What is the problem with leaving unattended horses at lorries?

[rara007]

Realising I look a total dunce now

But it was on a lot of peoples annoying things list, and I do it all the time

.

What do you do with the horses when you are course walking etc?

What would you do for a 3 day event, where they are stabling/stalled at the lorry- stay awake the whole 3 days and nights

.

I personally don't see where I am going wrong- I always make sure when I leave the gates all round to the roads are shut, usually there is at least 2 ponies as we make sure we have a companion, there is up to 5 at the lorry at a time, but if we just take the one out they all stand quietly at the box alone, with a haynet. Never had them run off- One jumped out of its sheep hurdle overnight pen, my old pony used to bolt off in hand,

but not tied up. The shetty pushed his way out of overnight stabling, as have Bob and Rory on occasions which isn't ideal, but the fields are always enclosed.

Leaving them in the lorry however (Only did it once) resulted in a broken partition, trapped pony and very near disaster...

I don't see what the problem with it is

Clearly some horses you can't do it with- Our old horse who was petrified of lorries for example, but for decent mannered ponies.

 

[Baileysno1]

I admit I leave Len tied to the trailer while I get changed / grab a drink watch a test whatever.... there I said it.

 

[lexiedhb]

You might make sure the gates to the orad are shut but what happens if the person who came in behind you doesnt? Pony breaks free, legs it onto the road, kills itself and/or drivers?

Or 2/3/4/5 ponies left tied together outside a lorry, kick shite out or each other, or a child that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Sorry horses really need supervising when tied up, in a place where they can damage themselves or others..........

 

[horseywelsh]

Your horse might be perfect mannered and fine, but a situation could arise where other horses get loose, an accident occurs, resulting in horses tied up outside panicking and getting injured, or following suit.

Strangers/non horsey people can be walking round, how do you know what they are doing/feeding your horse.

Personally think they are safer inside. BHS also thinks so with their new thing about horses should not be tied to vehicles/trailers

 

[majicmoment]

I leave mine loaded with hay. Not much option with lack of groom?! I hate them being tied up to the box and left - personal thing. I also CANNOT STAND people who let there horses graze at shows - who knows whats been grazing there before?

 

[louisevictoria]

It is on my pet hates list because too many times I have been at shows where the horse has broken free and caused chaos with other horses and incoming traffic especially as one of our local shows is located in a field adjacent to a major dual carriageway.

Mine - if I have to go walk the course etc stay on the lorry until it is time for me to get them ready.

 

[rara007]

What, they need supervising the whole time when they can damage themselves or others? Does that inculde in the field with others? How about alone? The stable might have dangers too...

Ponies would never kick each other tied up, 100% sure of that, if they did driving them together could become scarey

Clearly an accident could happen, where the bad luck of the gate being open, pony breaking loose and everything coniside- What happens when you fall off- there is that risk then too....

 

[Flame_]

Carriage drivers are a law unto themselves!

I'm from a riding background and I was horrified when I first saw the temporary stabling set-ups, but they seem to work OK.

Personally, I wouldn't put a sports horse in one though, I'm sure they could find a way to kill/seriously injure themselves on them - they're just not as sensible as driving horses IMO.

 

[lovecharles]

i leave mine loaded until ready to take out, or load up before the prize giving etc cause he'd just being spinning round and cause more damage there.

he's a good loader and is very calm so he's happy with his haynet.

 

[rara007]

I know it could occur- My friends pony was PTS after being left in a lorry as a shire 4-in handcrashed into it, smashing the lorry and poor pony, it could happen.

Generally have no idea what strangers are doing, although everyone knows everyone, and their ponies, so when someone suspicious is about they tend to be closely watched

 

[pepperandoran]

You wouldnt put sporthorses in temporary stabling that carriage drivers use??

what about the carriage drivers that drive sporthorses!!!
Its not all little cart horses that are used!

Most of the horse team drivers drive warmblood horses etc!!

