# Ramp or No ramp



## stacieandtheboys (Jan 6, 2009)

If you had the choice would you get a trailer with a ramp or without? 

I am looking for a new trailer and most I have looked at do not have a ramp.
I am looking for a 3 or 4 horse slant (probably 4) that is big enough to fit my ginourmous QH, Fat mare, a pony and her baby.

Fat Mare and pony do not load well on a straight load. It takes forever.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Ramp, hands down. It's hard enough loading difficult horses in a float with a ramp, let alone trying to get them to jump into the big scary horse eating cave!


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## stacieandtheboys (Jan 6, 2009)

LOL I just had tea come out of my nose...horse eating cave. Ha ha


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

He he :]


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## Jillyann (Mar 31, 2009)

i would definitely get a trailer with a ramp. But when you do get the trailer, if it has a ramp, make sure YOU can lift it and put it down properly. A lady at my barn just got a new (for her) but used trailer, and she can not put the ramp down herself. so its really inconvenient and she has to somehow get rid of the ramp altogether.


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## Whipple (Feb 2, 2009)

Ramp for sure. I just recently read a bunch of articles on trailering, and every single one said to go with a ramp when possible.


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## Mandygrace (May 20, 2009)

Yea ramps are great as long as your horse can use other kinds in case of emerencys


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## Colorado Dobes (Nov 12, 2008)

I say no ramp. Just my preference. I prefer a step up.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

If MDH ever rebuilds my trailer, I'm going to ask him to put on a ramp for sure.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

My experience has been that it doesn't matter. We practiced our young mares using both a ramp and step-up trailers, and the part that needed the practice was entering the 'cave'...neither walking up the ramp nor stepping up was a problem.


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## county (Nov 29, 2008)

No ramps I train all my horses to load into stock trailers even a high one isn't nearly as high as a horse can step up.


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## Whipple (Feb 2, 2009)

Just because your horses can, does it mean they should hae to. I mean, if all other things equal, Id go for the ramp. Its just....better.


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## Miss Katie (Dec 30, 2007)

I like ramps. Id be afraid of the horse slipping under the trailer of a step up.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Miss Katie said:


> I like ramps. Id be afraid of the horse slipping under the trailer of a step up.


I posted before that we practice our young ones with both types, but be aware that ramps get can slippery when wet and nervous horses tend to want to step off the side of the ramp also causing dangers similar to what you see in step-ups.

I really have no preference and trailers are, in general, a pretty dangerous place for horses and people (IMHO).

My (last) advice....if you have horses that are nervous loaders or not experienced, don't worry about ramp v. step-up, but get the largest, roomiest, stock type trailer you can afford. They are much less claustrophobic and offer the most options for loading and placing the horses with dividers and keeping everyone safe. I have never had a problem loading any horse in a large 6 horse stock trailer, and the most problems with the very crowded, common 2 horse closed in horse trailers that have a manger and tack area.


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## ilovemymare (May 19, 2009)

I would prefer step up. With my Arabx he dosnt really float well and he rears at ramps so i use step ups. He nearly broke his leg on a ramp so i much much much prefer steps 
GOODLUCK


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## county (Nov 29, 2008)

Should my horses have to load if they can? Yes by all means they should.


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## Fire Eyes (May 13, 2009)

_Go for the ramp, I say. My mare is hard to load with a ramp. Take the ramp away and she refuses to go near the back of it. I think it's scarier. Even if your horses will load into a ramp-less, I'd go for ramp, who says you're not going to get a silly horse someday?! Haha._


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## shellyshoe (Mar 12, 2007)

interesting question ... in SA we only have ramps... i so would go with what you know


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## county (Nov 29, 2008)

I've had lots of silly horses over the years I just train them to load how I want. Some silly horses don't like ramps.


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## Whipple (Feb 2, 2009)

county said:


> Should my horses have to load if they can? Yes by all means they should.


You know, it would be great if you can actually read a post before responding. I did not say your horses should not load.


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## county (Nov 29, 2008)

And I never said you did. I think all horses should load into what ever trailer you want them to, step up, ramp, side load what ever. I have over 30 horses and one trailer so thats the one their most used to its a step up stock we load cattle and hogs in it also.


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## Colorado Dobes (Nov 12, 2008)

I think ramps are more dangerous for people. I've heard of pinched fingers and even head injuries from dealing with ramps. And I may get blasted for this, but my safety or the safety of the PERSON who is dealing with my horses/trailer is most important. Horses can get hurt on ramps, too. There are pros and cons to both. I've loaded horses in and out of step ups for years. Never had a problem. 

Someone also made a very good point about them being heavy. I would hate to have to ask for assistance anytime I wanted to use my trailer.


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## Miss Katie (Dec 30, 2007)

Not all ramps are heavy. You can get some very light ones, and also spring assisted/ winches/ electric and so on. There are many options.

There are also many different ways to prevent ramps becoming slippery.


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## BackInTheSaddleAgain (Apr 20, 2009)

From my personal experience, I will never get a trailer without a ramp. I brought my TB to a competition in my friend's trailer (no ramp). I was backing him out, he lost his footing because he didn't expect the drop, and had a really bad fall. He got a nasty, bloody gash right where the cinch goes so I couldn't ride hi m until he healed. I'm lucky he didn't break a leg. It was nerve wracking for both of us. He was so shooken up =(


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## Miss Katie (Dec 30, 2007)

That is exactly my fear about step ups.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

No ramp.

