Speed when Towing

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Piglet

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Just interested really, what speed do you guys tow your horse at? I personally never go above 50mph on a motorway or dual carriageway, a couple of weeks ago, I was towing my horse for an event on the dual carriageway, when I looked in my mirror, there was a horse trailer bearing down on me, I though "wooooohay, hope there is no horse in there they are going way too fast"! :eek: As they passed me (must have been a good 60mph) I saw that there was a horse in the back - ok - the weather was clear and the road was dry but surely 60mph is way too fast. Am I right in thinking that when towing, maximum speed is 50mph? :confused: They were not hanging around and were soon off into the distance, an hour later another trailer passed me at speed and whizzed off. :eek::eek:

No matter how late for an event I am I always remember my friend saying, "best to arrive late in this world than early in the next", my horse is precious cargo and I will treat him as such. :p:p
 
legally on the motorway they can do 60. I probably wouldn't with a horse on but if theirs don't mind they aren't doing anything wrong. Mine would just fall over at that speed though!
 
We tow at 60 on clear roads without a problem has never bothered any of our ponies, always happy to go back in the trailer and are quite content when we get to a where we're going.
 
I appreciate the fact that it is legal at 60 but I would be concerned about the trailer swaying and losing it, when I was commuting up to London on a weekly basis, I saw many a caravan had turned turtle, also when a lorry has overtaken, sometimes I get that slight sway which is a horrible feeling
 
Caravans are totally different to horse trailers as most only have 1 axle and they are a lot lighter so tow very differently and more likely to snake.

At 60 we never sway even when passing a lorry. If anything it's nicer for the horse to go on the motorway due to the straightness of it. :)
 
If my mum's car would let her, she would drive at 60mph considerately, however our car isn't that gutsy so we only manage 50mph on motorways and dual carriageways. Did the overtaking car and trailer in question actually have a horse in tow or not?
 
Yup they both had a horse on board, am convinced I must be a fusspot to be so cautious, too many years of motorway driving, I have had many a close shave when a driver has decided that they can't see me!! :)
 
I 'think' the limit for towing is 60 on a motorway or dual carriageway and 50 on an A road. However, you should tow at the speed at which you are happy and at which your horse is happy. Going at 60 on a motorway is quite a different thing than 60 on an A road with bends etc.

Also, it is illegal to go into the outside overtaking lane on a motorway when towing, whether that's a caravan, horse trailer or whatever.

We regularly towed my daughter's SJ pony around the country and he stood stock still the whole time you never knew he was there, and we were happy to do 55 -60 on a motorway.

Now we have a baby 3 yr old and so I expect we shall be much more cautious with him - that is if we ever get him in the trailer!
 
If you travel above 56mph then you won't "sucked in" to the slipstream of lorries and coaches overtaking you as they're speed limited so you'll either be travelling faster than them or at the same speed. Much safer on motorways! My speed very much depends on weather conditions but driving an auto landrover discovery it won't go into top gear at below 55mph unless going down hill swhich drinks fuel so put that with the safer journey due to not being overtaken by lorries I generally travel at ~58mph or thereabouts. Saying which I did once drive a disco which was k***ered and didn't go above 45mph as it just felt too unsafe and kept trying to snake (felt fine without a trailer so found out the hard way that it was dodgy - very scary!). So if you feel unsafe above 50mph then there may be an underlying problem with the towing vehicle.
 
mega beast- im the same! i have an auto disco and the slightest bit of deceleration it changes down a gear... abit annoying!

you need to gage what is safe, taking in weather conditions and how busy it is, it can be just as unsafe going too slow on a motorway.
 
Nah nothing wrong with the towing vehicle, it a brand new pick up with a Batesons trailer, I also always check the tyre pressures on trailer before I travel. A friend of mine is a vet and she has had to attend quite a few accidents where a horse trailers has turned turtle and the horses concerned have had horrific life taking injuries that is why I am cautious.
 
im not keen on batesons. they are to light tbh. they catch in the slightest of wind. i dont feel safe towing over 40 with a bateson on A roads. i much prefer something heavier like an ifor.
 
china said:
im not keen on batesons. they are to light tbh. they catch in the slightest of wind. i dont feel safe towing over 40 with a bateson on A roads. i much prefer something heavier like an ifor.
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The big Bateson which is equivalent to a 510 only weighs about 100kg less than an Ifor. I can't belive that makes much difference once you put a horse, tack and water in surely? Can it? Don't scare me!
 
