I’ve seen far more horses get hurt on ramps than not be able to get on them. Plus there are those of us who rarely get to park on even ground or have enough space for ramps to used at trailheads.
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Having had both these are my observations:
My slant load was a big open Merhow that I custom ordered with no rear tack. It also had a ramp. The stalls were angled longer and made wider for my bigger horses. Didn’t matter, my big draft crosses would still get butt rubs unless I took a divider out which was a pain, and hauled only one big horse and one small horse under 16hds. However, it was the absolute easiest trailer to get horses on and off of. It was so open and inviting I had very little trouble even getting the most reluctant of loaders to go on; and it was big enough that even my big guys could turn around and walk out/off of.
Straight load again with ramp. Horses tend not to initially like the smaller/more narrow stalls but do travel better. I agree, backwards facing would be ideal but they are harder to come by. The straight stalls are long enough to accommodate my big horses and they can get their heads down if the wish, something that was difficult or impossible in the slant.
Ramps all the way for me. I’ve never had a horse injured on a ramp whereas I’ve had horses hurt in various ways on step-ups and cannot stand them. I also hate rear tacks. YMMV
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It was Matinee, the dressage horse, who had a career ending injury off a ramp, being unloaded at Worlds in Las Vegas,
if I am not mistaken.
It also seems to me that the slant loads were thought of for those who wanted to ship three horses and not have to have a trailer the size of a four horse…back in the day.
Ideally, a custom trailer, with extras like extra length, front and back loading/unloading entrances that would allow for
preferences of horses/drivers would be ideal. don’t know why that design is not more readily available.
No - it was a pasture injury for Matine.
https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/dres…ing-leg-294192
ETA my bad - I see from the below poster I misread. Carry on!
Actually the near career ending injury she is referring to was a slip off the trailer in vegas: “And that is when her career virtually ended. The mare competed successfully at a few more World Cup qualifiers in the winter of 2006-2007 but she injured herself slipping off the trailer at the 2007 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas. As of then Matine continously struggled with injuries and never returned to the show ring.” - Per Eurodressage
My post was strictly from my experience. I’ve had several young horses become terrified of stepping off into nothing from a step up. Loaded fine then took hours to be coaxed off. Other’s who have barked their shins or worse, degloved their shins when slipping beneath the trailer when being difficult to load. The last OTTB mare I had, a 3 year old from CA, was delivered in a slant with step up which she could be turned around on to step off facing forward. She still would not get pff until we backed the trailer up to an incline until there was no gap. In the process of trying to get her off before doing that, she managed to put one foot off, curl it beneath the trailer and lacerate the heel bulb when she startled and pulled it back abruptly.
Yes, any horse can slip or stumble on a ramp too and I’ve had it happen occasionally but have never had one injured. My current trailer is a 4 Star 2+1 with EZ Lift ramps which are a piece of cake to lift but I have to say, none of the other ramps have been a problem either and I’ve had Adam, Featherlite, Exiss, Merhow and now 4Star.
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Sounds more like someone doesn’t know how to train horses to back off properly. Of course if you just shove them on and then expect them to immediately know how it’s not going to go well.
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Back to Matinee - wasn’t she a special mare? So much character and expression. My other favourite is, of course,
Woodlander Farouche - she filled the eye. (sorry to hijack, no - not really sorry!)
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I went with a straight load with a ramp. Part of it was that I have an old guy and if the step was too high, he was uncomfortable about stepping down. I plan on having him until he dies and I did not want to get in a situation where he would not load or unload because of the step as he gets older. I wanted a straight load because of the uneven weight loading of the hind legs. I know Russel with the Centaur Biomechanics. One of their testing protocols is they horse have to be hauled in a straight load. They found otherwise it affects their results.
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When we had more stock and had to move numbers we often loaded “loose” for short runs. I noted that, left to their devices, horses traveled at an angle, backwards. Suggesting that a reverse slant might be the preferred method.
But, beyond some anacdote, it’s a “Coke vs. Pepsi” issue.
G.
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My donkey has decided the only way she will ride in my slant stalls is if I let her ride backwards-- head at the butt end of the stall. I don’t know if it’s a comfort or visibility thing (she hates the solid divider, and I do too). She’s little enough that I let her. Plus, donkey battles are fruitless affairs.
