# Slant load VS straight load



## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

Anymore, slant loads are the way the industry has gone. It is easier to load horses in a slant (it takes less training and knowlege to get an inexperienced horse in) they are wider and longer than straight load making the ride more forgiving, they either do not have a center pole or it can collapse if you are using the trailer to haul something large making it have multiple uses (not always a good thing when friends want to borrow it to move). Straight loads are typically smaller and lighter trailers so can be better to learn to haul with, they are cheaper, only come in 1,2 or 4 horse while a 3 horse trailer is the right size for most people.


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

Since I can edit my last post, slants also allow you to haul OS horses ,drafts in my case, by simply removing the partition as some partition in straight loads are bolted to the floor. The overall stall length is also typically longer in a slant (100"+)


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Some horses clearly prefer slants. I don't know any which clearly prefer straight loads though. Slants are going to be heavier probably (more gas to pull). In my case, I've got a narrow bridge with a sharp turn to get to the stable and the wider slants have a much harder time making that turn (there are only inches of clearance) than the 2 horse straights. I don't need any more problems! So I got a straight load. My horse hates it, but she might hate a slant just as much, dunno.


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## Blue 42 (Oct 2, 2016)

I've hauled my horse in stocks, slant and straight hauls, and he doesn't appear to have a preference. My trailer is a Hawk 2-H straight load and he practically loads himself. However, I have known other horses to load easier into slant loads, possibly because they appear less confined. Slant loads are sometimes easier on horses who don't like to back out of trailers or step down, as they can turn around and walk out provided they're not in the last stall.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Mine seem to prefer stock trailers, slant loads, straight loads in that order. The good thing about a 2 horse straight load is that once you teach them to load into that they'll load in about anything. LOL Seriously though about the only real advantage I see to a straight load is that you can take either horse out and in a slant load if you want the front horse out only you still have to unload the rear horse. Since that is a situation that doesn't come up too often then it boils down to what you prefer. I've heard about horses that scrambled a lot in a straight load but rode perfectly fine in a slant but I've never hauled one with that problem.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Where I am at (Arizona) there is commonly a third type, a stock trailer. People use it like a slant generally speaking, but you can also tie two horses side-by-side like a straight load or close the middle partition for two stalls. It is like a poor man's slant, because they are generally cheaper and easier to find. The main downside is they sometimes aren't tall enough for a big horse. 

We bought a trailer mainly for evacuation purposes and got a stock trailer. It's roomier and horses will load into it easier than a straight load. But if I was actually going to haul my horses regularly I would try to get a slant because it has proper horse dividers and a taller ceiling. 

I think the main consideration in straight vs. slant is loading and unloading the horses. Will your horse load easily into a straight load? Will they unload easily from a straight load? While a horse should ideally be able to back out of any trailer, a slant or stock trailer allows you to turn the horse around and unload it facing forward. With a straight load, your horse HAS to be able to back out. 

I got into the habit of backing my horses out of any trailer now because my mare had gotten used to turning around in my friend's lovely slant load trailer and another friend had a different style of slant load trailer and the horses have to back out because of a tack compartment in the back. My mare got stuck in there trying to turn around to get out (her head wasn't tied at the time). Luckily we got her facing forward again but for a while I was scared she would break her neck. So while I would LOVE to always lead a horse out forward, because they like it better and can see where they are going, I learned there is a downside to that as well. :-?

Perhaps as a postscript I will say that I will personally never own a slant with a tack room at the back. It takes away all the roominess and ability to turn the horse around if you need to and in my mind, that is part of the perks of a slant. Ever have a thrashing horse that is stuck trying to turn around in a slant with a tack compartment in the back? It's very dangerous! You cannot safely get in there to help the horse. There is simply no safe place to go. It's like a thrashing horse in a tin-can. With a regular slant or stock type trailer you can get in there if you need to. Maybe that's not safe either, but at least there are minimal ways for the horse to get stuck and humans have more room to safely get out of the way.

That reminds me of another trailer unloading story. Different horse and it was the friend with the roomy slant (no tack room in the back). We rode and then drove home and I opened the back of the trailer to get my horse and out pops HER horse! He was loaded in the front compartment. 

