transporting a fallabella in my car

[McNally]

I am thinking this is a joke? or a troll like post surely.

I did once pull up in the vet car park (with my dog!) and another car pulled up along side from which a very elderly lady produced quite a large goat! :-@

 

[otter2]

Cheapest is £100 - thats 10 months rent for the little pony!!!!!!!!

if you can't afford it or aren't willing to pay it, you don't deserve to have a horse. SIMPLE.

 

[Sambo]

I am thinking this is a joke? or a troll like post surely.

I did once pull up in the vet car park (with my dog!) and another car pulled up along side from which a very elderly lady produced quite a large goat! :-@

Definately not a troll! I genuinely want to know if there is a law against doing this!!

 

[Sambo]

I think you should buy one of these... youll never need to ask this question again


http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=151&pf_id=8130&co=fr&gclid=CLvLmJn-iqoCFcEd4QodpmTUyw

I dont think she'll fit - and they dont do it in purple so her matchy matchy wont work...

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Exactly the question: would travelling a miniature in the boot of a car be more likely to cause injury than travelling them in a trailer?

Why would the boot of a car, assuming it is adequately sized (and I think, fitted with dog guards etc) be more dangerous than the back of a transit? Or indeed, is it safe to put so small a pony in a "normal" sized horse trailer?

I'm not saying it is safe, I actually am in two minds over it. It sounds ridiculous, but ridiculous and actively dangerous are different things. I can understand why the OP is asking the question, to be fair. Though personally I would walk it, very slowly. But I don't know the condition of the pony in question etc...

***Bangs head***if you are going to quote me don't just pick the bits that you think suit and ignore the rest

The vehicle and its loading and unloading facilities are designed,
constructed and maintained to avoid injury and suffering and to
ensure the safety of the animals.


Going to step away now, but I stand by my original comment that the OP is beyond stupid and you frankly are no better.

 

[Sambo]

if you can't afford it or aren't willing to pay it, you don't deserve to have a horse. SIMPLE.

Thats a shame I have 3!

 

[blueneonrainbow]

I don't see how putting such a small pony in the back of a transit or a trailer is any safer than transporting it in the back of a car! Not sure on the legality but I think I'd rather put it in a landrover than a transit- less room for it to move around!

 

[JFTDWS]

***Bangs head***if you are going to quote me don't just pick the bits that you think suit and ignore the rest

The vehicle and its loading and unloading facilities are designed,
constructed and maintained to avoid injury and suffering and to
ensure the safety of the animals.


Going to step away now, but I stand by my original comment that the OP is beyond stupid and you frankly are no better.

No I'm sorry, I stand by my comments - you're ignoring my point that the blanket statement from DEFRA you quoted doesn't specifically forbid it. There is no need for personal insults, it's childish. If you can find a specification of what DEFRA determines to be safe and unsafe that is relevant to the discussion, do produce it. Or if you can reason one from first principles, please do. But repeating a blanket statement that is vague enough to be interpreted in a variety of ways is not exactly helpful.

It's acceptable to travel a similarly sized dog in those circumstances - who would need similar unloading and loading facilities, and vehicle maintenance surely?

I'm not saying it's acceptable, I'm trying to determine if there is a legal prohibition of it, which is what the OP is asking.

 

[mollichop]

I know of a shetland that was an impulse buy at Melton market. Brought home in the boot of a volvo. Same Shetland was moved yards aged 37 (approx 5 miles) in the back of a Discovery - lifted in by hand

Would not recommend it though and the owner was an idiot to be fair!

Use a trailer - it might seem a short distance but is really not worth the risk.

 

[JFTDWS]

I don't see how putting such a small pony in the back of a transit or a trailer is any safer than transporting it in the back of a car! Not sure on the legality but I think I'd rather put it in a landrover than a transit- less room for it to move around!

the transit was (or should have been?) packed with straw bales to make a safe (?) environment. I presume you would do the same transporting a mini in a normal horse trailer?