I think its dangerous and selfish to be going less than about 55 mph on the motorway you will be overtaken constantly by HGVs and there is a good chance of being rear ended by a drowsy driver!! it comes down to corect tyre presures , the towbar set at the right hight and a suitable towing vehicle , then 60 on the motorway is fine and say about 50 on a good A road...
 
jesstickle said:
The big Bateson which is equivalent to a 510 only weighs about 100kg less than an Ifor. I can't belive that makes much difference once you put a horse, tack and water in surely? Can it? Don't scare me!
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The bateson trailers are great tow and ride better than the ifors there are few better I towed a bateson ascot to cambridge quite a few times and did the same journey with a new ifor 510 bump bump rattle jerk wheras the batson towed great.. ifors are for those who like hair shirts or old landrovers and roughing it :D
 
jesstickle said:
The big Bateson which is equivalent to a 510 only weighs about 100kg less than an Ifor. I can't belive that makes much difference once you put a horse, tack and water in surely? Can it? Don't scare me!
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i borrow a big bateson dueville which takes 2 x17.2 and is 850 unladen, a 505 i think is 1100 or 1200 unladen. the bateson gives them a lovely ride to get me wrong, the suspension is amazing, i just feel its abit light and catches easily in the wind with just my mare in and i tow with a disco also. its a much nicer trailer than an ifor i think and i would buy one myself with the smooth ride suspension if it was just abit heavier. but maybe thats just me being hyper sensitive while driving!
 
perfect11s said:
The bateson trailers are great tow and ride better than the ifors there are few better I towed a bateson ascot to cambridge quite a few times and did the same journey with a new ifor 510 bump bump rattle jerk wheras the batson towed great.. ifors are for those who like hair shirts or old landrovers and roughing it :D
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I can certainly live without the noise they make. I've travelled in one (naughty I know) and by god it was loud!

I don't have either but am trying to sort myself out to have something and I have been lusting after Batesons a bit. Probably out of my price league sadly but a girl can dream.
 
china said:
i borrow a big bateson dueville which takes 2 x17.2 and is 850 unladen, a 505 i think is 1100 or 1200 unladen. the bateson gives them a lovely ride to get me wrong, the suspension is amazing, i just feel its abit light and catches easily in the wind with just my mare in and i tow with a disco also. its a much nicer trailer than an ifor i think and i would buy one myself with the smooth ride suspension if it was just abit heavier. but maybe thats just me being hyper sensitive while driving!
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LOL !!!!!:D shakes head and wonders what someone has been smoking !!!! (joke!!!) I towed mine at 90 + empty more than once and no it didnt fall over.....
 
Eeyore.1 you are being sensible driving at that speed. Unfortunately I have seen so many accidents on the motorway network involving horse trailers, a high proprtion of which where caused by a blow-out/puncture of either the trailer or vehicle towing it. However good ones tyres/inner tubes are a puncture can still occur as a result of picking up a nail/debris. The slower one is going the more likely one is of regaining control of the vehicle/trailer in event of a blow out/puncture.
 
I too wouldn't tow over 50mph on good clear roads and motorways. IMO, common sense should play a big part in this, if you're old enough and experienced enough to be towing, you should be sensible enough to drive according to the conditions!
 
We dont go above 50mph whilst on the motorway.
It doesnt take much for a horse to be spooked or have a paddy,and then potnetially turn the box over,after all they are unpredicatble animals at times!...thats my thoughts...maybe im paranoid!!
 
Kokopelli said:
Caravans are totally different to horse trailers as most only have 1 axle and they are a lot lighter so tow very differently and more likely to snake.

At 60 we never sway even when passing a lorry. If anything it's nicer for the horse to go on the motorway due to the straightness of it. :)
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Totally agree with this. We do max 50mph on normal roads and max 60mph on dual carriageways and motorways as they are much straighter - its safer IMO to keep up with the traffic, and the horse doesn't care. The big roads are a lot smoother than back roads anyway. I tow with a Bateson and never had any issues with catching in the wind at all. And we have towed Ifors in the past, dont notice any difference whatsoever - I prefer the Bateson!
 
We used to have a Bateson the very small pony trailer and sold it as we got bigger ponies and never had problems with that either. Our current one is a Cheval Liberte which is also very light weight and we never face problems.

In some cases I think it's more dangerous not keeping up with the traffic.
 
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