Posted 2014-12-03 3:21 PM (#161909) Subject: Head to head trailer
Veteran
Posts: 134
Can any one tell me if there is an advantage to using a head to head trailer over a slant load. Pros, cons. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Posted 2014-12-04 6:48 AM (#161915 - in reply to #161909) Subject: RE: Head to head trailer
Elite Veteran
Posts: 798 Location: Tenn/Ala.
Most head to head trailers also have larger stalls. As in longer stall length, more room in the head/neck area, and many are taller. So you often will see them for warmblood style, drafts, and other larger and especially longer bodied horses.
But- to get the same number of horses as a slant, they are generally longer trailers.
Posted 2014-12-04 9:24 AM (#161919 - in reply to #161909) Subject: RE: Head to head trailer
Veteran
Posts: 133 Location: NC
Head to head trailers are good for versatility. most of them have removable/movable dividers so you can change the size of the stalls, can accommodate larger horses or a mare with foal. Also allows you to load or unload in any order. A con could be most of these trailers require you to back the horse into the stall, some horses may not do this as willingly as others.
Posted 2014-12-04 12:14 PM (#161923 - in reply to #161909) Subject: RE: Head to head trailer
Veteran
Posts: 134
Thank You to everyone that responded. One more question, has anyone found that a horse rides better in a slant vs a head to head or vice versa? Thanks again!
Posted 2014-12-05 7:06 AM (#161939 - in reply to #161929) Subject: RE: Head to head trailer
Veteran
Posts: 134
To kooner , Thanks but thats not what I asked. Yes I do know that if I load a horse loose in our stock trailer they will face to the rear. I would love to have a reverse load trailer, but they are hard to find in my neck of the woods.I have really big horses and that is why I was asking about the head to head, mainly for their comfort. I also wonder if hauling long distances, if they would do better. Since this forum is a wealth of information, I thought it would be the place to go. Thanks again
Posted 2014-12-05 7:41 AM (#161940 - in reply to #161909) Subject: RE: Head to head trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350 Location: Penrose, Colorado
I think it is a personal thing on which trailer to buy, for years we had a head to tail trailer but the last 15 or so slants and I think they haul better but who really has the proof of that.
Posted 2014-12-06 4:50 AM (#161949 - in reply to #161909) Subject: RE: Head to head trailer
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
I grew up showing big English horses and we hauled them for points (AQHA/APHA) so our horses spent lots of time in the trailers. My trainer had the oldest slant I've ever seen, it was the second slant trailer ever made, a six horse slant by Stidham. I can say that the horses fit in her trailer but that was about it. My personal trailer was a TB style straight load trailer by Jackson and it held everything up to 16.3HH beasts. Over time I did notice that horses riding in my trailer tended to have less fatigue and better legs/feet. Both trailers had ramps and both hauled with same year and brand trucks. My trailer was padded, hers was not.Personal experience, horses in the pasture will stop and run in a straight line. The horse's body is designed to use both front/rear feet to compensate with changes in speed. I prefer to haul in a straight load trailer for the horses comfort and ability to compensate for changes in speed, etc. The stall sizes are more roomy and allow larger horses (tall and long) to have the room they need to get comfortable which during longer hauls can make the difference in what hops off the trailer and is ready to compete. Safety is a nice added bonus, as you can load/unload each horse if problems arise.I do understand the slant floor plan, in that more horses can be placed in a compact footprint. Making hauling around tight fairgrounds and traffic easier with a shorter rig. Some people say they can't feel the horses wiggling around as much due to the weight distribution in a slant trailer. I have also seen a really nice show horse that lost his tail in a slant load after the truck broke down causing the horses to lean on the curb side wall for so long that the circulation was cut off and the tail bone died and fell off. In the event of a crazy horse you must unload horses in the last-on-first-out order and that could leave you with one person holding several horses on the side of the road while you figure out how to get the "crazy" horse to climb back down off the divider. (Ask me how I know.)It is a personal choice and only one that you can make for yourself. Having said this I still own my straight load trailer from my youth showing and am now considering a three horse slant. I now have a single "big" horse (16.1 and 1300 lbs.) and my son has a little cow pony (15 and 1000 lbs.)
Posted 2014-12-06 8:22 AM (#161952 - in reply to #161909) Subject: RE: Head to head trailer
Veteran
Posts: 134
Thank you huntseat. that was exactly the kind of information I was looking for. Someone that has experience with both. I really appreciate the input.Thanks again.
Head to head trailer
