Using a Slant Load as Box Trailer

[GraceLikeRain]

Have you used your slant trailer as a big box stall? Are there any safety considerations?

I just bought a smaller 2 horse slant. I’ll be trailering my mare alone for the foreseeable future. She’s not a super experienced loader so I’m torn between whether I want to squish her into the front slant or let her have the whole area.

She won’t really be “squished” but putting her in the front but when all of the space is available seems like a waste. Then again, maybe she would derive comfort from a smaller space? In a slant or straight there is a clear rear boundary to prevent a horse from sitting back too far. In a box, tying her short enough to be safe would also mean there is no real wall/bar behind. Do some people load, run the rope out the escape door/slats, close up, and then unhook and let the horse be totally loose? Do you tie and trust the horse not to pull back if they get unbalanced?

[tabula_rashah]

Yes I do that all the time. With my one trailer (it’s a 3 horse), I take out the first divider making 2 box stalls (it has no rear tack). I’ve tied and left them loose depending on the horse. It’s great for mares and foals too. With my other trailer that has a rear tack (but same 3H slant) I always tie because I don’t like the way the door latches (I don’t feel it’s quite as solid as my other one). The horses seem happiest traveling this way

[Texarkana]

I’m in the same situation. I have a small, 2H slant stock combo trailer (stock trailer with a swing wall/dressing room up front). Most of my horses do not fit in the front stall with the divider in place, so I remove it and use it as a box. I don’t leave them loose only because it’s a BP and I had a horse fall while loose in a BP stock trailer, presumably because she was moving around a ton at the same time I was making a turn.

My loading procedure is load, throwing the lead over the horse’s neck or through a slat. Then I shut the door. Last, I reach through the slats to tie and remove the lead.

[TheHunterKid90]

I think for the most part horses travel the safest secured in the slant partition and tied.
Sure, the space is “snug” but it’s that way to hopefully help balance your horse should you brake or accelerate quickly. Think about if you are riding a subway not being able to lean or hold onto anything (not seeing where you’re going either) vs being able to lean on walls and be in a smaller enclosed space while doing so.
I always haul within the partitions and tied…I stop every 4 hours or so for 15-20 minutes to allow them to rest and untie them so they can lower their head and neck and also give them water.

[exvet]

I have taken out the partitions to make a box-like stall in my slant load. I usually bed the stall and I also have stud gates also known as kick plates (able to hang a piece to make the partitions that remain go all the way to the floor for safety reasons). I usually let the horse loose if I’m turning it into a box stall. I do this most often to bed at night and not so much when I’m actively hauling on the road. I used to make regular trips back and forth to the East coast hauling young stock. I have for horses that required it done this to haul them as well.

[Jarpur]

I’ve handled this various ways. For instance, removed the dividers in a slant load, to haul broodmare and foal (baby not tied) in a box stall. Have also hauled grown horses loose – load them, tie them, then untie through the slats as described by Texarkana, but I try not to put my arm through the slats for safety reasons (haven’t ever been hurt, but see how it could happen).

I’ve also loaded horses head to tail (picked this up from a friend with a good-sized stock trailer of the type I’ve seen used for polo ponies - first horse goes in head to the left, second head to the right, third with head to the left, and so on. Gives each one a bit more room, given the shape of horses, and both my friend’s and my horses have been fine hauled this way. It does require knowing one’s horses – who gets along, and who doesn’t.

In my current stock combo, I fasten each halter to a tie which is attached to an overhead ring with a Safe-T-Tie horse tie (basically, a plastic fuse), then remove the regular lead rope from the halter while I’m still inside the trailer.

As far as having a barrier behind the horses when there is no divider/butt bar behind the horse, I use a stout cotton rope with a quick release snap at one end, and a triggerbull snap at the other, attached to D-rings on each side of the trailer just inside the back gate at butt bar height. The gate on my current trailer is very stout, with multiple latches with pins, so unlikely to pop open.

Friend with a two horse slant, and a wide horse, had a local dealer modify the trailer by moving the divider back to give the front stall more room.

[anon40672407]

I had horses that travelled better loose, and horses that travelled better snugged up. Depends on the horse.

[gypsymare]

My big TBs haul better tied with the divider open. I just clip him and walk back out the back (no rear tack) My paint mare travelled all over the country in the front slant stall backward. This allowed her head to hang over the lower side of the divider and I could hang her hay by the butt area of the rear stall giving her a bit more room. Plus, if I had to slam on my brakes she could brace against the wall with her butt instead of face first.

[Training_Cupid]

@TheHunterKid90

I think for the most part horses travel the safest secured in the slant partition and tied.
Sure, the space is “snug” but it’s that way to hopefully help balance your horse should you brake or accelerate quickly. Think about if you are riding a subway not being able to lean or hold onto anything (not seeing where you’re going either) vs being able to lean on walls and be in a smaller enclosed space while doing so.
I always haul within the partitions and tied…I stop every 4 hours or so for 15-20 minutes to allow them to rest and untie them so they can lower their head and neck and also give them water.

I’ve wondered myself, but this also made the most sense to me that he might want something for support. My horse seems happy with the divider, but I haven’t tried without so maybe he would be equally happy. I have a camera, and when I check on him he’s usually just eating his hay.