I’m looking at purchasing my first trailer. It is a used, 2H, CM , aluminum straight load. It is in great condition, oversized, and pretty much what I’m looking for. My one hang up is that the center rear post (between the double doors) is not removable. The center divider comes out, but the rear post does not. It is a step down with a removable ramp, so it has the option to unload either way. Besides the fact that I wouldn’t be able to use the trailer for hauling other large items besides horses (i.e. lawn mower etc.) will the fixed rear post be something I regret? My biggest concern is that it would somehow affect the safety of loading or unloading the horses (will usually be two in the trailer).
I have a used trailer with the fixed rear post (older Featherlight, aluminum). I also usually haul two horses, sometimes just the one. I haven’t ever needed to remove the divider, and the post has never caused an issue. I’ve had self loaders (my own horse) and some that require more persuasion, but everyone has gotten in/unloaded without safety issues.
I think if the trailer has all the other features you like, you shouldn’t worry. Unless you custom build a trailer, there are bound to be compromises.
I personally would hate having that rear post. I have a Kingston and it doesn’t have one. I never found it a problem when loading/unloading. The rear butt bars are solid so they act as a brace for the divider and holds it in place. My half divider is also removable - it’s aluminum so light enough to do it myself. I have used my trailer for moving furniture and other large things and not having that rear post was super nice.
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The rear post on my trailer is removable. It is a life saver for hauling stuff and bad loaders because it’s easy to remove. It can also be put back in after the ramp is up. Have done it several times with the bad loaders!
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might be fixed to reduce liability by the manufacturer as the trailer is designed to haul horses not 4 wheelers
Some trailers have it in there for stability. My first trailer had a fixed rear post. It was never an issue. Actually I think my current Featherlite has a center divider two. I use a different trailer to haul the 4 wheeler. If that is super important to you, then obviously it won’t work. I like having two separate doors instead of a ramp with curtains. That way no one is trying to escape when his buddy is let off the trailer first.
Thanks to everyone for your input. I don’t really have any plans to haul other things other than the horses. My only concern with the post is potential safety issues or making loading/unloading more difficult.
We are pretty new to the horse world and especially to trailering. We just have one pony right now, but have plans to get a second. We have only hauled our current pony once (to bring him home), and he did pretty well. It was in a 2 horse step up slant. He loaded and hauled great, but did have a bit of trouble backing off (we didn’t fight it and just turned him around). My biggest concern is with safety and ease of loading…especially for us as major newbies. I’m also a bit concerned about our pony giving us issues with trailering. He did great on the trip home, but he has given us lots of new behavioral surprises since we got him home. Won’t get into it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gives us some more surprises next time we try to trailer him.
Having a movable divider that you can swing over to the side for loading can be a big help. If you are newer to loading and hauling, with a new pony, it could be a huge help. A 2 horse aluminum trailer is pretty common. Maybe it would be a good idea to keep looking. Horsetrailerworld.com is a great place to look.
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It would be easy enough to take the trailer to a welder and they can make the post removable for you.
We’ve got a two horse straight load with a ramp. My Dad borrows it once an awhile to haul motorcycles to and from Florida in the winter. In a morning he converted the rear post and added a hook so that the post can come in and out for the motorcycles, and we can safely swing the back of the divider over and leave it there if we’re only hauling one horse.
We always put the rear post back in for stability, and because the butt bars attach to it.
Not sure I would remove a piece of the trailer, you will compromise its structural strength, as designed.
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If the trailer is otherwise everything you are looking for and you are not planning to need to move other things, it’s probably fine. And I would not remove it - it’s probably structural!
If you can move the divider, you’ll still have the illusion of the bigger space for a hesitant loader and since most of us do not remove the post for normal loading/unloading that in and of itself is not a safety issue.
It’s more about convenience if you want to put something wider in your trailer.
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While this is probably true, esp with an older trailer. A competent trailer repair,builder should easily be able to modify it to be removed and reinstalled after a horse is loaded. Maintaining the structural integrity. Mainly to keep the upper “body” from twisting.
