Travelling horses in trailers without partitions

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Ali7

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Basically as the title suggests I want some advice on travelling horses in trailers without partitions as my horse has previously had issues with travelling, ie he falls over when facing forwards in a narrow space. Someone has suggested removing the partition and letting him balance himself and stand where he needs to. Has anyone done this? Is it safe? Does it work? All advice gratefully received.

I know you can buy herringbone trailers now but all of those on the market are too heavy for me to tow, having passed my test since 1997!

Thanks
 
I travel my TB without a partition ands hes fine. I travelled my last one like that to. He stabilises himself and I very rarely feel him move.
Another person on our yard does too as his horse has had trouble balancing
 
My mare will only travel in a trailer without partitions, and we've never had a problem doing it. We cross tie her fairly loosely and obviously have a full width breast bar.
 
I used to travel my old TB without a partition - she liked to stand diagonally in the trailer, she was also not good in small spaces. Without the partition she was far happier.

If Chancer grows much more, I may have to consider taking the partition out of my trailer and buy a single breech bar for the rear to replace the current two.
 
I cross tie the Donkey, a lead rope on either side of her headcollar - that I just unclip and leave hanging in the trailer, I also tie her by her normal lead rein
 
I always travelled my 14.2 with no partition! he was fine- no balance issues"
I actually think they prefer it as they can get there legs further apart to balance!
 
my old TB was simply awful to load with or without a partion and when you eventually got him in the last thing you wanted to do was fiddle about with a partion, so we always travelled without and he never had any accidents.
 
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Most tend to travel better without a partition but you must have a full width breast bar.

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I think that statement is a bit out of order, the majority of horses I see arriving at competitions in trailers arrive with partitions in ........obviously there must be a breast bar.....but to generalise as you have done when it is clearly not true, is not right.
crazy.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most tend to travel better without a partition but you must have a full width breast bar.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that statement is a bit out of order, the majority of horses I see arriving at competitions in trailers arrive with partitions in ........obviously there must be a breast bar.....but to generalise as you have done when it is clearly not true, is not right.
crazy.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

I think you'll find that the comment about having to use a full width breastbar is meant for if you travel without a partition at all, but not if you use a partition anyway. The older 505s came with a full width breastbar as their partitions were a solid length anyway and a solid full length one is relatively easy to source from the dealers or direct from a firm.

The one thing you must never do is travel without a breastbar at all and if you travel without a partition then you really should use a solid 'all-in-one' type, not two single ones tied together as they would not give full support if by any chance you had to stop suddenly and the horse shot forward; this would be very dangerous.

Please, also if you travel without a partition, do tie your horse from either side of the headcollar (cross tie or pillar reins) so they can't twist and maybe end up with a nasty compressed neck injury
 
I never have a partion in my horses are both chunky's and as I only ever travel one at a time in my 505 I bought the ifor williams breast bars that they make. I have a breast bar and a tail bar. Its great acts like a mobile stable. Loads of room to tack up etc. We travel lots of foals as well which travel loose in either my trailer or the cattle trailer. In my 46 years doing this never had a problem.
 
All horses I have owned have travelled much more quietly without a partition. I cross tie, obviously use a full length breast bar and that's it! Mares especially prefer the extra space as they can widen their hind legs.
 
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I know you can buy herringbone trailers now but all of those on the market are too heavy for me to tow, having passed my test since 1997!

Thanks

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Have you taken your trailer test? To tow any trailers capable of carrying horses you'll need to have taken it if you've passed your test post 1997 - but I might have got the wrong end of the stick!
 
If you have passed your test since 1997 then you will almost certainly have to take the trailer test, regardless of the weight of your trailer. It is the potential weight of your total outfit that counts, not the actual weight. Sorry!
 
Mine travells better without too. Use full width breast and breaching bars and loosely cross tie so he can't turn round.

He seems much quieter travelling this way and will stand around for hours at shows like this, wheras when I use the partition, he wants to get out asap.

Not good when you have to go away overnight tho, as you have to put your hay etc. in the car!
 
Tico, had a bad experiance in a trailer whilst traveling some years ago, i trusted a friend to bring him back from my local colledge where he was on loan, seems like she took the corners too fast and think he mustve lost his ballance and gone over, he was in a right state when he arrived back at my yard. I had terrible problems travelling him after that he would climb the sides of the trailer everytime we took a corner even though we went very slow.
We travelled him with out a partition and he was fine.
We spent a couple of years doing this and driveing very carefully, last year we took him to a pleasure ride with one of my ponies and he was as cool as a cucumber
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Dont have any problems at all now, with or without partition
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Debs x
 
My old boy used to travel really badly with a partition. Hed fall over on every corner, and injuries were common even if padded up to the eyeballs!!

We took the partition out and never had another problem.

Basically he could get his legs apart wide enough to balance himself and like someone else said he would position himself diagonally.

As said before you need a full width breast bar and breech strap ( I used to hook the two individual ones together) and you must cross tie for safety.

Id definitely try it!
 
Unless we take two anywhere we always travel them with the full trailer as they travel better that way. Obviously we have a full width breast bar. We just tie them at one side and they stand diagonally. We'd cross tie them if we didn't know that they travelled perfectly well without trying to turn round.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most tend to travel better without a partition but you must have a full width breast bar.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that statement is a bit out of order, the majority of horses I see arriving at competitions in trailers arrive with partitions in ........obviously there must be a breast bar.....but to generalise as you have done when it is clearly not true, is not right.
crazy.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

It would seem from all the replies that most horses that have had the opportunity to travel without partitions do travel better. My statement was not an off the cuff remark. It is my experience based on traveling horses in trailers for over 25 years.
I agree most horses do turn up at comps with partitions. That is generally because the owners have never tried to travel them without the centre partition. The partition is there to seperate 2 horses. Horses tend to prefer to spread their legs wider than a partition will allow to get a solid base to stand on.
Tell me, if you have to travel on a bus or train standing up do you keep your feet close togther or widen your stance for better balance?
I stand by my statement.
 
My old gelding used to travel with just one long breast bar and he chose to stand herringbone.

If you drive steady (as you should anyway) there should be no probs. It is in their interest to stay standing
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Try a very short journey to see how you feel? It's all about confidence really. I have also known of a few people travel their horses backwards in a forward facing trailer. You have to do what works best for you and your situation.
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Me too.

I always travel my lot without a partition, (cross tied and full breast bar), unless I'm taking more than one.
I too have had a problem loader/traveller that was cured by traveling as above.

I would agree that the majority of people that travel theirs with a partition in do so because they haven't thought to or needed to try otherwise.
 
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