Our 3.5t Horsebox after accident & now *pics*

[miskettie]

It was a month ago that we bought Enys and on our way back home with him in the back of our 3.5t horsebox he reared up and went over the front partition. This design is in most small horseboxes, though some have anti-weave bars and wide doors. Unfortunately ours didn't, so our horsebox had to be cut up to get Enys out. To cut a long story short Enys is fine (to read the long story click here) and we've just got our horsebox back after improvements have been made.

I thought I would post this up here, so that people can see the dangers of these small horseboxes and see how we've changed ours, hopefully for the better (there are other ways). There are dangers with every horse transport and we will keep our horsebox even after what happened.

This is the only photo I have of our box before the accident happened:

- you can see it is a solid partition (not removable)

Here is our horsebox after being cut open:

Enys was actually in the far section (the one of the right of picture, but they cut the left side)

I didn't take any pictures of Enys while he was stuck or while he was being dragged out as didn't know whether he would survive.

Anyway we paid for our horse bit to be sectioned off, it didn't cost too much and although we have lost space it actually seems alot better. Our other horse, Ella, (who is a problem loader) loaded into it fine. It doesn't feel any smaller in the horse bit.

Obviously horses used to put there head over into the living. We had a window put it, but this slides shut when travelling. It's a bit more difficult to tie a haynet up but it's doable.

Now the tack area (with window closed):

(with window open

Not the best photos, as is difficult to photograph. We can still sit in the living, thankfully both me and my mum are short!

Now the next step is seeing whether Enys will load and will travel. Fingers crossed!

Thank you for reading .

 

[xena_wales]

Thanks for sharing your story and pictures. My horsebox is very similar to yours (mine is a Truleisure build) and I have debated previously whether I should put some anti-weave grills up, but haven't done so yet as none of mine have shown any interest in going over the breast partition. I guess I may have to reconsider.

I like your partition solution! Saves the hay going everywhere too!

 

[fidleyspromise]

I remember reading your post just after the accident and glad Enys is okay.
It is really nice to see an after post, where the box has been modified to be safer. - it's interesting to find you don't notice a difference in space. I have been put off of these due to the accidents and am uncertain of what to get, as will only travel either 1 highland or 1 Newfie.

Thank you for the update and hope he loads fine next time and not too traumatised

 

[Javabb94]

glad its all sorted for you

we had a wagon crash and it was a year before we got it back and because i couldnt compete and my pony was a comp pony i ended up giving up ridin but its all good now as i have another! just a trailer this time!

 

[pricklyflower]

I'm glad you managed to get your horse out and all is fine. Must have been such a worry. thank goodness for a good outcome.

I like your partition solution! Saves the hay going everywhere too!

I love my little 3.5t horsebox but hate the fact the hay goes everywhere!

 

[dominobrown]

Thats a lot better design.
I hired a horsebox of a similar design and found that they haynet got into the grooms area covering everything in hay bit which is not ideal if your showing! your desing is much more practical as no hay gets into the living

 

[Holly Hocks]

I've got a similar 3.5t although mine has double opening doors at the back, and I really like what you've done. Neither of mine are rearers and are too tall to get over my breast bar as it's high, but the hay goes EVERYWHERE!! What a great idea and thanks for sharing it...and in fact in my design it would work great as I would then have storage under the horse shelf. Fab!

 

[brighteyes]

Whoever did the work made an excellent job of it

 

[Dottie]

That looks brilliant and i hope you wont have anymore problems like that again!
I did see a horse in a similar situation a few years ago, but unfortunately she didn't make it. Your boy was very lucky.

 

[miskettie]

Whoever did the work made an excellent job of it

Prime Horseboxes did the work, they said this was the first horsebox they'd made like it...so really pleased with outcome.

 

[Louby]

A local horse transporter had his 3.5t built with a solid wall in front and says it gives so much piece of mind. He also commented after looking at my old 7.5t wagon on the gap underneath the head divider, where a tack locker would be and shook his head, saying he couldnt have that. Tack lockers do have there uses!
So glad Enys is ok, that must have been horrific. Your wagon looks great now. Cant understand why the builders dont make them like that to start with. Fingers crossed all goes well for you and Enys.

 

[joseyjo88]

How much weight has the modification added? I have a fully removable breast bar in mine, i can hit the clips up and pull it off. I had one jump it, and could free them in under a minute,it was terrfiying though, so i cant imagine how horrendous it would be to have to cut them out.. I would now never travel in one with a solid breastbar,unless it had fixed grills, or was modified like yours.

 

[SpruceRI]

That looks really good.

I've heard loads of similar stories as yours.... the worst one was in the BHS magazine recently.

