Posted 2006-03-18 4:02 AM (#39004) Subject: Drop down windows and bars
Member
Posts: 14
Location: Auburn, AL
Just wondering what yall think about this. I've always been very paranoid about leaving drop down windows at the horses' head down while traveling (that is with no screen or anything)... scares me to death. Well my new trailer has the drop down windows with a second "window" behind it... four horizontal bars. I've seen people travel with the windows down and the bars up, but i just worry about something flying in through the window like a peice of tire or something else from the interstate. I've always used the screens with goosenecks, or if i had the back to my bumper pull open i would put fly masks on the horses just incase, by some crazy odds, something flew in there. Am I being too paranoid about driving with the windows down and bars up?
Posted 2006-03-18 7:35 AM (#39008 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 565
Location: Michigan
If you are at all worried then don't leave the windows down. It could happen, something flying in and hitting your horse in the head or eyes. Personally I don't leave them open, why take the risk and if you have a hay bag in front of them, the hay might fly all over and in their face. For air flow, open the sliding windows on the butt side or the roof vents or a window in the next stall. If your trailer has a window that opens on the rear door then open that one and it will create better airflow through out the trailer.
Posted 2006-03-18 7:42 AM (#39009 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
Location: Kansas
I saw what I thought was a neat idea, going to try it myself this year. A trailer owner with a set up like yours (and mine) with the bars behind the windows had used screen material and essentially made pillow cases of fabric screening that slipped over the bars. Seemed like a very easy fix to me.
Posted 2006-03-18 7:51 AM (#39011 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Veteran
Posts: 274
Location: MO in woods
We did leave windows down an all horses must have fly masks on for some safety.Also usually only going 30 miles to park.Now our trailer has bars on windows but I found screens on clearance an I'll still have them where fly masks for extra protection.If it can happen it usually will so I rather be safe than sorry.The windows are rather high up there Never had problem with horse(any we always travel with young unbroke fresh horses)so risk is low really.Weather is factored in how hot it is vs air flow.
Posted 2006-03-18 8:05 AM (#39014 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Expert
Posts: 2953
Location: North Carolina
Having glasses or a face shield on while driving my motorcycle, I can appreciate the need for eye protection. I would have something to protect my horse's eyes in your situation. Vet service cost for a eye injury are the least of the issue. The daily eye medication is the pits when I'm already late for work.
Posted 2006-03-19 2:57 PM (#39067 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah
Maybe I'm not very smart. But I've pulled horses all over Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico for the last 15 years. My trailers have the drop down windows with the window bars behind. In warm weather I drop the windows. The window bars are ALWAYS up when I'm moving. But I will let the horse stick his head out at rest stop or gas station. I've never had a problem with anything getting in the horses eyes. I'm more worried about the wind blowing hay dust from the feed bags or manager inside the trailer than about something blowing in from outside.
At 60-70 mph the wind is blowing stuff straight past the window. My trailers don't have anything outside the window to deflect object inside. i.e. a rearview mirror by the drivers door where a bee could splat on the mirror and bounce through an open window. I can not begin to count the miles I've driven with my car & truck windows open and I've never had anything come through the window and hit me. Even if my horses had their noses up against the windows bars their eyes would be 8-12" inside the trailer. I just don't see it as a problem. I suspect that if a passing vehicle threw a piece of debris off the road or blew a tire and it hit me while I was driving 70mph, it would tear through any nylon or aluminum mesh insect screen that most trailers have over the openings.
My bigger concern is the wind swirling in the trailer and blowing hay dust from the manger or shavings off the floor. But the couple times I ridden in the back, I can't say even that was a problem.
Posted 2006-03-20 9:40 AM (#39102 - in reply to #39067) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1011
Location: Oregon
I have drop downs with bars only. Until I get screens on (I am also going to do the slip over thing with velcro), I ALWAYS use the fly masks. I have had bugs hit me when driving down the road. It's not a chance I would like to take with my horses eyes. I'd rather be safe than sorry. The thing that scares me most is a cigarette butt. It wouldn't be a pretty sight if I had hay and/or shavings in there.
Posted 2006-03-20 1:04 PM (#39122 - in reply to #39067) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 366
Location: Albany, Oregon
Originally written by Painted Horse on 2006-03-19 12:57 PM
I'm more worried about the wind blowing hay dust from the feed bags or manager inside the trailer than about something blowing in from outside.My bigger concern is the wind swirling in the trailer and blowing hay dust from the manger or shavings off the floor. But the couple times I ridden in the back, I can't say even that was a problem.
