Hello guys! I need some advice on trailer chest bars. I just bought an older 4Star 4H head to head trailer. The only thing as far as a chest bar goes is a steel chain that goes right across their chest. That makes me very uneasy for a few reasons 1) that it’s not enough to in courage them to stay where they are suspose to be. 2) I’m afraid that if something were to happen they would get hung up on it and it would not release. (I had a pony get caught up on my chest bar in my 2H trailer and the chest bar didn’t release, everyone was 100% fine but man was it scary!) So, what should I do? I’m thinking about buying nylon stall guards to use instead of the chains but I’m afraid that they could get their front legs hung up on them. http://www.bigdweb.com/mobile/Nylon-Stall-Guard/productinfo/851/. HELP! I need to use this trailer next Monday so need to figure something out. Thank you!!
I would want something more like a padded bar that could be clipped into place. That way if the horse lost their balance or was using it for balance, or just pushing forward to see what was out the open door it would hold up to regular abuse without harming the horse.
My old horse couldn’t be left with the stall guard up, because he knew how to push, Push, PUsh, PUSH to break the clips or eyebolts and then be FREE.
I would want something firmer, with less flex than a chain or stall chain.
Sorry, not sure how you can get that done by Monday.
What about keeping the steel chain and adding the stall guard as well? (And keeping a set of bolt cutters in the trailer if something were to happen)
The stall guard would make me very nervous as I can see a horse putting a leg through it. Can you cover the chain with a piece of PVC or hose to make it safer? You could also contact 4 Star to see if they sell a pad to cover the chain. I’m sure it could be shipped overnight and may cost more, but it would still be cheaper than your average emergency vet call.
A local welding shop could probably make some chest bars for you.
My advice would be to crosstie the horses instead of the typical one sided tie I use when I have a good solid chest bar. The cross ties create a little more stability and help keep them out of trouble, and a full hay net hung properly will still be within reach.
I recently had to call 4Star to order a new butt bar, and Billy was very helpful. I am sure you could order the appropriate parts and have your local trailer guy/aluminum welder install them. Just be prepared with your VIN number so they can pull up the specs. The cost was not at all unreasonable, I think it was $133 for the bar without a pad or brackets. I would think the bars for the pin system would be even less. (I have the quiet ride type) It did take the parts about two weeks to arrive.
Could you possibly use the rubber covered stall chains instead of the supplied ones as a stopgap measure? Maybe add a quick release snap on one end in case of trouble. It has been a long time since I used one of those chains, and they may be too long to be useful, but its certainly a thought to check out.
I’ve seen a huge disaster with the nylon stall guards and wouldn’t use them, period ( horse got it between his hoof and his shoe, luckily the door frame gave before his leg did). You can buy solid rubber guards which are safer.
I had a 17 hand horse rock back in a 4 horse H to H and jump over the chest bar and belly on it just behind his elbows. Only thing that saved the situation was the way the bar was fastened…we were able to pull the pin even with his full weight on it. If you can’t rig something like that I’d go with something that could be cut with a sharp knife!! The 3 horse van we had built eons ago had chest straps made of parachute straps…strong, but “cutable” with a knife. Horses can do some pretty strange things to themselves!!
I absolutely would not use the stall guard. I was hauling a medium pony recently and when we unloaded her companion she got upset. When she started to paw she got her front hoof under the breast bar and in the hay manger bag. It was one that is designed for a trailer. It is the square open top with the four straps, 2 connect to the bulkhead wall and two to the breast bar.
I was able to unclip the bag and drop it down. However it would be harder to do that with a leg through a stall guard.
If you go the stall guard route use a solid one like this: http://www.bigdweb.com/Vinyl-Stall-Guard/productinfo/951C/
Less to get a leg stuck through.
I would just use the chain with a plastic cover until you can get breast bars added in.
Finnegan went over his breast bar a few years ago. The Trail-et is well designed and allowed me to pull the pin and drop the breast bar even with him hanging on it. There are ones designed to be able to be pulled even with weight on them.
For a temporary fix, you could add a panic snap to one end of the chain, cut a length of foam from a thick, hollow swim noodle, wrap the foam over the chain and anchor with duct tape.
