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2009 and my efforts are complete +++++++
" It is my privilege to be able to comment on this revolutionary new Float and to thank Lara from Centaur TL for her undying efforts to make our Horses more safe during road transport. Since 2001, I have been berating Horse Float Manufacturers for the appalling state of Horse Float safety and thank those that have made efforts to improve in some areas. Thanks to Centaur TL, the 'quantum leap' has been made. Now, I hope you will appreciate the next generation of Horse Floats and the second only revolution in design since Federation and John Chatteton, another Horseman." John O'Leary Go check this out: www.centaurhorsefloats.com.au
Does your Horse get nervous in your Float? Paw a lot, sweat, scream out????
2001-2009
1975 Many years ago, whilst handling 'problem Horses', I noticed that 'Wall Climbers', would cease to do it when I carted them in an Open Float. Other problems were also diminished. Later, I could return them to a good enclosed Float, with proper driving and their deep set psychological problems would be fixed. I started to wonder why and to alter Floats/Trailers to experiment. Then a Blood covered Horse that arrived here climbing the walls to half way to the roof was sent home totally cured without training but by simple design changes done by the Dad while the Horse was here for 7 days and so began years of experimentation and observation, using hundreds of "Problem Horses' ++++++++ THE REVOLUTION IN DESIGN VIEW Where are the eyes of a Horse? ( on the sides of their head) Where are the blind spots in the field of view of a Horse? (dead in front and behind them) Then why is every Float window in the front and about 2 foot below their heads and where they want to be looking? In 100% of Australian Horse Floats and I suspect other Countries of the World, certainly Europe and Britain, the most the windows will allow is a look at the number plate of the towing vehicle in front. Here, have a look.
VISION VERSUS 'FLIGHT RESPONSE' * The shutting down of focus leading to stress and unhappiness. The No. 1 cause of Floating problems of most kinds. Horses are unable to
focus their eyes the way humans and most animals can. Have you ever
seen a horse raising and lowering its head as it looks at an object?
It does that to adjust the focal length, moving until the object
comes into focus on its retina. Also, since the horse’s field of
vision doesn’t overlap, the right eye sees what’s happening on the
right side of its body, and the same on the left, it’s amazing that
the horse isn’t confused all the time by two images that don’t match
up at all.
When Horses detect movement and often perceive it as a threat, due to the fact that they can't quickly focus, they run first and focus later. Especially things coming from behind. "The Flight Response" To take away the natural instincts of a Horse through removal of view out of a 'Tin Can' is to build fear and I submit, completely unfair.
"So you want to get suppleness, looseness, impulsion and engagement at the Show do you???????" After 15 years of testing on trips up to 1,000k and a life time of floating around 25,000 Horses, I can categorically say that the window configuration on all Horse Floats is incorrect and is stress positive. Testing on hundreds of problem Horses and thousands of normal horses have shown the benefits to be incredible and many. Too many for me to describe here. I will write a paper on it when I retire :)
How would you like me to put you in a mechanics Pit that was too small for you and leave you there for 7 hours??....and they wonder why Horses sweat in Horse Floats?. That would quickly produce physical problems as it does Veterinary problems. We arrive at competition with a performance Horse but we have taken away the will and ability to win during the trip. So here is what my research of over 25,000 horses has produced as reflected in the 'Gainsborough'
This is how Horses want to stand in transit.
Not crouching down to look through this:
If you were a Herd Animal, who's greatest fear is to be alone, would you appreciate being able to at least see your Owner in the Car in front and feel that you may not be alone after all? In your "Fish Can'? WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION CAUSING FOUNDER It has been argued by Scientists and correctly, that: "Forcing the horse to squat on its hindquarters during transport (hence butt bars and tail guards) also traumatizes the sacro-iliac joint." I agree and have observed much. I have traveled in the Trailer with them for many miles. It is my firm belief that this has been caused all along by the lack of appropriate view and the strong desire for the Horse to focus and lean backwards, the place of escape or relief, due to poor window con figuration. Why wouldn't you want to lean towards your only place of solace?. However, I believe the Scientists have missed the point as they could not adequately run experiments without being armed with all the information and the correctly designed Float. (this information and this design) Given this is the first time on the Planet that such a design has been forthcoming, the experiments are therefore incomplete imho. Horses in my test Float never distribute weight on the hinds but balance normally. This can be clearly seen here:
WALL CLIMBING (caused by lack of view) Bad drivers cause wall climbing but so can excessive noise or a lack of view causing stress. I have completely fixed many scramblers by altering windows on many Floats. Here is one. The Horse arrived covered in Blood.
