Adding butt bars to side doors to create a box stall

[a_new_breeder]

I have a two horse straight load, that I’d like to be able to use as a box stall for a mare and foal, even if just for emergencies. The dividers, etc. all come out, but I’d like something more across the side escape doors in case (god forbid) they pop open en route.

My hauler has what appear to be butt bars over the escape doors in hers, so if a horse leans on the door, it’s leaning on the butt bar, not the door, but I forgot to ask if those were part of the trailer design or installed after the fact. I asked my trailer guy about it and he said he didn’t think my trailer was supposed to be used as a box stall. I’ll call the manufacturer to get their thoughts, but am I completely crazy for thinking this should work? I’m happy to use a professional hauler where possible, but in an emergency, I’d like to be able to move my mare and foal myself instead of waiting for a hauler to be available.

[ghst13]

My two horse straight load came with hardware welded in place and bars for the escape doors in order to convert it to a box stall. The bars are fully removable so I just keep them in the garage as I don’t use it as a box stall.

Two things to consider:
1) you’ll want a full length butt bar if you pull the divider out to use as a box stall.
2) what kind of latches are on your escape doors? I have cam bar latches on the escape doors. If your escape doors only have RV-style people latches I’d be concerned about the horses having access to the escape doors even with bars across them.

[a_new_breeder]

Thanks for the response!

1. Agreed on the full-length butt bar for the back - open to suggestions for sourcing one economically!

2. Side door locks are in deed the dumb, flimsy RV-style as you describe (similar to the pic below). I have already had one pop open on me (horse was tied in the straight load, thank heavens!). But your question is spot on - I am also trying to figure out how to add a little extra security there. A friend had said to simply lock with a key, but even that makes me nervous. Counterpoint is that, in a bad accident (heaven forbid), I want to be able to pry them open. So a heavy duty lock when using as a box stall that does not have to be engaged while in use as a straight load would be great. Open to suggestions there, also!

[ghst13]

Depending on how much you want to invest you could have cam bar latches added to the escape doors. I would expect your local trailer repair shop should be able to add them.

[LCDR]

Install cam lock bars on the outsides of the side doors. Here are two links to such horse trailer products.

https://www.horsetraileraccessorystore.com/cam-latch-side-door-assembly.html

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Door-Latch/Polar-Hardware/3057-55.html

If you are handy with tools, you can do both doors yourself for around $150.

[fordtraktor]

Is there any place to buy a chain butt bar replacement to go across the full back of a 2 horse straight load?

[theresak]

I had cam latches added to my escape doors as soon as I bought my trailer because I’ve experienced them popping open while driving. I do still think you’d want a butt bar across the escape doors though for extra security in case a horse is sitting on the door. Or get the cam latches that are the full height of the door like those on the rear doors of the trailer.

@fordtraktor I would not trust just a chain across a rear door unless you have both full rear doors and a ramp to secure the back. A chain has too much slack for my comfort and the horse could still be sitting on the door.

Can you tell I have a horse that likes to sit on the butt bars

[LCDR]

A search turned up a number of full trailer width solid butt bars, but each I saw seems to be specific for one trailer make rather than generic. So I’d be tempted to go to a local metal fabrication/welding business and have one custom made. Generic padding is available on line to install yourself .

[Incantation]

My BIL made a whole length butt bar for me.
Back in the 70’s my uncle had a home made trailer with butt chains. He didn’t trust them so he put a second chain around the ramp on the outside.

[a_new_breeder]

@ghst13

Depending on how much you want to invest you could have cam bar latches added to the escape doors. I would expect your local trailer repair shop should be able to add them.

Great idea, and obvious in retrospect. I’ll add this to the list!

@LCDR

Install cam lock bars on the outsides of the side doors. Here are two links to such horse trailer products.

https://www.horsetraileraccessorystore.com/cam-latch-side-door-assembly.html

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Door-Latch/Polar-Hardware/3057-55.html

If you are handy with tools, you can do both doors yourself for around $150.

Thank you! I’m pretty handy with tools, so that could be an option! Though sheet metal is always a bit trickier than it looks.

[a_new_breeder]

Great suggestions, everyone. I’ll ask about adding cam latches to the outside of each escape door, butt bars to the inside, and finding a full-length butt bar for the back, when used as a box stall.

My trailer guy said he didn’t think they were made for that, but if all doors are reinforced against sitting, I can’t see how it would be a problem? The divider is removable, but maybe that’s for an emergency if a horse goes down.

[LCDR]

off topic but having a removable center divider means you can use the trailer like an enclosed equipment trailer. We used our 2 horse BP to move all but our heavy furniture for our 30 mile move to the new farm a few years ago. Even rolled the washer and dryer up the ramp.

I also can drive my Kawasaki Mule up the ramp into the trailer for transport. It is a bit hard to extricate myself from the seat once it is in there, though. I’ve had my Deere subcompact tractor in there too, but we did have to remove the loader.

[CobJockey]

I have a 1H slant that’s basically an oddly shaped box stall on a 2H trailer chassis, and I had asked for my local trailer shop to make me a full-width butt bar to keep my horse on the trailer while I ran around to close the full-width door. They refused to make one, saying full-width butt bars are dangerous especially in a wreck because they’re long enough to drive themselves into the ground and impale the horse. Odds of that are of course low, and horses can kill themselves on anything, but I figured I’d pass that along on this thread anyway. I didn’t end up going with the butt bar, FWIW, I had a full-width strap made instead, but I had no structural considerations to worry about like you do.

[a_new_breeder]

How interesting, and I guess I can see the logic.

What was your strap made of?