OCT
2011

Ramp-less horsebox eliminates
accident risk

A new innovation in horsebox design, which does not require ramps, would have prevented a recent ramp accident. Once again the spotlight has focused on the potentially deadly risk of using horsebox ramps. A mechanical failure caused a ramp to fall on top of Brian Lear, the well-known showjumping course designer. He is being treated at The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex for two crushed vertebrae, damage to 5 others plus he has sustained spinal cord damage. His wife, Jan, said: "He’s lucky to be alive."

The only way to eliminate this risk is to eliminate ramps; until recently that was impossible. That has now changed with the introduction of the revolutionary U-tail^® ramp-less horsebox from Norfolk based Roadload. Commenting on this innovation, Ian Bareham, the owner of Goldencross Equestrian Centre, who is leading a fund raiser for Brian Lear, said: "Traditional ramps, hinged at the bottom, are accidents waiting to happen. Not only will this brilliant innovation from Roadload take away all of the dangers associated with the deployment of ramps but I believe that this has to be the safest alternative system on the market today."

It was on display at the Horse of the Year Show 2011 on stand H13F at the NEC in Birmingham on 4th to 9th October. Currently available in three model sizes designed to carry up to 4 horses they do in fact cater for the largest market sector.

In the equine world there is probably nothing more frustrating than trying to get a horse to walk up a ramp into the box. It is not unknown for it to literally take hours to get a horse loaded. This box has the unique capability to lower completely to ground level for loading or unloading and therefore does not require a ramp; you simply walk the horse straight in.

Roadload claim that as well as making loading or unloading much easier it is also less stressful for the horse and considerably reduces the risk of an injury to it posed by ramp loading. They also say that the elimination of ramps has completely removed the risk of the kind of accident which befell Brian Lear.

Another unique feature of the U-tail vehicle is that the box is completely demountable, which means that a different box may be used for other purposes such as carrying freight or even chilled food. Each box can be demounted or loaded in minutes. So when not being used for eventing, the vehicle can be used for general work back at base maximising the investment payback.

Managing Director, Keith Jones says:  "quite apart from the obvious benefits of easier loading and unloading, an investment in a U-tail horsebox can be justified solely on the elimination of the need to use ramps, which pose a real risk of injury or worse, to horse and rider."

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