In looking at all the different types of trailer options. I had a few questions that I hope some of you can answer.

1. I hope this is not a dumb question. What are the benefits of slide windows vs removable plexiglass or even no windows. Is it primarily control of the air flow?

2. Also if you are mostly trailering one horse, is it better to have a straight load or slant load? Or does it matter?

3. Last, I have not been around trailers that have the rear tack. Those of you who have trailers with that how do you like it? It looks odd to me, like the room you have to load the horse is smaller.

I am going to give you my personal opinion on this, remember it is just my opinion. 

1. I hope this is not a dumb question. What are the benefits of slide windows vs removable plexiglass or even no windows. Is it primarily control of the air flow?

  *  Not a dumb question, I struggle with the same thing.  I prefer drop windows but they are more expensive.  I have removable plexiglass, it is OK.  In the summer it is great, he loves the wind flow.  It is nice too.  It is harder to put in, screw in and get it up if it is raining, it will become a pain to put in and remove.  At least for me.  I put just deal with my horse getting wet in the summer and leave it out and put it back in during the winter.  It is primarily for air flow, if you live in a hot state, I would look into it exp if it doesn't rain alot... in Indiana it flexuates alot.  The reason I like drop windows, is you can get more air flow when needed and if you need to close the trailer up, you can.

2. Also if you are mostly trailering one horse, is it better to have a straight load or slant load? Or does it matter? 

  *Personal Preference is key.  I love slant, because my horse fits better and likes to ride that way.  I also like the slant for the rear tack (will address below).  I like it so that way if I just haul my one, I can pull the divider over and he can have the full spot which he enjoys!

3. Last, I have not been around trailers that have the rear tack. Those of you who have trailers with that how do you like it? It looks odd to me, like the room you have to load the horse is smaller.

  * I do not have a rear tack in mine and HATE it.  I show and camp, if I go and want to sleep or move around in my trailer, I have to pull all the stuff out, put it in the back and then when we are ready to come home, put it all back up front.  It is SUCH a pain.  I also hate having that smell in the front where I am sleeping. 

What are you going to do with the trailer??  What is your goal??  You going to trail ride, show or just haul around to local shows???  Hope I helped!

Slide vs plexiglass- Sliding a window open is easier than removing the plexiglass. I had a trailer with plexiglass. I didn't like it. Current trailer has a drop down/slide on horse side- bus ( or sliding windows on butt side) much easier all the way around.

2- To me it doesn't matter- personal preference.

3-rear tack- I like it. Place to put tack rather than in the dressing room, where I put clothing. I think that if a horse has been trained to load, they will do fine. If they have problems with loading, in any set up, you'll likely encounter problems. But I'd go with a rear tack anyday.

Again- most of these issues are personal preference and what will suit your needs the best. I had a trailer without a rear tack. I did ok managing my stuff but it was not ideal. Sliding windows,rear tack and slants...best of all worlds.....

Have had both, much prefer the windows for all the reasons previously stated. There is NEVER a convenient time to change out the plexiglass and storage during warm weather is a problem in my barn anyway.

I have rear tack. I don't want to smell sweaty saddles when I get the few minutes of sleep I can manage at horse shows or stumble around it while trying to dress. Mine is permanently fixed which I prefer. I don't know about anyone else's horses, but mine pee in the trailer and guess where it wants to go? This avoids that issue. Mine is also slant load. You're right, it can alter the space for the horse slightly but I have had no major problems with it and while learning to load mine seem to have preferred it-they know they can still get out even if they haven't mastered backing out just yet.

Well, it seems to be a general concensus so far.

1. I also have the drop downs on the head and bus windows on the rear. I am not a fan of the removeable plexi for 2 reasons......you have to store the plexi somewhere and it's not real convenient to take out and put in. If you leave it out when the trailer is parked, you are leaving your trailer open to birds, mice, and bees or wasps.

