Stock trailer with no divider or butt bar - how to load/unload?

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

The bolt sheared off my center divider in my stock trailer. I still have breast bars which keep horse from going out the full-size escape door, but I have no butt bars. The back door is one piece.

I’d like to not have to fix it right away (what with post-Christmas bills and all) but I don’t want to be stuck at home! So I’m trying to visualize how to load and more importantly unload my horse without the center divider and butt bar.

Horse self-loads. Normally, of course, I send him into the trailer, do up the butt bar, go to his head and fasten his halter to the trailer tie, then shut the back door and off we go. When we unload, naturally, I open the back door, untie his head, drop the butt bar, and pull on his tail to ask him to back out.

But how do I do this without the butt bar? I could of course lead him in, duck under the breast bar, have erstwhile assistant shut the back door, do up his head, and go out the escape door. But how does this work in reverse when I unload? And what if I have to load and unload alone as I usually do?

I know this is probably a dumb question but please help me out.

[Another_Poster]

For loading, I would send him onto the trailer and shut back door. Go around to escape bar and do up his head.

For unloading, I would open escape bar and undo head. Flip lead rope over his neck. Open back door and ask him to back off.

Does horsey stand quietly for loading/unloading or does he fly off? Doesn’t sound like it from your description.

[Gestalt]

I never tied my horse in the stock trailer. But for a horse I hauled that would go in and then turn around and try to run out before I could get the door shut: I put a lunge line from the outside into the front of the trailer leaving the end of the line at the back of the trailer, I’d take the line inside that had the snap end and pull it to the inside back of the trailer and clip it to his halter, then I’d ask him to load (which he quietly did), I’d take up the slack in the line so I was gently keeping pressure on his halter. With his head controlled I could step over to the door and pull it shut. If I wanted to tie him in I could have with a lead rope that was already fastened inside. But I never tied him either, it’s a stock trailer so no problem with a loose horse. To take him out I reversed the procedure, offered him a treat and snapped the lunge line on from the side of the trailer. Walked to the back feeding the line out, opened the door while controlling his head. Once the door was fully open I asked him to back and let the line slip as he came out. After he was out I snapped on a lead line and took the lunge line off. Pretty easy.

My horse that I trusted would always be turned around so then I’d just snap on the lead line through the crack in the door, slowly open the door, and he would step off front ways.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

Another Poster - Horse is a reformed problem-loader. When I hauled him home, it took three people and a butt rope to winch him in. Lots of work with a trainer and practice later, and he’s what I’d call an OK hauler. As in- he does everything I ask but I can tell he’s tense about it. So I think if he had the chance to turn around and fly off the trailer he might do it.

Although I would not mind if he turned around and came off front first so long as he didn’t rush. He’s never been comfortable with stepping down off the trailer. Teaching him to step down when I say “Now” has helped some but I can tell he still isn’t crazy about it. I completely understand why, too - it must be scary stepping into space in your blind spot. Since I’m almost always hauling just one horse I’ve often thought about removing the divider and letting him come out front first.

Gestalt - I used the method you describe with the divider in place at first, because once his head was loose he’d go under the breast bar or try and go under the divider. Since then he’s gotten a lot better and I can unload him normally. So I can see how that method would work - thanks!

I don’t know about hauling him loose, though. I mean, if he’s tied, he’s got the breast bar to balance against. If he’s loose, isn’t he more likely to fall if - excuse me, when - some moe-ron cuts me off and I have to slam on brakes?

[SuzieQNutter]

Teach him to load and stand. He should not unload until asked and then only one step at a time.

You then ask him into the float. NEVER tie with nothing behind.

If it is a ramp - Pick it up from the side. Be prepared to drop it immediately if a hoof goes onto the ramp. People have become paraplegics from not dropping it.

Then tie.

We float with no divider when only one horse. They can spread their legs and it prevents scrambling.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

No ramp, it’s a step-down.

So I’m sitting here trying to visualize how I’d teach him to stand on the trailer. Any thoughts?

ETA: I’m thinking I’d do it the same as I did with the partition and butt bar. If he wanted to back off I’d let him but I’d make it uncomfortable for him outside the trailer with the flag and then let him be comfortable once he loaded himself back on. But now I won’t have a partition to keep him facing straight ahead. I wonder how’s the best way to keep him from just turning around and coming out frontways as soon as I load him?

[cutter99]

I would never open a rear door without the head untied first, even when the butt bar is up, but that is just me.

