# Trailer ramp question



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I am reconsidering wanting a step-up trailer. Teddy almost didn't come back from the vet with us this past week because he just couldn't bring himself to step up. I finally had the idea of backing it up into a small but steep little dirt ramp they had, and we got him on in maybe five minutes that way.

One of the big reasons I didn't want a ramp is that I'm concerned about the horse slipping if it gets wet. I mean, even with mats it still seems kind of slick (there is an open ramp trailer at our barn that I have been checking out). Is there any way around this? Better quality mats? Putting something on top of the mats in wet weather? Anything?


----------



## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Once they're used to it, most horses have enough sense to be careful on a ramp. Horses slip on and off step-up trailers, too. Use what works for you and your horses.

Those sisal mats like they use at racehorse farms and in Europe for trailer ramps are hard to clean, but they provide much better traction than rubber mats, especially if it's wet or the horse has mud or manure on his hooves. You can sometimes find the same material used for outside door mats, and those are small enough that two of them could easily be set on your ramp for loading/unloading and then placed in the tack room during your trip.


----------



## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I use a portable ramp. Solves all my issues.


----------



## aussiemum (Apr 11, 2013)

I've never had a horse slip on my ramp. It has a rubbery coating, and several ridges right across aimed to provide extra grip. Here in Australia, ramps are the norm. You just need to teach your horse to not rush backwards, as then there obviously might be risk of slipping, but even more risk if they were stepping down and rushing out. I think it all comes down to training your horse to calmly back out (or walk out if its an angle load and you turn them around and walk out forwards)


----------



## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I agree with aussiemum above. Ramps are the norm in the U.K. I have used the matting covered ones, aluminium with a rough surface, plain wood with bars across it. No problems. 

Even if a horse slips with one leg it has three others to hold him up.


----------



## KyleGrey (Nov 13, 2019)

aussiemum said:


> I've never had a horse slip on my ramp. It has a rubbery coating, and several ridges right across aimed to provide extra grip. Here in Australia, ramps are the norm. You just need to teach your horse to not rush backwards, as then there obviously might be risk of slipping, but even more risk if they were stepping down and rushing out. I think it all comes down to training your horse to calmly back out (or walk out if its an angle load and you turn them around and walk out forwards)



My in-law's horse might need a better ramp like that. The rubber coating and ridges sounds a good idea.We'll just finish installing the railings and hitch on his truck before we can work on the ramp. Their old portable one needs repair.


----------



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

The ramp on my trailer is made of some rough material that makes it a huge pain to clean (pretty well impossible to get everything out, even with a pressure washer) so not slippery at all. It's some kind of nonslip material which I'm sure you could buy if you had to. It's very rough. My horses have never slipped, even back when Harley was hard to load and would go up and down the ramp 5 or 6 times before going in. 

It looks like this:


----------



## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

The rubber on my horse trailer ramp is very textured. My horses have not slipped yet and they have been in and out countless times. I have one that does rush out sometimes and she doesn't slip either. She actually gets right in the trailer now. When I had the step up trailer, it was next to impossible to get her in and then she would refuse to get out. The other two just got used to the ramp and now have no issues with it at all. They were both used to a step up and did have to get used to the hollow sound of the ramp.

Like Acadian said, the texture is a bit of a pain to clean, but I don't really care. I hose it down and what little particles stick just stay there. It's not going to hurt the trailer.

@whisperbaby22 I'm curious as to what kind of portable ramp that you have. I didn't know that they had such a thing. What does it look like?


----------



## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I made it myself. I thought I'd have to replace it from time to time, but I have been using it for about 10 years now. I did make a post here about how I made it. If you can't find it, I'll do a redo. 

The reason I use it is because if I need to evacuate, I just slam the door and take off. I can use it for the back or the escape door. It's very light and takes about the same time to take it off the truck and get it arranged as it would take to open and close a ramp.


----------



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

As for slipping risk... cant see how it's any more with a ramp... probably less, esp if you use that wire mesh or 'pimply matting. My standy mare likes to JUMP in & out of my step up!! I actually thought little of it(big mistake) until recently when all the force has caught up with the bolted down matting - it tore the bolts out, mat skidded back, so her back legs did & she skunnied her leg on the way out! Now I can't use the trailer safely for any till I fix the floor.

