Travelling in a 3.5T without the partition

That's how we travel mares and foals. Both loose in a 3.5t without the partition. Any youngsters without mum are travelled loose but with the partition in - so just not tied up.
 
Dino7 said:
That's how we travel mares and foals. Both loose in a 3.5t without the partition. Any youngsters without mum are travelled loose but with the partition in - so just not tied up.
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Ive just bought a new lorry and the breast bar is just slightly too high for my boy, he does lean on it and go to sleep but i dont want him getting a stiff neck from holding it up.

I just wonder if i was to take the partition out and travel him loose, weather it would be more comfy for him, and he could lie down if he wants to.........which he does as soon as he gets in his stable :)
 
i travel mine without the partition but tied up fairly long so they can shuffle round in to any corner.

all travel really well :)
 
Without the partition is fine - my friend does it with her giant of a warmblood so he can stand across the diagonal - but you really feel them move about and shift their weight so I wouldn't do loose.

I don't think lying down is safe either.
 
Hallo2012 said:
i travel mine without the partition but tied up fairly long so they can shuffle round in to any corner.

all travel really well :)
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Cross ties!
trailers are rarely safe if a big, loose horse starts trying to turning round.
And anything loose - shut all top doors! Particularly youngsters, you would be amazed how well they can climb, escapologists, it’s terrifying!
So long as horse can get to whatever hay is tied up, they will usually balance themselves diagonally, one haunch semi-sitting on the side wall, and yes, seem to get a lot less sweaty, stressed or claustrophobic.
 
2awesomenatives said:
Ive just bought a new lorry and the breast bar is just slightly too high for my boy, he does lean on it and go to sleep but i dont want him getting a stiff neck from holding it up.

I just wonder if i was to take the partition out and travel him loose, weather it would be more comfy for him, and he could lie down if he wants to.........which he does as soon as he gets in his stable :)
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You know, if mine was lying down on a moving horse box floor, I would be a bit concerned about his general well-being.
If you are going to have him completely loose, better remove this breast bar too in case he gets his spine under it - throw in absolutely loads of straw, leave headcollar on, and please close any top doors at the back or sides of your box before setting off
 
Exasperated said:
You know, if mine was lying down on a moving horse box floor, I would be a bit concerned about his general well-being.
If you are going to have him completely loose, better remove this breast bar too in case he gets his spine under it - throw in absolutely loads of straw, leave headcollar on, and please close any top doors at the back or sides of your box before setting off
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He has never layed down in a box, i'm just asking if it would be safe for him to do so.
My lorry doesn't have a breast bar that you can get underneath, its a half wall. I never have any doors open in the lorry.....there aren't any to keep open, maybe you thought i had a trailer?

He always has lots of shavings down as I like him to feel comfortable in there :-)
 
Exasperated said:
Cross ties!
trailers are rarely safe if a big, loose horse starts trying to turning round.
And anything loose - shut all top doors! Particularly youngsters, you would be amazed how well they can climb, escapologists, it’s terrifying!
So long as horse can get to whatever hay is tied up, they will usually balance themselves diagonally, one haunch semi-sitting on the side wall, and yes, seem to get a lot less sweaty, stressed or claustrophobic.
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mine are in a 3.5 ton so no issue trying to turn round as plenty of room, and all just stand and eat.

no need to cross tie in this situ
 
As much as none of us like to brake suddenly when transporting horses it does happen - currently my horse slams his backside into the panel but if he was lying down the forces would be very different.
 
2awesomenatives said:
He has never layed down in a box, i'm just asking if it would be safe for him to do so.
My lorry doesn't have a breast bar that you can get underneath, its a half wall. I never have any doors open in the lorry.....there aren't any to keep open, maybe you thought i had a trailer?

He always has lots of shavings down as I like him to feel comfortable in there :-)
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I don’t think he’d lie down when moving, maybe if stationary overnight and using it as a temporary stable?
Some little boxes have half panels, seen these propped open at shows when horse is inside with the main section closed, like a ‘window’, for cool air.
I also know of a trailer with top door of the front unload open for cool breeze, where the horse lost its eye and part of an ear, very badly scarred, from something blowing in 😲
 
Tiddlypom said:
Defo don’t travel loose (or indeed at all) with an unmodified half wall. You can get anti climb walls put in to prevent this happening.