 

[rainycali]

I realise this is an old thread but my horse has done exactly the same yesterday. I just wondered how you got on with the insurance company? My box is a very similar setup as yours and everything but back legs in the horse area horsebox now needs a rebuild at the back so hoping to do a similar thing that youve done

 

[Dazed'n'confused]

I realise this is an old thread but my horse has done exactly the same yesterday. I just wondered how you got on with the insurance company? My box is a very similar setup as yours and everything but back legs in the horse area horsebox now needs a rebuild at the back so hoping to do a similar thing that youve done

Sorry, have no experience re insurance company after such an ordeal but just thought I'd say that if you're thinking of having this type of rebuild done, may I suggest you don't have the tack lockers?! I had a mare jump over like the one described, luckily (no idea how) she managed to use the seat to get herself back. There were hoof marks on the jockey door!! I never travelled her in a 3.5t again but have subsequently had another that was designed similar to this (although with a wider panal bridging between the lockers & a wide back door as the guy who built mine said that it would eventually become law that you had an emergency exit, plus it's better safe than sorry!) - my horse (not the same one) decided that standing on the tack lockers was a fun game...... (Just to add, she travels fine in a trailer or herringbone lorry)! I'm now having it modified so there's nothing at all for a horse to stand on/jump over!!!! Thought I'd just speak up coz if your horse has done it once, it might think tack locker balancing is an option so maybe save yourself the worry & just have the lorry rebuilt without!!!

 

[Fun Times]

I realise this is an old thread but my horse has done exactly the same yesterday. I just wondered how you got on with the insurance company? My box is a very similar setup as yours and everything but back legs in the horse area horsebox now needs a rebuild at the back so hoping to do a similar thing that youve done

Gosh, how horrifying for you. I have no advice regarding modifying the horsebox but wish your horse well.

 

[Deltaflyer]

I recently bought myself a little 3.5t and it has the tack area completely separated from the horse area. Much more peace of mind especially as a girl at my yard has a lorry almost identical to how yours was before you had it modified and her horse did exactly the same thing, luckily he came out of it with very minor injuries but it could have been so much worse. when I was offered the one I bought instead of the one I was originally going to buy which again, was like your pre-mod I bit their hands off and I'm absolutely delighted with it, Plus of course the added bonus of not getting hay all over everything. So glad your horse is okay.

 

[oldie48]

I read this thread with interest as I have a 3.5 lorry. Mine has double doors at the back but the breast bar is fixed but very high. There is a shelf from the breast bar extending about 2 ft into the living area, under this shelf there is storage for two saddles. I carry a full up 16.2. I cannot see how he'd manage to rear up sufficiently to get his front legs over the breast bar as there would be insufficient head room. He travels very well but I have given him more than half of the width so he can spread his legs. Yes, the hay does go everywhere but I don't give a haynet whilst travelling as I don't think it's safe. my friend has a 6.5 forward facing lorry built by a very reputable company but her 16hh horse manage to get his front legs over the breast bar when he reared up. I don't think a well built 3.5 lorry is inherently any less safe than other lorries on the market but it's a case of buyer beware. i love my lorry and everything that i've travelled in it has travelled very well, the biggest issue that I see with them is the closeness of the horses backside to the driver and the need for a really strong structure to ensure in the case of an accident, the horse doesn't end up in the cab with the driver. I've just had my lorry strengthened!

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

Our 3.5 ton was built how's yours is now for the very reason that I had heard so many awful stories of horses having to be cut out.

So glad he is ok xxx

 

[miskettie]

Wow this is an old thread! I haven't been on H&H for ages but a friend mentioned that this post had been resurrected.

Sorry to hear you have been in the same situation. It remains one of scariest moments of my life - I hope your horse is ok. I am not sure how it worked with the insurance, as that was more my mum's department - though pretty sure our insurance covered a lot of the repair.

It is four years later and I still own Enys (or the Menace as he is known). Surprisingly we have never had problems with him loading/travelling....in fact he is best traveller I know. We now have a 6.5t lorry and love it. In the last four years I have seen a lot of changes in how 3.5t are built and as a few have said above there is no best option - however the newer builds are definitely built safer. The main point which I would stress is have a wide jockey door!

I hope things sort themselves out for you.

 

[Jinnie]

I have just had a anti-jump barrier fitted to our 3.5. It was installed by Travel two. We bought the box from them 4 years ago and have never had any problems apart from hay everywhere. However last year we saw a pony die in one after being left alone in it. The pony jumped the rear barrier caught its leg and had to be pts. I don't think anyone should leave horses unattended in any box but sometimes when traveling alone you just have to( you have to go to the loo sometime). It worried me so much we had the conversion done when we bought a new horse as we weren't so sure of how he would behave.Horses can get themselves into trouble just about anywhere but we owe it to them to try and make it as safe as we can.