Why is that so? Same Driver, same Float. It was because the 'field
of view' of the Horse was satisfied....particularly behind him.
(note the existing original window
and then followed many copies by other people around me with unhappy Horses.
ROOF HEIGHT (the history)
THE OPTICAL ILLUSIONS The shorter the ramp the more difficult to load a Horse!!! When Horses walk up the ramp of a Horse Float, they are attempting to gauge whether they can fit inside WITHOUT HITTING THEIR HEAD. Of course the steeper the ramp the more the angle, the lower the roof appears, the greater the fear. The Horse is made to look at the roof and the roof looks lower than it is. Given that every Horse Float in this fair Land has been too low, imagine the distrust, fear and lack of motivation to go in such a place. Hence my call for height improvements. The other thing about the improved viewing in the Centaur TL Floats, is that the Horse, when climbing the ramp, can actually see the sky, has light, has openness and is given half a chance to trust. It can actually deduce that it can operate it's sensory perception mechanisms, whilst traveling EXTENDED FLOATS Extended Floats that are short extended, cause stress in Horses and trigger pawing as each paw is able to reach the on board Saddle compartment/cupboards wall and the horse gets a result/reaction each time it paws and receives an echo. This leads to incessant pawing, the same as tying Horses with 'Cross Ties' teaches them to weave like the Elephant at the Zoo. Each action gets a reaction endlessly. Further, it allows for a Drum to be beaten, to gain the attention of the Driver but lets not kid ourselves, the Horse wouldn't be doing it in the first place if it could utilize it's instincts through sight because of a relaxing view rather than a frustrating or fleeting view of the World. DROP DOWN CHEST BARS Read my lips, there are NO removable chest bars in Australian Horse Floats and yet hundreds of Horses get hung up over them each year. I have even seen one hung up in the flanks. Over a removable bar. Screaming for help in mortal pain. She went to the Abattoirs. The sight is not a pretty one, believe me. You cannot remove a Horse or release the chest bar from beneath the weight of a Horse. None are designed or engineered to achieve that admirable aim. Besides risking death in the attempt, weight versus poor design makes it an impossibility. I have tried many times. Did you realize that over 40% of young stock on their first trips will attempt to jump over the chest bar???? This too has been addressed in the 'Gainsborough by Centaur TL SAFETY BELTS On the subject of Horses prone to jump the chest bar, which can be MOST weanlings or unbroken Horses having there first trip alone (and others) I invented (20 years ago) safety belts in Horse Floats after a Colt went over the chest bar and then took off again, over the top of the front roof of an open float. I have saved countless Horses since. One try to jump whilst fitted with safety belts and they give up. The safety belts take over the role of comfort zone and they have their first safe trip. Thus ensuring safe floating thereafter.