Same here....I worry more about the shavings than something from the outside. I use the mask for the same reason. When I stop and there are shaving all over there back you know it has been flying around in there! After an hour or two of 65mph it all blows to where it wants to stay then it is less of a problem till I unload them and redisribute the shaveing then it does it all over again!
Posted 2006-03-20 1:47 PM (#39128 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Member
Posts: 38
Location: Montevallo AL
I hopped in my 3H and had my husband drive me around- I wanted to see how noisy it was, windy, etc...
At 55 MPH or so there was almost no wind coming in the open windows, yup, very little. Try it. Like Painted Horse said, there's no side mirror there to chew the air up and swirl it around- I leave our windows open and the bars up pretty much every single time I haul them anywhere.
I put shavings down, and I'll toss a flake of hay on top of the shavings, and I haul mine untied. They can eat, sneeze, etc. I'm telling you, it's not a tornado in there
Posted 2006-03-20 1:59 PM (#39129 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Expert
Posts: 1723
Location: michigan
Good for you kat. Thanks for the experiment which pretty much sums up what I have been thinking-Its not that bad in the trailer. man we can create ALOT of worries!
My trailer has drop down winders but no bars- just little bitty sliding windows with screens. I generally haul with windows open. When I stop I drop down the windows- and even with my carzy arabs, haven't had a horse try to crawl through. I also haul united. Even if there are shaving and dust, having the ability to lower their heads will keep a horses airway cleared.
Posted 2006-03-20 4:36 PM (#39138 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Location: Tuttle, OK
For what it worth, I've ridden in the back as well. Close the screen and you get almost no air inside the trailer - the screen just deflects nearly all of it. Since I did so, I always open the windows as well as the screens (at least on the butt side), they were just keeping flys in anyway...
Posted 2006-04-17 4:40 PM (#40575 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Regular
Posts: 50
Location: Delta Junction, Alaska
I agree I have hauled all over Alaska and Canada with my horses and have never had anything fly into my trailer as driving. If you have ever been to Alaska and hauled on our roads you know that we have TONS of gravel left over from the winter and even that hasnt ended up in the trailer. Saftey is a big thing for all of us with our horses. If you are still worried about it do what you think is best.
Posted 2006-04-17 8:07 PM (#40596 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Member
Posts: 14
Location: Auburn, AL
Well I made the screens to fit over the bar windows and they are great. Greatly improves the ventilation in the trailer without creating too much circulation. Great idea....
Posted 2006-04-17 11:32 PM (#40601 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Regular
Posts: 58
Location: Shawnee, Oklahoma
1. To stop the shavings from blowing around, keep a spray bottle with mineral oil in it and spray it lightly on the new shavings as you fluff them around. It won't dry out like water and keeps them from blowing around until you change them.
2. It's so hot here that I have drop downs on both sides along with air flow dividers. I have drop down bars on the head (mainly for resale), and I also have screens to protect my horses eyes. I prefer screens only, but everyone wants the bars when they buy a trailer. I never let my horses stick their head out the windows. I know someone whose horses were killed that way by an oncoming truck. It's better to be safe than sorry. If you haul without screens, I would put a fly mask on.
Posted 2006-04-18 6:13 AM (#40610 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 301
Location: Catoctin Mtn, Maryland
I'm glad that this issue has come up. We just purchased a lq trailer. My one horse has allergies. His second trip on the trailer ended up with alot of mucus coming from his nose. (stopped after a few seconds once off of the trailer. oh, and he's doing fine by the way). Although the first trip he didn't have that problem. But I did use a hay bag that was canvas with a small opening to get hay out on the first ride. Changed to a netted type bag on the second trip, because I found that the horses were turning the canvas bags around and couldn't get access to the hay. Never had a problem with our bumper pull, straight load. I'm positive it is from the windows being down thus blowing the hay bag around. Any suggestions on this? Anyone ever experienced this first hand? What about wetting his hay down before traveling? I've got to have the windows down due to heat.
Posted 2006-04-20 2:36 PM (#40747 - in reply to #39004) Subject: RE: Drop down windows and bars
Member
Posts: 28
Location: Illinois
FWIW I remember being on a school bus on an interstate when we passed a gravel truck (or maybe it passed us, whichever.) All of us on that side of the bus got pelted with gravel.
So I can see a good reason for fly masks or screens on the windows.