# Butt bars or chains, or straps?



## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I agree that your horse should not be leaning directly against the back doors to a) keep it safe from accidently pushing the doors open and b) keep it from bending the doors out of shape. What you use, I feel, is ultimately personal preference as each one you mentioned in your post has its own merit.

On both my trailers (straight load and slant load), I use chains. The straight load is such that there is a permanent vertical piece in the middle of the doorway and two short chains are used. The slant load has two doors also but no centre pole so I use one long chain on it. On the chains, I attach a panic snap at one end for quick release. I also cover the chains to help protect the horses - on the old trailer chains I used agricultural hose (available at farm supply stores; not a bad price but will need something with some strength to cut to size); on the new trailer chain I used foam tubes meant to insulate water pipes (available at home supply stores; very inexpensive; will also need duct tape to secure them from popping open - I used black and put it on each end and in the middle). Of the two, I prefer the foam covered arrangement as it looks nicer and is more flexible but I suspect the foam will wear out whereas the ag hose is still going strong some 25 years later.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I don't know where you would find these but...

On horse vans...think commercial shipper, 3 stalls wide...a single bar is placed across the front of the horses and "snaps" into place with a spring load bolt...there is this same thing on trailers that hold all horses facing forward on a van/semi-trailer carrying say 9 horses... all face forward...the guys in the front 2 sections have spring loaded bars front and rear to keep them where they belong & give them something to lean on if needed.
They aren't heavy either but are a pest to put up at times.

Who makes them I have no idea or where to locate something, but it is available out there...maybe try to reach a horse truck manufacturer...

My concern with what you want to do though would be while you are messing around behind the horse in a vulnerable area trying to secure the long bar/chain in place he could be stepping back on you getting you hurt...
Me... I would slide the divider over some and use a stall chain on his stall side affording him more space yet not taking out the latching point that safeguards you better while closing him in and closing up that trailer rear door space...shorten the chain on the unused side if you don't want that divider to wiggle or swing.

Good luck.

jmo...


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I used to trailer one horse without a divider and just let him stand loose in there. He decided he felt most comfortable standing backwards. Never had a problem. If you are going to tie him, most horses do like to lean on the butt bar, so definitely a bar over a chain if you can find one.


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