Trailering Question -- No Divider or Butt Bar on 3rd stall of 3H slant

[King_s_Ransom]

I just realized that there is no stall divider or butt bar for the third stall on my 3H slant trailer. I have never hauled three horses, but I was just wondering – is this safe?

My trailer is a ramp-load, so theoretically, if you had three horses in the trailer, the third one would be RIGHT THERE when you let the ramp down. If anything goes amiss (trailer tie came loose, or panic-snap unlatches, etc.) – you could have a loose horse pretty quick.

Is that just something you deal with, and just be sure third horse is secured before dropping the ramp – or should I look into having some sort of butt bar or chain put in as an extra measure of safety?

Again, this is not normally a problem because, in having this trailer for about a year now, I have only ever hauled one or two horses. But Friday we had a little “issue” with Rocky somehow pulling his head out of his halter and it got me to thinking that if the trailer had been wide open, I could have had a loose horse.

We are new to this trailering business, so I appreciate any advice.

[CrowneDragon]

I would want a proper divider or heavily reinforced rear doors. Often slants have 2 full doors and a ramp over top, but yours does not?
Aside from the issues with loading/unloading, I’d want to make sure the doors/ramp would withstand a lot of impact. I wouldn’t want a horse sitting on them. I would also worry about injuries if the horse is kicking or fussing and the seam between the ramp and doors is right there.
IIRC, this gal had a trailer with a rear tack room and one of the flimsy rear butt bars that is on a post that pins into the floor with a spring. She was in an accident and the horse in the rear stall was ejected through the rear door and died.
http://eventingnation.com/home/jody-harwoods-d-vine-passes-away-after-i-75-trailer-accident-in-ocala/

Also, I would never recommend opening the back doors (or a divider or a butt bar) with the horse still tied in the trailer. Always untie first. Having a horse start to back out when they are still tied is a huge accident waiting for a place to happen. BTDT.

[arlosmine]

You NEVER open the door until the horse is untied. If they are still secured when door opens, and attempt to back out, you have a BIG problem.

It’s an issue with slant loads. You either need a helper to stand outside the head grate and hold the lead rope once the horse is untied ( with instructions to let go is the horse pulls), or you need to take the time to train the horse to stand untied until door is all the way open, and you come get them.

[BEARCAT]

You just teach the horse to stand until you tell him otherwise.

[Tee]

I haul two horses in my 2H slant (no ramp) quite a bit (mine and a friend’s). They’re well trained, know WHOA, and at least to date, I’ve never had any issues.

[equiniphile]

I never haul three horses, but I have a chain as the rear divider in my 3H slant.

[King_s_Ransom]

I use panic straps on my trailer ties, so if a horse pulls back hard, they release. Having said that, I also untie and use a helper outside the head window to hold while I get the horse. However, Rocky managed to scrape his halter off pulling his head back inside, so was loose in the trailer, but no worries because the divider was still up.

Which made me think, what if …

I agree with concept of training horse to stand still, but sh@t happens, and I don’t think that is a rock solid plan. I would like some backup.

No, my ramp does not fold up over full doors.

Is there a safety issue with my having a full width butt chain installed? There currently is no place to hook one, so would require some modification.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree horses should stand calmly until I get them, whether in stall, wash rack or trailer. Just saying that they don’t always.

[BEARCAT]

IF my horse were to back up unexpectedly, I would rather he were free both at the head and butt. If it’s a panic mode situation, the thought of a horse getting tangled in a butt chain is not a pleasant one.
In addition, there is always going to be a time when there is nothing behind them, because well, at some point you do have to undo the butt bar…
I check the horses visually through the window before unloading, but usually don’t let them stick their heads out.
I load and unload by myself 99% of the time, so yes, my horses have to be SOLID with standing. (And as mentioned if it is truly a panic situation, I’d rather not have them restrained anyways. They also have a solid recall and Whoa.)

