Loaading help please.

[s4sugar]

transporter turn up today to move my youngster a long way.
Came in a 3.5T and my boy planted when he saw the overhead door. (He walks onto and through our old Rice Beaufort)
Two women did little to help & I got him most of the way up the ramp when one decided she was hot & took off her jacket & startled him.

They refused to move the box so the ramp was alongside a wall despite having an ideal place. so we could push him on safely and I called reenforcements but by the time they came he was having none of it.

Rather miffed they wolud not assist and they had to leave him behind as they would be late for a long journey - especially as they turned up over two hours late. They di not evem have a line or gloves.

Any ideas to help - probably trying with a 7.5 ton with rear ramp & gates & trying to borrow one for loading practice over the next week or two.

 

[be positive]

They sound like a less than professional set up, your youngster may have had the right idea!! sorry not very helpful but it would have concerned me to let a youngster go off on a long journey with people that sound clueless what would happen if they broke down or he became unsettled on the journey.
I would continue to lead through the trailer until he has regained his confidence, I had to pick up a youngster that had never been in a lorry but was used to a trailer, when she was saying no to the lorry ramp I got the owner to open up the trailer which was nearby and took her through a few times and then tried the lorry again which she then happily walked straight on. I expect with some forward planning, getting everything set up in the best place and no overhead door to put him off he may well cooperate next time.

I hope you didn't have to pay for today, being 2 hours late, not helping and refusing to move the box really set the horse up to fail and their contribution played a major part in that failure.
The only times I have used transporters they have been efficient, extremely prompt, they look for the easiest place to load and all have assisted unless specifically not wanted, not that any have been tricky but that is not the point.

 

[s4sugar]

When said not helping they did hold either end of my lungeline behind him and tried picking he fronts forward but would not move the box to a better position. The load was shared and I might have expected to pay part as only ten miles out of the way for the other horse's journey but they want full amount

 

[Tiddlypom]

What a shame, but agree with be postive, better that your youngster didn't load rather than be transported by such a bunch of muppets.

I would ask for recommendations locally for a reputable transporter. I did just the same very recently, and even went up to inspect the 3.5t before I booked it. The owners were incredibly helpful, and very proud to show off their customised long stall box. They transported my youngster to the yard where she is to be started without a hitch, after spending 5 minutes encouraging her to load.

No idea where you are, but I used these guys

http://www.mustangequinetransport.co.uk/

What was the payload of the hire box, seeing as there was a shared load? Most 3.5t's can't take two horses.

You could consider hiring a 3.5 t box for a day just for loading practice.

 

[be positive]

So was there already another horse on the box? that would have been a tight turn for yours to make, what size were they as most 3.5 ton boxes will be overweight with 2 on, they are probably right to expect some payment but as they turned up late which meant they could not finish the job, they should not expect the full amount, if they had arrived on time they would have been able to take a bit longer to get him on.

 

[s4sugar]

Mine is a 15.2 middleweight, the other was about 14.2 quarter horse. We unloaded the pony to try mine with more space. £400 is a lot for a failed journey.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I would try and beat them down on the amount they are billing you for. Cite the 2 hours lateness, the lack of useful assistance and their refusal to move the box to a more suitable site for loading. All very unprofessional.

On the plus side, at least the other pony got back on the box after they unloaded him to make room for yours. You could have ended up with another equine to look after if he'd planted as well.

 

[s4sugar]

I think paying the difference between the shared price the other paid and what it would have paid for a solo trip plus about £30 would be reasonable - still £200 odd but they will not be out of pocket and they didn't do the extra miles to drop off at a the end of the journey and they only deviated anbout six miles off the motorway.

 

[PeterNatt]

The lorry would probably have been overweight with 2 on board and therefore illegal.

 

[s4sugar]

The lorry would probably have been overweight with 2 on board and therefore illegal.

I did wonder that As the first horse/pony was fat so best part of 500kg & mine is a shade under 500kg. They suggest that box can take 2x16.2 which is not possible.

 

[Tobiano]

hm thinking about the weight, I have not heard of a 3.5 ton with more than a 1.1tonne payload and with 2 x 500kg horses and 2 grown women I am going to suggest that would be overweight too. Could be some leverage in your negotiations there, given the unprofessional treatment you had. Hope your youngster is not too traumatised.

 

[Moomin1]

I hate 3.5t with a passion and I think they are far from ideal with horses who are nervy or reluctant to load simply because of the fact they don't have room to move forwards as they load. It's a tight turn and when you look at them, and put yourself in the shoes of a naturally claustrophobic prey animal, they aren't inviting at all. I had big big problems with my mare (though she is much bigger than yours) in a 3.5t and had to buy a trailer to regain her confidence in loading again.