Trailer Box Stall Hauling One Horse - front or rear Box?

[jill_h]

Hi, almost finished designing my new trailer!
It will be very adjustable so can haul pretty much any way a horse prefers to be hauled.

I have a question - when hauling one BIG long horse by himself in an 18’ box trailer - and he prefers a box stall/stock trailer situation (but I don’t want him moving 18’ from front to back loose) -

Should I put him in a box (about 10 or 12 foot box x 6.5’ wide) at the front of the trailer, or at the rear?
I am a little confused. The 2+1 has two straight loaded horses over the axles in the rear of the trailer and nothing in front; but I’ve always heard you should load in front if alone (though at the time I had a BP so different story)

Which is safest/best for horse?
One horse/Box at front of otherwise empty 18’ deck (with 6’ empty behind), or at the rear with 6’ empty in front??
Thanks!

[jill_h]

I ask also because while the 2+1 is so popular and only horses are over the rear axles, I’ve seen horses hauled in stock trailers where the one horse is in a box up front; I don’t think I’ve ever seen a stock trailer with an empty front box while preferentially hauling in a rear box

[2DogsFarm]

I was taught to put the heaviest load up front - near the tow vehicle’s axle so less pressure on the hitch.
Especially for BP, but still important for GN.
So solo Big Horse would go in a box config in front.
If hauling more than 1, heaviest horse goes in front.

[Guilherme]

@2DogsFarm

I was taught to put the heaviest load up front - near the tow vehicle’s axle so less pressure on the hitch.
Especially for BP, but still important for GN.
So solo Big Horse would go in a box config in front.
If hauling more than 1, heaviest horse goes in front.

Concur.

G.

[joiedevie99]

Ideally 60% of the weight in front of the axle, 40% behind. Obviously, horses move - so we default to putting the horse forward. 100% of the weight behind the axle can cause swaying.

[CupOJavaa]

Always in the front first.

[Simkie]

Great video that shows why the weight goes up front: https://youtu.be/4jk9H5AB4lM

[OneTwoMany]

@Simkie

Great video that shows why the weight goes up front: https://youtu.be/4jk9H5AB4lM

Up front. Always.

[moving_to_dc]

Edited this because my husband reminded me that sometimes my keyboard runs faster than the filter for my brain. I confuse things and drown people in details.

He has had a CDL since he was 21, and I won’t say how old he is now – here is how he sums up trailer weight placement: “You never want to take too much weight off the hitch. It will cause it to be unstable. Just like you don’t want too much weight on the hitch. A nice balance with slight pressure on the drive axle is ideal. Any big bump will cause hell if all the weight is BEHIND the axle. There is a lot of trailer in front of the axles to counter the weight of a horse over the axles. It is not unsafe to load them in the rear, over the axles, balance wise.”

[moving_to_dc]

@2DogsFarm

I was taught to put the heaviest load up front - near the tow vehicle’s axle so less pressure on the hitch.
Especially for BP, but still important for GN.
So solo Big Horse would go in a box config in front.
If hauling more than 1, heaviest horse goes in front.

I am curious how that works… think of a trailer deck like a teeter-toter, with the axles being the “pivot point”. Any weight forward of the axles puts additional weight on the hitch and tow vehicle rear axles. Weight over the axles or behind the axles decreases the hitch weight…

[jill_h]

Moving to dc – Thanks for your reply; it brings into play all the issues I was thinking of.
Yep, that was why I asked.
I am going to talk to a 4 star dealer today; after all my questions I have no doubt they will be happy to see me go

[jill_h]

@moving to dc

I am curious how that works… think of a trailer deck like a teeter-toter, with the axles being the “pivot point”. Any weight forward of the axles puts additional weight on the hitch and tow vehicle rear axles. Weight over the axles or behind the axles decreases the hitch weight…

Yeah, seems any weight would increase hitch weight. It would ncrease stability too as long as there is enough weight/traction over the axles as well, but it should increase weight on hitch.

