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Member
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Location: Abbotsford,BC | On a racers opinion, do you think that reverse load horse trailers are better or worse than a slant load horse trailers? |
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Veteran
Posts: 236
 
Location: Little town in Pa | I had a reverse load for 12 years and was happy not having to back my horses out of the trailer. Texax A&M did research with blind folded horses in a large box van and almost all of them turned towards the back of the trailer. They also did pulse and heart rates and detirmined that horses were more relaxed when facing the rear. |
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Lamar, Mo | That is interesting to hear of that study... we have seen the amount of interest greatly increase in our reverse load trailers , we have done them from 3 horses all the way up to 7 horse size , they offer different options as to how you can set up rear tacks ( bigger rear tacks), but most important it can be said that the reverse load offers more stability to the horse , much like the study they refered to suggested . |
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Veteran
Posts: 236
Location: Little town in Pa | Is saw the twister trailers at Quarter Horse Congress, pretty fancy! |
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Lamar, Mo | Thank you very much! We do not produce as many trailers as some major trailer companies , so not everyone in the world has seen one of our trailers, but we really appreciate you taking the time to look at them ! As I mentioned in the post before , we have had many reverse load trailers to build withen the last year and we see alot of advantages to them , they are pretty user friendly... |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383
Location: Texas | I like the reverse load better, especially for horses that get hauled a lot. Slant load doesn't put even stresses on legs, back, etc. when you are stopping or taking off..... reverse load does. I don't think its a big deal most of the time but I really noticed it when I hauled one of my horses close to 20,000 miles in one year and expected him to be able to do a 50 mile endurance ride about ever other weekend, he wasn't liking the slant after a while.
I've always wondered about those "studies" that get done on horses blindfolded in a trailer, are they using horses that have been hauled before? They seem to ride the way they are accustomed to, slant, rear facing, or forward so that can skew a study.
Edited by greyhorse 2009-03-30 4:30 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 164
Location: Delaware | I had read years ago that this is the preferred way they haul horses in England. Also, front load puts alot of stress on the front end when stopping. It's easier on the horse with his hind end taking up the stress. Slant loads were not developed in favor of the horse, it was designed to get more horses in less space. A horse will get sore on his off side shoulder over a long haul with alot of stopping and starting. Pull horses loose in a stock trailer and they will turn their butts to the front because it is more comfortable for them. |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | Originally written by Rockinghorserun on 2009-04-04 7:35 PM Pull horses loose in a stock trailer and they will turn their butts to the front because it is more comfortable for them. I have to disagree with this at least a little. My horses loose in a stock trailer all depends on whether I have my plexiglass in it or not. If the plexi is out, they turn their butt to the front, and stand straight. If the plexi is in, they will stand facing the front, usually at an angle. Until recently I hadn't ever thought about why, but this weekend we had some 55mph gusts. I looked out the window of the house and all of the horses are standing in a line, out in the pasture, with their butt turned to the wind. Even when in the sheds that are open on the east and south, they would still stand with their butt to the north from the wind. This morning I read this thread, and got thinking about all of it. The other thing I will say, is your horses will also condition to how you haul them...slant, straight, reverse slant, backwards. Much like the old pickup stock racks that horses used to ride in...or the 6' 2" tall straight load bumper pull that was barely over 10' long that today we can't imagine fitting a horse into. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 177
Location: East London South Africa | Hey Tresvolt- you have a point there. I used to haul mares and foals in my old 4H straight load. I would take the middle partition out so I had two box stalls. The mares would always face forward at a slant, until I opened the windows....then they faced backwards... Very interesting - I never thought of it like that. |
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New User
Posts: 1
Location: WALKER, MO 64790 | I decided to buy a reverse load (really like turnbow) because I have heard of too many horses that died from a broken neck from an abrupt stop, usually from an accident. At least they will hit their rumps first and have a second to brace before the recoil. |
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Expert
Posts: 1989
Location: South Central OK | Broken neck? I've NEVER listened to a single person report a broken neck in a traditional front facing slant accident. I have heard reports of a horse breaking their neck from falling down while being tied and they snapped their neck, but that wasn't anything to do with the load direction of the trailer it had to do with being tied. |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
Location: Vermont | Originally written by ponylover on 2016-07-24 8:59 PM
I decided to buy a reverse load (really like turnbow) because I have heard of too many horses that died from a broken neck from an abrupt stop, usually from an accident. At least they will hit their rumps first and have a second to brace before the recoil. Huh?...on a straightload trailer...the horse will contact the chest bar in an abrupt start... |
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Location: Texas | I haul on average 40,000 miles a year and have had both reverse and slant. I don't think there's a nickels worth of difference on the horse. I like the slant because I can just point my horses and they jump in. No leading or tying. They have to back out either way. If you really want to save your horses legs, get air ride suspension and foam mats. |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
Location: Vermont | Originally written by Tx. Vaquero on 2016-07-25 5:04 PM
If you really want to save your horses legs, get air ride suspension and foam mats. AIr rIde SUSPENSION... |
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Veteran
Posts: 133
Location: NC | our trailer is a reverse slant load. horses face backwards at a slant. they all seem to like it just fine, and stand the same way when in an open stock trailer. |
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Reverse load vs. Slant load
