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[RC] trailers - rnbianchiThis is the first time I have ever heard of extra strain due to a slant load trailer. We have owned both straight load and slant load types. I have seen horses that are terrible travellers, most likely due to bad drivers, but most of the "scramblers" were trailered in the straight load type. My understanding and experience is that if you let a horse stand free in an open box trailer they will slant load themselves. I had a horse shipped from Colorado to California in a big commercial 18 wheeler (straight loaded) and he came off the trailer with his left loin/sacrum locked up. I trailered the same horse (plus my other two) from California to Maryland in a three horse slant load without any signs of lameness or needing chiropractic help. I don't have permanent mangers and tie my guys so they can get their heads about half way to the floor, that way they can't get hung up under the partitions (I have heard of this happening to someone else).
BE VERY CAREFUL if you use the old rope type hay bags. One of my horses took a big mouthful of hay such that the rope ended up caught on the back of his lower teeth, he panicked, pulled back and now he panics and throws his head in the air every time I take his bit out. Very big sigh...
Cheers,
Becky Bianchi
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