Invented, tested and proven here, with my young stock down a Highway. Don't even think about danger if the Horse goes down. There is none and it doesn't happen with this equipment installed. Did you realize that Storm Doors can cause fractious Horses to go over the chest bar and attempt to plunge through the front window, no matter how small? I have seen it 3 times. Given the right trigger, like going from bitumen to gravel road at speed, the sudden bout of claustrophobia engulfs the Horse and the only route for flight is the only light at the end of the tunnel it is traveling in. The window. INDEPENDENT SWINGING HEAD AND SHOULDER DIVIDERS With the advent of self loading systems (parelli) and with many Ladies traveling alone to Shows, the problem of Horses putting their head and neck around the wrong side of the front upright bar and being trapped is real. The Gainsborough is the first and only Float to fix this problem too and others that are related. Independent swinging front and rear head divisions allow for a handler to position the rear (divider) division across to cover the other side when loading and the first ever spring loaded system allows for it's easy return. SELF CENTERING CENTRE DIVISION and on the subject of spring loading, the centre division in the 'Gainsborough' is also spring loaded for many reasons to do with safety and ease of handling. ONE PIECE ROUNDED MUDGUARDS AND RUNNING BOARDS I invented Horse Float running boards. The danger presented and injuries caused by sharp edged mudguards on virtually all Australian Floats is immense. They are razor sharp and the first thing any Horse does when it gets trapped is to start throwing the front legs with the obvious cut to the cannon bone injuries which are many each year. Centaur TL are the first to fix this problem with their rounded edged mudguards.
ANTI SCALPING ROOF
FLARED RAMP How many thousands of Horses fall off the edge of back ramps and hurt themselves. Thus taking away their confidence and starting stress increase related to loading? The Centaur markedly diminishes this risk and makes it more 'dummy proof'. Remember, every time you hurt a Horse whilst loading or unloading, the more the chance of Floating stress and loading resistance. HIGH TIE UP POINTS Finally, the closest thing to a safe tying facility that is a Horse Float.!!! There is not one Horse Float in Australia that it is safe to tie a Horse to......up until now. SPARE WHEEL and of course, the tied up Horses that get trapped with the rope stuck around behind the spare wheel which is dangerously affixed to the rear side of most Australian Floats has also been alleviated in the 'Gainsborough' TYING TO HORSE FLOATS "Tying high is safe and tying low is dangerous" Any Horseman will tell you that and yet our young are taught and promoted to tie low. The injuries each year are immense. Most Horse Floats have and do have their tie up points dangerously low, promoting Horses to get their front leg over the rope, into the solidly tied hay net, hay bag and you know the result. Especially with Parelli Halters and lead ropes these days, which don't break. High tie up points ensure the safety of the Horse and don't give me "I can't reach", stand on your mounting block and think about your Horse first. That, together with all obvious dangers removed from this Float, does allow for tying up to it. This improves risk management and stops Horses running around the Park and Stallions breaking free from twine.
LOW CENTRE DIVISIONS These cause Wall Climbers. The Legs cause Horse Rockets that eject from Floats.
ANGLE FLOATS I have never preferred angle Float but never explained it. * Centaur TL will develop some eventually but improvements must be designed first. Now that I have raised the field of view of the Horse, have a think about having the World flash past the front of your face 9where there is a blind spot) where you just can't quite get a focus on things. Would that frustrate the Hell out of you??? Make you crink your neck around to try to see? Apart from that stress on neck muscles, the lack of head and neck room is imply unfair on Horses. They can't lower their necks to clear airways or give relief to muscles. The piddly little windows that comes in angle floats doesn't provide a view anyhow, only frustration and such Horses have to arrive ill-prepared for competition compared to those in the extended straight load. Angle Floats were invented for the bad driving by Horse Owners which caused Horses to become wall climbers, to compensate for going too fast around corners and to assist incompetents' to load easier rather than into a straight load. Humans in this Country can't get their heads around loading to the right. Even then, the designers chose to put Horses pointing down the Hill and not uphill as in America. We copied the Yanks but forgot about the left hand driving. The weight ratio that bears down hill due to the camber of the road encourages Jack Knifing of Floats that hit the gravel through inattention.
All things being equal, given competence in Ownership, straight load is far better for the Horses.
Go here for Upgrades of Second Hand Floats in each State. Finally, thanks to the Horse Community and my clients who have driven change by putting pressure on other Manufacturers over the last 8 years. You deserve the credit for the, flush door latches, running boards, some extension of roof height, removal of some rear divider legs and so on. Regards
John O'Leary
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How
many thousands of this type of instance has there been? The Horse
was 15.2hh and this was the Float.
