Travelling on the ferry in a horsebox

[beenleighford]

Hi, next week we will be off the Holland eventing but as this is our first trip abroad I was wondering whether there is anything we need to do to the lorry i.e how are the chains attached- do we need to get hooks put on? Any information would be great lorry related or not! Thanks

 

[Tnavas]

When I travelled mine across the Cook Strait a three hour trip between North & South Islands in NZ, they put chains around the axles - I didn't have any special hooks fitted.

We weren't allowed to travel with the horses so prior to loading on the ferry, gave water and small haynet and rugged them up warm. Also had to leave my dog in the cab as he wasn't allowed on the passenger decks. Poor Boy.

Horses travelled really well, it was good weather for the winter though I was lucky - next day was not so nice.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Be prepared with extra hay and water. If the sea is too rough, they won't let horses travel. Once had a very lengthy wait travelling back from France.

 

[cronkmooar]

Never travelled to Holland but live on the IOM and travel regularly with the horse to compete. Our trips are about 41/2 hours on boat with check in 1 1/2 hrs before, plus what ever travelling to port

You will need lashing points so that the box can be chained down, this just needs to be a secure point two at back one front - mine is chained down on the towing thingy at the front.

They then ratch the wagon right down on its suspention so it doesn't rock or move.

My personal preference is for fans on and a fleece rug so that air circulates - this is the fans on the boat, again don't know what boat you will be on is like.

Travel snots from boats can be common, I always feed haylage, always water through the journey (i unclip lead rope and let them drink out of the bucket so that the head is not always up) and open all the windows on the wagon when on the boat

Another thing I do is soak the ramp when the horses are loaded before setting off so that the air in the box is moist. Mine are used to the noise of the ports so when I am waiting if I can I put the ramp down again to let air circulate. Horses might be a bit stalked eyed at first with the noise when you are getting strapped down but they soon settle.

I also like to get the horse turned out when i arrive where I am going and not go straight into a stable just so they get some fresh air to clear the lungs

Obviously if you have a super dooper masive box non of the above will really apply, but I don't so needs must

Finally, fairly certain our boats will be much smaller but we have to reverse on and when the tide is out the ramp can be very steep. My boy doesnt particularly like being on such a steep angle and having to wait so again my personal preference would be to wait at the top if there is a slow reverser going down before me and do it all in one go - they like to reverse everyone down in a line which is ok if the person behind you is not nervous - there is not much room between the gang plank edge and the side of the box so it can be un nerving the first time!

I would phone the freight line and ask exactly what lashing fixings they require.

Good luck and have fun


ETA we are allowed to check on our horses throughout the journey which is when I water, on a 4 hr trip I would water twice during the journey and on the dock on arrival befoe hitting the road I also put electrolites in the feed for a couple of days before going - mine will not drink with them in the water

Would also ad that we are given the choice of travelling with ramp up or down - I always have the ramp down

 

[Sarah_Jane]

They will do all the chaining direct to the wheel, what you may want to do is drop your ramp to ensure the horses have plenty of air although they always try and put you by the air units or on the back so there is plenty of air.

You are not allowed to stay with them although plenty of grooms do remain in the lorry, you can ask to visit them on the journey if you want although even my hyper horse always travelled on the ferry fine

 

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

We arrived onto return journey ferry from Ireland with a very stressed TB kicking merry heck out of the trailer...
weren't allowed to stay with him...but were allowed to go and check on him after we'd set sail with a member of crew supervising our quick visit...didn't go in trailer, he'd gone quiet by then thank goodness! It was horrible to leave him so stressed, but the ferry company were very helpful about allowing us to check - they told us they'd recently had one that got out of a trailer, run round the deck and escaped when they were unloading! Sounded like a tall story but they assured us it was true!
Might be worth knowing that although you can't stay, you can check if need be, particularly if crew have been very aware of how stressed they've been or if there's any problem.

 

[Santa_Claus]

to be honest a lot will depend on the ferry and the captain of said ferry!

They will probably put chains on but that's normally done for you once you have parked up.

In terms of seeing to the horses that is the main thing that is captain/ferry dependant. I have done the slow jersey/UK boat multiple times which is a 8-15 hour ferry (dependant if overnight or not!). Normally on the freight ferry (6 passenger cabins!) we have free access to the horses. On the commercial passenger one we normally allowed supervised visits every 3-4 hours although there is always someone on the lorry deck who keeps a general eye and if in anyway concerned they will call you down.

