When at shows...

[jess_asterix]

Do you tie up to the outside of a lorry or trailer?

If so, why do you do it? Do you find it easier to tack up? Lack of hands if you have more than 1 horse there?

Personally i NEVER do it, purely for the fact i have seen some nasty accidnets.
Now this may sound stereotypical but, is it more of an eventer thing to do as at a show last night there were quite a few eventers there and they were the only ones tying up to lorrys (in the dark with minimal light about and not an enclosed area.)

 

[tigers_eye]

It depends, I avoid it if possible (especially if raining!), but brushing out their tails and putting the last hind boot on is not easy in the lorry! William is also a kicker so whilst he is more contained in the lorry I also have less space to jump out the way...

Thing is if you are at a one day event with 5 horses each doing 3 phases it isn't really possible to have them in the lorry all the time, and if you're going to tie up outside they are often better with company. Then you have the risk of them kicking each other of course, but I think it's just balancing all the factors.

 

[ihatework]

With my last horse, if the weather was good and there was enough space then I would leave him tied up outside. He was an absolute angel at a show though, stayed where he was put for as long as needed.

Current horse is only left ties to outside for short periods and only if there is someone there to keep a close eye - but then he is a complete thug!

Certainly eventers tend to tie outside more than the showjumpers. But then they have lots of kit changes and tend to be on the showground a lot longer - plus there is loads more parking room at events (and people are friendlier and look out for each other more

)

 

[KatB]

I do purely because my mare settles better outside the box

She is happier and quieter tied up with a haynet than she is in her box when she can't see what is going on but can hear everything. If I had a bigger box I probably would keep her on it more though

 

[PaddyMonty]

Only time I tie up outside is to wash down or put studs in.
Everything else is done in the lorry.

 

[jess_asterix]

Yeah i suppose you are there for hours and riding the same horse several times. So it makes sense if they are good.

I like to know mine are safely shut in on the lorry, my one would be terrible if tied up outside, he can undo all lorry petitions and untie himself haha

 

[langside]

No not with the current beast- if you come off the lorry then that means we have to go straight away standing about doesn't happen

- just not worth the risk but understand why others do like tigerseye says if you have a full box full or a kicker theres probably not many other options

 

[Jingleballs]

I leave mine tied up in the trailer with the front ramp down before hand, bring him out to tackup etc and then depending how long I'm hanging around for/if I've got another class I'll tie him up to the trailer - I have to admit to sometimes leaving him tied up there while collecting scores etc but I know I shouldn't.

 

[Chloe_GHE]

yes we have a trailer and although it has those partitions where you can move one half or the other enable you to tack up etc I prefer to do it outside. I will tie up to thin string on the tie up hook (they have special tie rings on ifor w traiers) if there is noone about but usualy I have my mother with me so she holds him whilst I tack/stud up etc. I don't like the idea of him stuck in the box getting stiff especially if he has had a long journey or it's parked on a slope, so would rather have him out free to wander a little and stretch his legs.

Also when we go off to walk courses/get lunch etc he is left with the little top door, and the air vent open. The more time he can be out of the trailer moving about the better imho BUT this is a sane wellbehaved horse used to competing so he can be trusted to be good

 

[humblepie]

When used to go on own, would always tie up outside whilst I got horse ready and if I am around the lorry. Never leave tied up when I am not there. Generally now have "staff" so one person holds whilst other does but horse is fine to tie up if necessary. If some special reason (i.e. old horse very wound up by a donkey at a show, so horse shoved in lorry to untack him) will do in the lorry or if weather bad but I don't like being in a confined space doing boots etc.

 

[cherylmills]

Personally I leave mine tied up to the box with a safety release clip just in case. All the shows I go to the people are friendly and look out for each others horses and the fields are always enclosed (just in case one did get loose). If I tried to leave mine in the box I would be going home with alot more 'art work'...i.e. hoof prints in the side of my box

In my opinion mine are alot more happy when they can see wot's going on around them and makes them less fijitty to handle than coming straight off the box and into a class

 

[Madam_max]

Depends, if I travel her alone I wil tack up inside and leave her stood on the lorry. I don't like leaving her on the lorry once she has travelled with someone and they are taken away as she trashes the lorry and settles better tied up outside with a haynet, but with someone keeping an eye on her.

