I am considering buying my first truck/trailer. I have discovered that the typical "starter trailer" is now a 2h slant, and the little straight-load manger trailers of my 4-H days seem to be disappearing. The dealer nearest me doesn't even carry them anymore, saying that they have no resale value and that no one will buy them as they can get a slant with a dressing room for a few hundred more. Would you experienced haulers agree with this?

My inexperience with the slant leads to my question. I know that when loading, I should close the butt bar and door, then tie the horse and when unloading I should untie the horse before opening the back. With a slant without drop-down windows on the head side, I could close in the front horse and then tie him by walking in the trailer. But how would I tie the back horse? It seems I would have to tie him, then leave through the back door, which violates the principle of not having a horse tied without being closed in in back. And when letting him out, I wouldn't want to open the back door while he is still tied. Is there typically room to reach through the bars to tie/untie from the outside? Or do I need to make sure I get the drop-down windows? I guess I would have the same issue with a stock trailer--no experience with those either.

Thanks for any info! I am trying hard to learn as much as I can so that I don't make a bad expensive decisison...

Here's how I load ours...

We have a 3 horse Slant Load Exiss.  I load the first horse that likes to turn around rather than back out, and tie him to a quick release tie on the off side of his halter.  Close the stud wall on him.

I load the second horse (he backs out or turns around) the same way and close the barrier on him.

I load the third horse, tie her the same way...on the halter offside, then use my thumbs in her "get off me" spots behind her front leg and at her hip...move her over and back out of the trailer.  I hitch up the butt bar and close the door.

I keep the drop downs open, but leave the prison bars up.  When we get to where we're going, I unlock the offside halter lead on the two rear horses.

When I drop the buttbar, the last in is first out, and she comes out willingly...I tell her "step...step" to let her know to step down.  (Never used a ramp).

Second out is loose, but behind the slant.  I'll tell him to stand, then grab the lead rope and lead him out or back him out, whichever he seems more willing to do.

Third out, I open the slant, reach around  and undo the offside quick release, then lead him out.  He's 16 hands and turns around just fine in the 3Hslant.

It's all what they get used to, I suppose. 

For convience, drops on the head are handy to tie/untie as needed, remove a hay bag, or quickly release a panicky horse.

Some 2-horse slants do not have a butt bar, but rather a full swing back door. I have this style for my day trailer and have taught my horse not to back until I give them the back queue. I would prefer to have the 60/40 door, but hubby likes the full door for hauling other things so I lost out on that vote. I do like to have slats with removable plexi-glass or drops on the hip for more ventilation and vents over each horse.

Remember to also consider the width and height of the trailer. Most newer trailers are at least 7 foot tall and 6'9" or wider. Are you looking at bumperpull with dressing room or gooseneck? There are some very nice newer style straightload trailers out there with dressing rooms that are Bumperpull - warmblood size.

I use quick release snaps on my trailer ties, but do not like the bungee type rope. I tie them in the trailer using trailer ties, remove the lead rope and then shut the divider.

In a "perfect" world the horse will wait calmly to unload.  With the proper training they should be fine most of the time.

That being said........in the real world I never tie solid in or to the trailer.  I use either "The Clip", Blocker Tie Ring, or velcro tear away trailer ties.

Thanks for the suggestions. I love my Blocker tie rings and plan on using them in whatever trailer I get. I plan to get a bumper pull. I'm not finding straight loads with dressing rooms around here (Texas), at least not for <$10K, my absolute upper limit. Everything seems to be a slant--could that be a regional thing?

I would get the front drop-downs at a minimum.  Back drops allow a lot of air flow during the summer.

We went from a 2 horse straight load to a 3 horse slant.  I used to have to use leg wraps to prevent leg & hoof injuries.  Haven't had a single injury in the slant load.  The slant stalls let the horse brace between the next horse's feet.  The front drops helped in retraining the horses to load.  As soon as the horse loaded, he got a treat or a bite from a bucket of grain through the drop-down.  Now they self load, waiting to be tied through the window and the treat. 

Unloading, the last horse is tied till the butt bar is down.  When his halter is released, the "back" command starts the process.  We call "step" when the next step is out and down.  The next horse is unloaded backwards from inside the trailer.  Otherwise, he'll turn around and jump out.  I let him get the back feet on the ground and ask him to halt 1/2 out of the trailer door.  Otherwise he'll rush out like a shot.

