Hi all. Looking to possibly purchase a stock combo trailer that is 16’ long with a center gate to create two box stalls. I’ve only had a straight load before. It seems most stock combos do not have butt bars, unlike straight loads. Is this because, structurally, the back full length door is solid enough to withstand a horse pushing back on it? To be extra safe, can you somehow add a butt bar to the back of stock combos or would this be overkill and/or potentially ineffective? Thanks for your input.
I have this exact trailer, without a tack room, and mine does not have a butt bar. I do haul horses in it and have never had an issue, and my trailer has a heavy duty cam bar that runs from floor to roof.
I have also hauled both hogs and cattle in it with no issues, and hogs are strong and destructive! Our cattle out weigh our horses, and have never been able to do any damage to the trailer, even the rear door.
You could have rings welded on each side of the rear door, and use a chain, hopefully covered with something, as your butt bar.
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A bar across the full width would be heavy, unweildy, and just in the way.
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I’ve trailer horses in stock trailer for 30+ years and none have had a butt bar. I have never had any issues.
Sometimes I tie the horses - they always stand on an angle.
My current mare does not tie well and I just leave her loose in the box. She always stands facing the rear, so a butt bar would be useless and in the way.
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My stock combo has a webbing butt strap that goes across the whole opening, but I honestly find it more of a hazard to use. Since the horses have more freedom of movement in a stock trailer even when tied, I worry about one getting tangled up in the webbing.
The dealer even said he didn’t recommend using it.
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