I'm looking at a couple of 2H BP slant trailers. One has a front escape door and the other doesn't--they seem to be about the same otherwise. One with escape door is about $600 more, is it worth it? (Price range about $7500-8000). I can see it being helpful if trailer got rear ended and the back door couldn't be opened. Are there other important advantages?  Thanks!

P. S. Even if I buy the escape door, I plan to teach my horse to back out and unload her that way most of the time, just so that I know she can.

The escape door is not really for the horse to unload from. It's a way for you to get out of the trailer when you load your horse. Escape door, not an unload door. $600.00 seem like alot, but I wouldn't have a trailer like that without one.... On either side.

 Well said dweber2000, I can't stand when we go ride somewhere or even to the vet and you someone pull in open the back door, then walk in and open the divider then run out and watch the horse struggle to turn around to get out!  Then when you offer them help, they tell you there is nothing wrong or "they have tired and the horse don't get it"!  I think to myself and keep reminding myself that it is not the horses fault and the horse only does what the owner ask of them.

Although we bought trailers with a three horse capacity, we rarely carry more than two. The front stalls are commonly used for storage, so using the escape door for any animal is not realistic. Our outside escape doors are used for access into the stall to retrieve any item that is being stored, while there are horses in the last two stalls.

If you have a trailer with a pass through door from the DR or LQ, you can also access your stored materials. However, in most cases, the pass through door cannot be used as an emergency exit when loading a horse. Because the door opens into the stall, and it is usually located at about the shoulder or forward belly area of the horse, you could be trapped into the forward part of the stall ahead of the door. It can't be opened with a horse in the stall.

The front stall escape door, if you can afford it, is very handy. How many horses you plan to carry and how you plan to use the front stall, and if you have a pass through door, will determine if the lack of one will be a deal breaker for you. I would not purchase any trailer that didn't have at least one of the two types of doors. A front stall without any type of exterior access, would be of little use for our needs.

Gard

I've never used the escape door to unload a horse and all my trailers have had a steel chest bar that stays up when the door is open. I have personally seen a horse follow their less-than-genious human counterpart through the escape door.

My understanding of the escape door is for people only and it was to be used for the person to exit the trailer after the horse is loaded (straight load situation maybe) or to load/unload things out of that stall. Also, I have been led to believe that the construction around the escape door may not be sufficient to withstand a horse using it.

She's asking about a TWO HORSE BP slant load trailer. 

to jtravis.. . as others have said, the escape door is for PEOPLE OR.. in the event of a wreck, someone being able to get into the trailer to help the horse(s).  BUT.. there's a 50-50 chance the trailer is going to end up laying on that side anyway - so it won't help in those instances.

If you have drop down windows, they are typically large enough for a person to get into the trailer in the event of an emergency. Sliding "bus" windows on the butt side should also be large enough to kick out / kick in / otherwise remove to gain access to the horse.

I say - it depends on the nature of the handler and the horse.  If you think you will be storing things in the front stall (bales of hay or large water tank) then get the door. 

Otherwise, keep it simple. Go for a rear tack and butt bar.

It's this one.

http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=156988

I don't plan to use it for unloading, though to me it looks like the front horse could go out that way if there was a need. I can definitely see a horse trying to rush out that way, which would be dangerous. I don't plan to lead the horse into the trailer and then "escape" through it--I plan to teach the horse to load herself and then back out. I was thinking more for emergencies--a friend who has a similar door told me it was also great for cleaning the trailer and for giving the horse a drink from a bucket if you were stopped on a long trip--buckets through the drop-down windows might be awkward.

If I get this one, I think it would be a good idea, after horse is loading, standing and unloading calmly, to make sure she will also stand calmly inside when that door is opened. Hopefully that will prevent her trying to rush out the door if there is ever a need to open it. Thanks for all the suggestions!

I looked at that ad also.. However, luckily I still have my straight load which has prevented me from making any hasty impulsive need-to-have-it-now purchases.. When I get my trailer ordered, it will also have the escape door.. I chose that option specifically for use as a storage stall for hay, water, use as a cowboy shower enclosure, etc.  I didn't look feasible to have a horse jumping out of that doorway.. My silly goose would probably take down a hip.....I'd love to buy used, but can't find exactly what I want.. I'd also love to have a 3 horse BP (which there seems to be a LOT more available used with a few more amenities), but don't have the muscle to pull it safely..

Good luck! I live fairly close, so maybe we'll run into each other sometime.

Looks like a good deal. One comment on the write-up... those are not 60-40 doors. Look at where the 3 top running lights are and then look at the seam between the 2 doors. It's lined up in the center.

Not too big of a deal - I can get my horses to load with only 1 rear door open, but I don't have the rear tack so once they put their heads through that opening, the entire trailer is open.

I have a front escape door on my 2H slant load GN and I have actually used it recently to unload. I had a large mare in the front stall because it had more room and she was already cramped. Little crippled horse in back stall. When it came time to unload, I didn't want little crippled horse (first trailer ride) to have to learn to back right there and in the dark so unloaded mare from front stall and allowed baby to turn around and come out that way.

Call me paranoid but in case of a wreck of any kind, I would still like the first horse to have a possible route of escape. Me too, for that matter!

Only because the right-hand door overlaps the left-hand door a couple of inches. Ask me how I know.    (I have one).  The left-hand door has to be closed and latched before the right-hand door can be closed and latched.

And then, I pop a small clip in there to make sure the latch stays down. It's sort of like a clevis pin but it's called a "safety pin" here:

http://www.drillspot.com/products/352253/Approved_Vendor_5VU61_Safety_Pin