I live on a road that is a mile of very steep and curvy road. I’m looking at purchasing either a 3 horse slant load or a stock trailer. How do horses do on stock trailers without dividers on this type of road? Would dividers be better so they have something to lean on, or would horses be fine without them?
Thank you!
I find horses do better with more room–they’re more able to situate themselves the way they need to balance. I’d prefer the stock.
I have an LQ slant load trailer and a stock trailer. My horses seem to do fine in booth. I have no had issues with them balancing in either. I like both trailers, as each has different features that are appealing.
The LQ has all the bells and whistles that are great for longer hauls. It is fully insulated so the horses stay warmer/ cooler depending on the time of year. I feel like they are safer in it, as they can’t move around too much due to the slant dividers.
The stock trailer is nice as it is it is wide open and I have never had a horse refuse to load on it. I can haul 2 horses per compartment or have 2 box stalls. It is nice for horses that don’t like to back off because they can turn around inside and come off forward.
The important thing to remember is the person driving is the one who is really responsible for the horse’s experience. On hilly, windy roads take it exceptionally slow, drive defensively, and remember you are pulling a live load. I get in a rush for no one. I leave with extra time built into my schedule so I can go as slow as I need to get me and my horses there safely.
OP… Be sure the hitch coupler fits the ball, and that neither are worn. Hills and turns put a lot of torque/stress on that connection.
Do give plenty of thought to the length of your trailer+vehicle and how sharp the turns, and how steep the hills, are.
You don’t want to jack-knife the rig, or have to play crack the whip, making a hairpin turn. You don’t want to go into the on-coming lane to keep your trailer from cheating to far to the inside on of turn.
Think about entering your driveway from the road, and pulling out onto the road from the driveway. Do you have a wide enough culvert?
I find on twisty turning roads if you are able to go slow the horses can stand up on their own. If you have to maintain a quicker minimum speed, many horses like to lean on a support.
In the winter, a stock trailer is draftier, but it’s airier in summer.
I have a very steep driveway and live on a gravel road with a steep hill/turn. I recently got a 2+1 and so far have hauled 3 horses in it 3 times. All three times, the one hauled loose up front (not tied) chose to stand on an angle backwards with his butt firmly leaning on the wall, as proven by the dirt marks. One of my horses who goes in the straight load stall always likes to lean on the butt bar. None of my horses choose to lean on the center divider, or sides as far as I can tell.
As csaper58 said, length of tow vehicle and trailer will come into play. I got my 2+1 without a dressing room for this reason. Now, it’s a 16’ on the floor gooseneck instead of the 12’ bumper pull I had before. Turning from a mostly single lane gravel road into my steep driveway is tight. I actually cut back one of the banks a little to make it better. If the trailer was any longer, I might have a problem getting it in there at all.
It’s got a lot to do with the way you drive it, too, along with all the other excellent advice you’ve had here. I live up a very steep and winding road with a washboarded dirt surface. When I’m trailering (2 horse straight load with dressing room fwiw) I creep up and down it, to hell with who is behind me.
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