FW: Ramp vs Step

["Mike Sherrell" <mike@grizzlyanalytical.com>]

I went to a lot of trouble to get a ramp attached to my trailer after I had
a horse back out of a step-down, do something a little foolish and get her
hind foot a little under the step, pull the foot up and bang it on the step
and go lame for a month. I was told by other people that this sort of
trailer injury on step-downs was not unheard of, albeit not very frequent.

The other problems with ramps are true but in my mind not sufficient to
balance the risk. One thing I've learned with my ramp is to protect the
hinges, if it goes down on uneven ground and is only touching at one end,
put a rock or stick or something under the high corner so the stress on the
hinges is even.

I always try (not that I succeed) to be guided by the principle that if
there is a way for a horse to injure itself, it eventually will.

Regards,

Michael Sherrell
Grizzly Analytical (USA)
www.grizzlyanalytical.com
707 887 2919/fax 707 887 9834

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Holland [mailto:lanconn@tds.net]
> Sent: Friday, February 22, 2002 4:49 AM
> To: guest@endurance.net
> Subject: RC: Ramp vs Step
>
>
> Terry...
>
> First, you shouldn't buy a trailer based on what your horse "likes or
> doesn't like". You can teach a horse to load on anything. In fact, you
> SHOULD do this.  What if your horse is injured somewhere, your trailer
> is broken, etc. You may HAVE to load on all kinds of things in an
> emergency.  I "practiced" with my horse Sunny on all kinds of
> trailers,
> with ramps, without ramps, etc. I also practiced with the trailer
> uphill, downhill, leaning left or right. What if you have an accident
> and the trailer is in the ditch? (I haven't tried it, but I think he
> would hop into the back of my pickup) <grin> But training is another
> issue....
>
> That said, I have owned both a ramp and no ramp.  IMHO,
> forget the ramp
> unless you are a show person and unload in a "nice" area all the time.
> You can't put the ramp down in an uneven area. This
> complicates getting
> your horse off in an emergency. You should always BACK your
> horse off a
> trailer, not lead off. (Unless maybe it's a open stock trailer with no
> stalls...even then, I would teach it) You can buy all kinds
> of trailers
> with ramps, by the way. You might want to look around a
> little more and
> talk to some more dealers.
>
> In addition, the springs tend to get weak or break on ramps, and it's
> one more thing you have to maintain. As to horses sliding under the
> trailer, I'm sure it's happened, but I've never seen it.
> Biggest chance
> of this happening be on something slick like pavement, but
> normally you
> would not unload there. (Teaching your horse not to rush off
> the trailer
> also prevents this)
>
> I owned one trailer with a ramp...no more.  Just a pain. Good luck!
>
> Jim, Sun of Dimanche, and Mahada Magic
>
> guest@endurance.net wrote:
> >
> > Terry Emmitt terryemmitt@msn.com
> > I reviewed the archives (all 64 pages on trailers) to see
> if I could find
> > some discussion on this subject, and didn't find anything
> to satisify my
> > question, so I'm posting for some opinions.  Here goes:
> > I have a big TB mare.  She's been in slant loads alot, but
> always has to
> > go in the last stall, crammed in kind of sideways.  To
> unload, she has to
> > shimmey back and forth a couple of times to get straight
> enough to back
> > out. (There's a rear tack area to get around). The whole
> 'turning around
> > to unload' bit doesn't seem possible (or desireable).
> She's also been
> > loaded in straight loads, but HATES the ramp.  I hauled her
> in a 'jalopy'
> > recently and for the next two weekends couldn't even get
> her loaded back
> > into the thing... the big problem is LEAPING over the ramp.
> > Having that history, I decided to get a 2H, straight load
> with van doors
> > (ie, step up).  When I called around looking for used ones,
> I was told
> > that set up is 'special order' only and would be hard to
> find.  It seems
> > like the ideal solution to my situation... but I'm wondering if I'm
> > missing something?  Is there a reason you don't put a step up on a
> > straight load?  That I can tell, backing off and stepping down is no
> > different in a slant than straight load (well, in her case,
> easier.).  The
> > dealer said horses can sometimes slip under the trailer if
> they raise
> > their head and panic getting off, but that can happen in a
> slant load as
> > well.
> > Please post any concerns I should have about this setup...
> I already put
> > down a deposit and am having a little buyer's remose panic!
> >
> > Thanks for the help.
> >
> > Terry
> >
> >
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> > Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
> > Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
> >
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>
> --
> Richard T. "Jim" Holland
> Three Creeks Farm
> 175 Hells Hollow Drive
> Blue Ridge, GA 30513
> (706) 258-2830
> FAX (706) 632-1271
>
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
> Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>