# Re Awful story on H&H about trailer ramp opening.



## BigBird146 (19 November 2008)

H&amp;H news article 
It asks if anyone has had a similar problem but doesn't state the make of the trailer? Does anybody know?
I've had a door 'pop open' on mine with Amercian doors and just wondered if I should contact them, but it says 'ramp' not 'doors'.
What an awful story though, makes me go cold as luckily mine popped open on the side behind the empty stall and I didn't notice until I'd got where I was going (luckily only a few miles). I've made my own safety device now so it can't happen again but it's worrying so if anyone has a Bateson with American doors make sure you put a peg or clip of some sort to pin the back doors together (through the brackets with holes in made for padlocking it up).


----------



## *hic* (19 November 2008)

Hmmm - if it was "anti luce" catches I have had them come open but only on a muck trailer. We always put a carabiner through the top part now so they can't come undone. 

Horrid thing to happen though - and sympathies to all involved.


----------



## Kenzo (19 November 2008)

How terrible, must of been so awful for them and the owners and of course the poor lorry driver.


----------



## Gonetofrance (19 November 2008)

It nearly happened to me when I borrowed a trailer to go to a dressage clinic. The car behind us started to come past us flashing lights and pointing at the trailer. We pulled in asap, luckily were on a dual-carriageway, and ran round to the back to see that one of the supporting attachments for the pins had come clean away, and the ramp was twisted and open at one side, with my horse sitting on it. He was fine, but it only a matter of time before the other pin would have gone. 
I've had nightmares about trailers ever since.

Poor poor girl, she must have been devastated, my heart goes out to her.


----------



## cefyl (19 November 2008)

I have seen people with Ifor Williams trailers just rely on the ramp latch and not bother with the lynch pin that keeps the latch from springing open, or even not replace the lynch pin at all if it breaks off.  One person actually was in so much haste they slammed the ramp shut, flicked the  latches across on both side and turned around and the ramp slammed back down on them knocking them out.

And I have lost count of the number of times I have stopped people at a competition when they have not secured the ramp (boxes and trailers) correctly - only one side secure/latch not through the slot/ ramps literally bouncing open only held in place by luck.

The old Rice trailer ramp pins did used to bounce out at times.

Very sorry for the people involved on all sides, and poor horse, and horrific death.


----------



## daisycrazy (19 November 2008)

I can hardly walk past a trailer without going cold. Seeing anybody standing behind one makes my stomach flip. 

In 1999 I was walking behind our Ifor Williams 505R when the ramp (all done up) came flying out and hit me on the head. Seems most likely it was the unshod 12.2hh pony gave it one kick and the catches just bent, catapulting the ramp on to me. My horse sat down in panic. My mum was driving (thankfully just coming out slowly through our gate - could so easily have happened on the road) and wasn't aware anything had happened. I was waving at her frantically to get her to stop before my horse panicked even more. Once she stopped (and I sat down with blood pouring down my face) he stood up under the breaching bar and all the metal work bent and hung over them in a twisted mess. 

I feel sick just thinking about it.


----------



## wishfulthinking (19 November 2008)

Oh the poor lady, how terrible. I have heard of this happening in Ifor Williams hunter boxes before though.


----------



## baeloclaudia (19 November 2008)

BigBird I've had the same thing happen as you - with the American style doors on my Bateson. I now have clips on the fastenings front and back as they were prone to bumping undone on a bumpy lane - and wherever you go with a horse there's nearly always a bumpy lane!

Horrible story.


----------



## squirtlysmum (19 November 2008)

This is just so sad and makes me feel so sick what an awful accident.
I have an Ifor and I will certainly be getting something to ensure the clips can't come undone. 
Just awful!


----------



## suzysparkle (19 November 2008)

It's for this reason that I say if you travel without a partition (as I do) you should use a full length breech bar as well as a breast bar. Some Horses (mine being one of them) like to lean on their bum....better on a breech bar than the ramp. I have an older 510....both the breech bar and the ramp fastenings are really solid. Why anyone wouldn't use the pins is beyond me.

What a horrible accident.


----------



## jewel (19 November 2008)

that is terrible. my thoughts are with the owners and loaner


----------



## gemmaw (19 November 2008)

It was an Ifor trailer, not sure which model but it was quite a new one. If anyone does have any info on them (dates, incidents, models) please pm me


----------



## jaffs (19 November 2008)

My heart goes out to all concerned, 
What terrible news. So horrific.