 

[stencilface]

I will tie up if its nice weather, there's room and I'm going to be there to watch him. If i go away, he goes in. I feel safer if he's on the wagon after many years ago when we came back to find our pony tied to someone's trailer. He had broken off and they didn't know where he came from so tied him to the nearest place!

I am used to getting ready on the wagon though, inc studs as at most BSJA shows there really isn't room to do this outside. I do look out for other people's horses and will go over and untangle them/sort them out if they are up to no good, despit being (shock horror!) mainly a showjumper

 

[ester]

Always do, pretty hard to tack up in a trailer particularly if 2 of them!

if we have both, there are 2 of us, one will always stay with the horses, particularly as mare has tendency to pull back if a lorry comes past. If they are both their they will also stand on trailer but only tend to if raining.

If mare is on her own she will stand on trailer for 15 mins or so while you sort entries etc but after that starts quivering and sweating profusely.

Frank on his own can be an arse. He will have a paddy if somewhere on his own-- you dont want to be the first to arrive with no other horses around, if other trailers etc he seems to get it a bit more! If left in trailer he tends to bounce up and down removal of front feet etc. If tied on back will settle straight away and eat haynet. He just likes to see where he is and what he is doing I think

If I am somewhere on my own and have to leave him I ask someone else to keep an eye on him for me but this is rare.

its not just and eventing thing its an unaff thing. Mostly I think it is only aff sjers that do everything on lorrys!

 

[MontyandZoom]

I always tie Zoom to the lorry. She is a pain to tack up in the lorry since she is a fidget bum and doesn't like hearing everything going on and not being able to see.

Once you unload her and tie her up she stands there good as gold! She is ex-polo though so used to being tied and standing for hours!

 

[FigJam]

I will leave mine in the trailer with front top door open while I collect number/walk course etc. Then when I get back she's out and tied to the back with her haynet. I double tie- so tie up to half leadrope length as normal to bailer twine, and then the trailing end of the leadrope is tied again at the end in the same way to a separate 2nd piece of twine, that way if she panics and snaps the first piece, I've a second or two more reaction time to grab her!

I'll tack/boot/stud her up while tied up outside (can do this inside if weather is rotten, but I've a single trailer, so although it's do-able it's far easier outside and I've done boots/studs inside before but only because I trust her 110%!) and she's pretty good. I'll never leave her unattended while tied up outside though, always put back in trailer with top front door left open for nosying while I'm away out of sight.

 

[louisevictoria]

I normally tack up in the lorry - only tie up outside to put in studs and do last minute things. I never leave my horse tied to the lorry unattended as he is a complete thug and I don't trust the little toad an inch. Also if I have a break between classes at least if he is back on the lorry I know he is safely contained.

 

[MegaBeast]

Always tie up on the outside of the trailer. However never ever leave her outside the trailer unsupervised, have seen far too many horses get loose.

When team chasing we get them ready on the lorry but only because there's plenty of room. Not really very easy to do so in the trailer, in fact would say it's pretty dangerous to tack/boot up in a trailer imo.

 

[not_with_it]

I will tie up outside to tack up or if im sat on the ramp next to her on a hot day but I would never leave her there if im not next to her, its just not worth the risk.
I always leave her in the box with the ramp down. She will quite happily stand in the box all day.

I also have an irrational fear that the horse will pull back and tip the lorry or trailer. Highly unlikely

but its not worth the risk.

 

[stace1]

i tie up because it isnt practical to do anything else i dont think ?? like i only have a trailer, and i couldnt imagine trying to tack up in there. never leave them unattended though, just while im tacking up, lastm in groom etc.

havign said that now i have angel, shes likely to be very firey if shes anything like she was when she came so will probs have help from someone and hold her as much as poss

 

[sassybebe]

i never tie mine to the lorry i used to though but since working for a pro sjer i stopped. i can see why some people need to having had to tack up an 18hh stallion in a trailer which isn't something i'd like to do on a regular basis. i think if you're with the horse its fine but i don't like horses tied and left. it seems to happen alot less in sj horses tend to be completely tacked up on lorry including studs dragged off, jump and put straight back up and untacked

 

[Britestar]

I never tie up outside. If alone I do everything inside the trailer (including studs - horror!), if I'm with someone else, or someone handy around I do everything except studs and then someone to hold horse outside for studs.

