Make sure you’re getting the right thing.
Sway bars help keep the trailer in line to prevent fish-tailing .
Weight distribution or equalizer bars limit the up/down bounce.
You can get both. I’ve only used a equalizer bars, but there are members here that use sway bars as well.
I have never used sway bars or equalizer bars. F150 extended cab 8 ft bed, 1500 Silverado extended cab short bed and long bed, mid 80s tank of a Grand Wagoneer, 2500 Silverado crew cab short bed, 3500 short bed and a long bed. Now I have a gooseneck so that isn’t a concern.
I will repeat- check the axles on the trailer. When my solid hauling horse started to have issues it was due to issues with the axles on the trailer. He was scrambling in the turns.
During part of that time I had a XW 1974 Cotner all steel trailer no dressing room. Then went to a 2000 Trail-et steel frame, aluminum skin, fiberglass roof with dressing room. 7’6" interior height. So not a small 2 horse. Just trying to give reference on weight. These were not pony/QH trailers.
I want to point out that the purpose of a weight distribution hitch is to move some of the tongue weight to the axles of the trailer. They do not limit up down bounce, but instead give you more travel in the rear suspension. They’re really only necessary if the trailer is reaching towards the vehicle’s towing capacity.
Putting a WDH on a 1 ton pulling a tiny bumper pull will effectively change nothing about the ride, for example.
I have one of the Kentucky Horsewear stall pads. It’s for a horse who paws at stall gates. It is very light and has grommets all the way around. But it is also very tough. They are meant to be portable to use in trailers and at shows also. I wonder if you could rig something like that to hang onto the back so he would kick that before making contact with the ramp. Much easier to move than a normal stall mat. And vinyl covered so not hard to clean if pooped on.
It does depend somewhat on why he is kicking. For the pawer, he wants attention and likes the noise. The pad makes it much less satisfying to bang on.
My other horse doesn’t kick or bang on stuff much but paws with the front legs in the trailer a lot. He usually stops once we get going, especially if he has a buddy. He is a little claustrophobic about trailers. Having some windows open helps him a lot with this behavior. Which I don’t do much where we live because it’s often highway driving to shows. But we’ve done some shorter trips where I’ve experimented with it and noticed a big difference in his anxiety level. Don’t know that I’d want to do that with the back windows for one that’s already testing the ramp. But maybe a thought for the around the parking lot type of driving experiments.
I put up plywood around the interior of my trailer. They can kick without damaging anything. I’ve hauled mustangs in my trailer without worrying about damage.
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