But I don't see how that's any safer than the back of a defender, again padded with staw bales, other than the lack of ramps, but since minis are liftable, I presume this is no different to transporting a large dog (e.g. an older dog who can no longer jump up or down from a landy?).

Interesting aside - is it legal to put a sheep in the back of a land rover? I've seen that done often enough on farms.

 

[varkie]

Given some of the OPs comments on this thread, I'm assuming that this is a wind-up.

However, I am currently selling some shetlands, and did have one person ring & ask me (among other scary questions) whether she could load pony in the (glass window'd) boot of her 4 x 4 along with the dog, and take it to the common for an off lead run. So sadly, people genuinely do seem to think this is acceptable, and it does need to be made clear that it's NOT.

A mini horse or pony is still a horse or pony, and should be kept, treated & transported as such. If it needs to be moved from one yard to another, if it cannot be walked inhand, it should be taken in a lorry or trailer or van which has been designed to transport horses / ponies. Cost is irrelevant. It doesn't matter what your weekly livery / running costs of pony are. If you don't have suitable transport of your own (and a 4 x 4 or unconverted vehicle is NOT suitable), then you persuade a friend to lend you theirs or you hire it. Whatever it costs.

Putting aside whether it is legal to put it in a 4 x 4 (it is not), you have to consider whether it is sensible - and it is NOT.

 

[RunToEarth]

Considering this side of the forum is open for non-members to read and therefore open to the whole of the world wide web...
Is there any wonder there are so many anti-horse road users, and people who think all horse riders are stupid when they have access to threads made on here from complete and utter nutcases that think it may be a good idea to put a horse in the boot of their car?
Honestly, OP I think you need to be taken away in a straight jacket.

 

[Sambo]

I will take a picture and show you how well she fits!

 

[ClobellsandBaubles]

local farmer with a dinky trailer? might be persuaded unless a sheep trailer is not suitable for wee ponies i have seen this a quite a few RC shows

 

[JayCeeme]

I will take a picture and show you how well she fits!

This has got to be one of the best wind ups I have ever seen, I had a really good laugh so thank you Sambo and if you are really serious go and buy a couple of skate boards and tie them together.

 

[CeeBee]

Oh please do

 

[Spudlet]

If the pony is too unfit to walk five miles even over a period of several hours(really?! I mean, REALLY?!! I find that extremely hard to believe - five miles is nothing - but anyway...) then how on earth is it going to manage to leap into a car boot...

Legally, loading ramps need to be secure and present a non-slip surface, and be at a certain angle, so getting the poor little sod to teeter up a length of 2x4 is not going to suffice for this.

Re a safe environment - an car boot is going to have places for the horse to get caught up and hurt itself (mine, for example, has a handle where you slide the back seats forward and back) and will not have non-slip flooring (as required by law). In addition to this, if my dog can get over the backseats of a car, a horse will certainly be able to, no matter how small it is. A dog guard would be unsuitable, as the gaps between the bars would be of a size to allow a hoof or leg to become caught very easily. There will also be nothing to safely tether the horse to, meaning that it could easily panic and leap straight out as soon as the boot is opened, injuring itself and others.

So basically, no, I would not say this is legal. It sure as hell isn't sensible. And it's kind of sad that you can't be bothered to spend a meagre £100 on ensuring the welfare of this pony.

However, it would certainly qualify the transporter for a Darwin Award....

 

[K27]

I'm not sure if you can in this country but it seems you can in America.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gPJo25sb80

 

[fidleyspromise]

local farmer with a dinky trailer? might be persuaded unless a sheep trailer is not suitable for wee ponies i have seen this a quite a few RC shows

This sounds like the best option, or walking. If you took it slowly, and I'm assuming she grazes in field? So she would manage quite easily as long as there are no underlying issues.
I was unfit and took dog for a 5 mile walk fairly easily and with an old injury.

