Where to tie-up in trailer

Ruddyreindeer

Ruddyreindeer

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My mare prefers to travel without the partition in our double HB510. I have the full width breast and rear bars. Where should I tie her, right or left side, or to the front? I know that if travelling one, it should be loaded in the right hand with the partition in, but without it which side is best to tie to? :confused::confused::confused:
 
See were she stand naturally when you take her in the trailer is her head more to one side than the other and tie her up on the side she prefers, if she stands in the middle with her head straight then tie her there, may not be the conventional way to travel but as long as she is happy it doesn't matter.
 
I would always cross-tie if travelling horse without partition, as it stops them trying to turn around.
I have always placed my horse in the centre of the trailer, then cross-tied her to the rings on either side. I do not tie up too tightly as they still need to be able to move their heads to balance, just sufficiently short for them not to think about turning around.
 
You should cross-tie her. Not so tight that she can't move her head a bit, but enough so she can't bend right round. If you only tie with one rope you may find out what an interesting contortionist she can he.
 
Cross-tie, as above.

I travel my horse without partition. Have full width breast bar and front ramp to unload. When about to unload, I take down breast bar while horse still cross-tied. Breast bar safely away, I clip on a third lead rope to the head collar, before unclipping the cross ties. Then I can unload quietly. Saves trying to release the safety knots in the cross ties. I just leave them hanging in the trailer for next time :)
 
It has got to be cross-tie or tie to the right it at all - single horse should be up on the camber of the road ie - In case you did not know - roads are slightly convex ie higher in the middle - therefore for your trailer to be balanced a single horse should always travel on the right hand side or middle but not on the left.
 
some horse like to lower their heads to balance, so I cross tie fairly loosely but not so much that the horse could get its head under the breast bar. If you leave the ropes tied to the trailer as suggested above they are at the right length where you left them.
 
In contrast to what others have said I would tie up on the left (with a fairly long lead so they could centralise if the needed to) so the horse would stand diagonally and therefore the bulk of their weight would be across the middle and right hand side of the trailer, giving the required balance to the trailer re road camber. Nearly every horse I have travelled, either without a partition or on a diagonal in a trailer / lorry, has travelled better than any other position. With mine I have taken them out to see how they choose to stand given the space to do it, and I do find they prefer to have their legs square but on the diagonal from top left to bottom right so that's why I have decided the method above works! (I expect to be shot down by someone for this, but oh well!)
 
Not shooting you down LOL! But it is wrong to tie to just one side when travelling without a partition. Horses are too flexible, much more flexible than most of us realise. You cross tie loosely enough to allow them to balance diagonally and lower their head a bit, but not so loose that they can put their head under the breast bar. They can move their heads from side to side and have plenty of room to stand across the trailer. You should have a full width breast bar in place in case of accidents.
My mare always refused to reverse off the trailer after her back started to cause her problems, but would happily turn herself around like a cat and unload walking out frontwards. Not bad for a 16 hh horse.
The danger if you tie to one side, particularly with a fairly long lead, is that your horse might try to turn around, getting themselves stuck sideways, or even partially under the breast bar.
 
Tinypony said:
The danger if you tie to one side, particularly with a fairly long lead, is that your horse might try to turn around, getting themselves stuck sideways, or even partially under the breast bar.
Click to expand...

I always cross tie, always have. A hunter I used to do came home from the Opening Meet and had been turning his neck as he always did, he liked to see what was happening behind him, when the driver had had to stop suddenly. By the next afternoon, he was put down; he had broken two vertebrae due to compression. Very sad and totally avoidable.

PS: I'm another who has a leading in and out rope and then ties to ropes that have already been tied to either side; makes life so much easier.
 
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