Re: [RC] [RC] a really weird trailer ?? - Dyane Smith
I agree with Kathy that having someone help you teach the
mare to load herself would be good. Nevertheless, my worst nightmare
scenario is that I will be putting the ramp either up or down and the horse
starts to come out. Can we all say squished horse owner?
I have a gelding that learned to undo the bar at the front
of the trailer. Only by luck and the fact that he had been hauled a lot
loose in another trailer prevented a mess (I have the Brenderup with the front
unload ramp). I got the front bar re-rigged to hopefully prevent more
shenanigans, but I would sure recommend that after the mare learns to load
herself, you get a butt bar. I don't think they could be all that
expensive. Probably your local machine shop could make you one
easily.
I think that you should get help from a professional to teach your horse
to load and stand in the trailer rather than further jury-rigging your trailer
to accommodate her. You want her to be well-trained so that it's not an
issue in case she has to be hauled by someone else.
I hired someone to help me with my mare's trailer loading issues, and she
pretty much accomplished that in one lesson.
I started doing Parelli, and had to re-learn to load my other horse by
"sending" him into the trailer rather than leading him in.
I have a CM 2 horse straight load with a ramp. I now have a horse
too long for comfort in the one side. So I moved the divider over and
secured it, and she fits nicely as slant load. But I do not have a way of
keeping her head at the manger while I back out to lift ramp.
Don't want to tie her head as she has enough room to jerk back and
scare herself and make a disaster. I need something to pull across the
back of trailer like a long butt bar or slant gate to close her in like a
real slant load. then I can back out and lift ramp and drive
off.
