Riders urged to ensure breakdowns are covered
Appropriate cover is vital for any owner who plans to travel their horses by road, however short or long the journey
OWNERS are being reminded of the importance of breakdown cover when travelling horses, and of steps that should be taken if you do break down.
Genevieve Scott, who was on the M4 with her Connemara Boggle on board when a tyre blew on her 3.5-tonne lorry, said she was lucky she had the cover.
She told H&H: “I wasn’t really sure what to do; stay in the lorry, keep my horse company, or get out, or if they can change tyres at the side of the road.”
Genevieve contacted her breakdown recovery firm,
Equine Rescue Services, which informed Highways England of the breakdown to arrange for a lane of the motorway to be closed, and the recovery team was able to change the tyre at the roadside.
“The key is to have breakdown cover. I can’t believe anyone would travel horses and not have it; if I’d broken down and then had to phone around looking for someone to recover the tyre and call Highways England that would have been even more stressful,” said Genevieve.
BE PREPARED
ALAN HISCOX, director of safety for the British Horse Society said all possible steps should be taken to avoid breaking down, including thorough vehicle checks.
“It’s essential to check the tyre pressures on a horsebox, or on your car and trailer, before each journey,” he told H&H. “At the same time, examine tyres for signs of wear and damage. Ensure your tyres meet the legal minimum
tread, and remember, trailer tyres can wear out long before tread wears down, so look for cracks, bulges or cuts in the tyre walls, which may result in a blow-out.
“We would also advise you take out quality breakdown cover specifically for equine recovery, otherwise a rescue, particularly from a motorway, has the potential to be very expensive.
“If your vehicle has broken down on the hard shoulder of the motorway, the horse must remain in the vehicle or trailer, while the driver and any passengers are advised to leave the vehicle and take refuge behind the barriers on the embankment. The emergency phones on the hard shoulder will connect you to the highways authority or police. Your safety, as well as that of your horse and other road users, is paramount, so wait for the experts and do not attempt repairs yourself.
“If your vehicle cannot be safely repaired at the roadside, a decision will be made by the police and/or highways authority as to the best course of action. This could be to close the motorway to unbox and reload your horse on to a rescue vehicle.”
A spokesman for Equine Rescue Services agreed it is important to have specialist breakdown cover, regardless of the distance travelled.
A spokesman told H&H: “Whoever you choose as a provider, ensure transport is provided to move your horses if the vehicle cannot be repaired. Prepare before you set out, and prepare for the unexpected. Ensure you have plenty of water and hay even if you’re only going on a short journey.”
A Highways England spokesman told H&H: “Our traffic officers are on hand around the clock helping people who do get into difficulty, and are trained to respond to situations involving horses, who can often act unpredictably in these situations.
“We have an animal handling and recovery course that aims to instil every traffic officer with the practical experience, confidence and equipment to resolve incidents involving animals quickly and calmly across England’s busiest roads.”