Definitely check the height. My Exiss STC is very high off the ground and I ended up adding a ramp. I wouldn’t have if it were just a box stall and they could turn around, but it’s usually in a 2 horse straight load config and that is a BIG step down backing out. I like the ramp over two full back doors. Either horse can be unloaded and the other one is secure. They can also do the 2+1 type setup where there is a side ramp up front and the horses can walk out forward.
I had a open box stock trainer (small at, IIRC, 14 or 16 feet) with no ramp. My mare would step up in it… turn herself around so she could ride backwards and then hop off.
I don’t have any experience with the rear facing trailers…but I recently ordered a Hawk trailer through Risa (who does the Balanced Ride) and found her to be especially helpful! Even before I committed to a deposit, she was willing to take the time to go through all the options I was considering and make really good suggestions. She won’t tell you what you should order, but she will tell you what’s available and the pros and cons so you can make an informed choice.
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I have one. Lovely trailer. PMing you.
I bought a customized Balanced Ride this spring for the same reasons as OP. I have a gelding who is really worried about the trailer.
The Balanced Ride is a fantastic trailer, but that was no surprise (I have owned an Equispirit, made by Hawk for the last 20 yrs).
Risa was very helpful and patient through the process. I customized my gooseneck so that straight stalls can be forward (resale), backwards, or dividers removed to make one or two box stalls.
And drumroll…I have been so busy with work, life, and farm projects that I haven’t taken the horses anywhere! But I am planning to start hauling in the next few weeks and will PM the OP with feedback from my horses on backwards stalls.
What is your current set up? My old man had developed an aversion to backing off of my old BO’s step up trailer… he would back off, but he was scared and would snort etc. It was a slant that was too small for him and he couldn’t see well while backing off and stepping off into the “Abyss”. He does great with my Colin Arndt. It’s a straight load with a ramp that’s actually big enough for him. He will load and unload himself now. The Balanced Ride trailers look really nice and look like something my boys would prefer.
I’ll never forget my old BO’s reaction when I turned him around and walked him off her step up… “I can’t believe you just did that!” Like it was some kind of horrible sin. 
I’m curious if folks find these improve the ride for horses with hock or SI issues. I’ve got a mid-teens gelding with a lot of life left in him who loads and travels really well except for the fact that long rides really stress his hock arthritis. When I check on him at pitstops, he’s inevitably spread his hind legs really wide, dropped his back and braced through his topline to balance. I know it’s stressful for him and a rear-facing position seems like it would be a significant improvement, but I’m wondering if anyone’s bought this type of trailer specifically for that purpose (versus a horse with fear issues, etc).
My horse still braces and spreads his legs very wide in the BR trailer. He’s got significant SI issues. I think no trailer will be all that comfortable for this particular horse.
Hi,
Would love a call about this, and email a photo if you can!
Always figuring for the horse!
Thanks, Risa
BalancedRideTrailers.com
HappyTrailsTrailers.com
Hi Risa, we’ve talked about it before but kind of as an aside. I’m going to take out the center divider for him and make a big box stall. I’m sure it’s not a problem with the trailer, he’s just got significant issues. I love the trailer and everyone else who uses in the trailer loves it too. 
I have a stock combo: it has a slant divider to use it like a 2H slant, but I leave the divider out and use it as a box like a regular stock trailer. My horses easily turn around in it to walk off front facing. It has a dressing room up front, which I also appreciate.
But bumper pulls with side ramps are becoming pretty common. I know Hawk makes one. That might be a better option than a totally new configuration. Walk on the back ramp, walk off the side ramp.
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@grinanride, for horses with less significant physical problems than @Pezanos horse, or for senior citizens that just “aren’t as young as they used to be” but are still very rideable sort of thing, have you found riding facing backwards helps significantly with comfort during travel?
I know your website links to a couple of articles indicating backwards-facing transport is less stressful for the horse, but it still seems like there isn’t a ton of research on the matter. It’s interesting to think about from a riding/training perspective because we don’t want our horses going around balancing on their forehand while under saddle so if the goal of riding is to get the horse to start to shift weight back over the hocks and carry from behind, it’s interesting to think about how we are allowing them to go back to their preferred way of bearing weight in a rear-facing trailer set-up. I guess it makes sense to me - in that case - that we have a lot less control over how they transport compared to the control we have over their posture under saddle, so it makes more sense to work with nature than against it.
Sending you a PM Abbie
I got one due to the Balanced Ride design, and the Hawk quality- which I was more familiar with seeing in person locally over the years. Having had a few horses at the time including a problem loader/unloader and youngster, I wanted options for loading as a walk-on/walk-on, walk up the back ramp & turn around to rear-face, use as a box or straight stall. Probably more importantly I needed a design that was user-friendly and safe for me to load, access & unload 1-2 horses at a time while traveling on my own. Every horse traveled happily in it for both local & longer distance trips.
I decided to sell my gooseneck version only to order a Balanced Ride bumper pull. Risa is awesome to work with! While waiting for the new trailer I’ve been fortunate enough to have friends’ standard straight load trailers to use, BUT I can’t wait to have a Balanced Ride again! I feel confident that my horse would agree 
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Update… I had a chance to buy a lightly used 2H BP Hawk with a side ramp for 9.5K a couple of weeks ago, but didn’t anticipate how much interest the trailer would get so quickly. I was cautious and wanted the trailer checked out by a mechanic etc., but someone showed up with $10K cash in hand and bought it before I could even start the process. This is certainly a changed world!
I am kicking myself for not buying the new one with a side ramp that was on the lot when I bought mine without a side ramp in 2009. It was about $3K more and IIRC didn’t have a dressing room… Woulda coulda shoulda.
We took out the center divider in my trailer and mare still won’t load. She hasn’t figured out that she could turn around (she is little). Plus it doesn’t seem like there is a good way to make the escape doors horse-safe.
She’s old and having some hoof issues, so I may just give up rather than trying to buy a new trailer. Most companies have a 6-8 month wait for something that isn’t in their usual lineup (e.g. adding a ramp to a stock trailer). I’m not sure it’s worth it for a horse that may be retired by the time the trailer shows up. She can be forced on in an emergency.
It saddens me, especially because I caused the problem.
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A friend bought a side unload Hawk in our general region for $6k about 3 months ago. It’s still possible. I saw another one for $11k 2 weeks ago. They do come on the market. That being said, you are welcome to try my Balanced Ride at any time. (Or my trainer who has helped my unloadable horse load.)
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I have someone local who has offered to bring her side ramp trailer over… Just need to arrange it. Trainer may be necessary.
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I have the 2+1 balanced ride and love it
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I have a BR 2+1 with LQ and love it. My horses travel so relaxed. No more sitting on the butt bar!
My trailering days are probably over – my mare is retired. Getting her to here retirement barn was not fun. Not missing trailering!
