A recent incident where a trailer carrying two horses became separated from the towing vehicle on a roundabout has re-ignited debate on detachable towbars. H&H looks at what can be done to keep horses in trailers safer.
DETACHABLE towbars are back in the spotlight following an incident where a trailer separated from its towing vehicle with two horses on board.
Aurora Eastwood was travelling her horse and her son’s pony on 19 February when the detachable towbar on her car gave way at a roundabout on the A36.
{"content":"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"}
You may also be interested in…
The owner wants annual checks to be mandatory, as well as checks on buying new-build boxes on older chassis
‘I went round the roundabout but the trailer didn’t’
Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
Credit: billselwyn
A post-race microchip scan revealed that the mare was in fact not the 50-1 shot on the racecard
Library image.
Credit: Lucy Merrell
Take a look at these 6 luxurious horseboxes for sale this week — no expense spared. We’re talking surround sound,
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
H&H senior news writer
Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.