|
|
Veteran
Posts: 133
 
| I just wanted some opinions on this... A friend of mine does it frequently, but I can't help but feel it is dangerous. Her thinking is that it's no different than a stock trailer, but I fear one getting in a bind with the panels that are tied back. To be clear, I am talking about opening up all your slants and letting your horse have the whole trailer. She does take his halter off. Just looking for some pro and cons! Mainly on safety |
|
| |
|
 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
 
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | So this is a slant load trailer? Dont seem like a good ideal to me. Is your friend hauling one are more horses like this?
Every body has their own way of hauling but I like mine to be tied. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1857
| Not a big deal to me... I do especially if I'm hauling one horse. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 133
| Its a slant trailer, but with all the slants open and tied back. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| If the slants are open and tied securely not a problem.
I honestly think it is safer to leave a horse loose in a trailer then tied, as I know people who have had the back door come undone and horses drug to death.
If it is her horse and her horse trailer why does it matter to you?
Each to their own |
|
| |
|
A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | BarrelRacer6789 - 2015-05-23 1:01 PM Its a slant trailer, but with all the slants open and tied back.
I would be worried about the horse getting its head caught between the slant/gate and trailer its self. Now in a open stock trailer I would have no problem hauling my horse loose in fact I have done this a few times my self on a really long haul. |
|
| |
|
A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | cheryl makofka - 2015-05-23 1:03 PM If the slants are open and tied securely not a problem. I honestly think it is safer to leave a horse loose in a trailer then tied, as I know people who have had the back door come undone and horses drug to death. If it is her horse and her horse trailer why does it matter to you? Each to their own
Wow horses that have been druged to death, now thats just scary, so glad I dont know anybody that have done this.
I would think either way if the horse is loose and the trailer door is open I would think it would jump out. I have heard of this happening. But dont know anybody that this has happen to thank goodness, I always double/triple check my doors when leaving... |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Southtxponygirl - 2015-05-23 1:12 PM
cheryl makofka - 2015-05-23 1:03 PM If the slants are open and tied securely not a problem. I honestly think it is safer to leave a horse loose in a trailer then tied, as I know people who have had the back door come undone and horses drug to death. If it is her horse and her horse trailer why does it matter to you? Each to their own
Wow horses that have been druged to death, now thats just scary, so glad I dont know anybody that have done this.
I would think either way if the horse is loose and the trailer door is open I would think it would jump out. I have heard of this happening. But dont know anybody that this has happen to thank goodness, I always double/triple check my doors when leaving...
I have had horses jump out of the trailer, door was latched and rough roads the vibration caused the door to come open
Mine weren't tied, one horse jumped out, the other stayed in the one jumped out was not injured.
Same road friends had door pop open their horse was tied and did not survive.
Also heard of aluminum trailer the hinges busting off door falling off.
Yes we need to be diligent but sometimes it still happens
|
|
| |
|
A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | cheryl makofka - 2015-05-23 1:39 PM Southtxponygirl - 2015-05-23 1:12 PM cheryl makofka - 2015-05-23 1:03 PM If the slants are open and tied securely not a problem. I honestly think it is safer to leave a horse loose in a trailer then tied, as I know people who have had the back door come undone and horses drug to death. If it is her horse and her horse trailer why does it matter to you? Each to their own Wow horses that have been druged to death, now thats just scary, so glad I dont know anybody that have done this.
I would think either way if the horse is loose and the trailer door is open I would think it would jump out. I have heard of this happening. But dont know anybody that this has happen to thank goodness, I always double/triple check my doors when leaving... I have had horses jump out of the trailer, door was latched and rough roads the vibration caused the door to come open Mine weren't tied, one horse jumped out, the other stayed in the one jumped out was not injured. Same road friends had door pop open their horse was tied and did not survive. Also heard of aluminum trailer the hinges busting off door falling off. Yes we need to be diligent but sometimes it still happens
In my 30 plus years of hauling I have been lucky.
Glad to hear that your horses were ok. 
I would think if a horse fell out of the back of a trailer and being drug you would feel it or the clip would break on a lead rope. Sounds horrible.
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2015-05-23 2:06 PM
|
|
| |
|
 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | My mare I always tie and close a slant door. My gelding is going to have to learn to do that...he hasn't ridden in a trailer very much so I leave him loose in the trailer so he doesn't accidentally become scared, pull back, and cause A LOT of problems. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1857
| I don't see a horse being that persistent to try and get between the slants and if they are secure it's got to be one determined pony to get in between there.... If she felt that much commotion surely she would be smart enough to stop and check it out! |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 629
| I don't leave the slants open, but I don't tie. |
|
| |
|
  Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4553
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | Nothing wrong with it. My biggest concern would be breaking the welds holding the divider. I would remove the dividers if that was going to be my only way of hauling. |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 422
Location: Fort Bragg North Carolina | Remove your slants!! I have done this many times its funny because mine have always turned backwards I guess it's more comfortable for them. Never had a problem its like a box stall |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 2457
| charlenenh - 2015-06-04 5:23 AM Remove your slants!! I have done this many times its funny because mine have always turned backwards I guess it's more comfortable for them. Never had a problem its like a box stall
yup - think about it. A horse balances using their head and neck, but will keep their weight on their rear end. My horses haul in an open stock trailer often enough that they load up, head to the front, turn around and just look at you to close the door. Ranch horses are generally hauled this way as well. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1898
| I would remove the gates if I was going to haul lose.
There are advantages and disadvantage to lose hauling as there are disadvantages to tying. When lose hauling, if the horse has it's head down and you have to come to an abrupt stop, the horse can suffer whiplash.
I think they prefer to ride backwards because they are more stable that way. If you think about it, it makes sense. Instead of having to stay standing up through sideways inertia, by adjusting and standing backwards, they take all the motion as forward/backward inertia instead. |
|
| |
|
 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | I used to always TIE in my slant load but it seems that Red's breathing gets raspy if he can't put his head all the way down when being hauled. This year I have been leaving him untied and his breathing is much better. He hauls really well so I don't worry about him getting somewhere he doesn't belong.
As far as the back trailer door opening and horse's getting dragged .... that is why I haul with breakaway snaps that break under pressure, and breakaway halters, and legs wrapped .... and my back door physically has a locked pin that goes through it so it can't open up unless something would physically break.
|
|
| |
Folks on-line