Traveling in trailer without partition

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Horse*

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Hello,

I've been having problems traveling my gelding for the past year. I have decided to try travelling him without a partition, on Sunday, after many people recommended it. The only think is I'm worried that the only think keeping him in place at the moment, and stopping him falling over, is the partition. Am I being stupid to try travelling with out it? And what would I do or should I do to prepare for the possibility of him falling over?

Travelling makes me so nervous!!
 
I bet you'll be surprised. Boot him and have someone keep an eye, and don't go far. They don't generally get cast in a trailer so if he does go down just stop as smoothly as possible and touch wood by then he'll be on his feet and right as rain :)
 
Horse* said:
Hello,

I've been having problems traveling my gelding for the past year. I have decided to try travelling him without a partition, on Sunday, after many people recommended it. The only think is I'm worried that the only think keeping him in place at the moment, and stopping him falling over, is the partition. Am I being stupid to try travelling with out it? And what would I do or should I do to prepare for the possibility of him falling over?

Travelling makes me so nervous!!
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Not stupid at all. A bit like the 'advert' post, give him the opportunity to find his own balance.😀
 
Also, how do you think a horse should be tied when traveling without a partition? I was thinking cross tieing but I'm not sure how tight.
 
I cross tie, but quite loose. She can move to touch her nose on each side of the trailer but can't turn round.
 
When I was a kid we used to travel my 13.2 without a partition in our old rice trailer (those were the days!). Never had a problem, although he wasn't a nervous traveller to start with! We just tied him normally with one shortish rope, I would probably cross tie if I was going to do it now, but not as short as I would with a single rope.
 
Don't you need a breast bar at least?

I think completely loose and cross-tied without anything to stop him being squashed up the front is quite dangerous?

You can get one that spans the length of the trailer. I got a breast and breach bar for about £50 on ebay. Travels fine like that, they can lean on it if you brake or use it to lean against when travelling.
 
Thanks for all of your comments, very helpful. Yes tallyho I have 2 full width break bars. Wouldn't want to risk him struggling to brace or coming out when raising the rear ramp.
 
You could try with the partition in but tied to the side with a full breach bar at the rear. Gives the horse room behind to spread out and balance.
 
We had a pony years ago who couldn't keep upright in one half of a trailer. We removed the partition, had a full width breast bar and cross tied her. She travelled like a dream after that.
 
i travel mine without a partition, i cross tie very loosely & she doesn't have a breast bar so she can do what she wants :)
 
kassieg said:
i travel mine without a partition, i cross tie very loosely & she doesn't have a breast bar so she can do what she wants :)
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I thought a breast bar was always needed. It gives the horse something to brace against in case of emergency braking and just for normal balance. I would never travel without a breast bar and breach bar.
 
BSL said:
I thought a breast bar was always needed. It gives the horse something to brace against in case of emergency braking and just for normal balance. I would never travel without a breast bar and breach bar.
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Second this. I am one of the few people I know who travels with a partition, even with two horses. The only reason I still us the partition is I haven't got full length bars yet for the new box.
 
I travel horses a lot both in a lorry and a trailer. I find that many of my big horses hate the trailer and fall about, kick etc. Remove the partition and I have not had one that does not travel well. Full width breast bar and tie to one side. They all seem to stand diagonally across the space and are quite happy even for several hour long journeys.
 
I had the same concerns with my old horse. I bought a brand new Ifor 505 and put him I and off we went - he literally scrambled a fell all over the place. I took him out half way down the road and walked back to yard. Like you, I was advised to take partition out but I kept thinking they must fall over with all that room and no partition to lean on lol. I got the full bars, cross tied loosely and never looked back. I also noticed how wide my horse splayed his legs when travelling and that just confirmed what the problem was with him in with partitions - there just wasn't enough room.

It's also much easier to tack up and do bit and bobs with them inside rather than always having to tie up outside which is a pain if it's raining.

I've now got a new horse and bought another new Ifor - the bigger one and first thing I did was take out the partitions. If you only have 1 horse to travel then I would take them out regardless if they travel ok with them. Makes the trailer lighter as well. ����
 
I would never travel a single horse with the partitions. Why restrict their space when you don't need to.
 
equi said:
I would never travel a single horse with the partitions. Why restrict their space when you don't need to.
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There's truth in that but when you have young horses to travel you have to train them both ways to travel with partition and a companion and without.