A stallion box is much better suited to travelling loose if you must.

View attachment 163121
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Not surprised. It's like who ever designs them has no idea what horses can do, and that accidents have to planed for.
I prefer a full height stallion box and a fully opening door not a breach bar.
www.atacanter.co.uk

Theault 3.5 tonne Firsteo Stud Horsebox - Atacanter Horsebox Hire and Sales

Stud configuration, ideal for mares & foals Equipment on this vehicle 6 speed manual gearbox Driver and passenger air bags Electric windows and mirrors Air Conditioning Trip computer & cruise control Bluetooth and DAB radio Window from cab to horse area Horse area and reversing cameras...
www.atacanter.co.uk
 
honetpot said:
Not surprised. It's like who ever designs them has no idea what horses can do, and that accidents have to planed for.
I prefer a full height stallion box and a fully opening door not a breach bar.
www.atacanter.co.uk

Theault 3.5 tonne Firsteo Stud Horsebox - Atacanter Horsebox Hire and Sales

Stud configuration, ideal for mares & foals Equipment on this vehicle 6 speed manual gearbox Driver and passenger air bags Electric windows and mirrors Air Conditioning Trip computer & cruise control Bluetooth and DAB radio Window from cab to horse area Horse area and reversing cameras...
www.atacanter.co.uk
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Seen one hooked up over the fixed breast bar into the groom’s compartment in an Equitrek, with an impossibly narrow back door even if they could have got the entire horse over the fixed bar.
Pony died, probably from shock and stress, while the Groundsmen were trying to dismantle the back of the box.
Breast bar collapsible from the outside would have solved it instantly, it was so unnecessary. The fire service arrived too late, but had seen similar incidents before.
 
Exasperated said:
Seen one hooked up over the fixed breast bar into the groom’s compartment in an Equitrek, with an impossibly narrow back door even if they could have got the entire horse over the fixed bar.
Pony died, probably from shock and stress, while the Groundsmen were trying to dismantle the back of the box.
Breast bar collapsible from the outside would have solved it instantly, it was so unnecessary. The fire service arrived too late, but had seen similar incidents before.
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Just looking a the solid wall breaching with a 'grooms doors', to get in and out you are bending down so your head is at hoof height. Like you say in an emergency the horse can leave through the back door.
 
honetpot said:
Just looking a the solid wall breaching with a 'grooms doors', to get in and out you are bending down so your head is at hoof height. Like you say in an emergency the horse can leave through the back door.
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couldn’t have left through this rear groom’s door, it was very narrow, a stout person would have to watch what they were doing, never mind a horse. The ground staff were basically cutting back from this stupid little door, to try and create enough space, pony’s head and one front leg were already wedged out. Awful.
This was some years ago, and hopefully new constructions have improved, but will be plenty of the unsafe designs still about.
When the fire service arrived (this was at an event, we were parked fairly near) obviously it was too late for the pony, and the owners were in bits - pretty much like the back of their box.
Fireman said there had been sufficient similar incidents that ‘the industry’ had already been advised always to fit collapsible bars; operable from outside (like most trailers now); and grooms’ rear doors at least 4’ wide; or fit what are today known as ‘stallion compartments’. They did not support weaving grilles welded onto fixed bars because horses still try to get through on occasion.
I remember ‘Theault’ horseboxes did promote their wide rear door design as a safety feature??
Apparently various manufacturers had argued that fixed breast bars were integral to the welded solidity of the truck conversion. The fireman described these boxes as ‘death traps’, which is about right.
BHS magazine did print several warning articles about these unsuitable 3.5 conversions, then damn me if they didn’t offer an identical Equitrek one as a prize, shortly after!
I don’t know what current Equitrek models are like, but did have a good look on their show stand a couple of years after this experience - spanking new, same flawed design, unbelievable! and their sales rep didn’t want to discuss it at all.
Watch what you buy.
 
I travel mine loose in a stallion box with hay on the floor. No problem so far. Tied up he tends to panic but loose he does not move once we are on our way, just spends his time munching.
 
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