Should a trailer do this UPDATE and another question

[Daphnelia]

Just a thankyou for all your help last night re: trailer shunting it's landrover up the proverbial! It's being looked at and hopefully fixed on monday and for all those who said it was the damper, that diagnosis has been echoed by the mechanics.
Ok, one more question! Is it ever safe to practice loading a pony without a car attached to a trailer? I only ask because after her nightmare first journery (breastbar BROKE in a new hire trailer..) my little mare is wary about entering another one. I would love to get her confidence by feeding her in the trailer everyday until we have to move her. But towing vehicle is rarely at yard. Any suggestions very gratefully received

Thank you!

 

[scotsmare]

NO, don't try it without being hitched up otherwise pony will end up even more scared!!

 

[Daphnelia]

Darn. I thought there might be some magic solution

Thank you anyway

 

[dozzie]

Yes you can. Make sure the handbrake is on and if it has feet at the back you can put these down for extra stability.

 

[PennyJ]

Is there not a car with a towball on that you could hitch the trailer up to? (just for stability)

 

[Daphnelia]

There are no feet that I am aware of.. but will have a look-see. Would putting bricks underneath the front and rear help to stabalise it at all? Last thing I want is for it to wobble, mare would never trust me again!

 

[Daphnelia]

No, none at all

I am pretty much the only livery who wishes to do anything other than hack, so I am also the only one with a trailer!

 

[Irishcobs]

The jockey wheel is not designed to hold weight. I wouldn't risk the chance of it moving or the jockey wheel bending/breaking.

 

[Daphnelia]

Tis true - I should have put in a poll!

 

[Kallibear]

We're having the trailer dropped off at the yard over the weekend to practise loading and the car will most definitnely not be left attached!

We have the new 511 so it has stands (I think!) but we'll be using a jack front and back anways. One under the back and one under the towbar. Plus handbreaked and bricks under the wheel.

 

[Daphnelia]

Because I'm not that bright

- do you mean bricks under the jockey wheel..? Ta

 

[Kallibear]

nope, bricks under the wheel wheels, to make damn sure it does't roll anywhere!

But there is not reason you couldn't use brick under the towball and the back to jack it up, if you make really sure they're stable and most definintly not going to topple, even it it swings about (they can also swing and twist sideways, not just rock back and forwards)

 

[frannieuk]

The reason you shouldn't load the trailer without the towing vehicle attached is because the jockey wheel isn't designed to support the weight of the load. I have seen this happen where the jockey wheel collapsed and the trailer tipped forward on its nose - horse was quite a sensible sort and didn't panic but it could have been a lot different.
If you want to use the trailer without attaching it to the towing vehicle then you need to support the front of the trailer. Please don't try and load it with the weight purely on the jockey wheel.

 

[BeckyD]

Yes, you can but make sure it is supported on something (breezeblocks?) at both ends so that it doesn't tip up.