Posted 2013-08-01 7:58 AM (#153729 - in reply to #153725) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
If you perform a SEARCH you will find several discussions about the topic. From past experience, the issue is pretty evenly divided as to which method is the best. Just as with trailers, different people have different ideas about which is the best way to load.
Some of the decisions are based upon what type of trailer you own, if it has been blocked, where it is used and the training of the horses.
Posted 2013-12-19 1:27 PM (#156290 - in reply to #153725) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Member
Posts: 22
Location: Nebraska
Replying to this old post. I have owned both and would prefer never to have a ramp again. It had nothing to do with horses; they will load in any type or can be trained to load in either. But with my ramp trailer, it had 2 dutch doors (top half doors) and one big ramp that was the lower half of the 2 doors. If hauling one horse, it was necessary to open the ramp and the two dutch doors just to get the horse out. If it was windy, you would have to hook the dutch doors in place before moving the horse. If it was 10 below zero and windy, dealing with 3 doors was just crazy! Sundowner told me it would be over $1000 to replace those doors so I never did. I sold the trailer. A ramp would be a deal breaker for me.
Posted 2013-12-19 10:37 PM (#156297 - in reply to #153725) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Regular
Posts: 60 Location: Alberta Canada
I had a step up for five years and I didn't like it. Reason being that out here in Alberta the winters are long and there is lots of ice and snow. I found that the horses often did some pretty big slides onto the icy ground when getting out of the trailer. I figure that sooner or later a bad fall would have been inevitable. My new trailer has a rear and front ramp. Much safer for unloading in winter.
Posted 2013-12-21 12:53 AM (#156310 - in reply to #153725) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
I would like a ramp on my trailer and might have one added as my older horse is getting arthritic but is still ride-able. He is having a heck of a time loading and un-loading now due to the stiffness in his ankle. My step up is low but is definitely hard on him now. So, if you ever have an injured horse and need to trailer him some where for any reason....a ramp would definitely be a good thing
Posted 2013-12-21 2:30 PM (#156325 - in reply to #156299) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Regular
Posts: 60 Location: Alberta Canada
Gard,I am curious how your wife was injured on the ramp? This is my first trailer with a ramp and I would like to be aware of any potential safety issues. I hope your wife was not seriously hurt!
Posted 2013-12-21 11:41 PM (#156329 - in reply to #156325) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
My wife had just finished loading a horse into our straight load 2H BP trailer. The ramp was steel coated and framed, with a plywood core, making it quite heavy. As she was lifting the ramp, the retract spring broke, and it fell onto her upper thigh, with the edge gouging and traveling down past her kneecap. It tore her muscles and damaged her knee. Aprox two decades later she still has a misshapen thigh and kneecap.
The same trailer was loaned to my neighbour, who breeds and raises TB race horses. He had a mare flip out when she was being loaded. She slipped completely, and went off the side of the ramp onto a black top driveway. Striking her head on the pavement, she was unconscious for a couple of minutes. The horse survived and later loaded into a step up with no problems.
That trailer was sold and replaced with a step up SL BP trailer. It was the last ramp equipped horse trailer we will own.
Posted 2013-12-22 2:52 AM (#156332 - in reply to #153725) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
I like the idea of the 2+1 trailers that have a rear ramp and one up front. This way you can unload a horse right straight out the front with a ramp in a straight load trailer. No having to back the horse out. Nice! Or, a slant load trailer with no rear tack, you can turn the horse around and lead him straight out. I think what can be dangerous is the backing a horse down a ramp. If that one foot does not go where it is supposed to..... a horse will and can "freak-out". I'm really liking the 2+1 trailers more and more. Just don't know how my horses would ride in a straight load though. Have heard it is harder for a horse to balance this way. But, I guess I could always lead him in from the front ramp and load him backwards in the straight load? Or do most horses ride, when given a choice in a stock trailer.....rear facing at a slant as opposed to rear facing straight back?
Posted 2013-12-22 3:54 AM (#156333 - in reply to #156332) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Regular
Posts: 63 Location: suffolk
Originally written by jackbrat on 2013-12-22 3:52 AM
I like the idea of the 2+1 trailers that have a rear ramp and one up front. This way you can unload a horse right straight out the front with a ramp in a straight load trailer.
We got a 30ft Kiefer Built 2+1 straight load..the perfect trailer for us...we use the +1 for storage when we travel.
Posted 2013-12-22 10:51 AM (#156340 - in reply to #156329) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Regular
Posts: 60 Location: Alberta Canada
Hi Gard,Wow! Your poor wife still suffering from that injury all these years later! I will use extra caution when handling the ramps on my new trailer. Honestly, the thing that made me switch to a ramp is the feature of the front ramp so no need to back the horses out. That plus my experience of being trapped in my slant load with a panicking horse. I completely understand why you sold your trailer after your wife's injury. I sold mine right after my bad experience also! I figure that having horses is a high risk hobby even with good risk management practices. No point in waiting for a fatality before you act to fix a problem.Happy Trails!
Posted 2013-12-22 11:06 AM (#156342 - in reply to #153725) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Veteran
Posts: 136 Location: Watertown, TN
I guess we expect different things from our horses. We hauled in a stock trailer for years. Only walked in the trailer with the first two horses and tied it the rest from outside. Now with the slant load we aim the horses at the trailer and ask them to get in. They do and we step in an close the gate on them and tie through the window. When we un-load it is the reverse. No chance of getting trapped in the trailer. The horses we raise are trained to trailer before they are a year old. We don' use ramps but our horses are very comfortable with stepping in and backing out of step up trailers.
Posted 2013-12-22 11:10 AM (#156343 - in reply to #153725) Subject: RE: Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
I've not owned a ramp, So I can't speak from the experience. But I can say, there have been very few instances when I would have like a ramp. And that is usually when I was trying to load something beside horses in my trailer, like an ATV.I've seen my horses go off and jump up on some pretty tall ledges when we are riding. getting them in and out of a step up trailer ( most seem to be in that 18-21" step height) is no big deal. But then, I'm not bothered by letting the horse turn around in the trailer and come out head first vs backing out. If I have the trailer loaded so the horses have to back out, I'm a little more careful of how I park the trailer. On un-even ground that I find at forest service trailheads, I can usually place the tires in a low spot, minimizing the step down the horses have to deal with when backing out. That may not be a viable option in fairground or show parking lots which tend to be fairly level and uniform. Bu on the mountain its pretty easy to find.It drives me crazy that I can no longer embed photos on this website http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p259/Painted-Horse/2013/IMG_0932...
Ramp or Step up loading trailers ?
