I know never a bumperpull-but I have a 2H straight load gooseneck w/dresing room and I need to work on loading.
I guess I’ll keep posting here because I ultimate goal is to get out trail riding! And I really appreciate the input!
Nope, definitely not- it’s not safe. I don’t even like crawling up into the gooseneck myself without it attached to the trailer, let alone putting a horse in it.
No, you’re depending on the jack to support the trailer and keep it from moving. Stand on one leg, have a friend push you. See how hard it is to stay standing.
If it has two legs rather than one (the massive LQs have them), then sure. Otherwise, no.
NO ! Please do not try this idea ~
NO ! please do not try this idea ~
Be patient you’ll figure out a safe way to get this ‘practice’ done and be on the trails in no time ~
[QUOTE=MaybeMorgan;6327613]
I know never a bumperpull-but I have a 2H straight load gooseneck w/dresing room and I need to work on loading.
I guess I’ll keep posting here because I ultimate goal is to get out trail riding! And I really appreciate the input![/QUOTE]
Where in N. KY are you planning to ride? I visited AJ Jolly Park last year and it was nice - it kind of follows along the park road so it’s not the most scenic, but they maintain the trails well.
I wouldn’t load a horse in a trailer not hooked up to a truck. Maybe if it had the double supports/legs, but even then I just don’t know that I’d trust it not to move around.
Wow that is some strong opinions there, I would of thought we would have seen some opinions both directions.
I really think it depends on how the trailer is parked. I definitely would never if the jack were up on blocks to save cranking the jack all the way down, or if the trailer was on some sort of grade or hill.
I am in and out of my trailer all time while it’s unhooked and parked by the house. I’ve never felt it move with all the things I’ve done from cleaning up after a ride, removing mats, loading hay in the rack getting ready to leave etc. Or even my daughters having a slumber party out in the trailer.
Just thinking aloud here. If the jack foot is all the way down and resting on solid ground, the wheels are chalked and my horses needed training, I might consider it. Of course I’m dealing with 10,000 lb trailers, If the trailer is light enough that a horse stepping into the rear could unweight the jack, that would be a concern. I wouldn’t want the trailer to move in any way.
I think it really depends on the trailer and the location it is parked at. For somebody not able to evaluate those varables, The safe choice is to not do it.
In the trailer you describe? No.
Take the time to hook up. It doesn’t cost much and signifcantly reduces the risk of mishap.
G.
The only, only only way I would consider doing this is in case of emergency, where horses, trailers and tow vehicles needed to be swapped around. And THEN, I would insist on blocks under the trailer frame front and back to prevent it from tipping back when the horse stepped on and to take the weight off the jack stand.
star
No, I would never do that. Can’t you simply hitch it up and then do your practicing?
I wan’t sure if I was being overly cautious-guess not! I will hook up for the horse for sure.
Hey Jolly Badger-AJ Jolly is one place I want to go-It’s pretty close (I’m in Boone County) so I figure that would be a good place to start. You know they made a lot more trails and a campground?
BTW-there is no water at the trailhead there and I did not know if the trail went over a creek, hence the questions about water.
[QUOTE=Painted Horse;6327696]
Wow that is some strong opinions there, I would of thought we would have seen some opinions both directions.
I really think it depends on how the trailer is parked. I definitely would never if the jack were up on blocks to save cranking the jack all the way down, or if the trailer was on some sort of grade or hill.
I am in and out of my trailer all time while it’s unhooked and parked by the house. I’ve never felt it move with all the things I’ve done from cleaning up after a ride, removing mats, loading hay in the rack getting ready to leave etc. Or even my daughters having a slumber party out in the trailer.
Just thinking aloud here. If the jack foot is all the way down and resting on solid ground, the wheels are chalked and my horses needed training, I might consider it. Of course I’m dealing with 10,000 lb trailers, If the trailer is light enough that a horse stepping into the rear could unweight the jack, that would be a concern. I wouldn’t want the trailer to move in any way.
I think it really depends on the trailer and the location it is parked at. For somebody not able to evaluate those varables, The safe choice is to not do it.[/QUOTE]
I agree with this…it really depends on the trailer. My LQ gooseneck is 28 ft long with a heavy hydraulic jack in the front. I have no fear of living in it when it’s not hooked up…we do it when camping all the time…and I have loaded horses into it unhooked. It is a tank though at 10,000 lbs empty. There is a lot of length to it and one horse going in and out the back is not putting much weight on the jack to speak of.
