| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Miska |
Posted - 18 Jan 2011 : 7:07:34 PM
THIS IS LONG BUT PLEASE READ
After loosing Ettie last year I have been searching for a new friend. I found one a fortnight ago, we've called him Enys. I have stepped away from the arabs as he is an ISH but the fiasco that followed is something that all breed owners should read, so I am posting it here.
On saturday I went to go and pick him up. We have a little 3.5tonne horsebox, rear facing. Everyone always remarks what a lovely box it is. Enys is quite young, 5 and not long over from Ireland. He's been in lots of big boxes but never a small one.
He loaded with no problems and we set off at about 3pm. A few miles down the road he started mucking around. While I was watching though our little window, I saw him rear up and get his front legs over the front partition, that seperates the living from the horse bit. We stopped immediately but he panicked and ended up even further into the living. In the end he had two feet in the living, two feet in the horse bit.
Lukcily I managed to calm him through the door. We kept the door closed, as he was flailing at times. We tried calling the old owner to get the number of the vets but no luck. So we called 999 and the police came out. The police said it would be 30mins before a vet could come. By miracle however, an equine vet was passing and stopped. He was able to give Enys a bit of sedative, though with some difficulty.
Then the fire service and animal rescue came out. After more time it was decided that the only way to get him out was forward and as our jockey door was too small they would have to cut open our horsebox. They also decided that they wanted to try and do it at the vets, which miraculously was only down the road. So my mum had to drive our horsebox with Enys still in the same position.
It was about 4.30 by the time we arrived at the vets. We had over fourteen people working on getting Enys out. They aenestised him and then started cutting down the partition and the back on the horse box.
It was about 7pm that they managed to drag him out using winch and then pull him into the vets padded room on a taurpaulin. Until this time we had been unable to see if he had damaged himself at all. To our relief there were no huge gapping wounds.
Him waking up was one of the most dangerous time, because shock and we didn't know if he had damaged his legs. Thankfully he got up fine.
To cut a long story a bit shorter. He stayed at the vets a few days and then was brought to ours in a big lorry today. He travelled fine.
We were very very lucky with the circumstances - a vet coming past when they did probably saved Eny's life. The animal rescue guy said they have cases like this once fortnight around the country, mostly ending in the horse being put to sleep. He said the only way to warn people about the dangers was by word of mouth. So this is me spreading the word.
I don't know what long term damage it has done to Enys, either mentally or physically but we'll cross that bridge when we came to it.
Here are some photos of our horsebox:
A huge thank you to everyone involved. It was one of the scariest moments of my life but due to the teams calm efficency, Enys is now home and safe with only a few scraped and bruises.
(Enys and Miska, 20 years age difference!) |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| dassa23 |
Posted - 20 Jan 2011 : 6:34:18 PM
I am sorry to hear of your experiences, glad you are all ok. I have recently purchased a new 3.5 tonne conversion after having an ifor williams for a while. My boy had an accident in the trailer and refused to stand up so I had to find an alternative. I know just how traumatic these things can be, and I don't think I will ever be able to transport a horse without it scaring me to death! I think many of you are right and there will never be a perfect way to transport horses. I did plenty of research before purchasing the lorry and made sure that I got one with a removable breast bar and an extra wide rear door. It is a very nice lorry and hopefully fingers crossed, I will never have any problems |
| Callisto |
Posted - 20 Jan 2011 : 2:17:33 PM
Having travelled in a trailer (yes I know that's not a good idea, it was at low speed across a couple of fields with an injured horse) and in the back of a horse box, I must admit I'm amazed that most of them ever agree to go in after the first trip, it is an incredibly alien environment for them, so not surprising that occasionally they panic and do dangerous things. |
| Miska |
Posted - 20 Jan 2011 : 1:36:38 PM
Thank you all for reading my post.
I know there is no perfect way of transporting a horse, particularly a young one, hopefully though if we learn from experience we may be able to deal with it better.
We have had quotes from the horsebox fixing people. It cost only a little bit more for us to have the whole horse bit seperated from the tack area than the anti-weave grills. So we are going to seperate it off. Then horses travelling in it won't see where they are going and won't be able to jump over. We are also having a large door put in...which probably isn't needed as we are going to seperate off but then the guy said it didn't really make any difference to cost. So we thought we may as well.