[poltroon]

Is your trailer safe to haul without a butt bar? Is the latch (and hinge) design sturdy enough to take the full weight of a horse pushing on the back of it? It may be, but not all trailer doors are.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

poltroon - good point. I hadn’t thought of that. Let me see if I can find a picture of the trailer I have and I’ll link it.

No, can’t find one. It’s a Bee K&K stock trailer, though, and it was designed to be used without the center divider and butt bars - I had those added as an option. The latch is one of those where a bar can be secured by a cotter pin to hold it shut. Once it gets light tomorrow I can just go out and take a picture.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

[QUOTE=cutter99;8459001]
I would never open a rear door without the head untied first, even when the butt bar is up, but that is just me.[/QUOTE]

Probably safer. I once hauled a pony who was short enough to scoot under the butt bar. Luckily I’d got his head untied before he did it!

[DancingArabian]

I have a BP trailer and I don’t usually have extra hands with me for loading and unloading. I leave a snack in the manger and taught my horse to self load. He walks in the trailer and gets his reward. While he’s searching for it and eating it there is a period of time where I can close the buttbar and door and walk up to clip his halter in.

[cowboymom]

We have an open stock and tie every single horse that goes in it, every trip.

Never an issue. Always confused by people that have issues with it! :lol:

[csaper58]

Bee trailer used to sell a full width butt bar for stock trailers. Maybe a local welding shop can make one?

oops it was Hawk trailers www.hawktrailers.com/store/shopexd.asp?id=127&bc=no

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

[QUOTE=cowboymom;8459182]
We have an open stock and tie every single horse that goes in it, every trip.

Never an issue. Always confused by people that have issues with it! :lol:[/QUOTE]

So can you please describe how you do this? Thanks.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

[QUOTE=DancingArabian;8459158]
I have a BP trailer and I don’t usually have extra hands with me for loading and unloading. I leave a snack in the manger and taught my horse to self load. He walks in the trailer and gets his reward. While he’s searching for it and eating it there is a period of time where I can close the buttbar and door and walk up to clip his halter in.[/QUOTE]

Yes, mine does that too. Self-loading is a great skill to teach a horse.

Now I have to figure out how to do it in a stock trailer with no divider or butt bar, though.

[Highflyer]

Can’t he self load without the divider so you can just close the back door and then go up to the front escape door to tie him? You might also be able to attach a piece of chain or two of the rubber padded stall chains across the back of the trailer for a temporary butt bar-- the trailer we had for years just had chains, and they work fine for average sized horses.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

[QUOTE=csaper58;8459289]
Bee trailer used to sell a full width butt bar for stock trailers. Maybe a local welding shop can make one?

oops it was Hawk trailers www.hawktrailers.com/store/shopexd.asp?id=127&bc=no[/QUOTE]

That would be great if I could find one. I’ll give it a shot, thanks!

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

[QUOTE=Highflyer;8459632]
Can’t he self load without the divider so you can just close the back door and then go up to the front escape door to tie him? You might also be able to attach a piece of chain or two of the rubber padded stall chains across the back of the trailer for a temporary butt bar-- the trailer we had for years just had chains, and they work fine for average sized horses.[/QUOTE]

That’s what I’m trying to visualize. Say I’m loading him into the driver’s side of the trailer. Once he’s in, he can’t turn to his right because there’s a divider there. But if it weren’t there, what would stop him from turning around to his right and coming out frontways?

I have to teach him not to do it, obviously :), but I’m trying to figure out the mechanics of how to teach him to stand there. I looked in Bill Dorrance’s book last night, and there’s a picture of a mule doing exactly what I want Conjure to do - stand in an open stock trailer. Bill says you train it one step at a time - one foot in, stay, then back out. Two feet in, stay, then back out. Four feet in, stay, then back out. Then learn to come out frontways. But there’s not much more detail than that - no “human stands at x, directs horse to y” etc. Bill seems to have been kind of right-brained like that*, and sadly, I am not. I want directions!!!

Seriously, though, I think I’m going to just have to take this in tiny little chunks and figure out what works for Conjure as we go along. But if anyone has any tips on teaching this I’d sure love to read them!

*meaning no disrespect whatsoever to Bill Dorrance, who was an absolute Jedi Master. :yes:

[Christa_P]

Use a butt rope or covered chain. Easy to make whatever length you need with a snap on each end.

[Highflyer]

Have you tried it? It might not be as big of a deal as you think, especially if there’s hay in the front. You could also lead him on with a very long rope and keep hold of it while you walk around and shut the back.