Gooseneck vs bumper and Air Ride

[trubandloki]

Is this the video you want people to watch?

Horse Scrambling in Trailer

Thanks for all of the ideas! The divider only goes part way down with a flexible plastic portion at the bottom. The plastic portion is always pulled all the way away towards the opposite side of the trailer and does stand wide behind. I don’t believe the brakes are at play as the issue is from side to side while turning instead of front to back while starting stoping. To give a better idea of what she is doing here is a video. It starts when we were going about 25mph and the end is about 45mp…

[lenapesadie]

On the topic of stock combo trailers, I have a three horse stock combo slant load w dressing room (bumper pull). Every divider is removable. I use mine exclusively as a two horse trailer by removing one of the dividers. I don’t know if such a set up would help your horse but wanted to throw it out that the dividers are usually easy to remove in the stock combos.

[kaya842]

That is the video I was referencing, yes. I don’t particularly care if people watch it or not. What I “want” is to get answers to the questions in the OP vs rehashing that same thread in a new place.

[kaya842]

Thank you!

[kaya842]

Then what is the other option?

[endlessclimb]

Take the risk on hauling her somewhere where you can meet your friend, in your existing trailer. Go slow, obviously.

A new trailer may pose the exact same risk to your horse, and you’re selling a trailer you like and want to keep. If a new trailer (that you don’t like as much) has the same problem, you took a loss for nothing.

If you live in suburbia, there’s a walmart/target/meijer [large parking lot] somewhere nearby that you could meet your friend. If not a store, try a church parking lot.

What you’re doing is throwing stuff at a wall and hoping something sticks. You’re selling a trailer you like (and that don’t come on the market very often, because everyone likes them), for [right now] no reason.

[clanter]

a balance problem may be solved by allowing the horse to be transported backwards

if allowed, when horses are in open type trailers they will by themselves end up facing backwards

[Bluey]

@clanter

a balance problem may be solved by allowing the horse to be transported backwards

if allowed, when horses are in open type trailers they will by themselves end up facing backwards

One reason is that open trailer tend to have closed fronts.
To see horses have too turn around and ride backwards.

When we haul horses free in stock trailers thru pastures, where is rough, our horses learn is best to ride standing over the axles and facing forward at a bit of a slant to the left, all of them do.
Standing over the axles puts them back enough we think that they can see well around them and don’t have to turn around to see better.

In Europe we used to haul in a real box, some horses facing back and others forward, tied to each other and the sides, no partitions.
All of them, placed either way, seemed to haul fine?
What horses really seem to prefer is goosenecks, they do ride best in them, but not every driver’s situation requires a GN, depends on their hauling and vehicle needs what is best to pull trailers.

I think we need more specific studies to determine how and why horses ride best and under which trailers and conditions.
The decades old Australian study that determined they rode better backwards may not be relevant any more twith today’s trailer and hauling needs.

[trubandloki]

This was my thought too.

I would hate for you to sell this trailer and find whatever you bought had the same problem.

I asked about the video because I watched that video and though your mare does seem to use the walls to balance I did not find her actions to be totally scary.

This is the time to call in favors.
Call up your friends and ask for them to ask their friends with different types of trailers.
Most horse people would be willing to give up a few hours to help you see if the problem is your trailer or just how your horse rides.

On the Gooseneck or bumper pull question - I have had both. I think if your bumper pull trailer pulls fine (is not swinging around back there), the ride in the trailer is dependent more on the brand/style/individual trailer than if it is gooseneck or bumper pull.

[DMK]

One of the easiest ways to make a scrambler is with a narrow stall and/or a floor length divider so in the short term I’d get rid of that plastic extension stat!

And because trailers are really expensive right now, I’d try out that slant load even it you have to meet somewhere to do it. I would recommend a double stall or even all positions tied open so it’s a box stall.

The biggest advantage to a GN is it’s a lot safer to ship them in a full box set up, so in case she still scrambles in a bigger stall that may be your best bet.

If you do get a bumper pull, probably using an equalizer hitch will give more stability while hauling. Other things you can do is to get a custom butt bar built that is most of the width of the trailer, then swing the partition wider in the back when hauling so it’s not as free as a box, but there’s plenty of room for her to shift around. (On my old trailer I had a butt rope with a pool noodle for extra width/cushion). Another idea, albeit more expensive (but VERY useful) is to put the divider on a sliding track. Mine has this (it’s a driving thing) and I have 2 sets of butt bars. One set splits the trailer 50/50 the other is 65/35. My guy is still tied, but he can move around quite a bit in his semi box. Here’s a pic, although it made me laugh, it was from the first time he was in it and clearly he was confused about the extra room. These days he stands in the middle!!

IMG_20190119_161207~2|690x388

[NaturallyHappy]

This is very cool. Do you have a 4 Star??? I think I want that and I’m wondering how to add it…or if it’s even possible after the trailer is built.

[Equibrit]

@fivestrideline

As to air-ride, my understanding is that if you have a failure, you can’t haul the trailer at all. And a blowout of a tire is cause for a failure of the system quite regularly? I could be misinformed. I was told that “regular” suspension is better for the average owner not running a huge rig because a flat tire can cripple the rig entirely (and not just anyone could patch the thing together to get you home like a regular suspension).

You’d also have to mess about with a compressor and air lines. The better ride comes about with the gooseneck because it is hitched(weight carried) to the tow vehicle in front of the rear axle. You are NEVER going to have a comparable ride with a bumper pull because it swings about behind the axle.

[hillary_again]

Can you call a local hauler, with a stock trailer or whatever confirmation you want to try, and pay for a short ride? You may think this is expensive but it’s one way to test the trailer confirmation before you buy. I love my B’rup, too.

[DMK]

It’s a trailers USA. He closed the business a few years ago, but they were mostly custom trailers, 4 star quality but a lot of extras for the price.

It can probably be done after market but it wouldn’t be easy. But I suspect 4 Star has done it before for some driving clients if you go the build on demand route. If they haven’t, I believe Shadow has.

[NaturallyHappy]

It’s genius…I’ve never seen it before and would never have thought of it on my own.

[DMK]

Lol it’s the sort of thing you think of when your side ramp is 60" and your carriage is more than 60" wide!

[DMK]

Here’s a pic from last weekend with the divider moved over. Because we have so much gear, driving people prefer to stage out of their trailers rather than get tack rooms. So the carriages are parked outside and the back of the trailer effectively becomes a large harness room.

[saddleup]

My riding buddy has a Trails West 2-horse gooseneck slant load trailer. Her horse is big, 16.3 hh, and she just moves the slant divider over and secures it so her trailer is a box stall. She traded a 4-horse trailer for this one because she usually only hauls one horse. So, they’re out there. Not sure of the price.