibly ramp if it's warm. I've never known a horse attempt to exit thru that top door.

I had a 14.2 jump over the breast bar and bottom door once. Ended up swinging off his lead rope, which thankfully snapped. And I know someone else’s horse that did it a couple of weeks ago. So I’d never do it with a fidgety or anxious horse. But I did it frequently with my latest two. My gelding used to spend all day on the trailer when he was young and I was Eventing my mare. He wasn’t bothered at all (my husband used to hover around to be sure for a bit).

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I had a 14.2 jump over the breast bar and bottom door once. Ended up swinging off his lead rope, which thankfully snapped. And I know someone else’s horse that did it a couple of weeks ago. So I’d never do it with a fidgety or anxious horse. But I did it frequently with my latest two. My gelding used to spend all day on the trailer when he was young and I was Eventing my mare. He wasn’t bothered at all (my husband used to hover around to be sure for a bit).

I agree I wouldn't leave the ramp open if I had something that wasn't settled, I have on occasion just asked someone nearby to keep an eye while I have run and got my number with one that was not that calm.

One of mine will stand anywhere all day long with hay the other one I never quite trusted to be left.

 

[tatty_v]

I’m jealous - mine could never be left! I always had to go to shows with a wingman

 

[iknowmyvalue]

when I first got Pepsi he would only stand on the trailer with all the doors closed, so that’s what we did. Worked up to leaving the front and back ramp doors open, never had a problem. Didn’t ever risk leaving the front ramp open though, think he’d have been too tempted by escape!

Now in a 3.5T and he has the top door open and ramp closed.

He’ll stand like that for hours, and is fine if I go off to walk XC etc. He had to learn as we almost always compete by ourselves!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Not a trailer but I leave a sheet with rider contact details and emergency contact details on dashboard. Also have home address/stables on the back.
Saw someone else with it and thought a good idea.

I have this, have done for years, has only been useful once (thank goodness).
I have it all on same side, the bottom bit says: Please return equine and box to... address... after making contact with emergency numbers above.

 

[FitzyFitz]

I don't do shows on my own often but travel a lot and have to stop at services. Most of mine started off fidgety at stops but soon got used to it and like to have the jockey door open while we're stationary and i'm by the vehicle. I'm not worried about the horse, i'm worried about idiot humans poking their nose in! At a show or other horsey event i'd leave it open, while wandering off to the loo or something no problem. I don't leave my ramp down if I have one on the ramp side as our (side load) trailer has not terribly strong wooden doors, and it's too tempting for them to lean over.

I usually travel two, so even if one is a bit more nervy, the companion generally sets a good example. If it's two nervy ones, I keep stops shorter and tend to have a quick peek in the back then leave the door shut in case they get silly ideas. Last time I had to travel a nervy young one solo, she stomped quite a lot when setting off, but settled once we were moving. Parked at the first stop, she was quiet, so I kept my voice down, had a peek through the window to make sure she was the right way up, then sidled off quietly she'd travelled with company fine before, but I thought she might start up stamping again if I alerted her to the fact we'd stopped as she had only done short trips and would think she was getting off.

 

[Britestar]

I've had them do it all.

My old ifor, had 3 over the breast bar. Two whilst parked up, one whilst travelling.

Another went under the bar and out through the jockey door. At 15hh and fairly chunky, I never fathomed out how she did it. The jockey door was closed too.

In my old equitrek, one went over the breast bar, despite having the tack pack in front of him.

In current equitrek, if left, the ramp is down, doors are closed and jockey door closed.

 

[Goldenstar]

I do leave them standing I would usually put the front ramp of the trailer up while I am away .
However I train standing in trailer long before the horses get to a show .

 

[P.forpony]

If I have to leave inside I close up the front and leave the back top doors open.
My trailer is one of the white batesons so doesn't tend to get too warm.
My tb is a fidget so sometimes he's better off tied to the outside, I just have to judge it on the day.

Agree with the contact details on the side. I also have several bold typed laminated sheets with STALLION on them... its not like he doesnt make it fairly obvious but people see a mini shetland and instantly want to get in there for a cuddle! I don't mind at all, and he's a good boy, but it does slow people down a bit.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Dex is thankfully very relaxed and will happily wait and munch, and has been since day one. But the first couple of times I did go out of his sight but kept him in mine to make sure, and if someone is milling around their car not doing much and I won't be long, I ask if they wouldn't mind keeping half an eye on him and that usually he is very good and I won't be a minute and no-one seems to mind.

I leave the front ramp down but the back ramp up, if I closed them all I think that he would get a little inpatient as he'd think we should be going, plus he quite likes to watch the world go by, he's very inquisitive.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I always have top door open and possibly ramp if it's warm. I've never known a horse attempt to exit thru that top door.

I have . The horse tried to jump over the breast bar, but only cleared it with his front end, ending up suspended over the breast bar. Thank goodness for the quick release bolts on the outside of my Ifor 510.

This was actually parked up at horsepital, it was my old horse who had travelled as sensible companion to the horse that the vets were seeing .

Vets were highly impressed at how easily we were able to drop the breast bar from the outside and free the horse. He stood looking smug at getting all the attention while the vet stapled him together again.

The previous week another horse had done the same thing in a lorry there, and that was a fire brigade job to cut it out.