Rear facing partition design

[Lancelot]

Looking for people's experiences with stallion or long stall horseboxes?

I'm hoping to get a rear facing 4.5t this year but am undecided between a full wall with anti-jump barrier or a stallion/long stall design.

I like the full wall with anti-jump barrier but has anyone ever had any issue with a horse getting up on the shelf - thinking a bit like when they get up on the tack lockers in a 7.5t?

I like the stallion/long stall even more as they obviously have nowhere to get stuck on/over!! But I can't get my head around having no breast bar. Do people with this design find the horses stumble forwards at all during acceleration? Or, in the event of emergency stop, obviously the braking sends them onto their bum but do they then fall forward with the momentum afterwards if that makes sense? I've heard some concerns around horses hurting their necks as they fall forwards but I'm not sure if that's ever actually happened or it's just theory...

 

[Barlow]

My stallion box has full height partitions and a removable breast bar so I have different options.

 

[Red-1]

I have a stallion box, and no issues with acceleration. Braking tends to be the place where you can be caught unawares, and so forward facing do need a breast bar.

Side facing lorries don't have a breast bar as you don't tend to do power turning!

Having had to rescue a couple of horses hanging from breast bars I won't have one. Have also rescued a total stranger's horse from a tack box, it was awful and involved a hole in the roof and the window being pushed out. Won't have one of those either.

When I had a side facing lorry I had a flat wall, ad for rear facing a stallion stall. But then I d travel alone most of the time, so like to keep it simple and foolproof!

 

[ester]

Mine is a seasoned excellent traveller
He gets very warm in the only stallion box he has ever travelled in, though he looks fine on camera. I think he does a lot of muscle twitching to stay balanced as he is short bodied so in order to reach the hay he couldn't rest his bum on the back.

My own lorry had a half wall and a home made wall to prevent hopping over
My friends lorry had a half wall and no wall, he threatened it once when having a tantrum at a show. I wouldn't buy this set up.
He didn't get warm in either of these lorries even though my own didn't have great ventilation because of said home made wall.
If I bought a stallion wall set up I'd try with moving the ring for the hay and potentially have a breast bar added so long as it could be quickly released like you can on an ifor.

 

[Counterpoint]

I won't ever use a stallion box again.

I hired one to go to a show a long way away (4+ hours) my mare (large 16.3) loads and travels brilliantly in a trailer, large herringbone horsebox, rear facing 3.5 T ect. She wouldn't load into the ramp side partition as the wheel arch got in the way of where she needed to put her front feet to swing he bum in - she kept getting half way in and then backing out in confusion.
I had to take all the stuff out of the other side, then block her in when loaded which imho isn't really safe.
Even then I had to open the door in front and it took several goes to get her to poke her nose through to swing round. While on the move she kept staggering and was really struggling with the lack of length, bending her body first one way and then the other. She was really stiff when we got there.
She was better on the way back when I wedged the door open so she could put her head into the grooms compartment.

I personally don't like the solid wall ones either as I don't think they give the horse's neck enough space to stretch out. Ok for short journeys maybe, but like travelling in the back of a small car for a tall person. Breast bar is a must. I think Bars are better than shelves as horses are less likely to try to climb.

For my horse I want the sort with just a breast bar with the horse's head into the grooms area, but I trust her not to try to climb.

 

[MissTyc]

For my horse I want the sort with just a breast bar with the horse's head into the grooms area, but I trust her not to try to climb.

That's what I have ... My horse who'd travelled for 12 years without any incidence decided to climb over ... but because it was a normal bar, I unhooked it and he was back on the floor, uninjured. He hasn't done it again.
You do get a LOT of hay in all your stuff, but that's a minor concern for me! I keep everything in boxes

 

[turnbuckle]

You can desigen a bar with frangible bolts which will break under the weight of a horse pushing down, but have full strength if he leans into them...

 

[Lancelot]

Thanks all for these replies. My horse reared once when travelling alone which is the root of my worries. It was in a rear facing with a half breast partition and whilst he didn't get a foot over, it plays on my mind that he could, even if it was accidental.
The full wall with a bar rather than a shelf sounds ok in theory but, again, I've heard some horror stories about equitreks with this design and horses getting stuck the wrong side. I guess there are pros and cons with all designs when travelling horses!

 

[Lancelot]

You can desigen a bar with frangible bolts which will break under the weight of a horse pushing down, but have full strength if he leans into them...

This sounds the best option, have you done this yourself or is there a builder that does?

 

[Lancelot]

That's what I have ... My horse who'd travelled for 12 years without any incidence decided to climb over ... but because it was a normal bar, I unhooked it and he was back on the floor, uninjured. He hasn't done it again.
You do get a LOT of hay in all your stuff, but that's a minor concern for me! I keep everything in boxes

So, would it be possible to do this in a stallion box but add the bar? Keeping the grooms area at the back separate and hay free?!

 

[ester]

some definitely have that set up, stallion wall and collapsible bar, not many but I've seen one or two advertised.

 

[Lancelot]

My stallion box has full height partitions and a removable breast bar so I have different options.

Is this a collapsible bar?

 

[MissTyc]

So, would it be possible to do this in a stallion box but add the bar? Keeping the grooms area at the back separate and hay free?!

My local horsebox guy told me he builds a lot of these now as it's what people want. If you have a short horse I think it's fine! Not that different from many trailers. As long as there is space for hay ... Having said that, even my horse horses quite enjoy the head swing space of the groom's area + it means I can put on their bridles and plait the forelock from the groom's area. Nice when it's raining

 

[Barlow]

Is this a collapsible bar?

Hello, Its a standard Ifor type short breast bar with the pin design and it’s what’s I use to travel. I have long wheel base version so no probs with horse putting foot through wheel arch and also a full size non-aned tamp. There are three different height settings for the bar, I have it on the highest as a deterrent. Horse is good to travel but will lean on side of box so had that reinforced. He always has a temper tantrum once he’s been shut in - will rear and general have a bit of a kick about and box has stood up well to it (the sounds are far worse than what is actually going on). I tie him onto a point at the side of the wall and a point in front of him. Once the engine is on he stops!

 

[Barlow]

Hello, Its a standard Ifor type short breast bar with the pin design and it’s what’s I use to travel. I have long wheel base version so no probs with horse putting foot through wheel arch and also a full size non-aned tamp. There are three different height settings for the bar, I have it on the highest as a deterrent. Horse is good to travel but will lean on side of box so had that reinforced. He always has a temper tantrum once he’s been shut in - will rear and general have a bit of a kick about and box has stood up well to it (the sounds are far worse than what is actually going on). I tie him onto a point at the side of the wall and a point in front of him. Once the engine is on he stops!

Happy to take pics of this set up if it would help-just pm me

 

[theopuppy]

I've got a 7.5T rear facing with a solid wall in front but a breast bar which is like a padded plank so there's plenty of support if required. The bum end has 2 inch padding so they are comfortable if they have to lean. . My naughty horse did a lot of jumping up and down but couldn't rear high enough to get a leg over . He;'s still unpredictable but getting more settled now.. just likes to get out as soon as the ramp door is lowered!

There's plenty of room to stretch the neck out as the horse area is 9ft long and no wheel arch or storage box in the way so the feet can go where they want for stability.My lad is 17.2hh. It's worked well for me .

I could send a picture but no idea how to do it on here.