I have a sundowner 2 horse slant gooseneck. I load my quarter horse in the front stale with no problem. I reasently got a paint and she loads great. the problem is loading both. i put the one horse in and then the second in and havent figured out how the best way to get out after they are loaded. their is an escape door in the front slant, but i dont want to crawl under the devider to get out and both horses dont like to be loaded and have the door open. In the rear is a foalding tack rack.  

Agree with everybody.My husband was loading his big horse in our 3H slant,and almost got smashed between horse and the divider behind him.I stand at the window and hook them up and hold onto them while he is loading/unloading.Unhandy if you're alone tho.But on the last horse,they are right.Send him in and close the divider behind him,and go hook him up if you tie them in the trailer,and go back and close the door.Or vice versa.It's dangerous being in there in that confined space,they can really hurt you if they decide to go "right brain" all of a sudden!

Good luck!

Ditto - unload without going in as well.  I've taught my horse that once I open the butt bar and pull on his tail, it's time to start backing out.  Luckily all my horses have come out nice and slow, but you do want to stay out of the way of any horse backing out of a trailer.

My husband saw a horse run backwards over a lady when she was loading a horse.He went in,and then ran backout  and    over her.She went to the hospital needless to say.I stand to the side in that case as well!

START FROM SCRATCH!  NEVER walk you horse in the trailer!  If they have loaded before the right way they should always load the right way!  

Start by standing on the left side of them and ask them to put one foot at a time in the trailer and stand claim, then back out claim then continue until you have done all 4 feet.   (may have to use a small bat just for an extenision of you arm) Works everytime, if doem right!  Most of our 13 horses dome it with in 15 mins., but we have one 28 year old that we saved about 10years ago and someone tried to beat, push and pull him in and made it worse.  But after a coupe of 15min. to 1 hour days he will load himself from 10 feet by just putting the lead rope over him neck. 

thanks for all your help, im always looking for ways to make it safer for the horses and me. I am going to teach them to load by themselves. a lot of people i know load their horses with them in the trailer. i will forward to them what you all have tought me

Thanks again.

Relax a bit. Its not that unsafe to walk in with your horse. Much of it depends on how well trained and confident your horse is. I can lead in or allow the horse to enter themselves. Plus, when I unload I can get in there and back them out. It more of a matter of keeping yourself calm as well as simply being aware when handling your horse.

in your case, I don't see the problem. After loading the second horse, if you you tie them in, then turn around and walk out, put up the butt bar- you're done. I don't tie them at all, so when i load a horse in the last stall, I just tell them stay, hook up the butt bar and I am done. The open door suggests to them, its time to leave, so I would teach them to stand there until they are asked to leave. Its entirely possible to teach them to stand until you ask them to move again.

It's really not a good idea to walk into the trailer with your horse. I use to always walk my mare into the trailer and then send our next horse on by his self because he would be in the rear stall and I didn't like how closed in it was. I thought I was being smart by not going into the last stall. I was loading my mare one time and something startled her and she came rushing to the window and to look out and trapped me between her, the side wall and the divider. I had to have someone come and back her off me. I could not get her off me no matter what I tried. I could have been hurt badly. I will not walk another horse on a trailer no matter how gentle or how many times they have been hauled. My mare has been hauled many many times and I have never had her act this way before and has not acted this way sense.  Horse is a animal with a brain and can do unexpected things just like a person. Never under estimate them and the power that they have. My Mare loads and unloads right by her self with no problems. She is a very gentle horse, @ 4 yrs old she acts like a 20 yr old very quite. Not a stupid horse.

This is yet another reason I like my 2H straight load!  It's a Logan Trojan with a ramp and double escape doors.  I have taught my horses to load, but if I have to, I can lead a horse in without putting myself in danger.  When participating in the rescue of 20 horses the only accidents we had were with slant load trailers especially one that had a rear tack compartment.  The last horse would not back out and the others were trapped until we could find a way to "unstick" her.  She kicked out at any approach to her hind end. One person finally climbed through the window to get to her head and coax her out.  We also had horses turn and come out over their handlers and horses panic and trap handlers. I like alot of features in the slant load but-- I'll stick to what's worked well for me, plus I can see my horses through the big front windows!  There is no substitute for training a horse to load quietly and confidently but when that isn't possible-- well I think the straight load with escape doors is safer.

Agree that straight loads with TWO escape doors are the way to go for alot but I got sick of slippery ramps and repairs and nervous horses that couldn't see what was going on.  I have a larger slant and walk the first horse in with the divider open, tie him, then close the divider- I DO NOT have rear tack for reasons mentioned- WAY too enclosed.  My second stall is large enough for my mare to turn around in and I have 50/50 doors so just send her in on her own through one open door.  When I unload she walks out no problem and the colt is in his seat belt until I open the divider and untie him.  I always feel I have plenty of 'escape' room.  When I'm really feeling lazy and haul just one, the divider is latched open and the horse self-loads with his/her own box stall.

ps- also have a heavy duty butt chain across the back so when I open the door for my mare she is not tempted to jump out.  I have plenty of time to put a lead on her before I undo the butt chain.  Should prob. tie her up but it so nice to just open the door, do the but chain and close it! 

Taking the time to train them to self-load/unload is invaluable!!!  They soon learn the drill and are happy campers.

My trailer has no rear tack room and one full-width rear door.  You may find it helpful to teach your horses to load if you take the rear tack room out.

I am also interested to hear any responses with opinions of no rear tack room.  The horse we normally load in the rear stall can and does turn around, but I think once we get rolling he just stands where he is at, whether it be forwards or backwards.  It doesn't seem to bother him, so it doesn't bother me.  But I have been thinking about installing a rear tack room or "tack box" for more storage.