I am going to make a detachable ramp, as I am going to start offering horse transport & while I've never had an issue teaching horses to step in or out, here in Aus people expect a ramp & would likely have an issue with me not having one.


----------



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

When building one's own ramp, what weight capacity would you aim for? And how would you know if you had achieved it?


----------



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Hmm, now there's a question. Weight capacity... if the biggest horse I have can walk on it & it doesn't buckle?? ;-) 

But seriously, tailgates of floats over here are usually approx 1/8" thick by about 1.5" angle iron frame with formply/marine ply, or steel. My float is(was an open stock crate built on a heavy duty open trailer, so I took the front & back tailgates off when I enclosed & modified it & I was just going to use those as a ramp. They are approx 1" square steel tubing framed with heavy(enough) steel plate, so absolutely positive they will be strong enough, if anything, too heavy duty. Just that I plan on attaching brackets to one end, so they will hook into the lip of the floor to be secure, and (the reason I haven't done it yet) I will be getting a pro welder(who builds floats for machines) to do the job, to ensure it will definitely be strong enough. I will paint them with a few coats of a rubberised coating, rather than use mats. I will get the guy to weld some brackets on under the floor, so the ramps will be a pull out affair, tucking away under the floor when not in use.


----------



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Agree with @loosie, I think you'd want a welder involved. They can probably also design a frame that will work with the right weight capacity if they are used to working on vehicles and trailers like our local welder who does a bit of everything. But you also want to keep in mind that any weight you add to the ramp will have to be lifted at some point, either to close it or slide it under the trailer like @loosie is planning to do. I feel like that might not work so well here, where I need a lot of ground clearance because of snow, ice, and generally very bumpy roads. My trailer ramp is a bit back-breaking to lift, so consider that before building something that weighs a lot. I miss the ramp from the Merhow I used to rent because it was so easy to lift and shut. Look at different designs if you're looking at building something yourself. Even though mine is on springs, it's hard on my back to shut it.


----------



## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

My trailer has the same sort of rubber as that AcadianArtist posted. About the only time I have seen anyone slip on it is if they wade thru fresh poop on the way out. I try to mitigate this by forking out any new arrivals before undoing the butt-bar and asking them to back out. They are surprisingly compliant about shuffling their feet to allow me to pick it up, plus it makes the interior of the trailer smell lots better ;-)
The ramp has to be sturdy, which translates to heavy. A large part of the problem with a DIY ramp will be incorporating a spring to assist in lifting it.
One thing you might add to help with traction would be some cleats screwed in across the ramp. A small strip of rough-cut hardwood measuring ~1/4in x 1in x ramp width, every foot or so should do the job nicely. Use plenty of screws, brass or stainless, and pre-drill/counter-sink to prevent splitting. Look at old-time photographs of horses being loaded on boats or rail cars, and you will see cleats on the ramps.


----------



## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

george the mule said:


> Look at old-time photographs of horses being loaded on boats or rail cars, and you will see cleats on the ramps.


Cleats on wooden ramp:


----------



## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

My trailer ramp is rubber covered and has rubber strips running side to side across it spaced about 6" apart. (rubber cleats essentially, but they are molded into the rubber) 

The horses have never slipped on the ramp, but I always pick up any manure first. 

I have seen more scraped legs with step ups, and would never trailer a horse in a step up without thick leg protection.


----------



## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Friends, I still think my ramp is the best. I made it myself, no welder needed. I just toss it in the back of my truck, sliding underneath sounds like it might work, but on my small 2 horse slant would not.


----------



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Acadianartist said:


> Agree with @loosie, I think you'd want a welder involved.


Yep I can weld but I want someone who's exp. With heavy duty welding...



> under the trailer like @loosie is planning to do. I feel like that might not work so well here, where I need a lot of ground clearance because of snow, ice,


Mine is extra high -, the floor is prob close to 2' high.



> ramp is a bit back-breaking to lift, so consider that before building something


Yep absolutely. Know you said you had springs but you know you can get special ones that make it a breeze? Maybe you need 2 or more.

The other thing bout using the tailgate sections is they're only about 1' wide, & I will keep them separate for the weight/ease of use issue, but also I can place them in different spots - together for a wide ramp for a beast, or spaced apart to drive the quad up for e.g.


----------