My old lighter Trailet that was half that size…no I’d not load a horse without dropping the trailer onto the truck for stability.
Hook it up to practice. May seem like a hassle as first, but in no time you will be hooking that bad boy up quick! It’s a rehearsal for the both of you 
[QUOTE=MaybeMorgan;6329128]
Hey Jolly Badger-AJ Jolly is one place I want to go-It’s pretty close (I’m in Boone County) so I figure that would be a good place to start. You know they made a lot more trails and a campground?
BTW-there is no water at the trailhead there and I did not know if the trail went over a creek, hence the questions about water.[/QUOTE]
There are some creek crossings along the trail where you can stop and water your horse. Not a ton, if I recall correctly, but the trail really isn’t so long that you’d need to make a lot of stops and since it kind of doubles-back on itself, there are enough opportunities to stop and water.
I haven’t been since last year and didn’t see the new trails or camping area.
The park I’m closest to is East Fork State Park in Clermont County, OH. . .but most of it is a mudhole year-round.
It’s a shame, because they have a lot of mileage compared to most parks and there is some nice variety of hills and fields and water to cross. The 32 mile loop around the perimeter of the park makes for a great day ride.
The parks don’t care for the horse trails and the $$$ it would take to really fix them up is beyond what the local horse clubs can afford in their budgets.
When we haul out for a day ride, we often go the longer distance to places like Paint Creek or Shawnee rather than deal with the mud of East Fork. Shawnee/Bear Lake can get a bit wild-and-wooley on holiday weekends but the trails are clear and well-maintained with a lot of nice scenery up along the ridges.
depends
I’m on the side of ‘it depends’.
I don’t understand the fear of tipping over due to the jack…the axles are what keep it upright (side to side), the balls purpose is not to prevent tipping over sideways.
Don’t guess about the stability of the ground or how level it sits. It must be setting properly, meaning level in all directions, the wheels chocked properly and then there should be no danger of the trailer going anywhere. It may wiggle a bit but it does when hooked also.
The whole idea of a gooseneck is that the weight is distributed and the front weight is over the axle of the truck, unhooked the jack carries that weight but it does not ‘hold’ the front of the trailer down. If your trailer is properly designed the horse area is directly over the two axles of the trailer, so there is no ‘rocking’.
I suppose if you closed a horse into an unhooked trailer and it threw a fit the trailer may move a little more than if it was hooked up…but…we all know you wouldn’t do that, right ? (-:
Goosenecks are commonly used while unhooked, but if you are not sure/comfortable about all this then go ahead and hook up, it is good practice.
There’s this:
http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=385709
and this:
http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=367488
and then there’s the 2h GN with a bigger DR and a bit more stability by being heavier overall:
http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=387907
http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=387791
“depends”
Only an IDIOT would attempt this…I;m certain that there are lots of idiots that have and still do this…who are they? Their the ones that will state…its a 10K LB trailer and when I clean it, it doesnt move. These are the same people to dumb to figure out that a horse weighs 10x what they do.
Also…Trailer jacks fail…it happens on a rare occassion…I would not want my horse in there if it did.
As i posted before … most of the issue is lateral stability… not weight. It is unlikely a horse will unweight a 10,000 pound trailer BUT the weight of a 1000 pound horse leaping in or out of a trailer will produce a side load on the jack that can cause it to bend or collapse. An unchocked trailer is depending on the jack leg to keep it from moving. I wouldn’t depend on a mere jack leg when trailer training a horse… But it’s your horse, trailer and wallet. 
idiots…who me ??
[QUOTE=HoofaSchmigetty;6333190]
Only an IDIOT would attempt this…I;m certain that there are lots of idiots that have and still do this…who are they? Their the ones that will state…its a 10K LB trailer and when I clean it, it doesnt move. These are the same people to dumb to figure out that a horse weighs 10x what they do.
Also…Trailer jacks fail…it happens on a rare occassion…I would not want my horse in there if it did.[/QUOTE]
Boy, that’s a honkin big trailer. Last time I checked that weight would push most trucks around, don’t see a safety advantage hooking there. I think heavier things can move lighter things. In park with the brake on that truck can still slide under the right conditions. Being hooked up is no guarantee.
Sure the odd failure happens, people even forget to check if the ball is locked, lots of those stories around.
As I said “it depends”.