I’ve read people saying they put their horses over the axles box and not in front box because they feel more sway as they haul - perhaps less traction on the “swing end”. I guess that’s better as long as you don’t stick out too far past your last axle

[Zu_Zu]

[B]Up front ~ safe travels ~

Jingles& AO ![/B]

[OTTBs]

moving to dc beat me too it. Waiting for an explanation to surface. I would think having the horse slightly in front of the front trailer axle would be optimal. Re: joiedevie99 in most horse trailers it isn’t possible to put 100% of the weight behind the axles. Though I would think having 100% of the weight over and behind the axles would lighten the hitch too much.

I’m getting a 3 horse slant and have been pondering when I’m only hauling one horse where it should go. For long distance I would give it two stalls, likely the back 2 stalls. I think that will put the front hooves just in front of the axles.

[Bluey]

More to remember, gooseneck balls are set a few inches in front of the pickup axle, not on top of it.

Standing horses tend to carry about 2/3 of their weight on their front end, so a long way from the hind end, but will load the hind end as moving forces may demand, like taking off or in turns.

Forever, we have been told it is better to have horses on the inside of the highways, the higher side of the crowned road and if slanted, to the left side, again the slightly higher highway side and more of their weight in front of the axle of the trailers.

That seems to work well, as a rule of thumb, for people around here, in all kinds of trailers.

If something were to go wrong, a malfunction of some kind, if the horse is in the front half the trailer would sway less than with a weight on the tail end pushing it even more around from centrifugal forces, making it harder to regain control to get it stopped.

Just hauling straight down the highway, that the weight of one horse is a little more forward or back may not make that much difference.

[CupOJavaa]

@OTTBs

I’m getting a 3 horse slant and have been pondering when I’m only hauling one horse where it should go. For long distance I would give it two stalls, likely the back 2 stalls. I think that will put the front hooves just in front of the axles.

When trailering one horse in a 3 horse slant you will want to put the horse in the very front. If you want to use two spaces then use the front and middle areas, though personally I think horses feel more comfortable in a tighter space because they can lean on the dividers for a “rest” and aren’t tempted to try and turn around. Safe travels!

[Lusoluv]

I’m not a long-time horse trailer owner, but I was told horses feel more comfortable in a single stall while trailering. Maybe long hauls cross-country in a semi-truck would be different. Anyway, horses are top-heavy, they can get hurt if there was an emergency maneuver by the driver, etc. And an object in motion is likely to stay in motion. So although I have a 2-horse straight load and only own 1 horse, I don’t take out the divider to offer a box stall. I live and haul in a suburban area, and while I’ve never had to make an abrupt move, I’d hate to throw my horse off his feet or make my situation worse with 1200 lbs of horse being thrown around.

[grinanride]

Over the axle is the most stable location for the horse, ahead of increases the tongue weight. Should not really matter much on the size of gooseneck you are working on with 1 horse loose … perhaps 200 lbs the tongue if forward average horse
Risa
HappyTrailsTrailers.com
BalancedRideTrailers.com

[Brigitte]

I haul 1 horse in the front of a 3 horse slant GN, but removed the first divider as it is a horse that is much more comfortable NOT confined with the divider. (I don’t ever use it as a true 3H). I do tie at the head of the first stall. The horse is actually most happy with no divider. I haul in a very traffic heavy suburban area and he seems to do just fine keeping his balance without a divider holding him up.

[OTTBs]

@CupOJavaa

When trailering one horse in a 3 horse slant you will want to put the horse in the very front. If you want to use two spaces then use the front and middle areas, though personally I think horses feel more comfortable in a tighter space because they can lean on the dividers for a “rest” and aren’t tempted to try and turn around. Safe travels!

She’s been getting the entire 16’ stock trailer (I tie her so she can’t just spin in circles) up to this point. Who knows if she’ll let me confine her, at least the back 2 stalls will be the biggest. I need to see where the axles are in relation to the dividers.