----------



## miss_c (19 November 2008)

I was involved in an accident with an IW510 in the summer.  Somehow the trailer came unhitched (and we know that it WAS hitched correctly - they had checked, doube and triple checked it), went across three lanes of motorway and hit the central reservation, flipping over a number of times.  It was my friend's trailer and she was driving.  My horse was thrown over the back ramp and broke her back, while my friend's horse somehow came out of it with minor cuts and scratches, and a sore back.  He's home and fantastic, my Mazzie was put to sleep at the scene.  I've called the number on the article, but PC Hardt wasn't there at the time.  Mazzie's on page 14 of the 'In Memory Of' post in the PG.

If anybody thinks I shouldn't be posting the details of what happened please tell me and I will delete it.  It is not my intention to upset anybody.


----------



## henryhorn (19 November 2008)

Those poor people, and the lorry driver, I just hope it was instant for the horse..
We never travelled a horse without an extra full length wooden bar my dad made, it was such a simple thing, h cut a U shape out of two pieces of wood and fastened them to the sides, then all we did was drop a bar into them. It was such an easy method, and never once bounced out, and it made loading so much easier than faffing about with pins and hinges. 
I've long thought the fasteners on trailers could be vastly improved, (the bars at the back too for that matter) as handlers are in such a vulnerable place putting them across once the horse is in. I have seen a new method advertised whereby the loader turns a handle and the bar drops in place behind the horse, which must be safer. 
I go cold whenever I see people loading without any form of bar behind their horses, not from the falling out of the trailer, more for them being injured if the horse breaks it's leadrope and hurtles out backwards.
That report of the dead horse is one of the worst accidents I have ever heard of in the equestrian world.


----------



## Gonetofrance (20 November 2008)

So sad to hear your story, fihunt, that must have been a desperate situation for you and your horse.......... it put tears in my eyes just reading it.........((((((((((((hugs))))))))))


----------



## miss_bird (20 November 2008)

My heart goes out to all involved, it makes me feel cold and sick


----------



## wizzi901 (20 November 2008)

did the check wire fail also?


----------



## miss_c (20 November 2008)

The handbrake applied before the emergency breakaway cable snapped.  However as we were on the Motorway there wasn't time for the trailer to stop before it hit the central reservation.  It went off on an angle from the inside lane to the outside lane.  It's not much of a consolation, but although Mazzie was alive until the vet arrived, it was pretty much over for her as soon as it happened, as she had head trauma, broken back, and was in shock.  They said she would have felt very very little, if anything.


----------



## Mooch (20 November 2008)

The accident happened outside my friends house!  
	
	
		
		
	


	





So upsetting.


----------



## Twinkletoes (20 November 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
I was involved in an accident with an IW510 in the summer.  Somehow the trailer came unhitched (and we know that it WAS hitched correctly - they had checked, doube and triple checked it), went across three lanes of motorway and hit the central reservation, flipping over a number of times.  It was my friend's trailer and she was driving.  My horse was thrown over the back ramp and broke her back, while my friend's horse somehow came out of it with minor cuts and scratches, and a sore back.  He's home and fantastic, my Mazzie was put to sleep at the scene.  I've called the number on the article, but PC Hardt wasn't there at the time.  Mazzie's on page 14 of the 'In Memory Of' post in the PG.

If anybody thinks I shouldn't be posting the details of what happened please tell me and I will delete it.  It is not my intention to upset anybody. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh my god. What a tragic story, your tribute is beautiful in the Memory Of post. Deepest sympathies to you as this must still be so vivid in your mind, especially when you hear of stories linked, ie the trailer ramp. I hope to god, that the horses being discussed are resting peacefully and again, huge sympathies. I am sat at work, reflecting on a lot of things today, but thought to you, and the family of the recent horse lost.


----------



## Rollin (20 November 2008)

What a truly dreadful experience for all involved, my heart goes out to you.

We have a brand new IW.  We are pleased with it BUT when one securing pin is in place it takes two people to lock in the second.  I would never manage it on my own.


----------



## Natch (21 November 2008)

I've often wondered if those pins can come loose, now I'm terrified!! 

Are we to assume that breeching bars weren't in place? Am I right in thinking that if they were the horse couldn't have fallen out of the back so easily?

Horrible, just horrible.

To reiterate what an earlier poster said, please do use a full width breaching bar as well as a breast bar if travelling a horse without a partition. I think the set of 2 for F's IW trailer cost £80. Not a lot for safety's sake.


----------



## Gingernags (21 November 2008)

Its such an awful story but hopefully if we can get to the bottom of exactly what make and model it was, what type of pins, and if there were breeching bars - it might save someone elses horse in the future if lessons are learned by everyone.

That's not pointing fingers for blame, but getting the facts as to what contributed to it.

