What do you think about leaving horses tied up to lorries / trailers?

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happihorse

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When we were out competing today a lady left her horse tied up to a trailer while she went of and got a burger, about 200 yards away and out of the sight of the trailer. The horse pulled back, broke the baling twine and ran off. Luckily someone caught him quickly and tied him back up. The lady came back and didn't know anything had happened!

Personally, I don't leave my horse tied up unless I am within a few feet of him.

I realise that if the horses have had a long journey to an event, it's better for them to be out of the lorry / trailer for a break, but would you leave your horse(s) tied up unattended?
 
No I wont usually get someone to watch over him, as usually travel with others.
Or if not I throw him back in the wagon and he happily munches a net.
 
I will and do - purely because my horse knows that when she is tied, she stays tied. I can guarentee she won't go anywhere whilst there is grass by her feet or a haynet to munch.
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No never, I have left a horse tied inside a lorry/trailer for short periods when at a show on my own but never outside. At lot of shows have started adding rules to state that horse must not be left unattended outside vehicles and this is sensible IMO.
 
Will never leave my horses. there is always someone with them. even if it means me being left at the box while parents have a wonder round the showground.
They never cause trouble but theres always a chance that the may spook at something and get loose or, what i have seen happen before is another persons horse got loose and charged someone elses horse who was tied and a free for all happened! and no owners in site for either horse!
 
I don't like doing it, but as someone who usually competes solo (i.e. no grooms/family to help out), sometimes I have no choice. Ditto LadyTia - haynet or grass ensures he ain't going nowhere.

Sometimes people with "staff" forget how much hard work doing a show on your own is. I have entered 5 classes (2 dressage and 3 SJ) tomorrow, but because I cannot go back to the lorry, unlock it, change the saddle and bridle, fit boots, stud up, lock up the lorry, remount AND get 1/2 mile from dressage to show jumping in 12 minutes, I will have to not turn up for 1.
 
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I don't like doing it, but as someone who usually competes solo (i.e. no grooms/family to help out), sometimes I have no choice. Ditto LadyTia - haynet or grass ensures he ain't going nowhere

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You do have a choice, when I compete on my own I never leave my horse outside unattended, I put then back in the trailer. A lot of shows around here don't allow you to leave them outside unattended for safety and insurance reasons.
 
I never leave my horses tied up to my horsebox unattended and i also never leave my horses in the box unattended. After witnessing a couple of horrific accidents last year, i always make sure someone is with them to keep an eye on them at competitions.
 
Two years ago at Cothi Bridge Show (Wales) a pony went with its new owners to its first show, insurance not kicked in, tied to side of lorry. Pony stood on end of long lead rope and pulled back, taking panel of lorry with it. It took off around the show ground with the panel which eventually cut into a leg and severed the artery.

If I had to leave my horse, I would put her back on the box.
 
I have - again someone on their own. I wouldn't do it at a big show, but would at an equestrian centre like Summerhouse.

However rapidly going off the idea as last time - I nipped off for an ice lolly, came back horse had broken ancient UV degraded baler twine, but was munching grass within 3ft of the trailer.

More worryingly, was second time I cam back (used better baler twine), he had removed the trim of my ifors back lights and literally spat it at as he saw me coming.... little git!

So its either muzzle or he can stand in the trailer. Normally I would put him in, but it was 26oC and it seems cooler outside.
 
I thought it was now not permitted at BSJA (don't know where I got that from tho) - anyway, I pretty much ALWAYS compete solo, and I would never leave my horse tied up alone as she is a stress bucket at shows - I do leave her in the trailer tho, I have absolutely no choice about that at time.
 
What I do think is stupid is tying up a horse to a lorry/trailer on the side of the narrow entrance track that is only 1 vehicle's width across. Also, tacking up and mounting in the same track. Some people seem to leave their brains at home when they go to a show...
 
I would never leave any horse tied up outside the horse box as anything could happen (my horse got his head stuck under the horse box - yes hes not too bright!). However I frequently leave him and the others inside the box while I go off to get my number etc.
 
personal choice, never leave them alone either in or outside lorry. If had to leave them then would put them back in lorry with their haynet as less chance of getting into mischief IMO. It does mean however missing things, like last Sunday at the HT's me and sis missed each others rounds as we stayed with our horse at the lorry which meant that mum and dad and friends could watch.
Don't mind though as Pidge gets a little stressed
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when Sunny is not with him
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I don't out side the trailer but i will put them back and then go off, i trust both my horses to just snooze or eat hay in the trailer for a short period of time, but this is only because i know these horses well, when i get a new horse or pony, i won't until i know what they are like.
 
I tie outside the trailer when i'm around, but if i need to go off i put him back inside - i don't use the partition so there is not much he can do really! lol!
 
I never tie up outside but I do put her back in the box if I go off for food or to check the results.
I would never leave a horse tied up outside, IMO its far too dangerous.
 
Well i go to shows on my own and i tie up and leave him outside. I dont realy have a choice as the secretaries tent is generaly a no horse area and my horse can be a swine to load sometimes. He isnt going anywhere if he does get loose.

Ive seen a horse kick its way out of a lorry at a show, severely hurting itself, its traveling partner, damaging the box enough that it couldnt be used untill the whole side of the lorry was replaced and the partitions unbent, and when it jumped out of the lorry it landed on the ambulance causing the entire show to be canceled as they couldnt get anouther one in time.
I'd rather my horse broke his bailing twine and buggered off to the nearest grass (which is all he would do as he is obsessed with his stomach and is convinced he is starving to death) then kick his way out of a lorry.
 
