I'm not quite sure how big a road a "turnpike" is ... "eh"

But I can tell you that if I didn't run 70MPH (110KPH) down the 401 I'd have people piling into the back of me.... but that's a flat and straight"ish" 3 lane HWY.

On the other hand. Does anyone haul in a slant untied? I've been thinking about this lately as mine don't seem to do anything that would require tying.... my only concern is a horse eating off the floor and banging a head on the divider and freaking out.... is that just a silly concern?

MBRA518

Just moved from Ontario to Alberta this year and I was suprised how many people (actually all I have run into here) do not tie their horses in ANY style trailer, including slants.  I however will still tie mine....

 I don't mind being passed - it's the Loons that climb up your rear and try to force you to either move or speed up..... The traffic is pretty heavy around here and there are some real nutters - the side roads tend to be worse and I rather drive on the wider highways with the better roads..

As an aside - in Quebec I had a trucker actually try and hit me (I didn't have the trailer this time) because I was only doing 10KM over the speed limit and had left all of 3 car lengths in front of me.... tail gated my Jimmy so close all I could see behind me was grill (so probably 12 inch off my bumper) when that didn't make me move faster he literally pulled out to pass me and then came at me into my lane not once , but twice. I called 911 and they took down the info and assured me they'd never get him and it happens all the time..... I HATE driving through Quebec - and the back roads are worse as the Lumber trucks are on those and they are even crazier!

So yes - some nutters out there will actually hit you for going too slow

(disclaimer - I know not all truckers are nuts - but I've just encountered more than my share of crazies in that neck o the woods)

as one who takes pride in my profession, let me apologize for that incident.  however it is unlikely he actually was trying to hit you, he was probably just pissed off(for some stupid reason no doubt) and trying to "teach you a lesson".  these stories are a dime a dozen, i hear them from both sides, the truckers that think its funny and the 4 wheelers it scares the crap out of. even in my tractor/trailer im not immune from the dumbasses. ive had other truck drivers chase me down and run up beside me at the off ramps beating on my door. of course its alot harder to bully someone when youre both the same size vehicle.

i still hold to the limit or under, car, truck or tractor. and besides........if i was going to have a case of bumper cars, id sure rather be going slower than faster.

When I used to live in California they could give you a ticket for impeading traffic! They considered it unsafe to resist the "FLOW" of traffic. Don't get me wrong I do agree speed kills! I look for a sweet spot where I don't have to pass or get tailgated...it may be 60 on a 55 or 70 on a 65... hmmmmm....tying a horse in the trailer...Oh yeah!!! Run with a CB and you really hear how some truckers think! I think they forgot who they haul all that stuff for! Then again I have met some real nice ones....and some really stupid 4wheelers! 

now, now no reason to get hostile. and i have driven all over this fine country, thank you very much.  i hear that same line constantly about atlanta in my current home state of sc. i have no trouble running the limit or a touch under there(atlanta) either, and have yet to be run into.

and what does out west have to do with the turnpike? im not referencing the actual mph. been 90mph at 80,000 pounds more than once out west. in the middle of the desert thats not really "fast". speed is relative.

and the other driver " have to realize " is a strange approach to justify speeding. what about the drunks, cell phones, screaming kids, paper readers, dinner eaters????????

Leaving this Saturday for a week vacation and it'll be about six hours driving.  With the price of fuel I plan to put it on cruise control and try to get my best mileage.  I had someone once that ended up being the first real road rage I've encountered and I've decided since then that if that happens again, I'll just pull over and let them pass.  Figure there's no since in risking an accident and once they went by at least I didn't have to deal with them anymore.

When I travel I tie my horses.  I have drop windows on one side and slats on the other and it's a slant load.  I've taken the divider out just because I feel it's safer for the horse. When I take two, they're two horses that travel well together.  I have one that I had problems with and I reverse load him and he does fine traveling with his butt to the traffic.  When I put him in the trailer I don't even had to ask him to turn around, he just automatically turns himself around and waits to be tied.

when we haul its ususlly no less than 6...specially this time of year as it is packing and hunting season.  We don't even use dividers unless we use the first compartment for more stuff like wall tents.

Our studs are hauled right with everybody else. It is not a good idea to haul horses loose unless they are packed pretty close and I would never haul that way very far.  If you tie them they have a chance to recover if they should slip by using the tie as help to keep them from going down.  If I see all the noses sticking out now and again then I know they are all standing.

Livestock can throw you off enough to put it in the ditch.  I have worked with my vets for many years and have seen some things that you can't believe could happen and its almost always the human that has made the bad judgement.

as far as truckers or anyone doing stupid things on the road...you can call 911 and report it to the state police and tell them you'll sign the ticket....I did that 4 times in a trip to N Idaho over a weekend...one guy they arrested, cuffed and stuffed on the spot...the other 3 got tickets.  Take the time to do this and it will make them think twice about pulling this on someone the next time.

everyone has their own preference but if you look at the accidents that come in to some of the clinics many of them that are seriously injured are ones that aren't tied.  The bad ones with dividers are another thing...serious back injuries from falling and coming up or trying to under the divider.

I swear that humans aren't as smart as society gives us credit for....most of it is lack for horse sense.  There are more and more people getting into horses for the first time and not getting the proper education before purchasing this big animal. 

I sell to a specific group of people but not all of those are as competant as they should be...people with the title of 'breeder' and don't know their pedigrees, conformation or faults....I pass them up.

It all comes down to safety and common sense...many people are afraid to haul but if you practice on back roads and parking lots, know your trailer, truck and horses then you are just having to watch out for the other guy.  Something else that seems to be a lost art is the time it takes a horse to learn patience at the hitching post.  My horses don't paw.... ever...they will stand for days tied up if necessary....if they paw in hunting camp and destory the ground cover you can get some grief from the Forest Service out here.