# Practice Trailer Loading...Without truck attached?



## TheAQHAGirl (Aug 10, 2012)

I have a small stock trailer that almost looks like this: http://www.congelositrailersales.com/userscripts/images/Valley_2HorseStock-1.jpg

I wanted to do some trailer loading exercises with my horse tomorrow and I was talking to a friend and she showed me a cool video about trailer loading.

But I noticed in the trailer loading video the person had a stock trailer (like one mentioned above) but without a truck attached to the trailer. 

Isn't it dangerous to do? I'm not sure, but if the trailer is small and not long does that make a difference? 

Anyways, whats your opinion on this? Would you do trailer exercises with a small trailer and not have a truck attached?

Thanks!


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

Nope, never. Way to dangerous.. When the horse puts his weight on the back of the trailer it puts it in situation in which the trailer could very easily flip. Try putting a big heavy couch or 800 lb thing in the back of the trailer (if you are really that interested) and see how the trailer moves, and then imagine a (possibly) heavier thing moving around and shifting its weigh. Smaller is usually worse because they are lighter and so the weight is more likely to move the trailer. Also, what if your horse starts stomping around? Without the truck there attached to the trailer.. Its very unsafe.


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## cowgirl4753 (Aug 3, 2012)

I would never put a horse into a trailer without being on a truck. The trailer could bounce and roll and that's not going to be a very positive loading experience. Not only could you or your horse get hurt it could wreck the jack stand on the trailer if it were to move and possibly drop the front of the trailer into the ground.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## TheAQHAGirl (Aug 10, 2012)

Thanks for the replies!


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

I'll go against the grain and say that I've done this for years with 2 horses in our similar stock trailer and the trailer doesn't lift, tip, or move with it jacked to the height where it would be hitched. I've also had round bales (~800 lbs) all the way in the rear and it doesn't tip it either.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I would never do it, I don't even tie a horse to a trailer without it hooked to a vehicle.

Why take the chance?


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Actually, all you have to do is make sure your trailer is fully braced/blocked so that the back of the trailer doesn't sink down with the horse's weight in it. I have blocks that fit securely under the rear of the trainer and I have all four wheels chocked.

While I usually do my trailer training in a gooseneck, I sometimes have to train in a clients personal trailer when they are not there to hitch up.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I've done trailer training without truck attached. As Allison Finch mentioned, blocking the trailer and chocking the wheels is key. I parked the trailer on a level and firm piece of ground then I chocked front and back wheels on both sides; I put blocks under left and right hand sides of the back of the trailer and just behind the hitch on the front of the trailer. The blocks were solid and very sturdy made with 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 construction and the chocks were 4 x 4s with a 45 angle cut into them to snug up to the wheels.


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## horsietori (Dec 6, 2012)

A person at my barn wanted to do this with my trailer and was begging and I basically told them "FINE but if your horse gets hurt or my trailer breaks you WILL be buying me a BRAND NEW TRAILER and I am NOT responsible for your stupidity or your horse getting hurt..." Thankfully all went well. My trailer is also a huge 4 horse stock with a ramp. The horse was an Appendix. I could safely load my 1400 pound mare up without it attached but I would never take that chance with my horse... It would be a bit different if it was 200 pound foal or something.


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## rmax (May 10, 2012)

I did this with my 2 horse bp, 2 axle stands on plywood at rear frame corners, raise the front with the tounge jack and set it on 2 axle stands on plywood on outside of front frame. It was as solid as a rock, just make sure your base is good.


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## JustImagine (Dec 2, 2012)

I did trailer training without the truck attached. And a lot of it. I spent a week trailer training my pony out in his field every day and never had a single problem. It was nice because I just left the trailer in his paddock to get used to it.


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

sometime when the truck is attatched to the trailer, pull your emergency brake cable out and make sure it works well. then when you want to you can always pull that pin to give you an extra bit of security that your trailer brakes are locked and won't move.

i woudln't pull it and leave the pin pulled for a long time due to battery drain, but while you are practicing every now and then shouldn't kill anything.

but i'm with those that have done it. for 2 weeks after I got my mare she didn't get to eat any grain unless she was standing on the trailer


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## Camo N Spurs (Jul 3, 2012)

That's dangerous to load without a truck attached that trailer will flip back as soon as that horse steps on the back...


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Bad experience here. 

Ex-spousal had a young horse wanting to load. He decided to "practice loading" instead of just hooking up and hauling.

He wouldn't listen, so got himself and horse in trailer, all the way to front, and horse was fine but the weight shifted the trailer off the block, and it dropped. Not cute.

So, I am a firm believer in no loading with being hooked.

And don't like to tie to one either, but at barn I work at, we do do it, but I am always leery of it.


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

to prevent previous post, jack the trailer way down, then blocks under the back corners, jack trailer way up, blocks under the front corners and now the trailer is on 4 solid blocks (still put blocks infront & behind the wheels) 

but now you ahve a trailer on solid makeshift jack stands that you can work with and not have your truck tied up at the same time


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Allison Finch said:


> Actually, all you have to do is make sure your trailer is fully braced/blocked so that the back of the trailer doesn't sink down with the horse's weight in it. I have blocks that fit securely under the rear of the trainer and I have all four wheels chocked.
> 
> While I usually do my trailer training in a gooseneck, I sometimes have to train in a clients personal trailer when they are not there to hitch up.


 
Yup.

Plus, it depends on the trailer anyway. Your small trailer would be the type that could possibly have the front end come off the ground with the weight of the horse in the back of it. It's not going to "flip over" but it sure could scare your horse (and you!). Make sure your wheels are blocked up so the trailer can't roll and make sure the underside of the trailer (in the back) is blocked so it can't sink down when the horse steps on it. 

However if you had a larger heavier trailer, like a 4-horse gooseneck, that trailer isn't going to budge when you load a horse in the back. However, still definately block the wheels so it can't roll. I've practiced loading lots of big horses into the back of large trailer and I've never had one budge. It's the smaller lighter trailers you have to be careful with.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

You know, it just takes a few minutes to hitch the trailer up, so why don't you do this first? Imagine all of the time you'll have to spend retraining a horse who decides that all that shaking is safe for him. A long 4-horse trailer can be used this way, but that's bc the center of gravity is much further forward. I have done it, but I blocked just the back stall to use. I wouldn't risk it in a 2 horse.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I've loaded horses many times without the vehicle attacked. I've seen a trailer tip downward when the jack up front sank into the sand. Horse got a scare but not hurt. That made me realize that a trailer must be well blocked. My blocks are like short chunks of railroad ties plus short lengths of 2x8s. Two blocks at the front, two at each back corner plus one set of tires on each side is blocked. The trailer is rock solid. less movement than when on the truck.


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