Gidgie floats

Gidgie floats 25 Years Building & Working on Horse Floats. Having worked on thousands of floats over the years, we know what keeps horses safe on the road. Gidgegannup WA.

Repairs, servicing & modifications for all makes & models.

07/06/2026

👀 🐴 THIS TAILGATE WAS NOT SAFE TO LOAD A HORSE

This was found during a routine general service.

At first glance, the tailgate looked perfectly normal.

Then we lifted the rubber matting.

Underneath was severe timber failure hidden from view.

The plywood had completely delaminated, split into layers and was literally falling apart by hand.

In some areas there was virtually no strength left at all.

If a horse had stepped in the wrong spot, there was a real risk of a hoof punching straight through the tailgate.

This is exactly why a quick visual check isn't always enough.

Rubber matting can hide serious damage for years while the timber continues deteriorating underneath.

We offer FREE safety inspections, and every general service includes a full safety inspection as well.

Because when it comes to horse floats, what you can't see is often the biggest problem.

When was the last time your tailgate was checked properly? 👇

05/06/2026

🐎 SOFT SPOT IN THE FLOOR? DON'T IGNORE IT 🐎

This horse float owner noticed a soft spot in the floor and booked it in for new floor before the problem became much worse.

Once we lifted the matting and investigated further, the floor had already started breaking through.

The scary part?

What you can feel from the top is often only a small part of the damage hiding underneath.

A floor can look fine. A floor can feel almost fine.

But underneath: ❌ Rot ❌ Cracking ❌ Delamination ❌ Structural failure
can already be taking place.

If your floor feels: ❌ Soft ❌ Spongy ❌ Uneven

Don't ignore it.

Because by the time you can feel it under your feet, the damage is often much worse underneath.

Credit to the owner for noticing the warning signs and booking it in.

When was the last time you lifted your mats and checked your floor? 👇

NEW TYRE FITTED... BUT NOBODY CHECKED THIS ON HORSE FLOAT 🐎 This float suffered a tyre blowout.A new tyre was fitted and...
31/05/2026

NEW TYRE FITTED... BUT NOBODY CHECKED THIS ON HORSE FLOAT 🐎

This float suffered a tyre blowout.

A new tyre was fitted and the float was sent back down the road.

The problem?

The blowout had shifted the axle on the suspension.

The U-bolts had been dragged along the road and the nuts were nearly worn completely away.

A few more kilometres and the axle could have detached from the suspension.

A tyre blowout doesn't just damage the tyre.

It can also damage:

✔ U-bolts
✔ Spring seats
✔ Axle alignment
✔ Suspension hangers
✔ Rims
✔ Bearings
✔ Brake wiring

This is why after any blowout, the float should be properly inspected before being put back into service.

Sometimes the damage you can't see is far more dangerous than the tyre itself.

Have you ever had a tyre blowout on a horse float?

👀 ANOTHER "SHE'LL BE RIGHT" REPAIR 👀 This rear bearer had rusted from the inside out.Instead of removing the rust and re...
27/05/2026

👀 ANOTHER "SHE'LL BE RIGHT" REPAIR 👀

This rear bearer had rusted from the inside out.

Instead of removing the rust and replacing the failed steel, someone had simply welded a piece of flat bar underneath and painted it up.

From the outside it looked repaired.

It wasn't.

The tailgate told the same story.

Rust had eaten through the bottom rail, then been covered over and painted to make it look fine while the steel continued deteriorating underneath.

The problem is rust doesn't stop because it's painted.

It keeps working away where you can't see it.

So out it came.

✔ Rear bearer completely removed and replaced
✔ Rusted steel cut out, not covered up
✔ Tailgate repaired properly
✔ Structural strength restored

No patches.

No cover-ups.

No "she'll be right."

Just a proper repair done once and done right.

26/05/2026

🤣 THIS HORSE FLOAT SERVICE CAME WITH AN EVICTION NOTICE 🤣

This float came in for a safety inspection and service after sitting unused for years.

When we pulled the wheels off we found:
🕷 Spiders 🐛 Caterpillars 🐝 Mud wasps 🕸 Cobwebs everywhere

The local residents had clearly moved in and weren't planning on leaving. 😂

All jokes aside, credit to the owner.

Instead of hooking it up and heading down the road, she brought it in to be checked properly before using it again.

That's exactly what should happen when a float has been sitting for years.
A float can look perfectly fine from the outside while hiding:

❌ Seized brakes ❌ Dry bearings ❌ Perished tyres ❌ Wiring issues ❌ Plenty of unwanted tenants

This one got an eviction notice before it got a service. 🤣

How long has your horse float been sitting since its last service? 👇

25/05/2026

THIS is why cracks around uprights should NEVER be ignored

The owner noticed a few cracks…
But didn’t realise the float had already suffered structural failure 👇

❌ Left rear upright snapped off at the bottom
❌ Left support completely broken away
❌ Right side support failed
❌ Right rear upright starting to crack at the bottom

At this point the rear of the float was basically being held together by welds around ONE upright.

