Travelling a foal.....also posted in Tack Room

Spiritedly

Spiritedly

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I'm moving my mare and 12 week old foal this weekend. They'll be travelling in an Ifor Williams 505, the mare is 14.1 and the foal 12hh, and only be on the trailer for about 15 minutes. I was planning on taking the partition out and shutting the top of the rear ramp but I'm not sure whether to take out the breast bar or whether to cross tie the mare How have people who have moved their foals travelled them?
Thanks
 
We had different trailers over here which are suitable for travelling loose. All mares and foals are travelled loose in box stall compartments in my trailer. Mare and foal travel together.
 
There are those who will tie up the mare. I don't, ever. A deep bed, no partition, and for the first half mile, give them time to decide how they'd like to travel.

Alec.
 
I regularly travel mares and foals in a trailer and have done for years. Much less hassle than adapting herringbone partitions in a lorry. I always use a full width breast bar (without this your mare can get too close to the front of the trailer and the hitch is not designed to have a big weight in this front area) I open all windows and roof lights. I close the top doors at the back. I positively avoid travelling in very hot weather as they will get hot, but better hot than jumping out the back! Your 15 minutes up the road should be find. PS I always tie the mare up!
 
We travel all our mares and foals in an IW 510 and the mare is cross tied with a full breast bar and the foal travels loose of course. Tbh our partition spends more time out of the box than in during the breeding season. Mares and foals travel for up to 2 and a half hours at a time to studs and we have no problems. We don't close the back doors but have a mesh grid which fastens on to the fittings on the ramp that the back doors close on and is hooked on to the top of the box in two places so is very secure and lets in plenty of air.
 
It was sold by an IW dealer to fit the IW but I was told it was made by one of the staff (who services the trailers) at home in his spare time, IW may make them now, we bought ours about 15 years ago and this is the third IW box we've used it on. I do know that for the first couple of years we had it, people at the studs or shows/sales we were at were interested in it and wondered where we got it but no one has commented on it for years so they may be easily obtained now.
 
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Does your 505 have the two clips on the outside of the grooms door (the more old fashioned arrangement)? This is more secure than the more modern latch operated grooms door, as found on the 505/510 classics, which could be forced open if the foal leaned heavily on it :(.

I was worried enough about this happening, that I used a lorry and driver to bring my mare and foal home from stud, rather than travel them in my 510 classic. Even if the door is locked, it can be opened from the inside.
 
Put a bale of straw to stop them opening the grooms door. I always cross tied the mare. I have full length breast bars for both 505 and 510 buried somewhere in my yard if you are near Essex.
 
Don't take the breast and breaching bars out, as previously said they stop the mare going too far forward and also provides ridigity to the trailer.
 
Mine is an older trailer so has two clips on the grooms door. I have a full length breast bar but the breach bars are only halves :(
 
Clodagh said:
Put a bale of straw to stop them opening the grooms door. I always cross tied the mare. I have full length breast bars for both 505 and 510 buried somewhere in my yard if you are near Essex.
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Thank you but I have a full length breast bar :)
 
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