The back bar in a trailer

RubysGold

RubysGold

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Hi,
I had my trailer repaired a few months ago, I asked the guy about the back bar (it had one on the right hand side but not on the left side) There isn't a bracket for one on the left so he said he COULD put one in, but it doesn't really need one?
I sort of said ok, as I never tend to have a second horse going out with me.

But next week Im taking a friends horse with us. Shes only 13.2hh but they mentioned she rubs on the back bar, I just want to check that its not that important. I travelled with a friend last year that just had like plastic chains across the back so that's not much different??
 
so, what do I do?
Will it be ok to tie her up just a bit shorter? At 13.2 I cant imagine it being hard to tie her so as she cant reach the ramp ?
 
I wouldn't travel one with nothing tbh.

I'm not sure I would find it fair to tie up shorter so that she has nothing to lean against when you accelerate either but that might just be me.
 
Ok,
Im talking with the owner of the pony at the moment, we might take a different trailer.

I will have to have a word with the guy that fixed my trailer and see if he can sort out a back bar for me
 
You need one - If you only have a rear unload, or if you need to use the rear unload you want something that stops the horse leaving the trailer as you drop the ramp.
 
Its a front unload trailer :)

I didn't even think about it till now because its not the side my horse goes in, and Ive never taken anyone else out :/
 
people at our yard loaded without one in december, horse came out fast as they tried to put ramp up, someone helping was crushed under the ramp lots of broken bones including both ankles, helper has been out of a wheelchair a couple of months.

never ever load without one they are there for a reason
 
OMG Jools! Ouch!!!

I wont get one sorted this year (cos it would mean it going off again and I only just got it back) but when I get it serviced next year Ill get one put in (this is a one off trip with a friends pony, and having spoken to her we've decided to take a different trailer)
 
You don't say what make of trailer but if it is an Ifor Williams and you have a local dealer, the parts should be readily available and it would take about half an hour to bolt it together.

Other than that, any reasonably competent mechanic should be able to rig something up temporarily if you tell him what it's for.
 
Its an old rice trailer. The people that had it before me did a lot of work on it and I think they just didn't get round to attaching a thing to the wall to put the back bar onto.

Wouldn't know where to start with a mechanic :$
 
I dont think its as neccessary as people seem to be making it out to be, a lot of people travel with no partition and only a front bar and I myself used to travel with only the front partition and the back partition out so no back bar and it was no problem at all!
As long as you load horse with back bar first then load second horse, have someone hold her while you put up the ramp then you should be fine.
 
snooples said:
I dont think its as neccessary as people seem to be making it out to be, a lot of people travel with no partition and only a front bar and I myself used to travel with only the front partition and the back partition out so no back bar and it was no problem at all!
As long as you load horse with back bar first then load second horse, have someone hold her while you put up the ramp then you should be fine.
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dont think the crew of the air ambulance that attended the previously mentioned accident would agree with you on that, nor the woman that got stuck under the ramp or indeed the owner of the horse that caused the accident

many people use a full width breast bar when they remove the partition
 
Jools2345 said:
dont think the crew of the air ambulance that attended the previously mentioned accident would agree with you on that, nor the woman that got stuck under the ramp or indeed the owner of the horse that caused the accident

many people use a full width breast bar when they remove the partition
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you should stand to the side putting up a ramp anyway
 
The broodmares at my stables travel without a partition and just one long breastbar at the front. The travel well and behave like old pros.
When the foals are sold they travel loose without anything but are locked in.

If I knew the horses travelled well and together then I wouldnt panic to much. I would maybe look at using a lead rope or one of them metal door chains.

Is your pony bigger/heavier than the 13.2hh? Because if it's smaller then you would need to put him on the left.

I actually need to fix the clips on our one. The last few times we have been out - they have come out there holes and must have banged around! Not good.

Obv if it's a horse doesn't travel well then I wouldn't risk it. I would also load the horse on the right first and put up the back bar. I also always tie my horses up short when travelling - enough to eat their net but not to have swing their heads about or get caught up.
 
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I have travelled my big lad with just a full breast bar when used to have a trailer for many a trip without causing an issue.

Maybe when you have a partition in that the bum bars help to stabilise the partition as well as stopping the horse's bum rub the ramp. My gut feeling would be with a 13.2 you would be fine but depends on your partition design as some partitions hinge front and back for easier access.
 
snooples said:
you should stand to the side putting up a ramp anyway
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yes you should but if ramps are heavy thats not always possible. a jockey was killed last yr when a well travelled horse did the same and he got caught under the ramp-not worth the risk in my book but each to their own
 
Back bar / chain / strap is usually a liability with ponies under 14hh. I have seen many accidents CAUSED by putting the back bar across when pony is short enough to go backwards underneath it, causing pony to panic.

I've got a mixture of ponies, and deliberately leave the back bars off if pony is below the height it's designed for - from experience, it's safer. Tie short, and he'll be well clear of the ramp.

Oh, and as previously mentioned, always stand to the side. :)
 
snooples said:
I dont think its as neccessary as people seem to be making it out to be, a lot of people travel with no partition and only a front bar and I myself used to travel with only the front partition and the back partition out so no back bar and it was no problem at all!
As long as you load horse with back bar first then load second horse, have someone hold her while you put up the ramp then you should be fine.
Click to expand...

I agree totally with this especially if you are dealing with mares and foals or unhandled youngsters; you just need to shut that ramp quickly not faff about fixing a breech bar which would panic them more.
My only golden rule is nobody ever lifts or lowers the ramp unless they are standing to the side of the ramp which means it's easy to sidestep and drop it if the horse pulls back. Only a very stupid person stands behind or under a ramp, they certainly don't have any common sense and self preservation instincts, two of the most important things to have when dealing with horses in a possibly stressful situation.

Jools2345 said:
dont think the crew of the air ambulance that attended the previously mentioned accident would agree with you on that, nor the woman that got stuck under the ramp or indeed the owner of the horse that caused the accident
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I can understand their frustration for the reasons stated above; incredibly stupid to stand behind a ramp at any time, you should always stand to one side especially so if no way of containing horse with either gates or breech bars. I've also seen injuries when breech bars have been used by horses panicking and scrambling about so they're not the be all and end all some make them to be.
 
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