I tried a slant trailer and I didn't like it. :-)

[Louisa_Pierce@ne.3com.com]

As most of you know I am in the market for a new goose neck horse trailer.  I
had my heart set on
a 2 or 3 horse slant, but I was unsure if I and my horses would like it.  I
didn't know how it would
be to work around and get down a system that works.

I was very fortunate to be able to borrow a bran new 3 horse slant with dressing
room.  It was a
nice trailer, but not one I would pick for my self.  Even thou it was missing
some perks I would
have in my trailer, and it was a tad smaller then the one I would pick, I
decided to take it
home and try it out.

Now my friend (CB as I call her) and I have been trailing together for about 6
or 7 years.  We have a
system down pat.  I stand by the escape door w/ a grain and her horse  self
loads, and while
I give him a carrot, she puts up the bum bar.  Then She comes up and does the
same for my horse,
while I do the bum bar, this works out very well and it takes us less then 3
minuets to load.

Now, we have this slant - this is going to take some thought.  I walk my horse
up to it, and realise I
can not walk in w/ him, and if we put a person out side the drop down window, he
wont see them
with the carrot - hmmmmmmm.    I decide to walk in as far as I can w/ my horse,
and then push him
over to the wall and close the patrician - sound easy?

Well, it was not.  My horse was very good, but unsure about walking that far
into the this strange trailer.
and I did not have my timing down to push him over and close the partition, so
it took us a few tires
at this (each time my  horse would back out - gently - but he'd back out)

I think CB took over for me, at leading my horse in.  She got him over and
closed the partition.  We noticed
that he did not have any room to move, but his window was dropped and we were
talking to him from
outside the widow, giving him carrots etc.. and telling him he is a good boy.
(he had his hay bag to)

Then I think he realised that he really could not move in this tomb, so he go a
little upset and he wanted
to get out.  He saw the open drop down window, so he decided to try and
fit/squeeze thou the drop down.
He got him self stuck!  He was still calm, but he wanted to come out.  CB got
him unstuck, and we took
him off the trailer.

We then load them back up in the normal 2 straight load, and they were very
happy.

So the reason for this note, is I really do not want a slant anymore.  We have
no trailer problems at all, if
we go w/what we are used to.  I knew that maybe in time we would all get a
system down and horses
would like it - and I would buy a better trailer - but I don't want to spend the
time on "getting" back to that
point where everything clicks.

I keep reading how much the horses love slants, and I want my kids to be comfy.
Of course the new
Equs mag' came last night and it again was praising slants.  I can also get more
for my money if
I buy a slant, a 2 goose straight load will have to be a custom order (long
story)

But, I really don't want one any more.  Please tell me that I am making the
right decison.  Please tell me
that my horses have loved a straight load for over 7 years and have had no
problems and there
is no reason to change :-)

Thanks,

Louisa and Sultan
in Mass.