So what is a slant trailer and which type or horse trailer is the best? I have 4 horses but probably wont be pulling more than 2 at a time. Should I get a 4 horse? Are the ones with the ramp that drops down in back the best for the horses to back out of? Are the older ones with the thicker walls safer for the horse? We have a big truck so weight isnt an issue.
Please enlighten me.
Thank you!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for all the great info. One more question - in an emergency would you be able to put 4 horses in a 3 horse stock or stock combo trailer?

A slant trailer is one where the horses are loaded to stand at a diagonal angle across the trailer, rather than parallel to the sides.

I don't like slants, myself. They're harder to load into because the horse has to be maneuvered into place, tied, and then left while the handler gets out of the way and swings the gate into place. If the horse isn't cooperative, it can be dangerous. Once the horses are loaded, you can only get to the one in the back. If something's happenned to the one in front, you have to unload however many are in behind it to get to it.

I like stock trailers, the ones that are open in the back; I have a 4 horse myself. It's not much more expensive than a 2 horse, and I'm forever taking a friend's horse along with mine for a trail ride or whatever. You can load the horses however you want, or they want, even in a slant. When I get where I'm going, I take my QH out and tie him, and leave my daughter's OTTB who doesn't tie loose inside like a box stall. They're both happy and safe. I highly recommend the 4 horse.

The stepup trailers are great. I've had more horses object to the ramp then to the step up, which was the opposite of what I expected. With the step up, you don't have to lift and lower a heavy ramp, you don't have to worry about the horse getting caught on the springs, you don't have to clean poop out of the channel between the ramp and the trailer, and you're not putting yourself at risk when the horse decides to exit the trailer and you're in the middle of raising the ramp!

I think the safest ones are probably the aluminum ones simply because they don't rust. Too many steel trailers have major rust problems that go unnoticed until too late. Mine's steel, and I inspect it often, but the next one will be aluminum.

If you're hauling horses that don't get along or don't know each other, you're probably better off with a standard two horse. Here, the 4 horse may be a lot more than the two horse, but the kind where the front two horses face the back and the back two face the front are great.

Make sure it's well ventilated and tall enough for your horses.

Are things more illuminated now?

Edit: In a real emergency, I have driven with up to 6 in my 4 horse stock. Short distances only; horses all knew each other; 3 small ponies, 2 14 hand arabs, 1 horse.

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New horse trailer! (things I need to know)?

March 31, 2010

in 3 horse trailer

I just got a new horse trailer its a CM Dakota ES 3 horse slant with tack/dressing room. its the plain model with no mats or anything. Here are some photos that look just like it:

http://www.ddfarmranchtrailers.com/products/detail/2010_cm_dakota_es_2_and_3_slant_load_bumper_pull/

http://martintrailersales.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/IMG_0125.25895825_std.JPG

There are round pieces of Metal above the windows is this were I am supposed to tie my horses or is this were i hang the hay? do you hang hay? do you even tie the horses? lol. (I'm new to slant loads.

I know it needs mats (going to buy some today) but dose it need padding on the walls or on the dividers?

Do I need to put screen up in the summer or just put fly masks on my horses? do I need to put plixi glass up in the winter or blanket them?

I'll add more questions as I think of them.

Thanks!,
Mary

The description you gave of the metal rings sounds like where you hang your hay and tie your horse. It is safest to tie your horse in the trailer so that he doesn't get his head under anything or step on his lead and freak out. You will need a trailer tie to tie him. Don't try to tie him with his lead rope, because if he breaks loose you need something to catch him with. You tie your hay bag up in the ring with whatever you have that will allow you to get it down quickly, and you also attach the trailer tie to it. If it has any substance to it I suggest getting a giant ring or something like that so that you have something easy to attach both to.

Padding on the sides of the trailer is recommended if you will be traveling any type of distance. These are possibly expensive, but the easiest way would be to ask the dealer about these. They will be able to recommend some type of padding that will fit your trailer easily. They could probably install it for you too.

I personally put a fly mask on my horse in the trailer. We have a trailer with 2 sides that are stock trailer type-open with the slits in the sides like yours. The 3rd wall is like a closed trailer and it has two windows. We keep the 2 sides open, and we open both windows during the ride. In the pictures the trailer didn't have windows, so to keep the hay out of your horse's eyes I would use a fly mask. i personally don't have the screens up because the windows I have don't have a place to attach them. I think that some fly masks are also cheaper than the screens, and you always have to worry about the window being too big/too small for the window and therefore waste your money.

I put plexiglass in my trailer in the open sides so that the bedding we keep inside doesn't get wet or snowed on and freezes. The plexiglass helps a lot in the winter during trailering, however you could use a light sheet just so your horse doesn't get too cold yet not too hot. The plexiglass is really easy to get, just measure how much you need and take that measurement to your local Home Depot and tell them you need some plexiglass.

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