I wouldn't leave them outside, but would inside as just not possible when I have no grooms and limited parents to always have an eye on them reasonably.
 
used to leave ours tied to the lorry but usually they are in view. nowadays cant venture to far as the welsh one has taught otto how to untie himself..one of our local shows has made the rule about not leaving them unattended but they dotn enforce it
 
There have been some terrible accidents with horses getting loose and taking part of the lorry/trailer with them. In one case someone was killed.

I had a mare that was inclinded to kick so I NEVER left her and kept a very careful eye on her when I was tacking up. Luckily she was easy to load, so it was just a case of putting her back in the trailer when I had to go off for a bit.

I think it is a good rule not to allow unattended horses to be tied outside. It is becoming more and more widespread.
 
We do leave ours tied up outside if we are close to the lorry park, if mine was spooked whilst tied up no matter if you were there or not she would bugger off. However as long as she has food then not alot will upset her, she is very laid back. However since we have taken the partition down in the trailer I leave her in there most of the time.

I was at a show one day and the person who took me stayed at the car with my horse whilst i was checking times and scores and she never noticed my horse had got loose and put its leg through the reins.
 
A lot of the organisations have banned it over here and you're not allowed to tie them to trailers at all, even if you're right beside them doing studs, tacking up etc. They're really strict and have safety officers patrolling the parking area.

I'd never leave them tied unattended but it is awkward when you're by yourself and trying to get horses ready. However it has lead to even more dangerous situations imo, people leaving horse in unhitched trailers which then topple over, and very small kids holding big horses, I saw one toddler with his hand through the loop of the lead rope of a 16h+ horse, if that horse had decided to go, the kid was going too. They brought it in apparently since one child was killed when knocked over by a horse who'd broken free and another was seriously injured after a pony tied to a lorry kicked her in the head. These were terrible accidents but I don't see how not tying horses to trailers at all will prevent them, the horse could have got free anyway, and the pony would have kicked out even if it wasn't tied.
 
I always seem to see a horse break loose at most shows which is why we have an electric fence round the stallion. (not live but he thinks it is!)
I think it depends on where you are, how sensible the horse is and how the horse behaves inside the box compared to outside. one of ours will happily stand all day outside but kick inside..
I have been known to leave them for five mins whilst I go to the loo, or to watch C ride a different horse, yesterday was different because I could see Choxc tied in his pen from the Sj area and was within a hundred yards, so I tried to see her jump and keep my eye on him. Normally this wouldn't happen but I did ask the person next door to watch him and they agreed, and they were very capable had he started messing about. I would have been at his side in seconds too.
Having a stallion though means the majority of my time I am stuck by the box as leaving him isn't an option, although he may not break free, other horse might and come to visit, it's amazing how thick so many people are, they graze their in season mares right next to his fence then wonder why he starts chortling away at them, yesterday I added a note to the electric fence saying Stallion please keep your distance after three different ones grazed within five feet of him. He's very well behaved when tacked up but untacked is a normal stallion and gets excited under those circumstances.
It's actually quite funny because most shows when he's bored he gets his pride and joy out and quietly bangs it against his tummy, (can't use the word on here what he's trying to do) some people wander past, see him at it and rush off red faced...
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The not tying up and putting the horses back inside works for some people, but if they have a bad loader it isn't an option, I wonder if perhaps more people should follow us and use a taped pen? We don't take up any more room than anyone else and it does mean the chance of your horse being kicked by another is very low.
 
TBH it depends on the horse, some prefer tobe outside and if they are sane they yes,but not left or hours like some folks do! Although I always prefer to leave mine in the trailer, I am also often alone and have no choice, but saying that mine are all very relaxed about being at partys and just like watching the world go by!
Also about haynets, ifwe are going out showjumping (just a couple of hours) then I dont take one,but if we are out allday then I takeone for the journey home, but I dont really like leaving horses in with them!
 
I was at somerford where we were parked next to a lorry with two mares and a stallion tied up - LEFT ON THEIR OWN!!
my mum had already got on and was doing her dressage and i was left at the lorry watching my boy, when the stallion went beserk - got really excited and started rearing because one of the mares had got loose but was only grazing - she hadn't realised i dont think! but the stallion had and nobody was there except me!
i had to tie up the mare - next to the stallion without getting trampled, and i'm not very big either, it was actually quite frightening!
when the 'owners' (i could use a horrible word, but i won't) came back i told them that i had to tie up the mare because the stallion went mad, they gave me a totally blank look and just loaded them up and drove off!!!

is it just me or is that seriously irresponsible?
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I haven't been to many shows but I won't leave my boy unattended for fear of something happening.

I was out yesterday and a horse broke loose, hurtled towards us (we had to pin ourselves to the side of the lorry to avoid it) and galloped towards the arenas sending some poor kid flying off her pony.
 
I never tie my horses up outside my lorry. In fact when it was built I specifically asked not to have tie rings on the outside. They both stand quitely on board whether together or alone.

Fair enough if your horse is difficult to load or gets stressed in the box, but I wouldn't leave them unattended. Horses are unpredictable and if they got loose they could be a danger to themselves and others.

Also on a more trivial note it wastes parking room in a busy show ground, and I'm pretty sure (as someone mentioned) it is against BSJA rules - although that doesn't stop people.
 
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