Her mare friend tried to follow suit. But I said no to that one.
Usually if I’m just hauling one, I pop the divider out and let them ride in the box. I always tie, but if they really want to ride backwards, I let them and use the tie closer to the back of the trailer.
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:rolleyes:
Whatever, but my horses back off the straight load with ramp just fine. Judgmental much? Oh wait, it’s COTH, bitches! :lol:
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I have a 2h slant load gooseneck and a 2h straight load bumper pull.
My horse vastly prefers the slant load GN over the straight load BP. I don’t know if it rides better because it’s a GN or because it’s a slant load, though.
We live in a very hot climate, so this time of year he has to ride in the BP because it’s an open stock-type trailer. The GN is enclosed. It’s vented at the top, and has windows, but it’s still godalmighty hot back there. Plus it’s got LQ and though it’s aluminum it is a workout to hook up. So if we take that trailer we both arrive hot and sweaty.
I am a trained negotiator:winkgrin: but it has taken all my skills to convince my little horse to get in the stock trailer. It was a stock combo, with a divider and butt bars, but now it only has breast bars so he can turn around and come out forwards. That was his price for agreeing to get in the thing. Too bad he can’t take the bar exam - he’d make an excellent lawyer.
So anyway, that’s one horse’s opinion.
I agree that the stalls in my slant load are tiny. Luckily so is my horse - 14.3 hh, 950 lbs. I could fit two, but only just, if they were both about his size.
> the straight load BP.
> he has to ride in the BP because it’s an open stock-type trailer.
> It was a stock combo, with a divider and butt bars,
@pAin’t_Misbehavin’ WHERE did you find a 2 horse straight load with stock sides? What manufacturer??
I can’t find a 2H straight load that is not fully enclosed with ramps and all manner of bells and whistles I do not want. [ETA: I want a plain silver aluminum stock trailer.]
It’s a K&K stock trailer, which is made by Bee Trailers. I can’t find a picture of one like it online. But if you go to the website, https://www.beetrailers.com/ you can find a dealer near you and then tell them how you want it made. That’s what I did with mine. I wanted a divider with breast and butt bars no front manger and full size escape door. I couldn’t find one ready-made either so I ordered mine from the dealer.
Also, EquiSpirit does a very nice modified stock trailer. Tom Scheve is excellent to deal with by email - and they’ll build you exactly what you want! They were just a little out of my price range at the time though. http://equispirit.com/products/models-equibreeze.html
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I currently have a slant load but would prefer a straight load. Usually I am only hauling one horse so move the divider over so she has the whole space. Both horses are 16.2 TBs. I also like the idea of a stock trailer- as horse can decide how it prefers to travel.
Wasn’t there some research about horses travelling better when they could lean on a wall - ie, in a stall either straight or slant - vs the “box” stall where they cannot lean on the wall and rest as easily? I know a few folks who ship in standing stalls long distance rather than the “box” option for just this reason. I know my guy leans on the wall of my straight load…
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Same here! I can find parts of the trailer I want, but not everything all together. So I have someone quoting my dream Four Star trailer right now. I’m kind of afraid to open my email.
That’s also one of my requirements. To fit two horses comfortably, and three in an emergency by taking out all the dividers. Or maybe just taking off the head divider and stuffing a pony up front where the horses are hanging their heads over the breast bar. A poor man’s 2+1, whatever works if I have accidentally acquired an extra horse and we need to get them all out in an emergency.
I thought I recalled this too. Traffic is just plan stupid around here (Atlanta, GA area) and I won’t haul in a loose box situation any more in case sudden breaking needs to occur. I want an appropriate sized stall with padding all around.
wsmoak - look at Calico trailers: http://www.calicotrailers.com/trailers.php
Our local dealer (Traveled Lane Trailers: http://traveledlanetrailers.com/calico/calicoidx.htm ) seems to sell a good number of them. I don’t have one, but know someone who does and she seems quite happy with it.
I seem to recall this. Can’t find it on a quick search. May have more time later.
Using “rolling box stalls” is not something that I would do. Newton’s Laws apply to horse trailers and their content and having 1000 pounds traveling loose at highway speeds put horse, trailer, and humans at risk.
G.
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