However, I do understand wanting a butt bar in case of trailer door malfunction.

[stb]

I have several friends with 3 horse slants, all of them have a butt bar or chain for the third slot. My 2 horse slant has a butt strap at the back of the second stall. I’ve never seen a trailer without something to hold the horse in his slot until released.

[poltroon]

You can always have a bar installed.

That said, I’ve seen many slant trailers that have no extra restraint at the back. Stock trailers usually don’t either.

“Safe” is a relative term. They can always find a way to get hurt. People manage to haul without incident in many configurations.

A concern I would have is if the horse is leaning hard directly on the door/ramp and the latch fails. My friends had a pair of pigs fall out of a stock trailer at 45 mph this way.

[CrowneDragon]

@King's Ransom;7836215

I use panic straps on my trailer ties, so if a horse pulls back hard, they release.

Do your trailer ties have this kind of panic snap on them?
http://www.horsetackco.com/panic-snap.html?gclid=CPSJ5cfo3MECFQ0oaQodY5IAXQ#.VFab6fnF_ng
If so, those won’t release unless you release them. The “panic” part is that they can be released even under pressure. And you are right, you don’t want a horse pulling hard against the tie either way, because when the tie or halter does give away or break, the horse will go flying up and back. I had a mare scalp herself doing this when she caught her head on the metal tab for the ceiling vent.

Also, I would want some kind of sturdy secondary barrier behind a ramp or rear doors.

[csaper58]

What ever you choose, bar, or chain, it needs to be strong enough so that, if you have a wreck, it will keep the horse inside the trailer. Bonus points if it can keep a crazy, tailgating, fool out of your rig when you stop suddenly.

[demidq]

I had a 3 horse slant, front slot used as tackroom. It had a ramp which was firmly fastened shut and dutch doors above it, like most straight loads. I had the dealer install attachments for chain at the back, so last slot was triangular and closed off with the chain. I had a silly fool of an unpredictable mare but even so never had problems with unloading or a loose horse.

[HunterJumper_3]

I don’t own a trailer myself, but my friend has a two-horse slant which doesn’t have a butt bar/chain for the rear horse. I don’t know if this changes things, but their trailer doesn’t have a ramp, so it has two full doors behind instead. I’ve always wondered why there isn’t a chain though, just in case.

[atr]

The thought that scares me about this configuration is if the horse decides to leave when you are letting the ramp down. Sounds like a good way to get killed. That’s why I like the honking great steel butt bars attached firmly to the frame on my trailer. And I do make every effort to stand to one side of the ramp when putting it up or letting it down, but at some point, you’ve got to be there to latch or unlatch it.

[King_s_Ransom]

I think this discussion has convinced me of a few things: 1. More work on standing and WAITING calmly; 2. Get a butt bar installed or 3. Don’t haul a 3rd horse.

[CrowneDragon]

[QUOTE=King’s Ransom;7837289]
I think this discussion has convinced me of a few things: 1. More work on standing and WAITING calmly; 2. Get a butt bar installed or 3. Don’t haul a 3rd horse.[/QUOTE]

You are wise :yes:

[mroades]

do you have drop down windows? never open the ramp unless he is untied and someone is keeping his head straight

[CrowneDragon]

I found the link regarding the accident in which the horse was ejected from the trailer, which has better details about the trailer failure. It is good reading for anyone hauling with a similar rig.
http://eventingnation.com/home/more-details-released-on-fatal-i-75-trailer-accident/

[crosscreeksh]

[QUOTE=CrowneDragon;7837336]
I found the link regarding the accident in which the horse was ejected from the trailer, which has better details about the trailer failure. It is good reading for anyone hauling with a similar rig.
http://eventingnation.com/home/more-details-released-on-fatal-i-75-trailer-accident/[/QUOTE]

I was just going to mention this!!! I don’t haul slant, but I think a butt bar/chain would be a necessary safety implement.