I am entirely grateful that my trailer only has "pins" on the top doors, and even then they are pins with a circular clip that locks them in place.  the actual ramp has handles that fasten and can't bounce out as they again have a clip attachment.

It also has breech bars with a pin and clip fastening but reading these comments, I'll be checking the height to check the horse couldn't go under them.

I just hope something good comes out of this and it makes people think and double check.

Poor horse though...


----------



## Chamfrom (23 November 2008)

Hi all,

 I know that this is quite unconventional, but I am the police officer heading this investigation.

We really need to ensure that this does not happen again to anyone else. I also have horses and fully understand the feelings and concerns that arise when incidents like this happen.

I am urgently trying to find other people that have experienced issues with the rear ramp of trailers falling, especially when a collision has occured as a result. 

For obvious reasons, I cannot disclose the make of this trailer until we are further in our investigation.

I have already spoken with some people that have posted here but really need to see if we have others out there.

If so, it is vital that you contact me please on 0300 1234455 and ask for myself, Pc 827 Kate Hardt from Rugeley police station.

Thanks in advance for your help.


----------



## JanetGeorge (24 November 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
Hi all,

 I know that this is quite unconventional, but I am the police officer heading this investigation.



[/ QUOTE ]

It may be unconventional - but it's good to know that the police officer investigating this case is: 1) familiar with horses; 2) understands the concern it has caused to every horse owner who transports horses in a trailer; and 3) is prepared to tackle the investigation in an 'unconventional' way that is likely to yield results.

I have a new IW 511 and would be VERY surprised indeed if its catches could come loose - if fastened correctly.  Like others, I would be interested to know if a breech bar was fitted - at the right height.

Maybe it was a freak accident - or maybe there is something more needs to be done either by the manufacturer or by the user to ensure this never happens again.  Apart from the death of the horse, it was 'fortunate' (I know it's a strange choice of words under the circumstances) that the horse was hit by a lorry and not by a car - otherwise we could be looking at a dead driver/passenger!


----------



## nicola_g (12 May 2009)

I have just had a similar experience.

The back ramp on my 2006 Ifor Williams 505 trailer opened yesterday.   Luckily the back bar was in place.  The noise of the ramp dragging and my dog alerted me and thankfully my pony was unphased.   

I know for certain that I put the locking pins in place.  They must have jumped out when I went over a speed bump.


----------



## kerilli (12 May 2009)

I have had the rear ramp on a horsebox undo itself (flip-over catches, which were definitely fastened properly, vibrated out) and the ramp start coming undone. my ex-boyfriend was driving (no horses aboard thank the lord) and i was following in a car, it took me 10 miles to alert him, the muppet, and i nearly had 15 heart attacks.
so, please please check drop catches on horsebox ramps too, and put a carabiner or similar through to secure the catches so they can't possibly pop upwards.
i know with the rear doors on a horsebox it's very unlikely a horse could come out, but it just doesn't bear thinking about.


----------



## neddynesbitt (12 May 2009)

You need to urgently contact the police officer dealing with the original accident.  My trailer is 2007 and the same happened to mine.  I had gone over speed bumps as well.  We have since tested it whilst empty and the pins DO come out.

I am still waiting for VOSA to contact me about it.....it's been months!!  We need as many people as possible to come forward and then perhaps they may take us seriously.

I have offered for them to inspect my trailer and they can see for themselves.....I have still not heard from them


----------



## nicola_g (12 May 2009)

neddynesbitt,  I have left a message for the Police Officer dealing with original incident.

Was totally unaware of others having this problem till I spoke to a friend this morning.

There isn't even a ring to keep the pins in place on my model.  I wouldn't have believed they could jump out till now.  But have just had a fiddle and if the clips are even slightly moved the pins do become very slack and I can now see just how easily they could pop out.  

VERY SCAREY!


----------



## Rollin (12 May 2009)

What a terrible story very sad for you.  I do think it is important to share experiences to prevent similar horrific incidents.


----------



## neddynesbitt (12 May 2009)

gerbetais,

I'm glad you have called, it is really important.  I have looked at quite a few trailers at shows since this happened to mine and believe me, there are a lot of trailers out there with this problem.  Sadly they all seem to be the same make!!

I had an older IW and had NO PROBLEMS with it but I cannot say the same about my nice brand new trailer (well it was in Dec 2007).

I had to take my horse to Kent for an MRI scan which involved me travelling on FOUR different motorways and I put cable ties through to top of the pin and secured it really tight so pin cannot come out.

I now have to do this for every journey because I guarantee if I didn't my ramp will come down again.....VOSA DO THEY CARE????????????????

This is not what you expect when you buy a brand new trailer


----------