Hearing everyones stories is scary but then again there are risks with everything you do with horses. |
| Pashon2001 |
Posted - 20 Jan 2011 : 12:57:31 PM
I've seen accidents in all types of trailor or box, unfortunately horses will be idiots..........I am very sorry your horse went through this and happy he has come out relatively unscathed, but with the best will in the world it does happen, usually to the ones wrapped in cotton wool unfortunately. |
| alkarif |
Posted - 20 Jan 2011 : 12:45:07 PM
We are currently considering changing our box and my daughter is keen on one of these small ones. I've transported horses for years both privately and commercially. Yes I have experienced incidents, fortunately none that caused serious injury, to either horse or human, but every event caused us to have improvements and design changes to our transport. We have also had trailers, WITH INCIDENTS LIKE THIS ONE! and tipping over on their side.
I have no experience of these small boxes but thanks to this thread, and previous experiences, I will ensure that all recommendations on here are addressed before taking the plunge and buying one.
Thanks so much for posting your traumatic experience to warn us all.
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| kathleen |
Posted - 20 Jan 2011 : 09:13:00 AM
You are correct about the new trailers there is a ring out which can be used to as a tie up ring you just stick a bar though and turn so no looking for the key you think was in the glove box of the car some where |
| kofihorse |
Posted - 20 Jan 2011 : 08:47:11 AM
Fitting a removable breast bar is easy and relatively cheap. Ifor Williams dealers will sell you the bits you need or any trailer dealer or vehicle repair shop will do it for you,regardless of the make of your lorry or trailer.Then at least you can drop the bar from the outside if there is an accident.
The new ones don't even need an Allen key. |
| misterei |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 10:49:17 PM
We had a person at our yard who bought a thoroughbred ex-racehorse, who had been used to travelling for probably seven or eight years. She loaded him in a hired 3.5 ton box and he went over the bar as you describe. I don't think it is that uncommon, our yard owner used to build boxes many years ago, and he simply took the van apart to free the horse. It couldn't happen in our box as there isn't the room for a horse to rear, and they travel herringbone style, but these small ones do present a basic design problem, so it would appear.
As for weight, I was told by the person who services our box that the 3.5 ones on the market today are all over the weight without a horse being loaded. I can't say he if he is right or wrong, but I do not see how they can be sold as fit for purpose if he is right.
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| xsara |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 9:57:12 PM
poor boy glad he is ok he is lovely and hope you have a long happy time together. We have one of the small lorries at work and had no problems so far but we do have anti weave bars and not much room for the horse to get over the doors are also quite tall. But I do know that another yard who uses the box for over water racing one of there horses did go over the door but managed to get it out safely with out damage to box or horse so not sure what really happened. I have seen a few injuries that has happened in bigger lorries two horses with fractured pelvis, One horse who got her head stuck and ended up luckily with a broken jaw, nerve damage down face and lip and a cut on knee to bone luckily there was three strong stallion handlers parked next to us and they were able to get the divider ripped out or we would have lost her. Travelling young horses is always a risk |
| Arabianknights |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 9:49:51 PM
Karitaz - I think you are absolutely right. I think there will always be horror stories/risks no matter how the horse travels. All we can do as owners is make ourselves (and each other) aware of the risks and try to avoid them where possible (e.g. removeable partitions/anti weave grills etc).
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| phoenixbruka |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 7:49:53 PM
it is a problem that the small horsebox manufactureres are aware of and a lot of them are now putting extra large jockey doors in that a horse could get through without injury and putting weaver grills up to discourage the horse wanting to go over
my daughters pony did this but as my box has double doors on the back we got the pony out easily.... but it scared the bcrap ouuta me!
The pony now travels facing forward as she's only 12.2 so theres room |
| LadyLuck1 |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 7:36:42 PM
Glad he is ok,he looks nice. Enjoy and post more pics.
Mary |
| pinkvboots |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 10:13:01 AM
You must have been terrified I know I would, thank god his OK he looks happy enough bless him, I hope you manage to fix your lorry and I just wanted to add a new livery moved into our yard last week and the day before she loaded up her small horsebox similar to yours with all her stuff to bring before she picked up her horse, I spoke to her briefly introduced myself then she left well about half an hour later she was back she looked really shaken, I asked her if everything was OK she said she was driving home and overtook a bus that was stationary, and heard a massive bang lorry was empty, so she stopped and the top partition flap that you lift up to get your horse in had opened whilst she was driving and smashed into a another lorry going the other way, well her lorry is a mess and thank god it was empty the horse would have been seriously injured, she was really worried as this really shouldn't have happened as they were locked so it seems that it was a fault, she is taking it back to the company that made it to have it checked, it seems allot of these new type horse boxes have many design faults. Good luck with your new horse.x |
| karitaz |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 09:45:22 AM
So sorry to hear about your poor boy's ordeal. glad he's ok. I have a 3.5 tonne horsebox a bit like yours and have worried about this sort of thing but I don't think the risks are exclusive to these boxes. With inexperienced or young horses I have travelled in the back to be there to keep them calm if necessary and they always seem to travel much quieter than in our old 7.5 tonne lorry.
