# What's your preference...slant or straight load?



## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Also ramp or step up? What are the pro's and con's of each?
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## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

I have a straight load... only because that is what fit my budget at the time. I would prefer a slant... only because I have a horse who has vision problems and will not back out. 
And I like step ups better. I have seen a lot more injuries on a ramp load.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Thanks for your input! what sorts of injuries have you seen from ramps?
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## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

The biggest one I see happen alot... is if the horses doesnt come out straight... step of the ramp on the side, panic and slip underneath. 
On the older ramp loads they have springs to help with the weight of the ramp... I have seen horses get tangled in the springs. Those are the two biggest I have seen...


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Oh geez 
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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Anyone else? What's your preference and why?
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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

We have a straight load step up stock trailer, but we've loaded our horses in straight and slant load ramped trailers, too. I really don't think the horses care, and trailers are a fairly dangerous place in general. My only trailer preference is that I do prefer stock trailers. At least our mares are much more comfortable with the openness.


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## Poco1220 (Apr 6, 2010)

I would love a step up slant trailer or a stock. I actually have a 2 horse straight load step up instead though. Although the slant or stock would be easier I do appreciate that since my horses are trained to easily load into an older straight load I can trust them to load into anything and never have to worry about whether I can get them into a friends trailer or not! When I train horses to trailer I still prefer my straight load in my experience that's the hardest to get a horse into and if you can manage that in a calm manner in and out they will load in and out of anything you ask.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

We have had a few two horse straight loads and currently have a 3 horse angle. 

We have a camera so we can see how they travel in both.

They travel far better in the angle. Much less movement, and horses with issues generally improve in the angle.

It is harder to load but it just means you need to train your horse a bit more - They have more opportunity to try and duck out in an angle than a straight load. 

I like unloading in an angle as some horses who don't back well can turn around and walk out. Wildey always backs out, but Bundy much prefers to turn around and walk out.

We have always had a ramp, and I don't think I would like a step up. We have never had an issue in 10 years of lots of travel - the only issue we have had was a week or so ago and that was when Latte caught her foot on the hook thingy that latches the ramp up. Very much a freak accident, and not very serious.


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

I love my straight load with a ramp. It's a two horse Trail-Et and we've had no problems with slippage on the ramp or horses not coming out straight so far. I think it all depends on the individual trailer, really.

I wouldn't trade my straight load for the world. I think it is more inviting for a horse that doesn't load well and it's easier to get them to back out. 

Just my opinion


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

I like ramp trailers, only because my horse is perfect to load, and backing out, so a ramp is just nice.

But i like step-up trailers because the horse is either in or out, theres no 'go halfway in then back out as fast as i can and bash my face on the top of the trailer" for the horse. but step-ups can be so high, and ive seen a lot of small horses bash their knees on it (ouch) 

but i like them both, and make sure my horse can go in them both. I have seen a lot more wrecks with ramps though, most horses that go in step-ups get the idea to go IN the trailer without fuss.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

ridergirl23 said:


> But i like step-up trailers because the horse is either in or out, theres no 'go halfway in then back out as fast as i can and bash my face on the top of the trailer" for the horse. but step-ups can be so high, and ive seen a lot of small horses bash their knees on it (ouch)
> [ QUOTE]
> 
> depends on the horse !! i know a horse that can run out of my step up faster than you would think...it sucks bc as they are running backwards you have to jump off the back with them...
> ...


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Personally, I LOVE Angle, with ramps.

I find that horses travel better in angles, just as Wild_Spot said. My friend has a beautiful 2 horse angle with a ramp and I find that most horses who are lead to it, load smoothly.

I've been dealing with a friends TB gelding who has loading issues. It took me a long time to get him to load "smoothly" into a 2 horse strait loader due to how "cramped" it appeared to be. Whenever I approached him to the trailer, he would stop before I could even get myself into it - so I had do resort to Clinton Anderson's approach, which worked, but I had to do it every single time.

Then she bought a 2 horse angle load with a ramp, and he goes in smoothly and comfortably.

I like that I can move the partition to make it a 1 horse stock, so that when I get him in, I can get him secured, and then I can close the partion to make it a 2 horse angle again. Then I can load Nelson up lickity split and be on our way.

I have no issues loading horses into the angle at all, but I suppose that depends on what type of angle you have. 

When I buy my own trailer, it will definately be a 2 horse angle.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I used to wonder the same thing, straight versus slant, but lately as I've met more people who go to shows alone, I'm really starting to like stock trailers. the horse is free to choose how he stands during the trip. Also with the hour or so between dressage, stadium and XC, I'm finding it very appealing to be able to put the horse into their makeshift stall that the stock trailer affords. The horse has the whole space to take a rest and doesn't have to go from working it's butt off to standing still in a cramped space for the hour or so. 


If I had to go straight or slant, I'd probably take slant, but only because I know from riding on the subway that standing perpendicular to the movement is much easier for balancing then standing parallel to it. 

As for loading and unloading, I like ramp but only because my horse doesn't like the i
idea of backing out of step trailers. He gets a little nervous about that last step out. 

If you do look at slants, make sure that Sandie will fit the slant dimensions. It varies a little from trailer to trailer with the different dividers.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> Also with the hour or so between dressage, stadium and XC, I'm finding it very appealing to be able to put the horse into their makeshift stall that the stock trailer affords. The horse has the whole space to take a rest and doesn't have to go from working it's butt off to standing still in a cramped space for the hour or so.


I thought Americans were crazy the first time I saw someone leave the horses in the trailer at an event!

