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Re: [RC] [Guest] Trailer ramps - Bonnie DavisWow, Jim, you really HATE ramp trailers don't you..... I don't show. Never have. But I horsecamp. About 5-7 thousand miles a year just camping. Been in flat meadows, on the side of mountains, on river banks and lots of places where the ground is not even. Never camp or unload in a ditch -- you could wet is it rains up in the moutains and the ditch gets water run off. And in all those years with my ramp trailer, no problems. As for leveling, that's why one should carry 5 or 6 one-inch blocks with 'em to level a ramp. Or find a rock. Since I've never had an Arab -- Quarter Horses, Morgan/Quarter cross, an Appaloosa, an All-American, a couple Paints -- so with my horses they've all loaded into ramp trailers. For me, my ramp has worked fine. First a Miley. Now the Featherlite which I had built for horsecamping and trail riding. I've camped for up to 6 weeks without seeing anyone. Regardless of what I say you won't change your throughts about a ramp trailer. But I've never seen a horse slip and go under the end of a ramp and break a let. I've seen two of those with step-up trailers -- one when unloading on blacktop at a horse show and the horse spooked and slipped, one leg under the step up which the horse broke. The other on dirt when the horse 'fell' out, sat down and went over backwards with both legs going under step-up. One leg broke, the other skinned to bone. Two years ago I had a tire seperate on my dulley. Blew out wheelwell, corner of camper, dented front of trailer. Had to unload horses on the SLOPE of 680 freeway. No problem. Horses backed out and watched 18-wheelers go back. Even if it's a step-up, the trailer is still sloped sideways.......or do you have a special leveling system for keeping your trailer flat? My Featherlite is 9 years old. But I take care of it too!! You know, oil the springs, wash the floor every three months, take the horse manure out....... In my estimation -- forget the step-up. Unless the horse can be turned around and lead out. But not for you, Jim! Bonnie Davis ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Holland" <lanconn@xxxxxxx> To: "Ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 12:11 PM Subject: Re: [RC] [Guest] Trailer ramps Ridecamp Guest wrote:Bonnie Davis In the 40 plus years of hauling horses -- I 've only bought trailers with ramps. I don't like step-up trailers but step-up or ramps is a personal choice and I know you're going to get all kinds of responses on this one! In about the same number of years hauling, I have owned one trailer with a ramp. (It was a "deal") Never again. If you are a "show person" and always load and unload your horse in a level spot, and can be sure you will never be stuck along a highway with a sloping shoulder where you need to get your horse off, and never have an accident with your trailer in the ditch, and never need to park your rig on the slope of a hill when you ride...then go for it. IMHO, ramps create more probems than they solve. I had a half Arabian gelding once that loved to ride...would jump right on...but was always suspicious of the ramp. Always tried to jump OVER it to get on! <grin> There are two many situations, especially in the mountains, where having a ramp limits your parking and unloading. In addition, it adds about 8-10 of space to the "take off" area you need at the rear of the trailer. (After two years, the springs deteriorated and the ramp support beams delaminated from the ramp on the one I owned...and I understand that's not uncommon) Forget the ramp. Jim, Sun of Dimanche, and Mahada Magic =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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