Years ago, almost all horse trailers were straight-load styles in which the horses rode with their heads facing forward and their tails facing back. As trucks became stronger and people wanted to haul more horses at once, slant-load styles, often holding four or six horses at a time and placing those horses at an angle inside the trailer, became more popular. If you only need to haul two horses, however, you are best off sticking with a two-horse straight load rather than a slant-load style trailer. Here is why.
1. You can take either horse off first.
In a slant-load trailer, you need to unload the horse in back before you can get to the horse in front of him. This can be frustrating if you sometimes show off the trailer. When you need the second horse, you have to get both horses off, which is a lot of loading and unloading! With a straight-load trailer, you can unload either horse first because they stand side-by-side. You can keep both horses on the trailer until you need one, and then only take off the horse you need. This also makes it easier to work with young horses who are new to trailering. You can take them off first or second — depending on what they are more comfortable with.
2. Longer horses fit well.
One issue with slant-load trailers is that the spaces for horses tend to be quite short. If you have a 15-hand quarter horse, this may not be an issue. But when a friend asks you to pick up their 17-hand warmblood, you may not be able to do it. Straight load trailers tend to have more room for longer horses, which makes this a good option if you either have larger horses or want the option of hauling a larger horse in the future. Horses also tend to feel less cramped in a straight-load trailer because of this space.
3. Loading is safer for you.
In a slant-load trailer, you generally need to tie the horse and then sneak out underneath the partition. This can be dangerous when you're handling ill-mannered or green horses. In a straight load, there is generally a "man door" in the front of the trailer, through which you can easily exit after you load the horse. If safety is a chief concern or you have a horse that is a bit antsy in the trailer, choose a straight load.
If you only need to haul two horses, stick with a straight load trailer. They're classic, and they are still around due to the advantages described above. For more information, contact a company like Lakota of Ohio.
Share23 July 2018
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