Questions for those that travel with no partition in IW trailers

[helen75]

Sorry this has probably been done to death but I nearly had heart failure today and need help!

I have a horse that for many years has travelled very well in my IW505 with partitions.

Lately he seems to struggle with his balance. It doesn't help that the last mile to my yard is very steep and winding ( i would move if I could find somewhere!).

Today was hellish on our return home - Thrashing around the trailer and I'm 99.9% sure he went down :-( As a result, Someone suggested trying him without the partition to aid balance, but...

1) How do you remove the partition? Is it easy?
2) where can you get hold of a full width breech and breast bar?
3) Do you cross tie?

and finally, has anyone found that removing the partition as made things worse??

THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE!!!

 

[hoggedmane]

My (large) mare was the same. Started off ok but gradually got worse until she ripped her shoes off three times and cut down the front of her leg.

The partition is easy to take out - as I remember it the centre pole has a pin that holds it in and the partition hangs off this centre pole. I bought a breech and breast bar from Ifor williams direct and they came very quickly and cost £80 for the pair.
Here are the part numbers I think! in the parts and accessories price list

http://www.iwt.co.uk/customer-care/brochures?pagerequest1_ctl00_rptbrochure1788=2

KX01158 Breast/Breeching Bar - Full Length KX01168 Breast/Breeching Bar - Full Length

edited to say you may need to check which ones you need for a 505. I have a 510. There are two types on that page - this is the cheaper one so hopefully the 505 one.

They are £45 each now


I do cross tie - I have a quick release lead rein permanently in the trailer and I just tie her lead rein to the other side - not tight but enough to stop her turning round.
It has solved the problem for me completely - she travels like a dream again and has done for several years now.

Good luck

 

[lannerch]

I got the full length breach bars online think from Barlow trailers via eBay .
My horse travels well with or without the partitions , I love having the extra space to tack up etc.
He must prefer the extra space though as he stands spread out in it.
I must confess I do not always cross tie although it's a bad habit not to .

 

[Tiddlypom]

It's easy to remove the centre pole but be careful as you ease it out that it doesn't stab the roof and damage it. I loop a piece of baler twine round the end of the split pin and pull it out that way.

Cross tieing works a treat.

Hogged mane has given you the link for the breech and breast bars.

Do you put shavings down? The rubber matting gets slippery when wet and the shavings help.

 

[helen75]

Thank you!!!!!

 

[helen75]

Ps no, I don't put shavings down. ....

 

[AliceCrail]

My mare was the same, and has gone completely down before.
I have not taken the partition out, but have opened the back part out, so she has the whole rear of trailer to spread her legs. A couple of months of doing this and she now travels really well, having spent a lot of time stressing over it.
Good luck x

 

[helen75]

Hi Alice, that's interesting. OH suggested doing that but I wasn't sure..... Do you use a full length breech bar doing it that way? Thanks x

 

[aran]

Hello
My Gelding started doing this last autumn totally out of the blue - very strange
We do the same as AliceCrail
We opened the back part out, so she has the whole rear of trailer to spread her legs.
We use the normal breech bars in front and tie the partition over to the left
He doesn't have a bar behind him
It works well as it gives him the space he seems to need behind but also gives me some storage space if I need it.
We have since travelled him normally again and he's fine - but if we can we still give him the back open
Good luck - hope you fine a solution

 

[helen75]

Hello
My Gelding started doing this last autumn totally out of the blue - very strange
We do the same as AliceCrail
We opened the back part out, so she has the whole rear of trailer to spread her legs.
We use the normal breech bars in front and tie the partition over to the left
He doesn't have a bar behind him
It works well as it gives him the space he seems to need behind but also gives me some storage space if I need it.
We have since travelled him normally again and he's fine - but if we can we still give him the back open
Good luck - hope you fine a solution

Thanks so much Aran - I'm so nervous about what to try next!!! xx

 

[AliceCrail]

Same, we do just tie the back part to one side. The trailer stays exactly the same otherwise.
Also, I was wary of taking her far because of the issues, but the last 4/5 trips have been 40mins plus and she has been much better. Huge relief to have a horse that travels!

 

[helen75]

Same, we do just tie the back part to one side. The trailer stays exactly the same otherwise.
Also, I was wary of taking her far because of the issues, but the last 4/5 trips have been 40mins plus and she has been much better. Huge relief to have a horse that travels!

But I used to have a horse that travels! Now I'm a nervous wreck!
Thanks for your help Alice x

 

[Brightbay]

I started off doing as AliceCrail did, with the V shape, but ended up with just full width breech and breast bars. Horse does not travel well - and he did to begin with, but then injured his SI and we think he needs to prop himself to travel well. Horses that have previously travelled well but who start to struggle often have something not quite right - and it can be completely undetectable in normal day to day riding. Mine never appeared lame, my friend's horse didn't appear lame but had the start of hock spavins. Possibly worth thinking about whether that might be an issue or not for yours?

I cross tie sometimes, and sometimes, I just tie as normal. He has never tried to turn around, although he did (nearly giving me a heart attack as I was driving my car behind and could see the whole thing) before we took out the partitions!

 

[helen75]

I started off doing as AliceCrail did, with the V shape, but ended up with just full width breech and breast bars. Horse does not travel well - and he did to begin with, but then injured his SI and we think he needs to prop himself to travel well. Horses that have previously travelled well but who start to struggle often have something not quite right - and it can be completely undetectable in normal day to day riding. Mine never appeared lame, my friend's horse didn't appear lame but had the start of hock spavins. Possibly worth thinking about whether that might be an issue or not for yours?

