If you are an amateur house builder like me, sometimes you need to call in the big guns to help you with your construction project. If you need to excavate a large hole, dig a trench or to drill boreholes on your property, you will probably need to hire some heavy equipment. I will be posting lots of useful tips on this blog which I hope will help you to get the best deal when it comes to hiring heavy construction gear. I will review the best types of kit for different jobs, transporting the gear to your site, and providing you with information which will help you to keep your workforce safe.
If you're moving home and have horses to move, then you may have decided to hire a float to drive your animals to your new location. If you drive them yourself, you control the trip and are on the spot. This is especially useful if you have a long distance to travel.
It is important to hire the right float for the job. This isn't simply a question of hiring the right size of vehicle to give your horses a comfortable trip. Additional features may also be useful. Which features are good to have?
1. Head Dividers
Some horse floats come with head dividers that stand between each stall on the float. These dividers create a barrier between each horse.
If you're going to transport more than one horse, then this is a good option. It doesn't matter how well your animals get along in their paddock or stables. They may be best mates. This relationship may not stay the same during the trip.
You can't tell how your horses will behave in a float. Some horses find this a stressful experience and their characters may change a little during the journey — they may lash out at each other with their heads, which could cause serious injuries.
It doesn't matter if your animals have ridden in a float before; each journey might be different. So, if you have head dividers in place, then you keep each horse in place and protected if the worst were to happen.
2. Air Conditioning
If you're making a long trip in hot weather, then you need to find a way to keep the inside of the float at a comfortable temperature for your horses. If things get too hot, they will get stressed and dehydrated.
Look for floats that have a way to keep the inside of the trailer cool on hot days. For example, you can hire some floats that have air conditioning units in them. Alternatively, look for windows or roof vents that you can open to let some air in if you need to.
3. On-Board Cameras
You may worry about how your horses are doing during the trip. The problem is that you'll be driving the vehicle that tows the float, so you can't see your animals unless you stop, park and take a look inside.
Some hire floats come with on-board cameras. You can see inside the trailer from your dashboard. This allows you to keep an eye on your horses and to stop quickly if one of them has a problem.
Talk to float hire companies to find out more about these and other useful features.