metal grids in horse boxes, horrific accident. your experinces?

[gingermoggie]

I was recently involved witha horrible accident involving the metal grid placed in between horses in the trailer.

I was travelling up to Builth and my friend noticed the horse was caught in the mesh from her mirror. one of the fastenings on the headcollar had got caught. The box started shaking violently as the horse started to panic. We got out of the car immeditly and I opened the little door at the side to find my horse with his front legs over the breast bar, his back straight and his hind legs underneath him has he was hanging from the rope attached to his headcollar.
My friend immediatly ran to the other side and released him, his hind slid underneath him and he fell onto his back, he went nuts, meanwhile the other horse stood stiff in the far corner quietly. There was nothing we could do, he was kicking wildley and hit the side of the box with such force i thought the panel was coming off. Amazingly he manged to flip himself over in that small space and was facing backwards in the trailer. its lucky he is a 15.1 very fine horse, any bigger and he would have been stuck.
The metal grid/mesh was bent and hanging off the chain. we nearly lost him that day because of it. a horse bite is nothing compared to what could have happened.
Have any one else had experience like this with trailers? i urge you never to put in a steel grid to seperate the horses. It can happen instantly. It was horrific and we are all so lucky to get away alive.

 

[kerilli]

i knew of a horse who managed to wedge its head between the front part of the metal grille on a horsebox partition and the wall of the box, while parked up at a show. they got it free and called the vet immediately but it had bruised its throat so badly that it suffocated from the swelling before the vet could arrive.

also, i had a horse slip his teeth through a metal grid (let-down part of anti-weave grid) in stable at home and get stuck, he nearly broke his neck fighting it before i managed to calm him, and farrier had to hammer a tooth out to free him. terrifying.
as above, be very very careful of metal grids. make sure the gaps between the bars are small, as well as that there's nothing to get hooked on.

 

[MrWoof]

[ QUOTE ]
I was recently involved witha horrible accident involving the metal grid placed in between horses in the trailer.

I was travelling up to Builth and my friend noticed the horse was caught in the mesh from her mirror. one of the fastenings on the headcollar had got caught. The box started shaking violently as the horse started to panic. We got out of the car immeditly and I opened the little door at the side to find my horse with his front legs over the breast bar, his back straight and his hind legs underneath him has he was hanging from the rope attached to his headcollar.
My friend immediatly ran to the other side and released him, his hind slid underneath him and he fell onto his back, he went nuts, meanwhile the other horse stood stiff in the far corner quietly. There was nothing we could do, he was kicking wildley and hit the side of the box with such force i thought the panel was coming off. Amazingly he manged to flip himself over in that small space and was facing backwards in the trailer. its lucky he is a 15.1 very fine horse, any bigger and he would have been stuck.
The metal grid/mesh was bent and hanging off the chain. we nearly lost him that day because of it. a horse bite is nothing compared to what could have happened.
Have any one else had experience like this with trailers? i urge you never to put in a steel grid to seperate the horses. It can happen instantly. It was horrific and we are all so lucky to get away alive.

[/ QUOTE ]

I assume that you had "the metal grid" attached towards the front of the box in front of the breast-bar? However, it MUST BE attached in such a way that it cannot be detached or bent.
Just ensure that the next time you do this, that is TOTALLY SECURE. However, I do not think that the grid was the problem. You say that your horse had his front legs over the breast bar - THAT could have been the original problem - and then his hc rope became stuck.

 

[QUICKFIRE]

Horses do get them selfs into a pickle, accidents waiting to happen most of them.

Our 14.2hh cob mare once got stuck in the partition of a horse box, in the bit what you duck under to get to the other compartments, was about 3' high by 2' wide, stuck fast for about half an hour while we tried to move the partition, which wouldn't budge. she was so good she didn't struggle, but some how she popped out like a champagne cork, much to my relief, but lesson learned, I always cross tie to quick release ropes, and never leave horse unattented in horse box or trailer. But accidents do happen

 

[Tinypony]

Chrissiechambers, she said that one of the fixings on the headcollar got caught in the mesh. So however firmly the grid was attached, that would still have happened.
I travel mine in a little 2 horse lorry (they aren't big horses), and there is a solid partition that slots down between them to stop fights. That sort of arrangement is probably safer, although I'm sure there is something a rope or headcollar could get caught on if the went up in the air. I always travel with a sharp penknife.

 

[Louby]

Heard of this happen before. Leadrope clip attaches to the grill. Heard of leadrope clips (not the trigger type) also ripping horses nostrils, lips etc.
Another accident Ive heard of a few times is the barred head dividers on horsebox partitions. Horse rears up and gets its hoof through the gap. Sounds hard to believe but its happened. Same goes for lodden stables with these grills to divide horses in barns.