Posted 2006-05-10 1:17 AM (#41521 - in reply to #41246) Subject: RE: Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
I have learned to not let anyone else other than myself- hook my rig up, close rear trailer doors and lock up. This is where I find that most mistakes are made. This has happened a couple times to me when I let someone else ( horse person with their own trailer) "help " me out.
Posted 2006-07-14 9:22 PM (#44652 - in reply to #41467) Subject: RE: Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
Member
Posts: 13
Location: Alachua, Florida (Gainesville)
HWBar wrote: "I don't tie, and no amount of preaching will convince me to tie...I bet I don't know one person who has lost a horse out of the back of a trailer."
Amen to the first point. After interviewing six professional haulers, including one who transports the Disney World draft teams and another who has exclusive contracts with several racing TB farms in Ocala ($50K being a low-end horse), I am convinced that tethering a horse is not only unnecessary but potentially dangerous. These guys WILL NOT tie any horse they haul.
The other thing I discovered is that when pros employ open box stalls, horses invariably turn around and FACE BACKWARD for the duration of the trip. (Videocams on the big rigs prove this to be consistent behavior.) I tested my untethered Percheron in an open-slatted stock trailer with a friend following behind, and after a few snuffles around the perimeter, the Perch found his sweet spot, rooted himself there, and rode facing backward for the entire three-hour trip home.
I have also spoken with equine orthopedists at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine who confirm this preference for facing backwards -- and who also believe that slant-loads are less than ideal for a very simple reason.
Think about the kinetics of a slant-load... On acceleration, the inertial weight of a slant-loaded horse is thrown predominantly and unavoidably onto its left rear leg. On braking, the horse's inertial weight in thrown predominantly and unavoidably onto its right front leg. The horse cannot compensate for this by adjusting its position within the trailer, and the horse must rely on two legs almost exclusively for shock absorption during transport. These diagonal forces are repeated continually throughout the haul, and result in an uneven anatomical torque for which the musculature and joints cannot adjust. Orthopedists have noted the development of spinal curvatures that can be attributed directly to slant-load hauling.
As far as falling out of the back of a trailer, full-length cam locks are designed to prevent this -- see other threads. (And if a horse is facing backward, he's more likely to kick the bulkhead and not the back doors.)
The most oft-told horror story, related by both of my vets and the pro haulers, recounts the many times that horses have dropped a leg through "perfectly solid" wood plank flooring, even with thick mats and closely-spaced stringers.
Posted 2006-07-15 7:39 AM (#44665 - in reply to #44653) Subject: RE: Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
Member
Posts: 13
Location: Alachua, Florida (Gainesville)
Hi, arroyosecco! Of the folks I spoke with, the gentleman who was most adamant about not using wood flooring or slant-loads is the owner of Equine Limousine based near Ocala, FL. His name is Buck Bechtold, and his website is: http://www.equinelimousine.com/
He's a wealth of information, and has decades of professional hauling experience. He's been all over the U.S., and by virtue of both years and mileage has some good (and horrific) stories to tell. He's seen it all. Feel free to call him at the number listed on the website -- he's connected 24/7.
Tell him that Susan in Alachua, Florida told you to call about the dangers of wood flooring. He's the one who told me that wood plank can appear absolutely patent -- dry and solid with no evidence of rot -- and still give way even to lightweight horses...which is a nightmare when you're traveling on an interstate at 60 mph. Getting an unknown vet to come and evaluate or euthanize is a real problem. With no intention of sounding insensitive, emergency euthanasia is why I carry a .45 at all times. I've had to put down deer and raccoon that were hit by vehicles and were struggling to die; a bullet is merciful and quick. I hope I never have to use it on a horse or dog.
You'll enjoy talking with Buck. BTW -- send me a message explaining the origin of your user name...I'm curious. I know what an arroyo is (stream), but what's the secco part? I can't find a translation of that.
Posted 2006-07-15 8:12 AM (#44668 - in reply to #44665) Subject: RE: Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
Veteran
Posts: 202 Location: North Texas
Dogtrot,
Arroyo is spanish for a creek or deep gully cut by an intermittent stream.
Secco is a mis-spelling of "seco" meaning dry.
= Drycreek
On to the trailer floor question: I keep hearing 2nd, 3rd hand stories but I have never met anyone that has actually had a horse break through the floor. (Don't get me wrong . . . I am not eager to) I am sure it is possible, sure that it has happened. But I suspect it is, thank God, a very rare thing. The whole image of it is terrible and I suspect that is why it so commonly arises in conversation and/or postings when horse trailers are discussed.
Posted 2006-07-15 10:54 AM (#44677 - in reply to #44668) Subject: RE: Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 303 Location: Grapeland, Texas
I have a friend that had to have a horse put down because he went thru the floor. She said the other horse was kind of straddling boards. I don't know why she even put them in the trailer. I wouldn't have put my dog in the particular trailer. I check my floor regularly in my bumper pull, I don't want that happening to me.
Posted 2006-07-15 11:59 AM (#44681 - in reply to #41246) Subject: RE: Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
Member
Posts: 26 Location: South Dakota
There was a thread on BarrelHorseWorld 12-18 months ago about a horse falling out of a trailer after the welds failed and the door fell off. The owner was looking for the horse. I don't remember if the horse was ever found or not. I tried to search for the thread, but wasn't able to find it. Maybe Dave M. could help.
Posted 2006-07-16 10:48 PM (#44769 - in reply to #44681) Subject: RE: Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: washington
I remember my dad telling me about a guy who pulled up to the local bar with his truck and trailer. The guy came proudly marching in bragging about the horse he just bought... it was late and all the guys wandered out to see this guy's new horse, and what do you know - no horse! It had a low ramp, and only had a roof on the front half of the trailer, so the back half was kind of open about 4 feet up. The other guys laughed up a storm and told him he'd better quit drinkin for the night. My dad said this guy was so upset, wondering what happened to his horse. He left and retraced his route, and lo and behold, about 10 miles down the road, there was the horse, eating along side the road, just as happy as could be. He was a little skinned up, but nothing that wouldn't heal. The guy loaded up his horse, tied him this time :))) and went back to show off his horse. I guess he had a heck of a time getting the guys to come back out to see that he really had a horse - hahahaha. So apparently a horse really can fall out of a trailer (somersault back over the ramp-yikes!) !!
Posted 2006-07-16 11:47 PM (#44777 - in reply to #41246) Subject: RE: Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
A guy I was renting a house from had a cow fall through the floor. Of course the floor was rotten and NOTHING should have been put the trailer. The poor cow had awfull roadrash.
Posted 2006-07-17 9:41 PM (#44876 - in reply to #44852) Subject: RE: Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
I don't know about ground beef, but her leg was well tenderized. Fortunately for her it was a foreleg that went through so when the momentum pushed her leg back it just bent at the knee instead of breaking.
Posted 2006-07-17 11:07 PM (#44885 - in reply to #41246) Subject: RE: Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
A few years ago I was sales rep and called on a major account. The VP I called on took a bunch of scouts on a summer camp out. My next visit After his return I ask how the trip had gone. He told me the horror story of the trip. Among several other mishaps, one of the trailer doors came open on the freeway home and the last horse in the trailer turned and stepped out. And promptly rolled a bunch of time on the freeway.
My visit was 2-3 days after the incident and I asked if the horses had lived. He said it was still standing up out in his neighbors pasture. Very stiff, but still standing.
Also my vet has some very nasty pictures on his wall of a horses leg that went through the floor boards of trailer. He keeps them hanging on the walls as a reminder to everbody to check their trailer floors.
Horse falls out of trailer - true or urban legend ?
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