Load your horses facing Front or Back?

[WantedWolf]

Just wondering how you load your horses into a trailer?
I have always loaded facing front. But have now heard its better for the horses balence when starting and stoping to load them facing the rear of the trailer. What are the goods and bads of each from your experiences?

 

[aczlan]

Just wondering how you load your horses into a trailer?
I have always loaded facing front. But have now heard its better for the horses balence when starting and stoping to load them facing the rear of the trailer. What are the goods and bads of each from your experiences?

when we had horses we loaded them front first, preferably so that they sould stand at a slant, a while back someone loaded horses in a stock trailer and observed how they stood when they were loose, they preferred to stand at a 45 degree angle to the direction of travel.

Aaron Z

 

[Jimbrown]

I have two horses that prefer to ride backwards. If you put them straight in and there is room they will turn around. They seem to like to brace their rear end against the trailer. I have a throughbred that will stay however you load him and never move. I try to give mine enough room to ride however they prefer. They also unload a lot better if they can turn around and come out forward. If I am just hauling one horse I put him in a 14ft stock trailer and he can move around as he pleases. If I haul two I put them in a 3 horse gooseneck with only two stalls so they have lots of room turn if they want to.

 

[schmism]

observed how they stood when they were loose, they preferred to stand at a 45 degree angle to the direction of travel.

Aaron Z

and thus slant load horse trailers

 

[riptides]

And I have enough trouble getting them in straight. I cannot imagine trying to load them rear first.

Mine go in and I strap them down. What they do in there is beyond me. I know they are happy to get out, and happier when they know it is going home time.

 

[WantedWolf]

And I have enough trouble getting them in straight. I cannot imagine trying to load them rear first.

Mine go in and I strap them down. What they do in there is beyond me. I know they are happy to get out, and happier when they know it is going home time.

Sorry thats funny
I asked out of concern for my wifes 31 year old standard bred, My Palimino well if I even get her in a trailer Im happy, I doubt shell ever be calm or comfortable unless perhaps i tranqed her. but thats a last resort

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Always straight in, when unloading they know to back out.

 

[arrow]

I once did a little experiment upon a discussion the horse people around here were having. I took the center partition out and loaded the first horse. After a 2 mile loop , he was at a 45* angle. Went home, unloaded him and put a filly on board. Same loop and she was facing out the back of the trailer. I took that to mean females always appreciate more where they were as opposed to where they're at. The results went over really well at that nights campfire where there were 20 gals and four husbands. It seemed to prove my point however. My wife instantly reminisced what life was like before she knew me.

 

[Liren]

When I'm hauling one, I let them ride in the box stall configuration. My horse will turn to face backwards, my husband's horse sometimes faces backwards and sometimes will stand at a slant. When I have both on board, they go in facing forward.

 

[Diesel-ME]

Just wondering how you load your horses into a trailer?
I have always loaded facing front. But have now heard its better for the horses balence when starting and stoping to load them facing the rear of the trailer. What are the goods and bads of each from your experiences?

On long trips (Maine to Florida) the horses spent a lot of time leaned hard against the butt bar - probably just to be able to balance and sleep I guess...... in any case always facing forward.

~paul

 

[blueriver]

When I haul more than one, I load head to tail ... horse's always stand that way in the pasture ... Hauling my gelding to the cow pasture he is loaded head first. I find loose stock always seems to turn around and face back and then they seem to line up head to tail ...

 

[WantedWolf]

Its hard to determine by some of the posts but so far it seems

6 for front facing

and 1 for horses choice

 

[whistlepig]

I can't even imagine trying to load a horse in to a closed trailer backwards. I hope my wife never gets the notion to do this. I can see an entire weekend wasted if she does. The basic task is to get the horse in the trailer. We leave it up to the horse as to which direction they choose to do so. They prefer front first. Leave well enough alone.