Pros and cons? Trailing loose in a 10 x 7 box vs tied vs straight load stall? Slant not an option. I’m considering pulling the dividers, breast bars and butt bars out of my trailer and hauling my horse loose. Locally for now, but may be traveling cross country in the future. Which is the safest way? TIA
Trailers that have butt and chest bars are very often not engineered to have horses up against the front and back of the trailer. Those bars are keeping the horse away from doors that are not designed to have direct horse contact.
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Can you slide the back end partition over and add an additional length of chain or something to the butt bar to give the horse a stall and a half? That way they have the option to ride slanted or straight.
I’ve done it, and it worked well for me. No problems. I bought an old Featherlite 6 horse, and had it “reconfigured” into three box stalls with floor to roof swinging slam gates (2). Horses travelled well in it. Easy to load and unload with only one person. Shipped a variety of horses in it. Had times when I had two horses in each box stall too. Did that tranquilized. No problems. Didn’t ever tie horses, just left them loose in the box stalls.
I agree with @Simkie that if you don’t have a trailer that is made to have a box stall, don’t haul loose. And even if it is, if you have to take defensive action to avoid a road hazard or slam on the breaks, an object in motion (horse) stays in motion. A large top-heavy horse slamming against the wall of a trailer can cause it to skid or flip more than if secured in place. I’ve had a horse shipped across country in a box stall of a semi rig. They’re very wide and heavy. Just keep in mind the size of trailer you make a box in. Is it a 14’ Corn Pro stock with the gate swung over or a 6 horse head to head that is extra wide? Just things to consider…
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I prefer to let my horses ride loose when they can, but I have a trailer (Calico 2 horse stock combo) that was designed to do so. As previous posters have mentioned, the vast majority of straight load trailers are not designed to safely haul loose animals. With a stock or slant load trailer, hauling loose is much safer and easier.
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My trailer is a 2 + 1 so the stall would be 7’ wide by 10’ long, with 2 stud doors at the front. 2 pins and the entire divider, breast bars and butt bars all come out. I would get a straight bar to put across the back and secure it on eac side where the original butt bars attach.
Sounds like you have a good set-up. Looking at your original post, I still think a regular stall is safest, however hauling loose is probably most comfortable. You can decide what’s best.
I actually found an old thread here and there are quite a few comments from people that trailer in a box untied. Apparently most of the horses prefer to ride backwards. It’s a toss up. In a stall if the trailer gets hit the horse has no way to get out of the way where loose he wouldn’t get pinned. Dunno…
I have a 2+1 GN as well and have configured it so there is a safe box stall. It is very inviting and was easy to load even skeptical horses. However if a horse is worried and turns around a lot while driving it can really yank the trailer around.
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I have a 12 ft. bumper pull stock trailer that I customized with a 7 ft. ceiling to make it less likely for the horses to bump their heads. I only haul 1 horse at a time, and I usually don’t tie them. That way they can ride however they are most comfortable, and I’ve found they like to ride facing back. I have a breakaway trailer tie (not a bungee cord) if I ever think I need to tie them, but rarely use it.
@Maude, if your horse travels quietly it should be safe to leave him (her?) loose. You could try both ways (tied and loose) on short trips and see what you think is best.
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If you are going to trailer a horse in a box stall, the trailer needs to be appropriately designed for it. Breast and butt bars help contain a 1200 lb animal should it come up against the front or back of a trailer with force. Breast and butt bars also, depending on the design of the trailer, can be important in maintaining the structural integrity of the trailer should it be in an accident, i.e. preventing the shell/doors from being crushed inwards or outwards.
Horses typically trailer quite well loose. They usually do turn and face backwards. There is a huge advantage for long distance travel for them to be able to put their heads down and to move around if they want. I have often wondered if balancing is easier for a horse when they can lean against dividers or chest/butt bars, but I think that horses actually in most instances are much more comfortable maintaining their own balance loose.
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My trailer is a 2 + 1. Designed to make 2 boxes.
This is what I do. FOr the “butt bar”, I use a lead shank made for a walker - nylon strap encased in a clear plastic tube. I am considering running it through a stiff PVC pipe for more stability. One caution - I always unhook the horse BEFORE I open the ramp, AND reach over and unhook the butt “rope”, since the butt “rope” really would not stop him were he to fly back. But, he has very good trailer manners, and waits for me.
I may have missed it but does the horse not tie well? I had a regular old 2 horse bumper pull straight load that I removed the center divide and let the horse have the whole trailer to haul in.
I just tied her as normal and she rode at a slant. Even with a bar across the back doors I wouldn’t want a horse to be able to hit the back doors with any speed, force or power. Too many horses can get over or under a bar. A solid door on a stock trailer is a whole different animal.
We haul cows loose and even 1 cow ( hauling alone) moving around occasionally, makes a huge difference in the travel of the trailer when they really move around.
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Gooseneck? It’s fine.
Bumper pull can be fine, too, but sometimes a loose horse moving about will get the trailer swaying.
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