 

[Spudlet]

Also, unless the car boot is huge or the pony is miniscule, the boot is not going to long enough to allow the pony to face the direction of travel or travel at a 45degree angle. Instead I would imagine it would have to stand at a 90degree angle to the direction of travel, which studies have shown to be the least preferred orientation for horses travelling loose. Due to way that horses are built, they find it harder to balance at this angle so it is more fatiguing and stressful for them.

 

[JFTDWS]

Legally, loading ramps need to be secure and present a non-slip surface, and be at a certain angle, so getting the poor little sod to teeter up a length of 2x4 is not going to suffice for this.

Re a safe environment - an car boot is going to have places for the horse to get caught up and hurt itself (mine, for example, has a handle where you slide the back seats forward and back) and will not have non-slip flooring (as required by law). In addition to this, if my dog can get over the backseats of a car, a horse will certainly be able to, no matter how small it is. A dog guard would be unsuitable, as the gaps between the bars would be of a size to allow a hoof or leg to become caught very easily. There will also be nothing to safely tether the horse to, meaning that it could easily panic and leap straight out as soon as the boot is opened, injuring itself and others.

Now that's a well thought out answer.

I could possibly argue that a defender doesn't have anything on the floor of the boot, and mine does have non slip flooring (don't know why, I didn't put it there!), and you might get away with a small mesh dog guard rather than a bar type one (too small to get a hoof through?).

BUT that would still leave the issue of legalities regarding ramp security and the lack of somewhere to tie it.

And aside from that, I presume the OPs car isn't a Defender anyway?

 

[Trish C]

It takes me (consistently) an hour and a half to walk 5 and a half miles, and I'm not particularly fit. So you could definitely just amble along and take loads of breaks, I'm sure you and ponio would be fine.

Alternatively, maybe a wheely chair... or shopping trolley. Or large wheely-suitcase? Mini roller-skates?!

Try local farmers, they may be able to help.

 

[Ladylina83]

No a wheelbarrow was considered - but I'm not sure the wheel will take her weight!

JCB bucket then - I've just seen 2 lads at work use that to put a sign up .... seemed safe enough ?? or a tractor with haylage grabbers ??

 

[Suzie86]

What if she did a poo in your car?

 

[Spudlet]

True JTFD re the dog guard, but then you have the issue of fixing it safely. I actually have such a thing, but the fixings are basically big bolt things with hooks on the end that go round the headrests, leaving these big fixings sticking out on the boot side. They are also not all that secure, leaving gaps around the edge (I don't use mine now because my dog kept getting his head through the gap and getting stuck) Of course an equine would most likely panic in that situation... not ideal in a moving vehicle. And they cost a good £70 from Halfords when I last checked - so not that much less than hiring a trailer! You can get made to measure ones, but these cost even more.

Can't you just get it to ride a bigger horse...

 

[lazybee]

Can you smell what I can smell. What about roller skates, or on a bike rack or even 'Dr Jetpack (tm) hover boots'

 

[Ladylina83]

What if she did a poo in your car?

Lol - The fact that no one else has thought of this for 6 pages says a lot for the state of all our cars !!!! haha

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

have you a two bar?? could you not borrow a sheep trailer designed for small animals or goat or pig trailer?
you can hire these for the day

she could wee in your car that would be worse than poo

 

[MissSBird]

I can't decide if this is a wind up or not...if it is it's an amusing picture!

If not, find your nearest sheep farmer and beg a favour. A standard ifor williams sheep trailer with partitions is a great way to travel shetlands and miniatures. The partitions go sideways as in a standard horse lorry and the length is much more suitable for them. I would argue it's probably safer than a standard horse trailer which is designed for bigger horses, in which the breeching bars will be far too high for such a small pony.

You probably should offer some cash and give a bottle of wine or something as a thankyou, but if you're lucky you might just find some help.

Alternatively, walk. It's not that far really, particularly if you keep the pace slow, don't rush and allow plenty of breaks.

 

[KerslakeEquestrian]

OMG I haven't laughed this hard whilst reading a thread in ages!

Why not just carry her if she is that small. You could always try a baby carrier or stick her in a backpack?

Please post pictures!