# Using 2 horse straight as a 1 horse slant?



## Shortyhorses4me (Jun 17, 2018)

I am looking at 2 horse straight 1990s Logan Malibu trailers and the ads say the middle divider swings over so it can be used as a 1 horse slant as well. I'd been advised by people that slant trailers are safer on the horse where in case of a hard braking, the horse can lean into it with the whole side of their body.

So I'm wondering if using a 2 horse straight as a 1 horse slant will be as safe? Or is it just not as good of an angle as a true slant set up? Does anyone use a straight load trailer in this way?


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I "open" my divider when I load, then secure it in place to make a "stall".
My divider is full length to the floor so it gives a partition to rest against when hard braking happens if needed.
A chest bar and butt bar also enclose my horses body offering padded support should they get thrown against them.

For answering to your question..._"So I'm wondering if using a 2 horse straight as a 1 horse slant will be as safe?"_
The answer is_* no*_...
A straight load trailer is designed to be used _with_ butt bars up and secured.
This offers the protection to your horse of not sitting against the rear door or ramp and strengthens the center divider for the horse.

Logan Coach are wonderful trailers.
Ones I've seen were very well made, spacious, light, good ventilation and excellent being towed...
Me, I would buy a straight load over a slant load when you have padded dividers _to the floor_, heavily padded chest and butt bars and neck room so your horse can ride with a comfortable angle not crammed if he is a long bodied horse.


Make sure if you look at slant-load you leave enough room for nose to tail, fitting every inch and then some so the horse can duplicate a relaxed stance found in straight load.
There is a big difference in "space" when you refer to a straight load _6' wide_ and a slant -load_ 6' wide_ and how horses must stand...
I've seen and experienced where my horses did not fit in slant stalls because they have a bigger barrel or longer body than the trailer could accommodate closing the divider...just beware.
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


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## Shortyhorses4me (Jun 17, 2018)

This is a pic of one of them of the inside. The divider isn't too the floor, I haven't seen any like that yet. This would be for a smaller horse.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

Not sure how you could use it as a slant trailer? It looks too tight. If you move the divider over, you are eliminating the butt bars. That may not matter unless you have a second horse in there. 



My advice would be to look for a trailer in which the entire middle divider is removable. Then your horse can ride backwards, and utilize the entire trailer space. I believe it is easier for the horse to balance if you brake and the horse is facing backwards. Just make sure your trailer has full back doors, not half doors.


I'm not sure slant trailers are that much safer. I just tried my mare in one for the first time. She had absolutely no room to move. Like an extra 3 inches and she wouldn't have fit. It was a shame as that trailer was very affordable. But why they designed the trailer with a huge tack room and a tiny slant stall, I have no idea. My mare is 15'1" so not huge by any means and she barely fit. Would the trailer work in a pinch? yes, but I want my horses to be comfortable, not squished in a tiny slant stall. 



I'm still trailer hunting. It is a pain. Either I find old beat up trailers, or expensive aluminum ones, and nothing in between. The aluminum looks nice but I would prefer a steal frame trailer.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

I'd take the divider out and leave the center post for support, and so the butt bars can still be closed. Then find a way to pad the sharp manger divider if the horse will be standing sideways. Lots of people haul like this, especially if your trips are short and infrequent. If you think you will want to haul two horses, leave the divider in and just haul the horse on the left side. Since the horse is small and the divider doesn't go to the floor, he'll still have room to spread his feet to shift weight. I despise divers that go to the floor... they make cleaning more difficult and that center divider/floor junction is going to be the first place the floor rots, if a horse goes down he's a lot harder to help up, and horses that scramble and panic in a trailer with the divider to the floor usually ride well with a divider that doesn't go to the floor or without a divider at all. 

If you can find a straight-load with the breast bar in front rather than a manger, that is ideal. Usually, those have an easier option of removing the divider, and tend to be a bit longer/wider in the horse area than the tiny 'popcan' two-horse trailers with mangers. 

Also measure the height from the floor to the manger if you decide on a trailer with one-- a small horse may have to stand with his head held uncomfortably high in a trailer like this, and that should be avoided. Measure your horse's muzzle to the ground when he's standing relaxed, and make sure that's longer than the trailer measurement for his comfort.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

That trailer’s interior is similar to my old trailer. I frequently left the divider off (it was removable) when hauling one horse. All the single horses I had in there did tend to stand at a slant in it.

So, to answer your question more directly, I suspect the divider pushed off to the side may not give enough room for one horse to get a good angle going. That being the case it may not bother trying to stand slantwise.

Btw, if you do remove the divider to let the horse stand as it wants, note that a small, flexible horse might be able to actually turn around in the trailer (and if it does it while you are moving, you likely feel/see the trailer lurching about slightly). If you’re OK with that all is good; if not then you may want to tie the horse and if you do that tie in a manner that will permit the horse to stand at slant without twisting his neck out of position.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

That divider sure appears _not _removable and I would suggest strongly you _*not*_ cut it out...
It is a major component of the trailers strength and structure.
Notice the butt chains snap to the divider...
The door doesn't secure to the divider but appears to be a large one door like you would find on a stock trailer...
Your divider and center beam are stationary NOT moveable. Notice the steel beam center on the floor with the wood boards then both sides. I also don't see a rotating pin or hinge welded to that beam up front.
Your lower padding is add-on not original to the trailer except for I think that of the center divider. All your wall padding should resemble that pattern though. Look carefully at the padding and see it not match the finished looks and size.
Your lower padding one-side appears to be stall mats cut and screwed to the wall...it doesn't all match.
What concerns me is the left side bottom with what appears to be visible rot and ripped padding at the floor board..
Where are the floor mats? Newer floor nicely spaced but there should of been floor mats on it too if the rest was so matted.
Does this trailer have escape door{s}?
Or is it a manger trailer with the small window I see peeking and _no escape door_ full or 1/2 door for the human?
If this trailer has no escape door I would not consider it a possibility anymore for me..._sorry._
The no escape door was common on really old trailers...

I would measure very carefully the actual stall size length and width, the trailer height...
I recognize a older trailer but this has a illusion to me of being a "pony" trailer of 5' wide and shorter length stalls = lower roof height which works well for horses under 14.2 hands and not long bodied...the horse of years ago.
2 1/2 boards per side @ maybe 10" wide boards,_ maybe..._or are they 8" wide boards_ :think:
__Is your horse going to fit in that stall width? 
__Length?_:|
If you purchase this trailer just realize that it may be hard to re-sell if you choose to change to a newer trailer because of some of those things I mentioned...beware.
:runninghorse2:...

_jmo.._


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Years ago I had a mare that scrambled. We swung the divider over and secured it. The mare rode great with more room.


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