Personally I would never buy one with a fixed post for my purposes. The kind of horses I work with. Mares with foals, schooling newbies, problematic loaders etc. And hauling stuff.
IMO anyone new to the world of horses and doesn’t have a lot of experience will be far better off not buying a trailer with a rear fixed post.
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You must have worked for the government of some kind in years past, lol.
Nope - spent my life in motorsports !
I agree with Gumtree.
I currently have a trailer with a fixed rear post, and while I LOVE that trailer, I totally recognize that it is not suitable for every horse or owner. I only use my trailer with my own horses and ponies that I know can load into it without an issue. I also have a 3H slant, 4H H to H, and 14’ open stock that I use. The fixed rear post trailer is not my only trailer.
I have witnessed absolute trainwrecks with trailers with fixed rear posts, especially the narrow 5’ or 6’ wide trailers of the past. Narrow trailers don’t give the horse’s hips much room to “swing” as they are backing up, the hips hit the post, the horse freaks and surges forward. My neighbors thought the solution to the dilemma was to remove the divider when they hauled 2 horses. I told them it was a dangerous idea, but they did it anyway… So neither horse wants to back off because they both hit the post with their hips. Because the divider was removed, horse #1 surges forward, sideways, into horse #2, and they BOTH scramble and TURN AROUND in a 5’ wide trailer and try to come out the same opening. There was no way to control the disaster at this point, we could only stand back and watch…
Yes, neighbors were new to horses…
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I personally would never buy one with a fixed center post. I do haul other things in my trailer is part of the reason. The big reason is that for a difficult or hesitant loader I like to be able to swing the center divider to the side to give them more room.
My OTTB will self load but he is at the point that he really prefers to have the center divider swung to the side. He will load without it swung to the side if I go on in front of him. He is just green and it will come with time for him to load without it being swung to the side.
Could I get him to self load without it being swung to the the side? Probably but at this point I want loading to be uneventful.
Years ago I looked at a trailer with a fixed center post and decided to not buy it because of the post. I personally really prefer the option of being able to swing the divider.
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I agree with the poster who thought this might not be the best idea. Yes, lots of trailers don’t have the center rear post - but they were originally designed that way. Taking a post that was welded to the frame and making it just pinned into place is not the same. Perhaps if it were bolted down it would be ok, but that will not be easy to add and subtract quickly with horses in the trailer.
If you’re new at this, and you’re already concerned about the pony loading and unloading, you’d be better off finding a trailer that did not have the center post so that you had much more room to maneuver. I have a horse that is a great traveler, but I still swing the center divider over when I load him. It just gives him less opportunity to run into stuff getting into and off the trailer. Obviously if you are hauling two horses this only works for the first horse on and the last horse off.
Do you intend to use this with the ramp, or as a step up? If the latter, then the rear post may be more problematic, as they tend to swing their hips laterally more when stepping into and out of a step up trailer, rather than when using a ramp.
My BM has a step up, and while the centre post swings, she says she always loads and unloads her larger horse first, as the second one has less room to swing her hips once the divider is back in its central position.
One other consideration is you mentioned you have a pony, and that the potential trailer is oversized. Will it be too big for the pony? As in, are the chest and butt bars at an appropriate height to be useful, or is the pony likely to end up going underneath them?
I wouldn’t. Bought one (older, narrow trailer) and my mare wouldn’t get on easily. With the post I was not able to lead her on correctly, she either had to follow right behind me (no) or self load (also no). Sold it and got a step up with a swing door. Unless you have a confirmed amazing loader, don’t buy it.
Really depends on the skill of the person you take it too and how quick you need to be able to take the post out and put it back in.
Ours isn’t simply “pinned” in place, it’s reinforced top and bottom and is bolted. It only needs to come in and out for the motorcycles, not for the horses. But in an emergency with the horses it could be taken out vs having to get the jaws of life or cutting metal, etc.
A competent welder who frequently works on heavy machinery, vehicles, trailers, etc. should be able to determine if making the rear post removable will change the structural integrity of the trailer.
Saying that, I wouldn’t buy the trailer and then assume that it can be done if that’s a deal breaker for you.
