Trailering horses - top doors (Front and Back) open or closed???

ArcticFox

ArcticFox

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www.bryland.co.uk
Hi all

Ok so something to discuss. I no longer have a trailer but I used to always travel my horses with the back doors open (Ifor Williams) and the top front door shut.
Now I would never dream of travelling with the top front door open but as my house is close to a main road (a busy one) I see people driving past with their tops doors open frequently. It usually makes me cringe:eek:.

So whats your opinion/experience.:confused:


AND on a seperate note, I use trailer ties when travelling, they are not elasticated and they have a spring clip at one end and a quick release at the other. Recently due to a yearling climbing on the locker, I had this discussion with a friend that I always put the quick release bit onto the rings of the lorry and use the spring clip onto the headcollar. Is this the correct way? how do you use yours??


Discuss..... :)
 
Never top front open - anything could blow in and anyway, it's madly un-aerodynamic. Plus, if the clips that hold them open are anything like mine, you wldn't trust them whilst moving. They're really just designed to hold the door open whilst stationary.

Back doors will be closed if it's wet or chilly, otherwise they're open.
 
Imo, its easier to have the quick release fastener away from the horse if theres a problem its easier to get to than a flailing horse, plus that way if you have to untie, theres a rope to grab hold of rather than just the headcollar.

I havent got front doors but the back I always keep closed for youngsters, open otherwise (but closed on motorways).
 
We have a lorry now but used to have an IW - would never dream of travelling with the front doors open, an accident waiting to happen! A bit of grit flicked up off the road at that kind of speed going into a horses eye would be horrific - plus its more tempting for them to try and jump out.
We did travel with the back doors open though.
 
Front window definitely closed. I have a cheval liberte which has mesh at the back and I found my last horse travelled better with it down as he couldn't see what was coming up behind him. Haven't travelled my new horse in it yet but will travel him with the mesh closed unless he objects. I wouldn't travel with the doors on an Ifor closed but reckon its ok with the mesh as there is still plenty of airflow.
 
What are you guys worried about who needs top doors???

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Depending on the weather i have the back doors open or closed. If windy they are closed to prevent any drag on the trailer or if the wind is behind the trailer it grabbing and moving it.

If I close the trailer doors I dont pop on a travel sheet unless im travelling a fully clipped out pony :)
 
I find this thread very interesting as after passing a trailer with horse in today i too wondered how many owners actually do travel with the top front door open.
I always travel my horse with back doors open for ventilation unless the weather is dreadful and will shut either one or both top back doors.
NEVER travel with front top door open-have heard numerous horror stories of horses jumping the breach bar and getting a leg caught over the front ramp-horse got PTS at the roadside after being in owners possession for only 10mins and travelling only 1mile down the sellers drive!!
 
Front top door definately should be shut IMO. Crazy people travelling with them open, good way to blind your horse with a stone to the eye! Also as someone who has had their horse manage to open the jockey door whilst doing 50mph, and deciding to jump the breast bar to try to get out of it... well lets say I will never ever leave a front door purposfully open! Back top door - well Id say normally down, but I have travelled with it shut if the horse is new to travelling or nervous of lorries coming up close behind etc.

With regard to the release clips - I use the same and I attach the quick release bit to the string and the normal bit to the headcollar. You say you put it on the ring, but I assume you mean twine? Personally I wouldnt attach the horse to a solid steel ring!
 
I would never ever travel a horse in a trailer with the front door open. If you want ventilation get a window put in!

In terms of back doors I tended to travel with them open unless it was bad rain and i was going on the motorway when I would shut the one behind the horse and leave the other open (I only ever travelled one).

Quick release I tie to the ring, I figure if something happened I would want to have something to grab onto, just in case :)
 
When I have used ifor, front door shut always. Back always open, unless really foul weather, then the door above the horse was closed. The trailer I have now doesn't have any front, as rear unload only, and none on the back either. Horse has to get a wet botty!
 
DD loved your photos!!

Front door always shut, back doors open but one journey I do I have to shut the hedgeside back door as would rip it off otherwise.
 
Front Top door always closed. The rear ones, stay open unless i'm going on a motorway, then i shut the driverside one or if its foul weather, then they get shut.
I find I can feel the horse bunch up if a lorry comes up behind if the rear door is left open.
So, we are both happier with it closed.

I also use quick release clips, which i have on the horsebox ring, and the springclip on the headcollar.
 
No-ones admiting to leaving the front open then!
Wouldn't dream of it myself. I also always shut the righthand side rear door as my horse doesn't like heavy vehicles coming up behind. I don't shut both as he seems ok with this system and I like to have some extra ventilation.
 
MrsMozart said:
Front doors closed.

Back doors open if horse/s in the trailer. Closed if trailer is empty.
Click to expand...

This.

I had a pony jump over the breast bar and lower front door years ago - luckily while parked (we had just unloaded my friend's pony at her house and were just closing the doors again). It makes me cringe every time I see someone drive with the front doors open.
 
I am always horrified to see people travelling with the top door open... I have seen horses trying to hide from the unrelenting 40mph+ wind and felt so sorry for them.
What could happen doesn't bear thinking about.

I usually have the back doors open for ventilation, and some horses seem to prefer not to be shut in completely, I sometimes shut one if the weather is bad to give some shelter and to hide the big lorries a bit.
Both closed when empty.
 
Front doors ALWAYS shut.

Usually shut the right back door so the horse has less visability of lorries overtaking on the motorway.

Left back door is always open though for light/air.

All doors and vents closed when travelling the trailer empty.
 
Never front door open

I used to leave both back ones open in warm weather but the pony tends to not like the sound of the traffic much so I just shut the one directly behind him now & leave the other open. Seems a lot happier like that xx
 
Love the photos, so glad to see everyone on here saying keep front door closed, always cringe when I see it open, just think of what might to blowing into poor animals eyes...my dogs always seem to think good idea to have head out, always comes straight back in though!!!
 
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