 

[rara007]

Made me chuckle alittle what might have been grazing there before. It clearly depends what type of show you at, because at driving trials generally horses graze there before

, it is unlikely the horse will have anthing nasty, but after you have spent 3 days every few weeks sharing a field with them anything they had will inevatably be shared

 

[Flame_]

[ QUOTE ]
You wouldnt put sporthorses in temporary stabling that carriage drivers use??

what about the carriage drivers that drive sporthorses!!!
Its not all little cart horses that are used!

Most of the horse team drivers drive warmblood horses etc!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I know, and still definitely no.

 

[rara007]

All the nationals drivers have WB's or spanish horses I think, certainly no cobs

except welsh cobs in ponies.

 

[TS_]

I personally never leave my mare tied up at the trailor unsupervised as she is a nappy, flirty mare. She'll flirt with anything with a pulse, she's not fussy on gender

. Her first line of defence when she gets stressed is to rear and nap. Which would be very dangerous if she were tied to the trailer alone.
She's also extremely good at getting tangled up with her lead rope. Once whilest tied up at the yard she got tangled up in her lead rope, spooked herself reared up/pulled back, her lead rope snapped and she went flying backwards falling on top of a line of upturned wheel barrows, and cantering off.
So yes I really never have or would leave her tied up alone. I also can't leave her alone in the triler as I left her in for 5 minutes whilest I sat in the car waiting for my instructor to be ready for my lesson. She reared up and over the breast bar and nearly broke her leg aswell as only just missing my head when kicking out whilest I tried to free her.
...Anyway you get the idea I just seriously don't and wouldn't

 

[megwan1]

i take hayledge with me instead of hay for a show (often sharing the trailer with COPD suffers etc) but also fliss will do anything for haylege she'll stand on the box all day long as long as she has food..... also being a bit handy with the legs i think its my duty to get her off do the class and straight back on the box when shes done.... i dont stand wiht her all day tho i go get a burger, book in etc but check her regularly

 

[Queenbee]

I must admit mine is tied up, although the majority of the time I (or someone I know) am either in the landrover or I try to park next to other people that I trust but far away enough from horses I do not know. I realise that added excitement could and can cause all sorts of problems in excitable horses. Although very occasionally I am away from the trailer and my mare is always calm, and I must admit I made a habit of doing this when I first got her so she got used to it (however either I or someone she didn't realise was watching her always kept a north eye on her to guage how she was reacting) most of the time if observation is not possible I walk her in hand, but this is not always possible. On the other hand, if I was to leave her in the box all hell WOULD break loose.

 

[pepperandoran]

Ah well Im sure they are well aware of the risks!

Oh well rara guess a HDT stabling field would horrify many then!!

 

[Baileyhoss]

I think you need to weigh up the risks for your own horse rather than impose a blanket ban. My horse is happy whereever, inside or out so I would probably pop him in if I was going far, i.e., walking a course.

My friends horse on the other hand only stands peacefully outside. in the trailer she kicks and fidgets and stresses desperate to see what's going on. Outside where she can see what the noises are connected to, she'll stand peacefully with a haynet. She has in the past got both front legs over the front bar of the trailer and ended up squished in the nose cone dam near disaster.

At our local shows, in all honesty I would rather have B tied outside the trailer. I have numerous times seen a horse break loose, get a rope tangled etc, there is always someone there with in a second to catch the horse or help out and it's not an issue. We all help each other. On the other hand people aren't so quick to investigate inside a box that is rocking and banging and I have seen worse injuries occurring inside boxes than outside.

 

[SSM]

Mine will stay on the lorry until I have entries/everything ready, they can then come off and be tied to the side with a net - but there will ALWAYS be someone with them - it's not the horse but what is going on around - we have had the hunt come past at a show, not only was I there but Donkey is so calm about the hunt I was lucky, the horse in the trailer next to us who had been left alone went beserk.