Your horses may need a different approach to load & unload.

Just the back stall.  When the divider is locked in position, the trailer walls form the stall front and back.

OKay - so your first question is, are their side-by-side trailers for less than $10k?  I have to believe there are - you might have to order one from a more northern or east coast location (NC, SC, etc.)  Heck, the bare-bones version of my 3H GN Titan Avalanche is less than $10k (windows at the head and butt, 2 rear doors, 4' short wall) before shipping and tax.

SO far as tying the horses when you don't have windows at the head.  Tie your lead rope or trailer tie to a post or ring and leave it there. Use a different lead rope to load the horse. Exit the trailer and reach through the slats - or, with a trained horse, just clip the lead/trailer tie and then swing the divider closed.

So far as no butt bar on slant loads - Yup... it makes me crazy. Unless there is a rear tack, there is typically no butt bar on the rear stall of a low cost slant. HOWEVER, you could take the trailer to a car collision place or trusted welder and have U-bolts/rings installed and then add a chain that you can cover with the pipe insulation and duct tape.  It scares the crap out of me to have a horse that MIGHT be leaning on the back doors.  Or special order your trailer with a rear chain.

Good Luck.

This is a personal thing, but I will never own a horse that does not self-load.  I travel alone far too much... I can't count on having help.  Here's the drill for me, my horse, and my 2h slant-load GN with headside drops... I find that doing it exactly this way every time decreases the risk of stupid things like forgetting to detach the trailer tie before asking him to back up:

LOADING
1: Open drop-down and bars
2: Open back door and butt-bar
3: Send horse into rear trailer stall
4: Put up butt bar and drape end of lead rope over it
5: Climb up onto wheel fender
6: Attach trailer tie to halter cheek ring
7: Detach lead rope from halter and snap it to a ring on the hay bag
8: Close the bars
9: Close and latch the rear doors

UNLOADING
1: Open the bars
2: Open rear door
3: Shovel out poop
4: Return to head window, climb up onto wheel fender
5: Attach lead rope to halter, detach trailer tie, double-check that lead rope isn't tangled in hay bag straps
6: Return to back of trailer, pick up end of lead rope
7: Drop butt-bar
8: Gently tug, saying "back, back" and then "STEP" when he gets to the edge
9: Rinse, lather, repeat (just kidding)

EDITED TO ADD A COUPLE OF MISSING STEPS... like drop the butt-bar.  LOL

Exactly, no drama, no tieing, no untieing, I pull on the first ones tail to get him/her to unload. Never had a problem. I have seen more problems from folks that tie than those that don't.

Trailer: Two horse straight load (Walk-thru) gooseneck with a Dressing room and a few options. Note:The stalls in a slant load aren't as big, that is why I'd go with a straight load.
Horses like: Room, light and ventilation
Truck: 3/4 ton truck (Note: Get the 8' bed.)

The perfect combination! That was simple.
Have fun...........Be safe. 

KCW
Email: kcwalker@mail.com 

Are you looking for new or used?  There are dozens of used ones listed on here.  Here is a 2 horse slant with a dressing room.  http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=163970

We had a 1980 WW 2 horse and didn't have any trouble selling it when we decided to.  Maybe the dealers near Houston are just trying to get rid of what they have on the lot instead of getting what you want.  I think the "days of that trailer are gone" statement is wrong.  There are LOTS of them running around here. 

I think the OP was originally looking for a 2H side-by-side - hence the "days of that trailer are gone".... but it's not true at all.

Look at all the Trail-ets, Hawks, Merhows, Kingston, Logan, etc. I think even Valley (VERY starter trailer, not the best designed) has a side-by-side stock type.  My girlfriend has Bison 2H side-by-side. It has built in mangers, is 7' tall, divider and 2 rear doors.  I had a Circle J galvanealed that I loved.

I bet CM, Circle J, Titan, Corn Pro, Featherlite, and many others offer what the OP is seeking.  It just depends on what the OP wants in material and longevity. Under 10k... primarily steel. have to watch the flooring and ceiling, vents, and doors. Some are alum, some are galvanealed.

Also - the OP should consider buying from dealers farther out from home town.