He must have somehow gone down under his divider, under my horse who was in the middle compartment and he was waiting at the back when I opened the door. I don't know exactly how he did that but both horses were fine without so much as a scratch. If that happened in a trailer with a rear tack room, I think it would have been a big tangle of injured horses because that horse would have had no place to go once he was out of his own compartment. It's probably a good idea to tie them.  My friend is more experienced than me and she never ties them for some reason. But I believe in tying them now after these couple of hairy incidents.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Slant, straight and stock are trailer choices, now add in all the variables.

Slants.... come in various widths and that_* is*_ a great necessity.
I see so many horses that only "fit" in one stall as there is not enough room to close the divider....oops his body is 5" longer than the stall is common!
Moral of that...is if doing slant you better know what length, complete length your horse is from nose to tail and make darn sure all of him fits in more than one spot on that trailer!
Regardless of what some write, not every horse will load into a slant, especially with a rear tack compartment. Narrow, to narrow and "dark" walking through that tunnel for some. Claustrophobic is a issue for many. Some horses also contrary to belief do_* not*_ like to ride slanted...rear facing or straight are what many actually prefer.
Stocks....probably the easiest to load a horse into and the most versatile to use for many projects.
They also come in various widths and different side configurations of openness or more closed up.
Once in side you can have semi-stock, a dedicated stall area with dividers in the front and open cargo area in the back. Most trailers that are made to haul more than 2 horses have a center slam gate that partitions the trailer and offers confines if you need them.
Straight load... this is the trailer of choice {used to be} for anyone who did a lot of showing or hauling.
Dedicated stalls, a straight walk in, a butt and chest bar to secure the horse between. 
Come in many widths of stall and length of stall too so those behemoth sized horses can and do fit with ease.
It is common to see ramps on straight load trailers. Today many of these also have a rear divider that slides/moves so getting the "tough" loader is no longer tough.

So, those are the very basics of differences.
Now to add some things I personally think are mandatory to have on any trailer...
Height... 7'+ is a minimum today with larger horses.
Width... also comes with stall length, they correspond when built. Wider = longer stalls too it seems.
Ramp or step-up are personal choices...not every horse tolerates walking on a ramp. They just don't.
*Escape door....this to me is non-negotiable!* _A must have of at least one FULL SIZED DOOR!
_Your safety is paramount and must always come first in handling the horse. Issues can occur with the most seasoned and sweet natured, excellent loading animal... Not getting trapped is so important.All the rest are "options" from here.
Basics are the horse needs to fit comfortably in length, width and height of the trailer._...

Enjoy your search...
:runninghorse2:...
jmo...
_


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I have a 4-horse open stock, straight load (bumper pull). The center partition for the front two horses is removable.

Being open on the sides and not having solid partitions, it feels "open" to horses and they load and haul easier. I moved three of my horses in the trailer across the U.S. Twice without issue.

When I have hauled two horses and camping gear for a long weekend, it never used any more gas than my first trailer, a two-horse.

That said, one needs at least a 3/4 ton truck to pull a 4-horse trailer. 

If you want a small LQ trailer, you're going to end up with a slant.


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

IMO, stock trailer is the best. I have read that horses' heart rate and pulse have been tested when riding in trailers. The lowest rate was achieved by horses riding the stock trailer if they were facing backwards. I didn't own a horse until I was 30 years old, many years ago. And the first two horses I owned were two wild mustang adopted from the BLM. Back in those days, the mustangs weren't halter trained or anything. They were wild. To load them they were ran down a chute into the stock trailer. As soon as that stock began moving, the mustangs turned to face the back of the trailer, spread their front legs a little and lowered their heads. I thought, "Wow! The exact opposite of what we force them to do in a two horse, straight load trailer." Since then, I haul my horses in a stock trailer and let them face the rear. Going back to the heart and pulse rate: the second lowest was in the slant trailer, and a straight load was last.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

To me, the horses are not the issue. If they don't want to load, I'll teach them to. It's not a democracy. They don't get to vote. I say what we're going in, and I choose what is best suited for us, and it's their job to get in and go where I take them. In exchange I'll continue to provide free rent, groceries, and put them on a healthcare plan.

Back on topic, I learned to haul with a 2H straight. Easy to pull, a PITA to back. If you can back a squirrely little thing like that, you'll be find with something a little bigger later.

