Travelling a horse in 7.5t loose

[[127815]]

Can you safely travel a horse loose in a 7.5 ton with partitions removed? There's half doors at the back which would stop direct leaning on the ramp too.
Horse is freaking out being closed in between the partitions even when widened. wondering if this is a possible solution?

 

[ycbm]

Mares with foals at foot are travelled in big spaces, so I guess it's OK, though I would be worried about it.

Is he freaking because the partition is shut or only when on the move?

I had one once who only travelled calmly sideways in a lorry when I pinned him in with firm foam bolsters actually touching his sides. He was fine rear facing in a 3.5t.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Yes its possible, as ycbm says, however I'd have a full partition at the back - to prevent any jumping out when ramp dropped.
In an emergency it's too dangerous to even think about dropping a ramp and having a panicking horse come over the top of rear doors/gates.

To add, you might want to check the stability of the front wall, again can you just move a partition against it for additional security?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Personally I would not do it, but I have see dealers do it on the way to Southall Market in those days.

I would be worried in an emergency if you braked heavy the horse would fly to the back and injure itself.

 

[planete]

I have to travel Wwody loose in a stallion box with the partition removed as he panicks if tied up or hemmed in a small space. He also has hay on the floor so he does not need to try and eat with his head up. He is perfectly relaxed travelling this way.

 

[AmyMay]

To me it seems like an incredibly dangerous way to travel a horse.

 

[LEC]

I had this chat with Alex Bragg recently. He says he now does this especially on long journeys because he chatted with Michi Jung about it and if you watch on camera they can travel more comfortably in a large space, get their heads down and generally find it easier. He said it’s fascinating watching on camera as they make themselves comfortable for their own individual balance. They are not completely loose as will have partitions in but the space made is the size of a small stable. This came up in discussion about a horse who rubbed its backside whatever the owner tried.

 

[[127815]]

Mares with foals at foot are travelled in big spaces, so I guess it's OK, though I would be worried about it.

Is he freaking because the partition is shut or only when on the move?

I had one once who only travelled calmly sideways in a lorry when I pinned him in with firm foam bolsters actually touching his sides. He was fine rear facing in a 3.5t.

He doesn't like when you close the partition on him and the whole journey you can hear him moving about unhappy also he will almost sit down when you close the partition.

 

[[127815]]

I just genuinely don't know the facts if this is dangerous or not I think he would travel much better with no restriction but I don't know the facts for safety.

 

[Landcruiser]

A friend of mine travels her mare loose in a 3.5, no partitions. She travels very well, and puts herself rear facing.

 

[Melody Grey]

I’d worry about the distance the horse could go flying in a big lorry in the event of sudden braking. 7.5t lorries also have a higher centre of gravity than 3.5t.

That said I’d worry about travelling anything loose personally.

 

[ycbm]

I just genuinely don't know the facts if this is dangerous or not I think he would travel much better with no restriction but I don't know the facts for safety.

Well he's not safe with what he's doing so it sounds like the lesser of 2 evils. I would give him 8 or 9 feet and for safety hope he chooses to travel backwards with his bum on the wall behind him like they do in a 3.5t.
.

 

[Irish-Only]

A long time ago we were renovating a wooden sided 7.5t 3 horsebox, and for a while my OH hadn't had time to put in the fixings for the partitions so I travelled my 16.3hh horse loose. He always positioned himself with his bum to the luton and travelled easily and happily. Go for it, you have nothing to lose.

 

[YourValentine]

In other parts of the world, horses regularly travel loose in the back of lorries perfectly safely, and will choose their preferred position - backwards, some variation of herringbone, but rarely facing forwards.

Not sure how big you 7.5t is but I agree with the above suggestion to move the partitions giving him a small box space rather than run of the whole thing for safety unloading, and so if he does want to lean on something its not the bulkhead or ramp doors

 

[ponynutz]

This post today made me think of this thread

 

[suestowford]

I had an ancient lorry once, the body was really solid. I often travelled a pony loose in the back of that. We didn't have to worry about sudden braking as it was so old it never went very fast. My big pony liked to stand diagonally, with his head towards the rear. He would sweat up if I had him tied in between partitions, but would come out as fresh as anything if he was loose. I would put up one of the partitions, as an extra barrier between him & the bulkhead, and there were the ramp gates between him and the ramp at the back, so he had in effect a small loosebox rather than a stall.

 

[Burnerbee]

Have you ever watched Animal Cops Houston? There they travel horses, often two or more together, in basically an open cage, just metal ribs, open to the air and about 18” off the ground. No bandages, boots, not tied up, nothing - and off they go down the freeway. We probably worry too much over here.

 

[ponynutz]

This post today made me think of this thread

It didn’t attach - sorry! Meant this post

 

[ycbm]

Have you ever watched Animal Cops Houston? There they travel horses, often two or more together, in basically an open cage, just metal ribs, open to the air and about 18” off the ground. No bandages, boots, not tied up, nothing - and off they go down the freeway. We probably worry too much over here.

I wouldn't do that without eye protection.

 

[rara007]

I know friends with similar set ups in goosenecks or HGVs for long distance travel. Seems to work well.
You’d need to check the jockey door to living if there is one, they often don’t take the weight of a horse.