I can put my step up anywhere to load or unload. With a ramp you have to add an additional "X" number of feet behind the trailer to let the ramp down correctly - for safety purposes on level ground - and still have more room for the horse to manuver after they step off the ramp.

Our step ups have soft rubber on the edge of the trailer - no scrapes on the legs. I have seen a lot more leg injuries from a horse scraping the heck out of it's leg by stepping off the side of the ramp.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

I have never used a ramp, so I would say step up. 
Ramps are nice, but I have never had a problem with step ups. In my ideal trailer, the ramp would be the last add-on


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## Colorado Dobes (Nov 12, 2008)

mls said:


> No ramp.
> 
> I can put my step up anywhere to load or unload. With a ramp you have to add an additional "X" number of feet behind the trailer to let the ramp down correctly - for safety purposes on level ground - and still have more room for the horse to manuver after they step off the ramp.
> 
> Our step ups have soft rubber on the edge of the trailer - no scrapes on the legs. I have seen a lot more leg injuries from a horse scraping the heck out of it's leg by stepping off the side of the ramp.


Very good points.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

You still have to ave x number of feet for the horse to face up to the trailer with no ramp... I would venture to say with my float, (ramp) I would only need 1 or 2 more foot of room than if I didn't have a ramp. That's not enough to worry me.

Our ramp is covered in rubber with string in it (so it is rough) and it also has ridges every so often down it, horizontally. I've never had a horse slip on it, even in heavy rain.

Our ramp is light enough for me (19yo girl) to raise and lower myself.

My concerns with a step up... For me, it creates more danger. If I have a horse who rushes on or off a float, then a ramp allows them to do so safely. A step up can either cause them to fall, or launch out of it dragging me by the lead rope :] lol. Sure, I will teach the horse NOT to do so, but i'd rather be safer in those intervening times when it is still learning.

Also, teaching a horse to load... With a ramp, you can go a step at a time. The horse can stand half in and half out and get used to things, think about things, etc... I would think standing half in/half out of a step up would be uncomfortable and not very productive... Also you can't do it in steps. They have to jump up the step AND enter the big scary cave at the same time.

I will always have ramps, our current 2 horse straight load has one, our soon to be owned three horse angle load has one, and if we ever get a truck, it will have one. I just think it is way safer for me, and the horse.


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## county (Nov 29, 2008)

You don't have to have any room at all for a horse behind a step for example you can back right up tight to a loading chute or a door. With a ramp you can't do that.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

But you don't need a loading chute or a door for a ramp.

That wasn't the point, either. We were talking about on flat ground the difference in room needed to load the horse. You couldn't back your step up into a fence and then load your horse.


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## county (Nov 29, 2008)

Uh well no you couldn't but I can't think of a reason to load a horse through a fence to be honest. I really don't see the problem if one doesn't like a certain type trailer one shouldn't buy it.


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## upsidedown (Jul 10, 2008)

Step up for me just as a personal preference.

Either way horses who don't know how to deal with a ramp will likely get hurt on it just as horses who don't know how to deal with the step up/step down situations will likely get hurt on that too. Whatever works for the person and the horses safety, there is no better one than that one IMHO.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> Uh well no you couldn't but I can't think of a reason to load a horse through a fence to be honest. I really don't see the problem if one doesn't like a certain type trailer one shouldn't buy it.


And neither could I. I was using that example to show what point we were talking about.

There is no problem. The OP asked for opinions on different types, "if you don't like it don't buy it" is something every smart person does and is not why this discussion was started.


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## county (Nov 29, 2008)

Really, well I'm certainly glad you pointed that out.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

No problems


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## Curly_Horse_CMT (Jun 8, 2008)

Neither of my Curlies care weather it is a step up or ramp. The ramp they are more catious stepping up but thats about all. I have found that some other horses are nervous about stepping on the ramp because they are not sure what it is. 

I have also read articles that the ramps are dangerous because you lean down to put it up and then a horse could possibly kick you if they wanted. The step ups have been known to trash horses ankles when they try to back out too fast. But, for me, it doesnt really matter. As long as my horses are comfortable in both it doesnt matter to me.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

wild_spot said:


> But you don't need a loading chute or a door for a ramp.
> 
> That wasn't the point, either. We were talking about on flat ground the difference in room needed to load the horse. You couldn't back your step up into a fence and then load your horse.


You do need flat ground for the ramp to be stable/secure/safe. With a step up you can back up to a pen, barn etc to run a horse loose into a trailer (prime example is mares with foals by their sides). You cannot do that with a ramp and not leave the opening where the horse could escape.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

We have loaded our horses many times on sideways slopes, up hill/down hill slopes... No problems.

All the horse carriers (professionals) here have ramps. Just recently one of my dads bosses racehorse mares with her foal was loaded on to a conractors truck with a ramp. Yep, we backed it up to the yard, put the ramp down, and used the dividers as the barrier. 

I would think it would be harder for a foal to make the step up!

I don't think you can even buy horse trucks/trailers that are step up here. Only stock trailers, and rarely are they used for horses here.


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## county (Nov 29, 2008)

Here stock trailers are very common for horses especially on cattle ranches since they haul both species in them.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

The majority of trailers a horse is hauled in here are ones with ramps. I know it's different over there, the family we stayed with when I competed over there hauled the ponies we were using in a stock trailer, as well as having a float with a ramp. It's just a very different culture here, and here the general consensus is that ramps are safer for horses.


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