# Butt Bar?



## barrels_and_bling (Jun 5, 2019)

Hello! 
Looking for some advice. I have a 3 horse slant load trailer with a collapsible rear tack that I always have folded up as I find that my young horses that haven't been hauled lots load better with a more roomy opening. I have only hauled two horses in it so far but now we have 3 horses that we want to take with us. Is a butt bar important for the last stall? My first two stalls have dividers separating them but my trailer didn't come with a butt bar and even if it did, it wouldn't reach the full length of the trailer. What are the benefits of a butt bar? What could happen if you didnt have one? How would one go about making one? Ive only hauled with an open stock before so I never needed a butt bar so I wondering how important it is with a actual horse trailer. 

Thanks!

(Attached is a picture of my trailer)


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

It is an added safety device to keep a horse from backing out or in the event the door opens during travel can stop a horse from falling out.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

The truckers have a load stabilizing barn that is "tension only" applied to the inside walls of their trailers.
It holds a load in place during transport...
Something like this would work in your situation from side-to-side as they are adjustable width finding.







_ https://www.dccargomall.com/96-112-...term=4579534650679184&utm_content=Ad Group #1_
Works by a ratcheting action to secure or release...
Other than that...not sure except for a covered chain what else you can put in place..

Personally, I would _not_ trailer my horses without some form of butt bar restraint so they not sit on the back door, step out of the trailer when the door is released and land in your lap..
I've seen what happens when a horse also steps back onto the ramp and catches the person underneath it...shattered femur was not a pretty injury.
No thanks....and no, even experienced and seasoned horses with trailering have a brain and do the unexpected at times..
I protect me which in turn protects them!
:runninghorse2:..


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Check out the two recent posts here about trailer accidents. I am scared straight. When I buy a trailer, it will have every single safety feature, and maybe two of some of them. A butt bar could make the difference between life an death in some cases. It keeps them from leaning on the rear door, and provides an extra layer of safety should that rear door open while you're travelling, God forbid. It wouldn't necessarily keep the horses in for miles and miles, but it might make all the difference in those few moments between the time the door opened and the time you were able to bring your rig to a stop.


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## therhondamarie (Sep 18, 2019)

I second @ACinATX because after reading about those two accidents I am so scared. I am adding zip ties to our trailer ties even though they have a quick release. I also got all of our horses regular halters instead of just rope halters for trailering. We bought a 2 horse BP, it has chains for the butt. I'm going to wrap them in foam I think for added protection. I also made sure to get new tires all around the trailer.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

therhondamarie said:


> We bought a 2 horse BP, it has chains for the butt. I'm going to wrap them in foam I think for added protection. I also made sure to get new tires all around the trailer.



Think pool noodles....perfect time of the year to buy them now "summer" is over and end-of-season sales are here...








Walmart, Dollar General and Family Dollar all had/have them and on sale...all the stores do that have children's summer toys.

You can buy different thickness and colors...
I use them in my trailer to cover my butt chains...makes the chain tush friendly and cheap enough I can replace them if they get really soiled or a tear in the noodle.
You will need a way to thread the chain through and pull it, and possibly depending upon your "clip" to the wall you might need something different or to make the chain a bit longer now it not just hang but has some shape to it...
Happy shopping... these are affordable_ {shush don't tell the tack shops!}_

:runninghorse2:...


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Equine bubble wrap! That's what we need!


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## horseylover1_1 (Feb 13, 2008)

Just bought a trailer, mine does not have a butt bar either! Worries me to death! Husband is like - why would you possibly need one, you got a latch on the trailer and even if the latch itself were to break it still is secured. But ugh, I am paranoid


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## therhondamarie (Sep 18, 2019)

I was thinking pool noodles would work! They also come in a handy assortment of colors.  The woman who had my trailer before me added the chains as it did not have any, and I'm so thankful she did or that would be me out there figuring out how to add them!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

For all the reasons above, and more, yes, butt bars are an important safety feature. I know someone who had a very heavy horse that used to sit on the door during trailering. Bent the whole thing so they had to repair the door, and install a butt bar to avoid it happening again. But even on a day-to-day easy haul, the butt bar prevents a horse from backing out too quickly when you open the back door. Even tied, they can quickly break a halter and run backwards. Not sure how you'd rig it up to go across the entire back, but I'd figure out a way.


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## The Humble Horseman (Dec 5, 2018)

QtrBel said:


> It is an added safety device to keep a horse from backing out or in the event the door opens during travel can stop a horse from falling out.



QtrBel pretty much summed it up. I have a similar slant load, and I do use the rear butt bar. It has come in handy when the rear horse tries to back out before you're ready. And, God forbid it happen, I'd sure be happy it is there if the door came open on the road as we use breakaway ties in the trailer.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

My trailer, a 3 horse slant, has 3 locking mechanisms on the back door. Even if my horse were to lean all his weight on it, there is no way it's going to open. If you think your trailer door will open if a horse leans on it, beef it up! Mine has the regular latch, then clips that go over the latch with a "careful of fingers" springlock. At the bottom of the door is another springloaded lock. I would just put your horse in loose but make sure your door will not open, so beef it up.


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## The Humble Horseman (Dec 5, 2018)

waresbear said:


> My trailer, a 3 horse slant, has 3 locking mechanisms on the back door. Even if my horse were to lean all his weight on it, there is no way it's going to open. If you think your trailer door will open if a horse leans on it, beef it up! Mine has the regular latch, then clips that go over the latch with a "careful of fingers" springlock. At the bottom of the door is another springloaded lock. I would just put your horse in loose but make sure your door will not open, so beef it up.