 

[rara007]

Should I post a pic

 

[bensababy]

QR I would rather leave in the trailer than un attended being tied up..due to a "experience". Tied pony up, something spooked him, he broke free and pelted towards the Gymkhana and un invited he started taking part in the games, needless to say there were a few un impressed people there, i thank god no-one was hurt in all that.

 

[muffinino]

Out of interest, do you stable yours or tie up? If you tie up, do you use logs? We do the latter, never had a problem. We left them like that overnight but would always try to have one person at the lorry. Although when we were in the ring would have to leave one pair alone. None have any of the drivers I know who use temporary stabling had problems (apart from the odd escapee, but that's usually a none off). I agree it's fine if done properly but most people don't do it properly. The biggest problems I saw with temporary stabling was with the MGA, who used to use electric fencing (not always on) - they often had escapees!

Problem is, most people who tie to a lorry/trailer at shows tie a horse alone, using a normal rope. Very different scenario to a few horses tied by logs/in temporary stabling.

 

[dsophiea]

i know somebody who's pony was doped within only 10 mins of it being left on the box without supervision, with the stuff that is used to put dogs to sleep

hence i will always be wary of leaving my pony annatended.

 

[pepperandoran]

[ QUOTE ]
Should I post a pic

[/ QUOTE ]


Yeah go on!!

 

[Flame_]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Should I post a pic

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah go on!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Rara's is probably a lovely, sensible, safe one..... Not a makeshift tent out of tarpaulin with metal sheep fencing in front of it.

Some are safer than others!

 

[Queenbee]

[ QUOTE ]
Out of interest, do you stable yours or tie up? If you tie up, do you use logs? We do the latter, never had a problem. We left them like that overnight but would always try to have one person at the lorry. Although when we were in the ring would have to leave one pair alone. None have any of the drivers I know who use temporary stabling had problems (apart from the odd escapee, but that's usually a none off). I agree it's fine if done properly but most people don't do it properly. The biggest problems I saw with temporary stabling was with the MGA, who used to use electric fencing (not always on) - they often had escapees!

Problem is, most people who tie to a lorry/trailer at shows tie a horse alone, using a normal rope. Very different scenario to a few horses tied by logs/in temporary stabling.

[/ QUOTE ]

sorry, dippy mare here...

Logs????

I don't understand, never heard of this before

 

[pepperandoran]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Should I post a pic

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah go on!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Rara's is probably a lovely, sensible, safe one..... Not a makeshift tent out of tarpaulin with metal sheep fencing in front of it.

Some are safer than others!

[/ QUOTE ]

Raras looks the same arrangement as the driver i used to work for and she was very very safety conscious! to the point of OTT!

 

[pepperandoran]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Out of interest, do you stable yours or tie up? If you tie up, do you use logs? We do the latter, never had a problem. We left them like that overnight but would always try to have one person at the lorry. Although when we were in the ring would have to leave one pair alone. None have any of the drivers I know who use temporary stabling had problems (apart from the odd escapee, but that's usually a none off). I agree it's fine if done properly but most people don't do it properly. The biggest problems I saw with temporary stabling was with the MGA, who used to use electric fencing (not always on) - they often had escapees!

Problem is, most people who tie to a lorry/trailer at shows tie a horse alone, using a normal rope. Very different scenario to a few horses tied by logs/in temporary stabling.

[/ QUOTE ]

sorry, dippy mare here...

Logs????

I don't understand, never heard of this before

[/ QUOTE ]

I think its those ropes with the kind of block thing on the end that tighten and slacken as the horse moves?
Maybe im wrong though?

 

[rara007]

Depending on what we take with us, which is anything from one pony alone to 5 ponies and 3 carriages we have lorry stabling, which has one large pony loose, or small/crafty single or pair tied up- We used logs but they did nothing so jst tie them so they can't reach down. We also have trailer side stabling, where they are all loose, although could be tied, and sheep hurdles with a gazebo over, were they are loose, so generally loose.