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Post by nutwood on Jul 9, 2008 13:25:57 GMT
Yesterday i unfortunately broke down on the motorway, with one pony on board. I pay for recovery breakdown and have done for several years, and have never used the service before.
I made the initial call at approx 3.30 and the recovery people contacted me to say they would be around 2 hours. The police checked I was ok and stated that 2 hours wasthe mnaximum time for reovery on the motorway, so when they left, I felt certain that by 5.30, I would be on the way home! However, by 6.10 there was no sign of the recovery vehicle. I called again and was told they were in traffic and they eventually arrived at about 6.40.
I had been told on the phone it would be a low loader, but what arrived was not a low loader! I had to sign a disclaimer for both the lorry and the pony and my lorry was towed (with front end of the road) about 20 miles to home. I felt sick all the way, worried about the pony who I could not get to if there had been any trouble! I eventually got home about 9.45 and by the time the vehicle had reconnected my horseboxes electrics, gears etc it was 10.10. I had been on the road at 10.30 in the morning, so I was shattered - so was the pony, who had behaved impeccably. I am relieved it was not one of the broodmares and foals, or youngsters on board.
My point is what waiting times have others experienced and have you been towed with horses on board or have you been placed on a low loader, or had the horses taken off the lorry? After this experience I am wondering whether to change breakdown insurance, but am loath to jump from the frying pan to the fire!! Al
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Post by Guestless on Jul 9, 2008 13:44:16 GMT
I would have been furious! I don't think there would be any issue naming your breakdown company so others can avoid using them. I have a suspicion who it may be, but I was told by someone that they no longer do this!
I used to have breakdown cover with OHTO which is probably the most expensive and there have been horror stories relating to them too, but although we often had to wait a long time we always got recovered and the one time we couldn't get alternative transport for the ponies ourselves, they sent out a horse ambulance to take them home.
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Post by gladys on Jul 9, 2008 13:58:57 GMT
I really feel for you, having to have waited all that time, recently had similar incident, but carnt praise recovery people enough , broke down on busy duel carriage way rang police who sent help to block the road on our side, rang recovery who came within 20 mins, looked to see what was needed to tow back checked the ponies driver got in and did it all, and took us home then took lorry to garage all for £80 per year, well worth it can't praise them enough .... Anthony evans horsebox cover
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Post by Guestless on Jul 9, 2008 14:06:23 GMT
I really feel for you, having to have waited all that time, recently had similar incident, but carnt praise recovery people enough , broke down on busy duel carriage way rang police who sent help to block the road on our side, rang recovery who came within 20 mins, looked to see what was needed to tow back checked the ponies driver got in and did it all, and took us home then took lorry to garage all for £80 per year, well worth it can't praise them enough .... Anthony evans horsebox cover How did your ponies get home gladys? Did your lorry get towed with them on board? |
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Post by gladys on Jul 9, 2008 14:31:47 GMT
ponies stayed on, but lorry was not tipped, towed with a bar, they said if they couldn't tow safely then they would fetch out another lorry for the ponies, i didn't fancy getting on and off on a busy road, but like i said they made all the decisions and were very reassuring, it was us that were panicking, saying you will be careful and please don't drive to fast the men looked at us like, We do know what were doing in other words "shut up".
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Post by commission on Jul 9, 2008 19:41:57 GMT
I had a similar experience recently, broke down with 2 ponies onboard about 70miles from home, initially the breakdown person turned up in a range rover?? within the hour but then the fun started the insurance company couldn't find anyone to transport the horses, they offered to get someone to come and tow horsebox with horses still onboard, I refused as felt this was not safe, then they offered us a low loader, but when the low loader people rang me they said that they would not take any responisbility for the horses, this did not make me feel comfortable so refused that too. The whole time the insurance company were very rude to me when on the phone, four hours down the line they kept saying to me 'I don't see what the problem is, the horses have hay don't they'  they kept suggesting that I dropped the ramp down even though I explained that I had broken down just over the brow of a hill so hardly safe to drop the ramp. In the end I had to ring a friend to come and get the horses and we kept them at her stables for the night, whilst the horse box was towed home. I have since cancelled my insurance cover with said company and wouldn't touch them again with a barge pole, have since learnt I am not the only person to have had problems with them |
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Post by bowditchblobs on Jul 9, 2008 19:52:15 GMT
Nutwood, the same happened to me im with South Essex, broke down on the A1 with a broodmare on board, was told to find some one else to take the pony, they did begrudgingly take her but i had to sign a disclaimer. I put a thread on here about it on the snug board. I have made an offcial complaint which is being investigated. It is totaly disgusting there is nothing in there small print, in fact it says all horses and 5 passengers taken to your destination. I have since found out they did it to my friend with her lorry she had to pay some one else to take her two horses!!!!
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Post by bowditchblobs on Jul 9, 2008 19:57:30 GMT
Commisson were you with South Essex as well?? Im considering legal action to me its false advertising?
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Post by Admin on Jul 9, 2008 19:57:46 GMT
I have had fallings out with an insurance company in the past due to breakdowns of my vehicle. Maybe we could do a survey/poll to find out who is the best and the worst of the bunch.  Then new people or people renewing their cover could make an educated decision on which company to use or to avoid. |
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Post by shelleyj on Jul 9, 2008 20:12:06 GMT
Sounds like a good idea to me admin
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halfpass
Happy to help....a lot
Return of the Dame
Posts: 12,964
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Post by halfpass on Jul 9, 2008 20:14:12 GMT
I second that if nothing else it would give us a idea on who to aviod
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Milliesmum
H G Addict
COCKERP00S RULE!!!
Posts: 23,901
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Post by Milliesmum on Jul 9, 2008 20:14:31 GMT
Shelleyj - You're a Super Sad Sod!!!