Mine is pretty robust as well. The only way I could see it really coming open is if it was not shut properly in the first place. I'm pretty thorough about the loading process, so it's not something I worry about myself.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Your door may be secure but you never know what can happen.

I was sitting at a red light one day coming home from a trail ride and the driver of the car behind me got out of his car and walked up to the back of my trailer. I just happened to look in my side mirror to see him disappear behind my trailer. He saw me get out and went back to his vehicle, didn't say anything. I went back there and nothing was messed with. Right then the light turned green so I got back in my truck and moved on. Who knows what he was up to or what his intentions were but people can do some mean things. What if he thought it would be funny to unlatch the doors. I seriously thought about putting padlocks on the doors but then thought better of it as that would make it impossible to get them out quickly if I had to.

Now that my thoughts are back on this, I think that I will find some sort of clip that can easily be removed but still prevent the latch from being quickly lifted by a passerby.

The way that the latch is designed, it won't pop open by itself.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

If somebody messes with the back of my trailer, they better know how to use that clip lock thing! If you're not familiar with it you will mash your fingers! I did it once, lost a fingernail, super careful ever since.


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## Feathers7 (Jun 11, 2019)

horselovinguy said:


> No thanks....and no, even experienced and seasoned horses with trailering have a brain and do the unexpected at times..


The experienced ones will make assumptions about the trailering routine and when it's time to come out. Butt bar stops them from making an fool out of 'u' and 'me' (notice how when horses make the assumptions, there's no blaming them? Safe > sorry.)

The only time I've ever heard of a trailer part being potentially undesirable is... the divider in a 2-haul. Horse falls over, can't get up, big and possibly very sad mess. Sometimes it's better to tie with a breakaway and let the horses have a bit more freedom. Only you (and your trainer/experienced party) can be the judge of that with your horses.


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## therhondamarie (Sep 18, 2019)

Feathers7 said:


> The experienced ones will make assumptions about the trailering routine and when it's time to come out. Butt bar stops them from making an fool out of 'u' and 'me' (notice how when horses make the assumptions, there's no blaming them? Safe > sorry.)
> 
> The only time I've ever heard of a trailer part being potentially undesirable is... the divider in a 2-haul. Horse falls over, can't get up, big and possibly very sad mess. Sometimes it's better to tie with a breakaway and let the horses have a bit more freedom. Only you (and your trainer/experienced party) can be the judge of that with your horses.


I worry about that with my 2-horse BP. The "divider" is small and one could definitely fall under it then have difficulty getting up. Anyone have ideas on that?


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## Feathers7 (Jun 11, 2019)

therhondamarie said:


> I worry about that with my 2-horse BP. The "divider" is small and one could definitely fall under it then have difficulty getting up. Anyone have ideas on that?



Yup, have it removed. Friend of mine has a 2-haul and took out the divider. She lets her mare be free in the trailer, but that mare is an incredible hauler - very well behaved. How well behaved is your horse?

Also, if you only have a door with no butt-bar, you can easily add a butt-bar, or even a slide-latch plywood door (or slab) on the inside of the "exit" door. Trailers have a lot of room for customization, if you think about it. Just remember to make your customizations horse-safe and very sturdy. =)


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## therhondamarie (Sep 18, 2019)

Feathers7 said:


> Yup, have it removed. Friend of mine has a 2-haul and took out the divider. She lets her mare be free in the trailer, but that mare is an incredible hauler - very well behaved. How well behaved is your horse?
> 
> Also, if you only have a door with no butt-bar, you can easily add a butt-bar, or even a slide-latch plywood door (or slab) on the inside of the "exit" door. Trailers have a lot of room for customization, if you think about it. Just remember to make your customizations horse-safe and very sturdy. =)


My mare hauls great, but we do have more than one and if she has the room she will move and crowd the other horse. We have chains that have pool noodles on them for the butt bar.


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## Feathers7 (Jun 11, 2019)

therhondamarie said:


> My mare hauls great, but we do have more than one and if she has the room she will move and crowd the other horse. We have chains that have pool noodles on them for the butt bar.



I dig the pool noodles, gonna have to remember that. Hmm...okay, other than making the floor as non-slip as possible...how about a ~6' tall divider that is flush with the floor, is made so that the horse can't put a leg through it, has a strip of rubber-mat reinforcement at floor level, and that reinforcement acts as a 'grip' so your horse can have traction for straightening up or standing up? That might allow her to lean on the divider without falling, or slip and catch herself. If you do that, you might even be able to make use of the divider that you have -- fasten rubber mats to a plywood slab (or whatever material you think is best), then (strongly) attach this assembly to the underside of the divider that you already have? We did already discuss (via the trailer accident posts) that having horses fit in a trailer like padded poptarts in a toaster is potentially much more safe. So this would cover a few safety precautions.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

I feel that it depends on the horse. 



My slant load came with a butt bar. I had NEVER used it b/c Red would normally get the back slant and he's a great haulers, doesn't lean, and there was just no need for it. My doors also have a good closing mechanism (locked by a pin) so pretty impossible for them to open while driving (I've seen other trailer designs where they could possibly open while driving, but not mine, so I think it depends on the brand and the trailer). 



But this past year I've hauled Shotgun in the back slant and he LEANS. I noticed it b/c I noticed by back door was starting to get a bit bent! So I started using the butt bar for him. Mine is a pain in the **** b/c it's kinda in the way when it hangs down to unload them - I don't like how it attaches - but I do need to use it for him b/c he does lean. 



So I think it depends on the horse and the individual trailer door design on whether you need to or not.


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## therhondamarie (Sep 18, 2019)

That is a good idea. I'm going to have to look at it and take some pictures to see how I might do something like that for the trailer. Funny that you say pop tarts because that's what I call my mare!


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