Had a horse many years ago who had an accident whilst tied. I could never tie my Cob up outside, because she would systematically dismantle everything on the trailer within her reach! That included lights, springs, clips.......

 

[JessPickle]

I do bring my boy out and tie to the box to tack up, however there is always someone standing next to him at all times, if I go off to do something my dad would hold him for me. It's impossible to tack him up otherwise as he is so huge!

 

[millitiger]

i sometimes tie up to the lorry if putting on boots, plaiting etc.

i never leave them unattended tied to the box though- always get put back in if nobody is staying with them.

 

[Alibear]

I had a little mare who I tied up outside and would leave her there when I had to go get numbers etc.
She would not tolerate being left on the box once it stopped moving (also had to load her and move ASAP or there'd be a kerfuffle). She was also bad in a stable.
Left tied up she was good as gold and content and if spooked would always stay with her trailer.
New horse no way hosay, he's either safely shut inside or someone is holding him for me. Makes it a challenge as I tend to go it alone.

So I do whats best for the horse I have at the time. Something that people don't seem to tolerant of now a days but I still think it's the best approach to take.

Now if we could ban people riding their horses at fast canter and gallop around the lorry park areas, I'd be up for that one!

 

[jumptoit]

I tack up inside the lorry but if between phases I need to stand my horse with studs in I tie up outside. I have a pony who would quite happily stand there all day alone - she has been known to break her headcollar and just stand there with the headcollar on the floor! But for obvious reasons I make sure they are always supervised by someone capable of catching them ie. not my brother!

 

[FigJam]

I was at an unaff ODE at the end of last year and behind me was a trailer with a horse tied to the back (with haynet)... and no tow car! The owners (and car!) were obviously away fence judging in the afternoon after pony had run in the morning!

There was no one with him at all! We obviously kept an eye/ear out for him, but while I was away riding there wasn't much I could do. Wee thing was good as gold (luckily!).

 

[prudunce]

I also go to events alone,most the time! I leave beasty boy in trailer when i do my entry and walk the course,so he cud be standing in there for an hr at a time! Then ovb need to get him out to tack-up&get ready. Hes pretty good at standing tied up,(famous last words)so IF i needed to turn my back and go and sit in car,or walk away for 5 mins with him in sight i know he shud??be ok!! DONT think i cud trust him to be left tied up outside if i walked away for long,tho i have done it in the past and then thought "wat a stupid women". I defo would not walk away out of sight if he was tied up to trailer,only because i know he stands fine,but wat if a loose horse came bombing past,it wud be chaos and id never 4give myself if beasty boy got hurt or caused an accident!!!

 

[MagicMelon]

I do all the time. I never leave mine inside the trailer unless its really lashing it down with rain. I have always done this with all my horses. Personally I hate seeing horses standing stock still on a trailer/lorry often ALL day at events getting stiff, I wouldn't lock a dog up in a cage all day long so don't see why I'd want to do it to my horse. Yes, I find it easier to tack up - tacking and studding up on a trailer is pretty impossible. My horses are far more settled being able to watch whats going on whilst munching hay. One of mine would have trashed the trailer if I'd left him inside once stopped.

Of course you get the odd accident but usually this is people who have tied their horses up WAY too loose so they get tangled - I never let mine have a long enough rope to be able to graze. To be honest, I've seen plenty of accidents (if not more) with horses on lorries. Saw one not long ago where a horse had been left on the lorry, it had reared up and got its front legs stuck on those locker bits in front of him and got his hooves caught in the haynet. Terrifying if you ask me. I wouldn't have wanted to untangle him in such an enclosed space!

I'm an eventer AND a showjumper

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

never.
i tack up/bandage/titivate inside the lorry and then get changed, and then get him off the lorry.mum is always on hand to help but i could do that on my own. Horse is barefoot and we only compete on a surface anyway so no issue with studs.

i guess if i ever go to shows on my own ill have to tie him up to wash off but that would be it.

and i would never ever leave a horse unattended and tied to the lorry and think people that do are reckless beyond belief.