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Post by shelleyj on Jul 9, 2008 20:33:56 GMT
I know, I've been on nearly all day cos I've been babysitting the poorly little terrierist, bless her, feeling very sorry for herself, but did bring me her orange ball earlier though she didn't want to chase it
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Milliesmum
H G Addict
COCKERP00S RULE!!!
Posts: 23,901
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Post by Milliesmum on Jul 9, 2008 20:41:41 GMT
No, I didn't mean that! Look under your name, you're a Super Sad Sod!!!!!!!
Give doggy a kiss from me. XXX
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Post by Admin on Jul 9, 2008 21:08:22 GMT
Shelleyj - You're a Super Sad Sod!!! Now now MM lets not get personal.  |
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Post by overatdaknee on Jul 9, 2008 21:14:20 GMT
Yay Shelleyj- welcome to the club!!
On thread though i have been with Autohome via Anthony Evans and went through a spate of requiring their services- found them ace and for a modest fee too.
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Post by commission on Jul 9, 2008 21:38:04 GMT
Commisson were you with South Essex as well?? Im considering legal action to me its false advertising? Yes I was with SEIB, they are useless |
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Post by girly on Jul 9, 2008 22:12:11 GMT
I had a problem in May when I broke down and I was with South Essex. They forgot about me, at least that was what happened, not what they said. After 3 hours my son turned up and the lorry started but I knew a recovery vehicle would be there in 20 minutes as they had phoned me themselves. In the end one of the blokes drove my lorry home and the recovery vehicle followed. I was just too exhausted to drive by then. The recovery vehicle people were fantastic. They helped unload the ponies and put them away, they owned their own so knew what they were doing.
I would have been recovered by towing the lorry with the front wheels up. I was told this when I phoned and was OK about it as I had been towed like that before and the ponies were fine. I would NEVER put a lorry with ponies on board on a low loader, I would be terrified if it came off.
I was paid some compensation but will ask around before mu renewal date.
Once I had a Recovery firm send out a lorry for the horses but it was horrible unloading by the side of a main road. I would be reluctant to do that again
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Post by gladys on Jul 10, 2008 4:39:46 GMT
Anthony, evans, horse box recovery, they ad in HH, They also came recomended by friends and family, £80 for the year, their policy states to either take you on to where you were going, or get you home ,and like i said in a previous post the men who came knew what they were doing, got to be the best money we have spent all year.
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Post by horsebox on Jul 10, 2008 12:35:54 GMT
its horrible experiance when you breakdown.
We also are with anthony evans horsebox insurance, they are fantastic.
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Post by nutwood on Jul 10, 2008 13:48:50 GMT
Thanks for the info and sharing your experiences. I am with South Essex, so as we can all see, this is the type of situation others have experienced.
I only went with them because a friend had an excellent experience with South Essex when she broke down with 2 TB youngsters on board.
It sounds like AnthonyEvans is a good one and good value as well!
Meanwhile I now need to sort out the prop shaft n the horsebox, so I can get out again!
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Post by dancer on Jul 10, 2008 19:12:32 GMT
Would the Anthony Evans cover include fixing the lorry if it won't start in our field or do they only attend if you have broken down away from home?
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Post by bowditchblobs on Jul 10, 2008 19:37:59 GMT
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Post by commission on Jul 10, 2008 20:14:15 GMT
DITTI |
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Post by bowditchblobs on Jul 11, 2008 20:59:52 GMT
CAN ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE DISPLEASURE OF USING SEIB SUPERTASTIC RECOVERY DISSERVICE PLEASE GO ON TO BBC WATCHDOGS WEB SITE AND TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO FILL OUT A COMPLAINT FORM. WE NEED TO DO SOME THING, LET THEM BE NAMED AND SHAMED ON NATIONAL TV.............BAH B****Y HUMBUG |
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Post by commission on Jul 11, 2008 21:49:13 GMT
CAN ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE DISPLEASURE OF USING SEIB SUPERTASTIC RECOVERY DISSERVICE PLEASE GO ON TO BBC WATCHDOGS WEB SITE AND TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO FILL OUT A COMPLAINT FORM. WE NEED TO DO SOME THING, LET THEM BE NAMED AND SHAMED ON NATIONAL TV.............BAH B****Y HUMBUG I have logged my complaint with Watchdog |
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Post by girly on Jul 12, 2008 6:44:57 GMT
I was with ESS and the incompatant idiot they sent out wrecked my lorry by not following proceedures. ESS didn't want to know until we threatened to write the the horsey press. They finally agreeded to send out an inspector but my lorry was stolen the night before he came. It was in a locked componded, a fairly new lorry was dragged out of the way to get to mine which could only be moved by being rear lifted, not something that was obvious just looking at it. I wouldn't touch ESS with a barge pole.
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Post by shelleyj on Jul 12, 2008 11:21:59 GMT
NFU have been great with us as I've said on other threads
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Post by bowditchblobs on Jul 12, 2008 13:56:28 GMT
Thanks for lodging that with watch dog commisson, i know seib contract it out to Red Star BUT we pay for a service which we have not been recieving, i do not like being told to leave a pregnant pony by the side of the A1!!!!! I have been recommened the NFU in the thread i put on the snug, im in the process of changing over- their vet covers better too
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Post by amandajayne on Jul 13, 2008 17:48:20 GMT
We broke down on the way home from the Great Yorkshire - Equestrian Support Services - were fantastic - arranged for a transporter for our 2yr old highland and a truck to tow our wagon back to Durham. They kept in contact all the way through.
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they kept suggesting that I dropped the ramp down even though I explained that I had broken down just over the brow of a hill so hardly safe to drop the ramp. In the end I had to ring a friend to come and get the horses and we kept them at her stables for the night, whilst the horse box was towed home.
