i'm looking at trailers and i see that many of them have the one large back swing gate. i've never had a trailer with that, i've always used ones with rear tack so there has been only the 1/2 door. i'm wondering if anyone has any issues with the one large door versus the 2 seperate ones. i have an old veteran horse and a yearling that i'm to buy and i'm curious how it works, like getting the horse in and not having them escape cuz there is soo much room back there? i'm just clueless about these, any advice/answers would be great. thanks!
Posted 2006-07-10 9:45 PM (#44395 - in reply to #44381) Subject: RE: swing gates
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 474 Location: White Mills, Ky.
We teach our young horses to load in the stock trailer with the single swing gate. It is less intimidating because it is so wide and they have a clear view. Then they graduate to the travelin' trailer with the rear tack and 60/40 doors. As for them "escaping" it is helpful to have a second person to shut the door until you can get the horse secured.
Posted 2006-07-11 9:22 AM (#44414 - in reply to #44381) Subject: RE: swing gates
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 303 Location: Grapeland, Texas
I prefer two gates. I do have a 2 horse slant with the single gate and when the wind is blowing it can get away from you. If you have two people it's not bad. I always worry about the wind catching it and messing it up when it whips it around.
Posted 2006-07-11 9:36 AM (#44415 - in reply to #44381) Subject: RE: swing gates
Veteran
Posts: 274 Location: Memphis, TN
I have a 3H slant with the one large rear door. I like it and do not have issues with horse escaping once in trailer. I do secure it to the spare mounted on the trailer side with a bungee to keep the wind from blowing it around.
Posted 2006-07-11 1:47 PM (#44438 - in reply to #44381) Subject: RE: swing gates
Veteran
Posts: 115
My last trailer was a 2H stock with a single swing gate. It was fine with only one horse but I hated hauling 2 in it. I go places alone and having to leave a horse tied, with nothing behind them while unloading or loading a 2nd horse is a wreck waiting to happen. With a bigger trailer it probably wouldn't be as big of an issue, of if there was some sort of butt bars or chains. Mine didn't have a butt bar or anything to stop the 2nd horse from trying to back out at the same time.
Posted 2006-07-11 1:52 PM (#44439 - in reply to #44381) Subject: RE: swing gates
Veteran
Posts: 274 Location: Memphis, TN
Mine actually has a rear tack compartment with its own door which is a separate little metal box mounted at the rear on one side. This is all behind the one big swing out door and has a chain across the entire rear. Works fine for us.
swing gates
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