I cross tie sometimes, and sometimes, I just tie as normal. He has never tried to turn around, although he did (nearly giving me a heart attack as I was driving my car behind and could see the whole thing) before we took out the partitions!

Oh goodness. Something else to worry about!! Thanks for sharing your experience xx

 

[monkeybum13]

I don't have an ifor but travel without a partition, use front and back (quite a few people only use front) bars and ALWAYS cross tie. Makes it much easier having the extra space to tack up

 

[helen75]

Thanks.

Do people find that their horses stand straight or diagonally and where do you tie a hay net? xx

Sorry for all the Q's about my precious cargo.....

 

[MiniMilton]

Once you go without partitions you'll never go back. Cross tie and put haynet in the middle above the little viewing window (well its very slightly to one side) I put it on the side opposite to the front ramp so it doesn't get in the way unloading. I started going without partition due do a bad traveller and now I travel everything that way. Going to shows on your own is simplified with no partition. I get in the box, fully dress me and horsey, and then emerge fully ready. No messing around with horse moving when tacking, doing hoof oil etc

 

[Ranyhyn]

I have always travelled my horses cross tied in my i/w 505. I hang a haynet on the right hand side (where the horse would travel were the in partitions) because that's the side I wanther head to be on as I read horses carry most of their weight on the fores and that fits the camber of the road. (in my warped mind ) She would always stand diagonal and not that she was a bad traveller, but she always travelled this way without barely working up a sweat.

I have pmed you.

 

[catroo]

Please don't travel without a back bar, I'm not sure on other makes but in IFW trailer is not designed to have a 750kg plus horse lean against the ramp. It's only two little fastenings holding the ramp up and I have unfortunately witnessed what happens if they give way when a horse has leant against the ramp when travelling- not pretty!

 

[1Anastasia]

I travel my mare without a partition and with the front and back full width bars instead as she used to travel badly with the partition in. We would get to our location to find her in a terrible sweaty mess. She never went down but clearly struggled to balance when she couldn't splay her legs. She's only 14hh but very wide. One thing of note however as several people have suggested to go without is that when I bought my full width bars from my Ifor Williams specialist dealer he said you absolutely must always use both the front and back bars as these form part of the structural integrity of the trailer when in use. The same applies if you have a partition in. Always put up both of the back and front bars even if you only have a horse in one side as again, not doing so is reducing the strength of the unit should it god forbid roll or even just when on bumpy roads as it will cause the trailer to be able to flex too much in a sideways twisting manner. Just tying the rear half of the partition back to one side to give the horse more room at the back leaves the trailer structurally unstable.

 

[TheBigPony]

We did the fold the back partition folded back to give more room but found she just tried to bend herself round the central pole as she likes standing across the trailer. We got a full back bar before we tried her even with just tying the back section out of the way. She now just has the whole trailer with full back and front bars and she is happy with that.

Mine wasn't a problem to load and then suddenly started not wanting to get in.

 

[Daytona]

I travelled my old horse with full length breast bars, he travelled much better

My new horse travelled better till untill 3 weeks ago when even cross tied she some how managed to try and turn , got wedged across the trailer, ropes around her neck strangling her. I was none the wiser she made no noise, luckly someone behind me started flashing and tooting , I pulled over, looked inside and near had heart attack the horse was being strangled and was totally jammed with neck stuck to side. I could not release her, the rope was so tight and I had no knife in the car, it was utter panic, luckly someone managed to eventually cut the bail twine and release her, poor horse was in shock.

Had the person behind not flagged me down I believe if of arrived at my destination to find a dead horse.

With regards to shavings, seen two horses slid in a ifor on pee with no shavings and end up stuck under partion - really not worth it for the cost of a bail of shavings.

As you can imagine my partion is now back in. Which a shame as it was handy at shows to tack up etc but never taking that chance again, I was terrified and that was her cross tied with quite short ropes.

 

[Jazzy B]

Another, please use back bars, a ramp is not designed to have a horse lean on it!!!!

 

[Kallibear]

Get the horse checked over by vet/ physio because becoming bad to travel can be an indication of pain, SI issues especially.


You'll find any horse travels sooo much better without a partition.

They need cross tied so they can't turn round. Doesn't need to be tight but does need to stop them twisting their head round.

Your local IW dealer will be able to get you full length bars (two is essential! )

The middle pole depends on the age but there's usually a pin at the top and the bottom is a hook. The pole may need to be pivoted flat to the floor out the back to remove.

 

[hoggedmane]

Another, please use back bars, a ramp is not designed to have a horse lean on it!!!!

This - it is also very dangerous if a horse tries to back out when loading or unloading and you are putting the ramp up.

 

[Tiddlypom]

One thing of note however as several people have suggested to go without is that when I bought my full width bars from my Ifor Williams specialist dealer he said you absolutely must always use both the front and back bars as these form part of the structural integrity of the trailer when in use. The same applies if you have a partition in. Always put up both of the back and front bars even if you only have a horse in one side as again, not doing so is reducing the strength of the unit should it god forbid roll or even just when on bumpy roads as it will cause the trailer to be able to flex too much in a sideways twisting manner.

I hadn't ever considered that the breech and breast bars were contributing to the structural integrity of the trailer! Makes perfect sense as soon it is pointed out, though.

I recommend getting a CCTV system to any of you with poor travellers. I know it's yet more £££s but it's invaluable.