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[RC] [Guest] Trailer ramps - Ridecamp GuestBonnie Davis In the 40 plus years of hauling horses -- I 've only bought trailers with ramps. I don't like step-up trailers but step-up or ramps is a personal choice and I know you're going to get all kinds of responses on this one! I like ramps because a horse 'walks up' and into the trailer. A horse backs down. To see, he turns his head slightly to one side or the other to see what's behind him. Ramps can be heavy but you can have helper springs on 'em. I have a Featherlite, 2-horse straight with dressing room in front, ramp load and it's a ramp with helper springs. On a step-up, a horse steps up and into the trailer. To back out, the horse has to 'feel' with his toe. Some horses fall off, head goes up and they hit their heads on the top of the trailer. Other just speed out (and some will do that on a ramp too). A horse doesn't know how far he is going to 'fall' off a step off. I've never had a horse refuse to go into or come out of a ramp trailer. I've had horses to refuse to come out of a step-up. And I've had one that just flatly refused to load but with a ramp, he walks in from 20 feet. All my horses are trained to go into the trailer. Leadrope over the withers, point in, slap on the rump and they walk right in. No porblems. They will stay in trailer until trails are pulled and they are told to back out. I do tie horses when hauling. One thing I like about slant loads is a horse can turn to walk out. Can see where he is going. I don't own a slant load though because I don't like the way horses stand or wind in eyes.....but that's another personal choice. Bonnie Davis ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ridecamp Guest" <ridecamp-moderator@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <guest@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 8:58 AM Subject: [RC] [Guest] Trailer ramps Jan Mutchler jmutchler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Our Sundowner trailer is jacked up an additional 3 inches. There wasn't a problem unloading my tall Anglo from this trailer, but I now have a shorter horse and I feel that the step would be too high for him. Have any of you used a ramp or had one added to your trailer? How do you like the ramp, does it hold up well or get bent in time with horses walking on it? Is it slippery when wet? Would appreciate any comments. Jan Mutchler Colorado =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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