And look how much weight and leverage was hanging off the body of this float 👇

❌ Float yards
❌ Top storage basket
❌ Swing out tack box
❌ Horse dividers
❌ Spare wheel mounted on the side

All of that creates additional stress and side loading on a structure that had already failed.

The scary part is…
Every bump, pothole, corner, sway movement and horse movement continues loading those damaged areas further.

From the outside many people would think: 👉 “It just needs a quick weld up.”

Structural cracks are WARNING SIGNS — not cosmetic issues.

Once uprights and supports start cracking, the structural load is no longer travelling correctly through the body of the float.

That means:
❌ more flex
❌ more movement
❌ more cracking
❌ rapidly weakening structure

Luckily the owner brought it in before it became catastrophic on the road with horses onboard.

This is exactly why proper inspections matter.

24/05/2026

🚨 👀 THIS modification has completely defeated the purpose of the upgrade 👀 🚨

This float was modified to: ✔ raise the roof ✔ create bigger horse bays ✔ fit larger horses

BUT…
the modification has actually WEAKENED the entire structure of the float.

This float only has: ❌ 2 main structural uprights at the front ❌ 2 main structural uprights at the rear

That means there is roughly a 5 metre unsupported span down each side of the body.

Instead of properly redesigning and extending the ORIGINAL vertical load-bearing structure…

the roof was basically: ❌ cut off ❌ raised roughly 200mm ❌ welded back on ❌ only welded where you can physically see ❌ patched at rear uprights flat bar glued on the end

Now look what’s happened 👇

❌ Body bowed roughly 45mm ❌ Rear of float physically moves side to side by hand ❌ Welds cracked through joins ❌ Rear uprights separating ❌ Entire rear section flexing and twisting ❌ Structural load no longer travelling correctly through the frame

The scary part is this 👇

This modification was done to carry BIGGER horses.

Bigger horses create: 👉 more body movement 👉 more side loading 👉 more force higher in the structure
Which means the float actually needed MORE structural strength than standard.

Instead…
the structure has been weakened to the point the rear of the float can literally be rocked side to side by hand.

This is not cosmetic.

This is structural failure.

👀 READY FOR PICKUP 👀 This week’s finished work lined up ready to head back to customers for the weekend 👇Different brand...
22/05/2026

👀 READY FOR PICKUP 👀

This week’s finished work lined up ready to head back to customers for the weekend 👇

Different brands.
Different ages.
Different problems.

✔ Servicing
✔ Repairs
✔ Floors
✔ Brakes
✔ Wiring
✔ Modifications
✔ Safety repairs

Another busy week in the yard.

We appreciate every customer that trusts us with their horse float.

Kind regards Clint

THIS HORSE FLOAT NEARLY LOST A COMPLETE WHEEL The REAL problem was underneath 👇“This dropped axle had badly cracked near...
20/05/2026

THIS HORSE FLOAT NEARLY LOST A COMPLETE WHEEL

The REAL problem was underneath 👇

“This dropped axle had badly cracked near where the drop section mounts to the axle close to the stub axle.”

That means the:
❌ wheel
❌ drum
❌ brakes
❌ hub
❌ bearings
❌ stub axle
…were VERY close to no longer being attached to the float.

If this let go at highway speed with horses on board, it could have been catastrophic.

This is exactly why proper inspections matter.

Cracks like this usually start from:

👉 stress fatigue
👉 overloading
👉 heavy impact/load shock
👉 rough roads

And most owners never see them until it’s almost too late.

If your horse float:
❌ sits uneven
❌ leans to one side
❌ wears tyres unevenly
❌ tows strangely
❌ shows unusual wheel camber
…get the axle checked immediately.

This one was VERY close. 👀

🚨 A SHINY HORSE FLOAT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S SAFE 🚨Most serious problems can’t be seen from the outside.Dry bearings.Brakes o...
17/05/2026

🚨 A SHINY HORSE FLOAT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S SAFE 🚨

Most serious problems can’t be seen from the outside.

Dry bearings.
Brakes out of adjustment.
Flat breakaway batteries.
Weakening floors.
Cracked suspension.
We see it every single week.

That’s why we don’t do quick once-overs.

Every annual service at Gidgie Floats includes:

✔ Bearings cleaned & repacked
✔ Brake test & adjustment
✔ Breakaway system tested
✔ Suspension inspected
✔ Wheels & tyres checked
✔ Full electrical test
✔ Floor & structure inspection
✔ Door, ramp & hinge checks
✔ Rust & wear assessment
✔ 50 point safety check

When you’re towing live cargo, guessing isn’t good enough.

If your float hasn’t been serviced in the last 12 months — it’s due.

Gidgie Floats now taking bookings for June & July.

👉 Comment SERVICE and we’ll message you the next available spot.

Kind regards Clint

Address

8461 Stoneville Road
Perth, WA
6083

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

0409081770

Website

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