Dependant on your ramp/rear gates/horse (and again ferry/captain) ask for some wheel chucks which are perfect to wedge open your ramp with. also obviously check they happy with you wedging it open The last times I went across was in my little lorry which although a 2 horse when my big lad was in he took up the whole thing and still needed more space so by wedging the ramp open (and then tied to prevent falling open etc) he got sufficient space to stretch. Add in could then hook feed bucket (full of water) over rear gates so he had ready access to water.

Best thing to do is ask the policy re access on arrival at the docks and then prepare accordingly. Also check whether the lorry will be parked above or below deck. if below deck it will be a LOT warmer than above and you will need to rug accordingly. You should have time from parking up to going to passenger deck but easier if you can get done before.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Ref the chaining - as said above, they will use wheels or axles - and poss the front lug. P & O only usually put these on if there is going to be some rolling forecast.

I've preferred to not have too much on them (unless a long trip in the winter) as if the box is near the refridgerated lorries, the hold can get quite warm to say the least. Those lorries are also noisy, and most ferry co's do try to put them away from livestock - so be aware of them when parking up.

Have travelled 2 or 3 loads of different sorts over to the CI's too and usually went just in headcollars for safety's sake.

We've usually popped down to check on them about 15 mins out of harbour (when waves are bigger, but they - the equines - never seem to worry on the whole) and then pop down once an hour thereafter

Take care on exiting the port to keep the box from rolling too much as those with sea-legs on might find it a bit hard. Also, when unloading, whatever the time of day/night, try to give them a 5-10 min walk to get everything moving again.

Are you going into Hook? If so, its not a bad run over at this time of the year.
Hope you have a good time.

 

[beenleighford]

Ok great- keep it coming! It will be a 12hr ferry so i think we are allowed down twice in the night but they are good travellers so should be fine! thanks!

 

[Santa_Claus]

they told us they'd recently had one that got out of a trailer, run round the deck and escaped when they were unloading! Sounded like a tall story but they assured us it was true!

i personally know of two that have escaped. both from lorries which had ramps fully down hence at least time I went on the slow ferries they allowed you to wedge open ramps but not put all the way down!!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Get a cheap thermometer & stick it on the side of the lorry or similar when on the ferry, its really helpful when travelling as you'll get a good guide to temps then.
However, its far easier to pull off a travel rug than lob one on, so try to go with as little as possible on if you can (on the horse, that is! )

 

[cronkmooar]

i personally know of two that have escaped. both from lorries which had ramps fully down hence at least time I went on the slow ferries they allowed you to wedge open ramps but not put all the way down!!

I can honestly say that I have never heard of any horse escaping on our boat, and there are a good few that travel including some very expensive race horses and at one point the Ballaseyr horses.

I put the ramp down but I wouldn't open the gates so can't see how anything could escape?

 

[cronkmooar]

Get a cheap thermometer & stick it on the side of the lorry or similar when on the ferry, its really helpful when travelling as you'll get a good guide to temps then.
However, its far easier to pull off a travel rug than lob one on, so try to go with as little as possible on if you can (on the horse, that is! )

What a brilliant idea

 

[Santa_Claus]

I can honestly say that I have never heard of any horse escaping on our boat, and there are a good few that travel including some very expensive race horses and at one point the Ballaseyr horses.

I put the ramp down but I wouldn't open the gates so can't see how anything could escape?

both were on the Jersey Guernsey/UK ferry (can't remember port of destination!) probably good 10 years+ ago they went through the lorry gates when the ramp was down. Actually I think one went semi over the gate if i remember rightly! One happily pranced around for a good 30 mins before it was caught!

 

[beenleighford]

And we are heading to Boekelo Eventing! very excited!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

What a brilliant idea

Used to keep one in my travelling kit when we were flying the horses too, just for ambient temps.

 

[cronkmooar]

both were on the Jersey Guernsey/UK ferry (can't remember port of destination!) probably good 10 years+ ago they went through the lorry gates when the ramp was down. Actually I think one went semi over the gate if i remember rightly! One happily pranced around for a good 30 mins before it was caught!

