Posted 2010-02-16 12:46 PM (#116657) Subject: Tying horses to a trailer with a ramp
Official BHW Doctor (pm for appointment)
Posts: 13
Location: At the bottom of the 15thD
Okay, I've been dealing with this for a few years now and am looking for opinions. I have aSundowner with a full ramp. We always haul four horses so, therefore there are 2 horses tied at the end of trailer. We must have the ramp down to get in the tack compartment. I don't like closing the rear doors on the trailer and letting the horses walk on and off the ramp when tied. I also don't like to pick the ramp up and down when we have to get into the tack compartment. The door locks that keep the rear doors of the trailer locked open make the doors stick straight out from the side of the trailer. The horses are always rubbing and bumping the doors when locked in this position. So, therefore I don't like that either. Here's what I have done for the past couple years....I riveted u-brackets on the door and then slide rods down in the u-brackets and hammered the rods in the ground a little bit to hold the rear doors parallel with the side of the trailer and ramp. This works out pretty good because the rear doors act like an extension of the side of trailer. The horses can move back and forth and we have constant access to the tack compartment. Now for the bad side....the aluminium rods are scratching my trailer badly from being slid in and out of the u-brackets. This is tollerable, but I thought that somebody might have a better idea. Anybody????
Posted 2010-02-16 1:02 PM (#116659 - in reply to #116657) Subject: RE: Tying horses to a trailer with a ramp
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330 Location: northeast Texas
Have you thought about having your tie rings moved forward so that the horses arent tied so close to the rear of the trailer ? Or perhaps you need another tie ring added. I hauled 4 horses all the time when my kids were young and rode and I could tie 3 on one side of my trailer if I wanted to. Of course horses like buddies, so its probably better with 2 on each side. Just relocate the tie rings farther towards the front.
Posted 2010-02-16 1:14 PM (#116662 - in reply to #116657) Subject: RE: Tying horses to a trailer with a ramp
Official BHW Doctor (pm for appointment)
Posts: 13
Location: At the bottom of the 15thD
Thanks and yes, I have thought about that. But it always seems like we're hauling young ones, witchy mares, or mean ole geldings!! Ha! Ha! Probably not the case, but it does seem like that. Anyways, if I move the ties, that puts their heads too close.
Posted 2010-02-16 2:38 PM (#116666 - in reply to #116657) Subject: RE: Tying horses to a trailer with a ramp
Regular
Posts: 85 Location: Galahad, AB, Canada
Hi there,
I don't have ramps so I can't speak to the question, but i did want to comment on a reply you got. Someone mentioned that you can move your exterior ties - how is that done? The one thing I dislike about my Featherlite is the locations of the tie rings. One is alone on the driver's side, so any horse there is alone without a buddy in sight. Not the end of the world, but sometimes not ideal. Then there are two tie rings on the passenger's side, but these are spaced really close together. I would not be able to tie unfriendly horses side by side because they'e so close they could easily kick each other. And even buddy horses are less than ideal that close together, there is no space for me to safely saddle or even groom in between them. So if I can move the tie rings, where do I place them? Must I drill new holes into the siding? What happens with the old holes, or do I just buy new rings and leave the old ones there? Can you safely fasten a tie to any of the ribbing? I had a friend who had a horse pull back and take the tie ring with them, it came from the manufactorer constructed poorly.
Sorry to be a bit off topic, but your question got me thinking.....
Posted 2010-02-17 9:31 AM (#116708 - in reply to #116666) Subject: RE: Tying horses to a trailer with a ramp
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
[ So if I can move the tie rings, where do I place them? Must I drill new holes into the siding? What happens with the old holes, or do I just buy new rings and leave the old ones there? Can you safely fasten a tie to any of the ribbing? I had a friend who had a horse pull back and take the tie ring with them, it came from the manufacturer constructed poorly.
It's easier to leave the presently installed tie rings in place. New rings are usually less than ~$5, plus the cost of some stainless hardware. You can usually place a new tie ring wherever there is a structural wall stud. Holes will have to be drilled completely through the center of the stud and wall, using a new tie ring as a template for the hole spacing.
The bolts will have a countersunk head against the ring. On the inside of the trailer, you'll want to secure the bolt, using a large fender washer and a self locking nut. Cut the exposed tail of the bolt flush with the nut, and file or sand the rough edges smooth.
Posted 2010-02-17 1:24 PM (#116720 - in reply to #116708) Subject: RE: Tying horses to a trailer with a ramp
Veteran
Posts: 134 Location: Coarsegold, CA
Why don't you put pipe insulation on the rods you pound into the ground to position the doors? Easy, cheap and it seems like you already have your problem fixed.
I have a ramp too and love it. Not for the horses BUT FOR ME at the end of the day or loading stuff into the first stall, etc.
Posted 2010-02-19 11:06 AM (#116795 - in reply to #116666) Subject: RE: Tying horses to a trailer with a ramp
Member
Posts: 13
I have a Featherlite that only has the rings on the sides near the fenders. I called up Featherlite and ordered additional rings to be installed at the rear of my trailer. Just talk to the parts department, tell them what trailer you have and the year, and they will send you extra rings. I am going to have mine installed by my local trailer dealer. They just have to be drilled into the framework somewhere on the trailer. I am leaving the existing ones, just adding more rings.
Tying horses to a trailer with a ramp
