Looking to buy a stock combo trailer and I have the option of a single rear door or double rear doors. I won’t have a rear tack back there. I will have a ramp over the door(s). The trailer will be extra wide (7’6") and extra tall (7’6"). If I choose the single door it comes with a “kickstand” that helps to keep the door in place when open.
Can anyone give me some pros and cons of single doors and double doors? I’ve never owned a trailer so have no experience to go by.
Thanks!
7’6 wide would be too wide for me as a single door, a kick stand that is a rod to the ground that folds up is a bit dangerous IME, double doors with no center post gives you more choice to open 1 side or the other or both and would not be so unwieldy / ask for door hold backs on both sides
Risa
HappyTrailsTrailers . com
BalancedRideTrailers . com
For a two-horse straight load, I like two doors. You can unload one horse and keep the other contained. My current trailer is a three-horse slant, no rear tack, with one door. I get claustrophobic loading and unloading a slant, so I like having the room one door offers. If it is windy or I park on a slant, I have a rope with a loop on one end that I can put over the lower door hasp and a clip that reaches the rear outside tie ring, to keep the door open.
some trailers have a removable center post standard
Mine is more like 2/3 - 1/3. Single door is too wide to handle for me.
My new stock trailer is only 7 feet wide but one single door and that’s all I can really handle in the wind. If you can configure some type of clasp to hold the door open I am sure that a 7’6" single door would be absolutely fine. I absolutely love my stock trailer for the mares and foals. My trailer can also be configured as a 2 horse straight load with a removable centre post. That might be a good option for you as already mentioned above.
If you have the kind of [French Door ?] configuration, what does the trailer offer in the way of a butt bar? That looks like it will fail in an accident.
The kick stand poles dropping into the floor won’t hold the weight of a horse falling against them, although the ramp may help.
I have used a bungee cord to hold back the full door, the ‘kick stand’ can get a horse hurt.
Can you go to a dealer and try both and see what you like? You are spending a lot of money you want to get it right.
Stock trailers here have a pin welded on the edge of the frame you drop on a slot on the large single back gate, when you open it all the way back, to keep it there in our very windy region.
It is easy to handle in a hurry.
If not, we use a pigging string, those always handy back there, to tie it back.
In my opinion door style is a personal preference and depends on how you’re using your trailer. I’ve used single, butterflies(with or without rear tack), reverse loads, etc.
For what I use a trailer for I prefer a single door. One thing about butterfly doors on a stock trailer is how even the ground is when opening and closing them. I’ve loaded cattle and horses, had to tie them shut with a pigging string like Bluey mentioned, drive to level ground to untweek the trailer so the latches and pins line up to close properly.
I know in certain regions and uses the butterfly doors are the go to but I prefer a single door. I can always bunggie it open if I’m on a hill or in the wind. It’s what I grew up with and the most comfortable using.
With cattle, sigle door lets you stand to the side to close it, if some hit it as you are trying to close it, which keeps you safer.
To close double doors, unless one is already closed solid, has you in the middle of the doors as you are trying to close them against cattle pushing at the door, not as safe.
Why so many stock trailers that will handle cattle are single door.
With horses, that may not matter.
I agree with you!
Recently had someone tell me loading cattle with butterfly doors was easier.
I disagree since I load a lot of cattle by myself whether it be out of a loadout or a trap I threw together with some panels in a corner of an allotment. Loaded with both a single or butterflies and prefer a single door every time.
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