If lone horse, I de-partition, but with two, I put it back in for safety; and of course the insurance if anything should happen... God forbid.
 
equi said:
I would never travel a single horse with the partitions. Why restrict their space when you don't need to.
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There's truth in that, ideally when you have young horses to travel you have to train them both ways. To be safe and get them used to different travel arrangements.

If lone horse, loose, but with two, I put it back in for safety; and of course the insurance if anything should happen... God forbid.

I feel the trailer is more stable when one is loose or two are partitioned. One on one side definitely destabilises the whole outfit even though you are advised by professionals to travel on opposing camber.
 
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Horse* said:
Thanks for all of your comments, very helpful. Yes tallyho I have 2 full width break bars. Wouldn't want to risk him struggling to brace or coming out when raising the rear ramp.
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Hehe.. ok I was just checking :)
 
We used to travel two big horses without the partition, complete disaster with a partition, neither would balance and one ended up under the breast bar. Burned the partition and never another problem.
The only thing I would advise is that you use coronet boots or good travelling boots so if you've two in you don't risk them causing a tread injury if they step sideways onto their friends coronet. (Mind you this can happen with partitions that are open at the bottom)
However, when I did my WATO there were lots of rules and regulations about what you can and can't travel without a partition, so it's worth genning up.
If you think of the basic make up of a horse, they are wider at the top than the base, so if they need to balance, they need to stick a leg out beyond the widest part of their body and a partition will prevent this.
On another note, what is this thing with travelling horses with the front top door open - looks terrifying to me!
 
Cross tie him just enough so he cannot try and turn round. He will find it much easier without a partition. I travelled all mine in a cattle trailer for years and they very much appreciated the extra space.
 
I had a horse who suddenly started to panic and fall over in a trailer. Take a deep breath - it makes you REALLY nervous travelling your horse when this happens a few times. I paid a fortune for Richard Maxwell to come out and see her (worth every penny!) He removed the partition straight away, but then spent an HOUR waking in and backing out of the trailer. When she started she was shaking, after an hour she was yawning!!! You still need both a breast bar and a breach bar, your mare needs to be cross tied - not too tight or too loose. I promise you you won't look back - my mare is perfect again now - good luck 😊
 
Thank you for answering some of the questions I was about to post! My inexperienced traveler (9yo 15.1 arab) managed to turn and get wedged across the trailer (no partition) when tied with a single bungee, on a trial trip (I planned to cross tie but forgot in my anxiety over the whole thing...). We unloaded by the road side and brave boy re-loaded to go home (cross tied). I think I'll shut top back doors next time, so he doesn't think he might get out that way... and hope he doesn't feel too hemmed in (trailer is an IW505). Any more ideas?
 
Hi from Canada! I bought a vintage Rice trailer and it's too tight for my thick Norwegian Fjord to travel without the partition being removed. Where would one find this "full width breast bar" that goes all the way across? Can someone send me a picture so I could have one fabricated if it's not available on this side of the Atlantic?
 
Stephanie.Compton said:
Hi from Canada! I bought a vintage Rice trailer and it's too tight for my thick Norwegian Fjord to travel without the partition being removed. Where would one find this "full width breast bar" that goes all the way across? Can someone send me a picture so I could have one fabricated if it's not available on this side of the Atlantic?
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Hi Stephanie, this is a 5-year old thread. You'll get more responses if you start your own new thread on the forum!
 
Stephanie.Compton said:
Hi from Canada! I bought a vintage Rice trailer and it's too tight for my thick Norwegian Fjord to travel without the partition being removed. Where would one find this "full width breast bar" that goes all the way across? Can someone send me a picture so I could have one fabricated if it's not available on this side of the Atlantic?
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If you can't find one, you can make one for your Rice using a couple of field gate hinges and a stout post cut to length. Put the gate hinges on either end of the post. They should fit into the trailer brackets either side without further modification. Only thing is it will not drop down, but I never found this a problem as we used to back the horse out.
 
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