What a bad pony! Now I'll be paranoid

Quite a few years ago now our boat didnt take the wagons and you walked your horse over the passenger gang plank and put it in a stable on deck, there was one that took umbrige at this and jumped off the gang plank and swam round the harbour

 

[Sportyspots]

Every now and then I end up working the ro ro boats at work, we load/discharge the DFDS boats and even the larger ferry everything is parked up so tight you'll be struggling to get out your cab door let alone put the ramp down allowing horses to escape! Our larger boats use trestles, smaller ones chains and even if you haven't got attachment points the crew know what they're doing and attach to something. Accompanied freight always last on first off especialy livestock. If you reverse on fold your mirrors in and just trust the guy directing you but don't hang about! We load trailers on faster backwards than we drive forwards and am always on a tight deadline and crew get really annoyed if a lorry holds things up!
Good luck at the event

 

[Santa_Claus]

blimey! if I had had to do that I would never have got mine near never mind on the ferry! thankfully always travelled impeccably in lorry normally falling asleep except when guilting the ferry guys to feed him the hayledge he would drop on the floor

owner of said escapee was ribbed for quite a while. was joked horse was in hunt of his girlfriend who was in a trailer also on the ferry, thankfully (in a way!!) was mid journey so didn't cause any delays.

Oh another thought separate as someone else said be confident reversing! the cargo ferry I went on required you to reverse up steep ramp on to top deck. They preferred horses on the semi open deck as it had better airflow and allowed us free access throughout the journey! the ramp was not wide. I had about a foot each side I think. First time in my lorry I hadn't yet passed my LGV so my mum was driving and she wasn't confident reversing it up so a docker did the honours, I told him to be careful of the airbrakes as they were sharp and I didn't want horse in living if he slipped clutch! You guessed it he slipped clutch slammed on the brakes and horse smashed partition but thankfully only the partition was injured not horse and he didn't quite get as far as the living but wasn't far off. Said docker was rather apologetic and made sure not to slip the clutch again

the next time I had by then passed my LGV that I was happy to do it myself which also suitably surprised dockers that a slight little 18yo could reverse a decent size truck full stop never mind up the ramp in one go

 

[BEUnderTheInfluence]

I'm just sat merrily reading all this thinking how exciting it all sounds, I can't wait to get on with this stuff myself.........eeeek!

*puts adult demeanour back on*

 

[jon1210]

I did the hull to rotterdam ferry trip not so long ago and they put the horses on last so your first off woooow but make sure you get there early so they can deal with all the paper work and you can open your ramps to let some air in while all the lorrys board and then once your loaded try and wedge your ramp open slightly the people on the ship chaining will let you know if its going to be rough or not so just see what they think about the ramp... Once your on the ferry go to reception and ask to see your horses at 11PM(english time) and 4AM(dutch time) they dont mind going at these times so you can check on horses waters and hay etc etc etc any more questions just message sorry i dont have a clue about lorry stuff I leave that to the driver

 

[Tnavas]

One thing to be very careful of is tail bandages - I remember years ago visiting my friend in Guernsey - we took her daughter to the riding scool where there was a pony minus its tail - it had been wearing a tail bandage on the ferry trip from UK and it had been on too tight - killed the tail completely and had to be amputated.

A tail guard may be better. The transporters here don't allow us to boot horses either as they get too hot and on long journeys this isn't good for their tendons.

 

[Santa_Claus]

One thing to be very careful of is tail bandages - I remember years ago visiting my friend in Guernsey - we took her daughter to the riding scool where there was a pony minus its tail - it had been wearing a tail bandage on the ferry trip from UK and it had been on too tight - killed the tail completely and had to be amputated.

A tail guard may be better. The transporters here don't allow us to boot horses either as they get too hot and on long journeys this isn't good for their tendons.

I think I remember said pony actually!

Yes IF tail protection was needed we used a loose guard attached to an elasticated surcingle but the majority of the time didn't use anything.

Oh and make sure they are well and securely tied especially if more than one on the lorry.

My old lad before I had him gained permanent neck damage, he was loosely tied (which he then undid completely) and then somehow (despite being 17h2 and long and with head bits on paritions) twisted his neck round and chewed his next door neighbour's withers. was nothing that could be done to seperate them safely until the ferry docked (thankfully was short ferry) where owner had vet waiting at port. Both were ultimately fine although Dan was never 'right' in the neck again which led to lots of bitting fun and being very one sided all because he untied himself. From then on when travelling in company he was always double tied

 

[mr fields]

i used to go travelling over to holland to buy and sell horses very freguently and the journey was fine every time i travelled nothing to worry about

 

[stencilface]

I have travelled with horses to Ireland before and they all seemed fine, not worried in the slightest. I do remember one story about WFP's lorry going onto the ramp of PFs lorry when they were on a ferry together (although could be the wrong way round) whoever it was didn't put their brakes on or something