The problem is that there are horror stories for any kind of transportation of horses - they are so strong that if they panic they can get into all sorts of trouble. As a child I remember a number of horses at shows getting stuck or somersaulting over breastbars in trailers, knew of a horse who slipped under herringbone partitions in a large lorry with horrific injuries, a horse who went through the front living area of a large lorry and through the windscreen and even a horse who somehow got stuck in a shower area of a large lorry.
We can't always second guess what might happen but can only do the best we can to minimise risk and try to keep horses calm and safe. I'm not sure that there is any perfect way to transport a horse sadly. |
| OldHand |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 09:02:55 AM
A grooms door in horse area is a huge problem and a no no for me.
One very well know Arabian Stallion was badly hurt as a Colt when he kicked a Grooms Door in front of him! The door flexed and stayed locked,but his leg was stuck in the gap ! He recovered and had a long happy show and stud life, BUT it could have been so different !! |
| Milotkha |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 08:28:13 AM
Thank goodness all was ok in the end.
I am a huge beliver in fate and the vet coming by was a god send..!
I hope you both have a long happy life together xx |
| Misshana |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 08:19:35 AM
Remember reading a story about these horseboxes. Think it was BHS newletter. Horse stuck over bar, useless Vet arrived, Police wouldn't do anything. Horse eventually died. Was horrific story.
Got Ifor Williams trailer and ALWAYS carry the allen keys to remove breast bars. |
| Ennik |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 07:13:06 AM
An awful, nightmare story! Just another travelling nightmare to add to so many others! |
| moatside |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 07:04:15 AM
Glad your boy is none the worse! |
| Jess.And.Tiger |
Posted - 19 Jan 2011 : 12:23:34 AM
omg sounds horrendous, I don't know what i would do with myself if it happened to me!!!
I have heard to many of these stories, and I have seen alot of people now use the V bar anti weave thingies!!!
We recently bought a 7.5 ton lorry although were looking into the 3.5 ton although funny enough we were put off by the many horror stories we heard!!!
We had a standard ifor trailer before the lorry which has served us well and took us up and down the country with a tent haha!!! Trailers tipping is a rarity and only ever happens in dangerous weathers and I suppose dangerous driving!!! So in EXTREMELY strong winds ect!!!
I'm glad your boy has finally arrived safely and wish you all the best with him he looks like a lovely chap!!!
xxxx |
| OldHand |
Posted - 18 Jan 2011 : 11:28:34 PM
Jan 1 1997 is the date you had to pass your test by guys not 1999 !
Prior to that you can drive up to a max of 8250Kg (incl a trailer) or 7500Kg solo. |
| natntaz |
Posted - 18 Jan 2011 : 10:23:34 PM
I had similar happen with a pony few months back but
that was in trailer, pony decided to jump over front
bar. was stuck upside down, neck to one side, thought
she had broken her neck. luckily i managed to hold her
legs up and undo bar so she could drop down and get her
self up, I did get a kick in the face but to be honest
it was well worth it just to see her standing with just
a few scrapes. I went on to take all partitions out and
travel her on to her new home
Glad your new boy is ok x |
| Miska |
Posted - 18 Jan 2011 : 9:48:14 PM
Originally posted by Arabianknights
If I'd passed my test before 1999 i would have had a 7.5 tonne horsebox by choice!
Me too - well maybe something a little smaller. I don't mind taking the test, just the insurance is horrendous until you are over 25. |
| Arabianknights |
Posted - 18 Jan 2011 : 9:43:17 PM
This is a terrible story and I'm so glad your horse is OK.
We've recently bought a 3.5 tonne van conversion (rear travelling) and the mechanic put in a removable breast plate to stop this very thing happening. We also had a larger "horse area" and so the grooms area is very small and hopefully uninviting.
If I'd passed my test before 1999 i would have had a 7.5 tonne horsebox by choice! |
| Miska |
Posted - 18 Jan 2011 : 9:40:24 PM
Our living area isn't really a living area...just a space for tack.
We looked at the anti weave grilles but I would be worried that a horse would get there head stuck, particularly if they were reaching for hay. I've looked at all the big makes of 3.5t lorries and not many seem to seperate the living. I did see a company in Hampshire (can't find website) which did a sloping partition thing that you can have put in. The vets where Enys was were going to have a hydrolic version of this inserted in theres...or something like that.
Now that this had happened I am so paranoid! I don't like trailers either, i've heard of too many on their sides. Perhaps we should have teleportation devices! |