That being said, I now have a stock trailer bumper pull (4H technically, but really it's just however many I can cram in there without somebody getting squished. I have small horses.) and a 3H slant gooseneck which is the "town" rig, as in, the one you want to be seen in public with. I have been wanting to get another 2H though, because they're no muss no fuss, lightweight and easy - And sometimes, dang it, I want to just take ONE horse somewhere without having to go through the ordeal of hooking up a big trailer. You can always pull the divider out for just one if you are really worried about them getting claustrophobic or something.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Charro, in the stock, I also load my horses backwards, or just loose and let them figure it out. They do often find their feet better that way.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

I love my slant load 2H bumper pull (no rear tack, but a front tack). I, like SorrelHorse, started out with a rinky dinky old 2H straight load BP. My horses fit fine in it (a small Arab gelding and a 1/2 Arab filly), until the filly grew up and got BIG. Then I had to take the divider out for her to fit. I called it my One Horse Slant Load. LOL. My current trailer is plenty big and my horses fit in it fine. I'm also with SorrelHorse that my horses do not get a say about loading, although they all would load without problem in both trailers (I no longer have the straight load). Now I only have one horse and I moved the divider out so it now, too, is a one horse slant. After having both, I really like my slant load. I've never had a stock trailer (and have never wanted one), but those I know who have them, love them!

Next up for me may be a 3H slant load gooseneck LQ. Want to do more shows this year, which means more traveling; it will come in handy.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

At my barn a few people have trailers & they are slant-loads.
Although, it's good for a horse to get used to a straight-load too, good for them to know. I think it all boils down to personal preference. As for the horse, well, they will load one way or another, by getting taught of course. The horses at my barn don't really have issues with loading, thankfully. But I do know my friend's new horse was a bit eery of the trailer, so it took some time for him to get on. Other than that, piece of cake.


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## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

When I was trailer shopping I was not too picky about slant vs. straight load - I was on a budget and beggars can't be choosers. I just needed a trailer that my horses would fit in. 

When it came down to it, I found the 2H BP trailers to be too small. They weren't wide enough to fit both my boys, and most of them weren't tall enough for my bigger gelding. 

What i ended up buying was a 3H BP slant-load with a front tack room. It isn't much to look at, but I have very few complaints about my trailer. I always make my horses back out of it...I figure that is something they should know how to do comfortably. 

I like that I can choose to use the dividers...or not, and make it a large stock-type trailer. It is fairly easy to pull and likely much easier to back up than those teeny 2H trailers. 

My horses haul pretty comfortably in it, and since it is wide open in the back, they load pretty easily too.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

So... I have an old 2 horse straight load QH stock trailer that I hauled my QH in for YEARS. I think he was really kind of small for it but I crammed him in it for years without any issues. As he got older I felt him thrashing around more and more to the point that cars would wave to me to let me know I had an insane beast in the back that was loosing his mind. It got so bad that I stopped hauling him places. I mentioned it to my vet and he said something about his equilibrium being off and told me to try him in a slant load. I bought an oversized 4-horse slant load and never had another issue with him. I am so sold on them that I won't even look at a straight load anymore and they have some really nice ones out there...


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

farmpony84 said:


> So... I have an old 2 horse straight load QH stock trailer that I hauled my QH in for YEARS. I think he was really kind of small for it but I crammed him in it for years without any issues. As he got older I felt him thrashing around more and more to the point that cars would wave to me to let me know I had an insane beast in the back that was loosing his mind. It got so bad that I stopped hauling him places. I mentioned it to my vet and he said something about his equilibrium being off and told me to try him in a slant load. I bought an oversized 4-horse slant load and never had another issue with him. I am so sold on them that I won't even look at a straight load anymore and they have some really nice ones out there...


_I had the exact opposite.....
I worked at a barn where they used slant loads all the time....long before they became "the rage" they are today.
Yes, they have been around a long, long time.....:icon_rolleyes:
In any case....
A few of the horses were having issues of just not being right. Balance was off....
Vet calls and examinations, blood work and chemistry looking for anything...
Took the horses to New Bolton for their specialist eyes to see and evaluate...
Horses *arrived* in a slant load trailer...
Horses* went home* in a straight load 6 horse, head to head trailer...issue was miraculously "fixed"...
Some horses equilibrium does *not* accept traveling "slant" style...
Weird how that is...
So, as of late my horses ride in my stock trailer...some facing forward, some backward...*their choice* though none of mine ride "slanted".
:runninghorse2:....
_


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

horselovinguy I did love my little stock trailer. I could drive that anywhere, back it anywhere, pull it with anything... I could even lift the tongue and slap that thing on the bumper hitch if I didn't line it up just right... I think that's why I kept it. My brother keeps threatening to pull it out of the woods and turn it into a chicken coop....


