Shipping in a box?

[dauntless]

I have the joy of attempting to ship a gigantic clyde X TB. Really, when I say huge - I'm not messing around. The height and weight tape wouldn't reach around his belly. He's 17.1 and just as wide. The lovely fellow is 8 and hadn't shipped anywhere until about two months ago, when I took him to a schooling show. I spent weeks before practicing loading him and was very proud of myself for doing my homework well. It was all well and good until we attempted to come HOME from the show. Mr Big wanted no part of getting back onto the trailer. He's got that stubborness that draft X's often have, and there was no convincing him to get onto that trailer. It was a really quite miserable experience, and after over an hour and a half of trying every possible trick I have ever heard of, we took apart the middle of the trailer and shipped him home in a box.

After I calmed down (ie at least a month later) I've gone back to trailering school with him. I have an extremely hard time getting him to load with the centre bar in place in the trailer. The centre bar doesn't swing with the partition. The partition swings on its own (with the bar in place) or you can take the bar out completely, or take out the whole partition etc. I can get him to load nicely with the centre bar out, partition in and pushed to the side.

He's not my horse - he is part borded by a student of mine - and she doesn't plan to ride him indefinitely. I certainly am not getting paid for my time trying to teach this this wooley mammoth to load and I don't really care if he learns to be more obedient in the long term. He's entirely too large at this point to be forced into doing everything. OK, rant over! The morale of the story is: we're not shipping far (only about 15 minutes away) and I was wondering about the pros and cons about shipping him in a box. I gave the above saga to indicate that I'm not terribly interested in the training implications of giving up trying to load with a regular two stall confirguation of a two horse trailer, I'm interested in it from a safety point of view. The trailer converts easily into a box, and while other horses are going to our destination (a clinic, yay!) it is close enough to do multiple trips. He is quite big to be slithering into a two horse trailer, so I can understand his point to a certain extent, but the trailer is extra wide and extra tall so he should be able to suck it up buttercup...

How safe is shipping in a box? On the BO's recomendation when we FINALLY got him on last time, he shipped home loose. Is this the best way? Anyone have any stories about shipping horses this way?

[Laurierace]

The only thing you need to really worry about in my opinion is most of the time when you take a partition out and make a box stall there is no way to put the butt bars up. I always make sure I have pins in all the latches on the ramp and have the doors shut with pins in them as well to reinforce the ramp somewhat, but a big beast like that could do some serious damage to the ramp if he was determined to come out the closed back. Other than that, its a fine way to travel if that is what the horse prefers.

[lorilu]

I wouldn't worry. Many horses are shipped cross country in box stalls on those big vans. They usually arrive is better shape than those who stood in a stall.

To solve the butt bar problem, I have seen trailers with a long plastic covered chain similar to a stall guard that went from side to side - no need for the divider to hold the chain. As a matter of fact, I think the chain was made of regular chain covered with one of those pool noodles. THey have a channel downthe center - the chain was threaded thru it. Fat and soft, and you can color coordinate!
L

[dauntless]

Thanks for the tip; I hadn't considered that potential calamity.
Any thoughts on if he should be loose?

[Acertainsmile]

I've shipped many horses loose in a box that were fine.. just give him some hay on the floor.

[Noctis]

We just shipped my new little mare home in a box, she's 3 and had never been trailered before, so we wanted to let her figure out her legs and have a bit of room. She loved it, was calm and happy. I prefer to ship like that when I have the option!

[ShotenStar]

My big mare travels better with the center divider out. However, I do have a single, full-width butt bar to use when the divider is removed AND I always tie her. There have been times when I crossed tied her to make sure she didn't wiggle overly much. Even with a GN and 3/4 ton truck, she can move the rig when she bounces ...

*star*

[HaulnHorses]

A box is the way to go in almost any shipping scenario. Plus in a 2 horse setup with all partitions removed it looks more inviting for easier loading.

[pj]

I only haul one at a time in my two horse bumper pull and the divider is always out. I do tie and the horses stand cross ways and are happy. I personally don't like the idea of them being loose though.

[BuddyRoo]

As long as there's nothing sticking out as other have mentioned, I see no problem.

Still, you may want to tie him if he's not real good about hauling....having a real big shift in his position as you're heading down the road could be problematic.

IE: In a 2 horse straight load, when you haul one horse, you typically want to put that horse on the left so that if you DO go off onto the shoulder, you're not getting dragged off the road into the softer ground by the additional weight.

Know what I mean?

But I don't mind shipping with the divider out at all. Lots of horses prefer it.

[dauntless]

Thanks so much for all the tips!

So is the prevailing wisdom that the horse should be tied to one side of the trailer, preferably the left side? Do you tie to a side ring of the halter, or the underneath ring?

[Kementari]

I have a small trailer, and I never have the divider in. I tie on the left, and they tend to stay left-ish, though usually at some degree of an angle.

It's a step-up with a center post in the back, and I rigged that so that I can put the butt bars up. :yes:

[dauntless]

I wanted to bump this up for more opinions!

[gieriscm]

I have an extra-tall stock trailer for my 17.2 hh OTTB. While he was ok in a stall, most of the time I pulled out the center divider and hauled him loose. Usually he would turn around and ride backward.

[CA ASB]

The big haulers I've talked to say "box stall is best" and they also say "loose." Horse can put their head down, cough, keep lungs clear, etc. I have a Hawk that makes into two roomy box stalls and my horses ship everywhere loose. They love it. Hay on the floor and I even put up water buckets for them (not filled, but the water doesn't come out).

[kookicat]

Sounds like he feels a bit squished/can't keep his balance in one stall. I agree with everyone else- if you have a butt chain/bar, then haul him loose. Better for everyone. I personally wouldn't tie him to just one side. You could have a big mess if he slips or gets the rope over his head. Cross time him or don't tie him at all.