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[RC] Friends trailer tragedy has me thinking. . . - Laurie DurginMy friend emailed me about her 'nightmare'. She has a Rice ,english made,fibergalss trailer.(one I have been considering purchasing to 'downsize ' so I have more freedom to cart horses around with.)She gives beginner lessons and runs a boarding barn co-op. Nurse on the side. She went to a vet clinic to pick up a horse for a girlto bring to barn. She said she took 1.5 hours to load, just 'tapping' patiently to get horse in.(she knows about parelli, John lyons type trailer training.Her horse was even used in a clinic). (the 1.5 hr. thing was my first clue ,this horse didn't know how or want to load). Then as they went down the drive, the horse broke through the breastbar and was stuck in the escape door(in the front).It was a 1500 lb. horse.The vet came running with tranqulizers and saw the horse had a broken shoulder, so she ran back and got the drugs to put the horse down, then they had to drag the body out with a tractor, while keeping the 26 yr old owner away. My friend is traumatixed by it all, and won't use her trailer again for another horse and is going to get a slant stock trailer instead. Now I don't have all the details yet, but she'd just refurbished, refloored ,repainted, repaired everything. Now I am wondering is this just a fluke, the horse was just so huge it rammed the latch open cause it paniced ( and was obviously not trailer trained?) or is this an inherent danger of Fiberglass trailers , or just the Rice? Here I was thinking about getting one.I realise there is a risk to getting broadsided with any trailer, but how many steel/aluminum could withstand this sort of thing? Or was it just a latch failure?Or an 'escape ' door weakness? really saddened and thoughtful Laurie _________________________________________________________________ Get MSN 8 and enjoy automatic e-mail virus protection. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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