Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

trailering question

From: Alyse

Dear Jessica, I keep getting different advice about this and I don't want to make a mistake, so I am counting on you for the right information! I have a very ordinary trailer, a two-horse pull-behind, and I live in the USA. I am going to start taking lessons with a woman who lives about half an hour from me, and I need to haul my horse over to her farm for the lessons. This is not a problem, my horse loads easily and the roads are very good, but I don't know something really important: which SIDE should my horse ride on? I've been told that the horse should be on the left side, and then someone at the feedstore said no it should be on the right side in case there is an accident. What is right, and why?

Thanks so much Jessica! Alyse

Hi Alyse! Here's the quick answer: In the US, your horse goes in the LEFT side of a two-horse, straight-load, bumper-pull trailer. ;-)

Having one horse in a trailer can destablize the trailer, especially on turns and ramps, if that horse is on the low side -- and the low side is toward the OUTSIDE edge of the road. There have been some horrible trailer accidents as a result of people hauling one horse on the right side of their trailer and then making a tight turn to the right, or getting a right wheel into a ditch.

Here's another suggestion though: your horse will ride better if he has more room to spread his feet, and he will ride more comfortably if he can stand at a slight angle. Why not simply remove the partition and tie your horse on the left side? This will let him shift his body to make himself comfortable, and most of his weight will still be forward and toward the left side where it belongs.

Jessica

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