2. I prefer a slant load with just one horse because the weight is distributed more evenly.

3. I LOVE my rear tack room. My previous trailer had the under manger tack storage and that was a pain. You mentioned that the rear tack makes the space for the horses look so much smaller. I thought so too, so I ended up buying a trailer with 60 / 40 doors in the back where the opening for the horses is 60% of the trailer width and the tack room is 40%. Essentially that opens up the side where the horses enter the trailer by approximately 8 or 9 inches more than the standard 50 / 50 doors.

Here in the mountain states it's not uncommon to see 40* temp swing during a day. In five hours I can drive from Salt Lake City at 20* to St George in Sourthern Utah at 70*. Who wants to stop part way and take out the plexiglass. With the drop down windows I can make a big openning when it's warm, just open the smaller slider in the drop down when it's cooler and shut everything up when it's really cold. Rear Tack. This is my 1st trailer with rear tack and I'm not overly excited about it. I had a mid tack in the last trailer and will go back to that on any future trailer. This keeps the tack out of the front dressing room/LQ. With a rear tack I have to back my horses out. No room to turn around and come out forward. My horses have all learned to back out. But it's just faster and one less thing to worry about if they can turn around in the trailer. (another advantage of the slant load, they are easier to turn around in) With out the rear tack I have more room to get away from the horse after tying the last horse in. With the rear tack you are in a tighter squeeze to reach up and the tie the lead and try to squeeze down the side of the horse and exit. With out the rear tack you have that whole corner for yourself. Most rear tacks are not sealed off from the horse compartment, (at least with the removeable tack). There is a 1" or so gap under the panel. So any thing on the floor runs the risk of getting urine on it. If you use shavings, the shavings get kicked into the rear tack and get on blankets etc. In my old 3 horse trailer (with a mid tack) I could easily squeeze a 4th horse in the back. Or put a mare with a foal in the back stall. With the rear tack, I get 3 horses. No chance of an extra horse. I can remove my rear tack, But that is as much trouble as installing & removing the Plexiglass panels.

I carry 4 saddles in my trailer. But a lot of times when I go for a ride, I use one saddle. That lease 3 expensive saddles in the trailer while I'm parked along side the ride for an evening ride in the mountains. Most rear tacks are accessable through the same doors that open to load the horses. This is harder for me to keep locked up. With a mid tack I could keep my saddles and tack locked up with one key and not worry about the rear doors.

With a rear tack, I have to lock the rear doors (usually with a padlock) and each drop down window. That makes 4 locks I have to lock and unlock vs, one mid tack door lock. Plus if I lock it all up on a hot summer day, the horse compartment is really hot when I return with the horse, vs leaving all the windows wide open.

A lot of the trailers with a FIXED rear tack will have a keyed door for the tack room. A lot them you still have to open BOTH rear doors to get into the tack.

I've got a 2H slant with a rear tack that swings out.  The rear doors are 50/50 and open and lock with attached locks so no padlocks to contend with.  They open independently so I can open one or the other or both. When I haul one horse I load him in the rear stall.  He has a bit more room to move around and seems more comfortable. I can open both doors and swing the saddle rack out, pull a spring lever and open the whole compartment up to give a reluctant horse a bit more room. I won't turn a horse around to unload - it's safer to back them off.

Dropdown windows are the way to go for me - way more convenient than dealing with plexiglass.

On the drop down windows, one cool option I have seen recently is were the latch is on the bottom of the window.  So you don't have to be 6' tall to reach the latch.  I know 4-Star has this option.

Hi and one other thought of which is just my opinion.

I agree with the previous posts on drop windows,like the slant or straight load(either works well for me)and have a rear tack compartment but do not use it for this reason:when storing headstalls and saddles there the humidity gets the best of these things very quickly.      When we first purchased this trailer I put the tack in the rear tack area and within a very short time everything began to mold. Since moving it to the front tack room that is insulated I don't have this problem anymore. We love to camp and this has been a problem sleeping in the same compartment with the tack but either way was a compromise.

Nothing would work better for me than a sealed mid-tack on the curb side and 60/40 doors on the rear,use the rear tack for other types of storage! jmo,Ardly