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

We borrow a 3H slant load, stock type trailer (it's a horse trailer, but seriously no frills with it (it's a Cornpro)). It works well for us, but probably won't be what we end up buying. My mare gets into anything I point her at, period. It's one of the few "non negotiable" rules for her. We'be put her in it to drive up to Michigan, with my husband's side by side loaded in after she was loaded (she's plenty used to it, and didn't even flick an ear at it being loaded.)

Our ideal trailer will be a two horse straight load with a removable divider, living quarters, and a tack compartment. A gooseneck of course.

Personally, I don't much care between straight vs slant. Hubby wants straight so we can remove the divider and camp in the trailer with just his toy (we HATE the slant loads with the rear tack compartment; HORRIBLE design!) I also have a friend who had her trailer flip onto it's side with her horse in it, in a straight load trailer. She will NEVER own a slant load trailer after that accident, and won't let her horse ride in one either.

People can go back and forth all day about their experiences with each trailer. What it will come down to ultimately is what is in your price range, and how much your truck is rated to handle.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

Tazzie said:


> People can go back and forth all day about their experiences with each trailer. What it will come down to ultimately is what is in your price range, and how much your truck is rated to handle.


 and what YOUR preference is.

But hearing other's experiences and preferences is beneficial to me, even if I don't agree with others' opinion, since it does give me other factors to consider. So hopefully, the OP will get some benefit from everyone else's experiences and preference.

FWIW, while I prefer slant loads (and hate ramps, LOL), I have no issue with others preferring straight loads or stock trailers, ramps, steel trailer vs. aluminum vs. Brenderup type trailers. As you said, it is what YOU prefer, can afford and what your truck will haul safely.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

My horse trailer is a three horse slant goose neck, with no dividers.
Horses, mine anyways, prefer this trailer over the 4 horse straight load stock trailer that I used to haul with
If possible, I would look at getting a goose neck. I will never go back to hauling with a bumper pull. So much more maneuverability and better weight distribution


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

The one thing I disagree with on the slant vs. straight discussion is the idea that slant loads have more room for big horses. I can see where people would think that because there were some really tiny straight loads once upon a time. But if you go out to buy a new trailer today, you absolutely can't get a slant load with space comparable to a straight. There's a simple reason for this -- highway regulations limit trailer width to 8' 6". That means if you try to go wider than 7', the wheel wells end up inside the trailer. That's fine in a big stock trailer, but doesn't work at all in a slant.

On the other hand, there is no limit to the length of a straight wall, so the stalls can be long enough for any horse, and up to 42" wide. Also many straight loads are now available with completely removable partitions.

Your mileage may vary, but in my experience hauling in hot weather, the ventilation in a straight load is more effective. I was able to open the back windows and the ceiling vents and get enough air flowing through to keep my horse dry and comfortable on a 90 degree haul, without opening the side windows. In a slant he was drenched in sweat.

My dream trailer would be a 2-horse gooseneck straight-load with a removable center partition and a full width rear door like a stock trailer. It would have chest bumpers and room in front of them for the horse to reach the floor with its nose while on the road.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Joel the slant allows for longer length than the width of the trailer. Not saying I haven't seem some slants that angle their gates wrong creating too small a space but that's not the norm. Might be an issue for a draft horse but my 16 hand, built like tanks stock horses fit in our 8' wide slant load trailer just fine.


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## secuono (Jul 6, 2011)

I have a stock trailer, fits 2 horses if it had a divider.
I tie my gelding on the drivers side. He positions himself nearly perpendicular to the side walls. 
So if I had the $ and was in the market for a new trailer, it would be a slant for sure.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

JCnGrace said:


> Joel the slant allows for longer length than the width of the trailer. Not saying I haven't seem some slants that angle their gates wrong creating too small a space but that's not the norm. Might be an issue for a draft horse but my 16 hand, built like tanks stock horses fit in our 8' wide slant load trailer just fine.


I have no partitions in my slant load, so the horses have a lot of room, esp if I just haul one or two hroses, which is the norm for me at this time
The horses can angle themselves, so they have several feet of room behind them


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