We have our own yards that my dad made that sit on brackets either side of the float. It's a 3 horse float so we have enough panels to make three decent sized yards or less, bigger yards. They are easy enough to put up/down that we even use them for day trips.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I usually tie my horse to the outside with his hay bag, but I do see a lot of people using their trailers as stalls. I kind of like it. I think if I had to go walk a course or something, I'd feel better knowing he was inside the trailer than hanging out next to it. That being said, I'm not good at tying things. I came back to the trailer at my last show to find my horse grazing next to the trailer...not tied to anything. The lead had come loose. Oops.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

wild_spot said:


> I thought Americans were crazy the first time I saw someone leave the horses in the trailer at an event!
> 
> We have our own yards that my dad made that sit on brackets either side of the float. It's a 3 horse float so we have enough panels to make three decent sized yards or less, bigger yards. They are easy enough to put up/down that we even use them for day trips.


ya, they are selling trailers like that now, with a fence attached to the side that fold out into a corral. but they only make one corral, and are probably 10x more expensive then homemade ones!


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Yep, bought ones are super expensive. I think dad did ours for about $300 all up, and that's like 12 panels I think. We use the float as one side and the three yards adjoin so we don't need as many panels. It's so handy having a handyman as a dad - He made me the coolest hoof stand out of a jockey wheel too!


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## ShezaFlashofGold (Jul 28, 2010)

I personally like straight load, step-ups. I had a slant stock trailer and didn't like it the back stall looked way to small and didn't like how anything could fly in thru the slats.


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## haleylvsshammy (Jun 29, 2010)

I've had experience with both straight loads with/ without ramps and slants without ramps. Honestly, it depends on the horse. My old arab HATED straights with a passion. It made sense, though, because out of his 16 years old life when I got him, he had only ever been in a slant. My TB likes straights, and since ours is very tall and wide, he's nice and comfy in it. I like how straights have a manger to put the hay in, so you don't have to worry about issues with hay bags. 

Currently we own a Logan Coach (that needs a paint job, but is in fantastic condition lol) with a ramp. My horse tends to throw back shoes (I think it's because he has front bell boots, so he's like, I'll make things difficult and throw a back shoe!) and sometimes he slams out of the trailer if he gets nervous. With a step up/ out, he risks throwing a shoe (he did it once). When I unload my horse, My mom holds his leadrope through the side door, and we let him back out himself. I gently pull on his tail to let him know he can leave, then I put my hand on his butt, and I stand on the outside of the ramp (I'm off the ramp, to the side of the trailer) so he knows where the ramp ends. We've never had a problem.


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## Mingiz (Jan 29, 2009)

I have had straight loads with /without ramps. I have a stock and a 3h Slant now. My horses have been hauled in all without any issues...They prefer the stock I think because they see more..I perfer the stock over anything...More air flow and they usually ride facing the back...I like the slant also because they seem to haul better since they can lean against the partitions and balance themselves better....


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## pony gal (Mar 11, 2012)

My horses and I like the straight load. I prefer a ramp, especially with a slant load. It gives the horses a little more room to back out on, but you do have to be more careful that they don't go off the edge, but probably no more than a step up. Another reason, I like the ramp is because I have a rear tack and I stand on the ramp to get my tack out and can stand on it to get the saddle on. I'm 5'2" and would have a difficult time getting a saddle off the top rack if I had to stand on the ground.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Slant. Ourtrailer would be a four-horse straight load (Two in front, two in back) But we can make it a three horse slant as well if we move the dividers (They swivel so we can just shift them over and it makes invidual slant slots) I prefer step-up as well.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

Oh wow someone kicked up the dirt on this OLD thread! For anyone interested, I ended up with a nice straight load with a ramp and LOVE it


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## pony gal (Mar 11, 2012)

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> Oh wow someone kicked up the dirt on this OLD thread! For anyone interested, I ended up with a nice straight load with a ramp and LOVE it


Wise choice.:wink:


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## JoJo1950 (Dec 14, 2009)

I have a Bison-three horse slant load. It is an older model. Good trailer. I have used all type of trailers. In the end it comes down to the horse. I usually trailer mine alone. The horse is 15 hand, 12 year quarter horse gleding. No big issues. When my horse is alone there is enought room for him to turn around an come out of the trailer head first. I usually discourgage this. We usually have a discussion. He present his points; he is 1,200 pounds, has for legs and really does not want to back out into what he cannot see. I counter that I have more intelligence (will sometimes), I have had to put down horses (tearfully and unfortunately) and unless he wants to walk his fanny back some 25 miles to the barn he will do things my way. Sometimes this actually works.


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## pkhorse22 (Mar 26, 2012)

I have a slant load, step up style. I love it! The only thing I would change would be to have aluminum instead of the steel I bought - as it was more affordable.


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## BigGirlsRideWarmbloods (Mar 28, 2010)

I recently has a chance to use a reverse slant trailer, slanted but rear facing and it was the only time my mare Julep didn't stomp the entire time.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I have never tried a reverse load, they seem to be popular with the barrel racers here in Texas. I have used a cattle trailer of some sort most my life but recently aquired a Logan 3 horse slant. My horses started hesitating getting in. I took the dividers out and now they hop in again.

I never had a ramp trailer but assisted a few folks with loading their horses into one at shows. They all had ramps. I don't think horses like them if not trained to use one.

I have used a stock box or cattle racks and had horses jump flat footed into one to load up or out, never had a problem whether it be the first time ever or the 100th.


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

For most horses a slant step up. I have a 2h slant step up, and a 2h straight step up- 1964, I am trying to sell it. I just got the 2h slant and LOVE it - only $2000.. Horse safe, just needs to be sandblasted in a few areas :mrgreen:


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