trucks & trailers

[LaBerge <plaberge@epix.net>]

Thanks so much to everyone who responded about the Dodge trucks- that 
was incredibly helpful. 
On to trailers- I am posting this because I thought I was one of the few 
(probably am still) who had noticed a horse getting off a slant load 
short on the left hind.(Thanks Rebecca for bringing this up) It was only 
noticeable to me, but when you get to a 100 mile ride you notice 
EVERYTHING about your horse. Some gentle stretching ala Nancy Spencer 
easily remedied the situation after walking around. And he had perfectly 
sound vettings, but it nagged at me. He did have a cramp at one ride at 
about 90 miles left hind when the air started to chill and we forded a 
cold river(which we were able to work out and complete thanks to my 
husband who got word and who went to a farmhouse and got hot water for 
the vet check). The next year I was at a ride and a friend was 
complaining that she came in a different trailer (slant load) than usual 
and her horse was stiff left hind when he got off (usual trailer was a 
straightload). Lightbulb! After that, I took out dividers, let the horse 
stand the way he wanted (backwards) and never saw that left hind thing 
again.
This is strictly one anecdotal report, but maybe will help someone else! 
I know that most endurance horses probably go to rides in slant loads 
just fine. But I do have a question. Were slant loads begun as a result 
of studies saying horses actually rode better or more as a space saver 
to get more horses on? That has really never been clear to me. And what 
does "ride better" actually mean when people say they ride better- that 
they can just balance better and are happier. Or does "ride better" also 
mean "should arrive better" taking into consideration possible 
musculo-skeletal consequences? 
Deb LaBerge