[LDavis104]

I am moving barns for the winter and will be taking some of my own hay with me. I am assuming it is unsafe to trailer my horse on one side and loose square bales in the other (2 horse)... Right? Would make it easier vs making two trips, but I've never heard this question asked so want to see if I am correct in this thinking. I guess I am thinking more in the case of an accident and hay bales hitting my horse.

[katarine]

straight load? Horse in the left, hay in the right, go.

[2tempe]

Slant load? Horse in front, hay in back...lol. I've never had a problem in either type of trailer; I usually have two bales, sometimes a third. I don't stack more than two high, but it depends on your configuration and the dividers.

[simc24]

I have loaded horse on left, stacked on the right before, but I cargo strapped it in. I'm not sure loading hay behind a horse in a slant load is very safe- what if you need to get the horse out of the trailer in an emergency?

[flypony74]

As long as the hay is secured so that it doesn't move underneath your horse during the trip, shouldn't be a problem.

[joiedevie99]

Secure the hay well so it can't slide under the divider and get near the horse.

[MunchingonHay]

just put a tarp down and up the side of the divider first, then stack your bales. (just in case your horse pees in the trailer) Plus, this also will keep the hay cleaner from the shavings you will place down on the horse side. ....you can go has high as the divider when you stack the hay.

straight load? Horse in the left, hay in the right, go.

[MunchingonHay]

Slant load? Horse in front, hay in back...lol. I've never had a problem in either type of trailer; I usually have two bales, sometimes a third. I don't stack more than two high, but it depends on your configuration and the dividers.

Flip it around. Hay in the front and horse in the back, providing the exit is only out the back.

[2tempe]

Re the slant, I can stack and secure 2 bales with plenty of room to get her out

[FalseImpression]

Wasn't there an accident this summer with hay catching fire in the trailer with horses? If you are certain,there is no risk of spontaneous combustion,I guess it can be done.

[jenm]

Flip it around. Hay in the front and horse in the back, providing the exit is only out the back.

I thought the rule of thumb is to always put the heavier horse/object closest to the tow vehicle? That being said, I suppose it wouldn't matter if only hauling a short distance with no hills.

I'm still haunted by the recent thread showing the gooseneck trailer that flipped over. I would rather be inconvenienced by two trips rather than have a bale of hay getting in the way of my horse in an emergency situation.

OP, you haven't given any information as to the tow vehicle, but I would venture a guess and say you are hauling with an SUV type because if you had a pickup, you could put the hay in the bed. Worst case, you could break the bale up and put in trash bags if you didn't want loose hay in your vehicle.

[LDavis104]

Thanks for all the replies! I have a straight load gooseneck and pull with a 1 ton Ford F350. Not sure I could fit the amount of hay I wanted to in the back of the truck alone which is why I was thinking of putting some on the right (horse on left).

[SuckerForHorses]

If the divider is solid so no bales can shift under and be in the same side as the horse, yous hould be fine. And don't stack higher than the divider (so they don't topple over on top of horsie).

[Bacardi1]

While I'm not experienced enough to advise you HOW to do it, it's certainly done all the time. Folks going to shows - especially multiple-day shows - bring their own hay in their trailers all the time around here.

[trubandloki]

If the hay is properly secured I do not see any reason not to.

[BuddyRoo]

Main thing is to keep the heavier object (in this case, your horse) on the side opposite the shoulder of the road and to make sure that the hay can't slide under the horse. The logic behind the heavy object opposite the shoulder is that you can help minimize the risk of pulling towards the (softer) shoulder which could potentially result in a wreck.

Good luck with your move!

[MunchingonHay]

my response was for a slant load. And having the hay in the front and the horse next to it places the horse over the axle. Better there than all the weight on the ball (if its a bumper pull slant load)

I thought the rule of thumb is to always put the heavier horse/object closest to the tow vehicle? That being said, I suppose it wouldn't matter if only hauling a short distance with no hills.

I'm still haunted by the recent thread showing the gooseneck trailer that flipped over. I would rather be inconvenienced by two trips rather than have a bale of hay getting in the way of my horse in an emergency situation.

OP, you haven't given any information as to the tow vehicle, but I would venture a guess and say you are hauling with an SUV type because if you had a pickup, you could put the hay in the bed. Worst case, you could break the bale up and put in trash bags if you didn't want loose hay in your vehicle.

[Derby Lyn Farms]

I had to move a 1 day old colt to the clinic for surgery. My dividers were not solid (slant load). I put him in the back stall and lined it with bales of hay. The back stall is a stall and a half. I tied the bales so they didn't fall, and the little guy stayed safe in his padded area.

[VCT]

What Buddy Roo said. I have a gooseneck and I fill one of the stalls up with hay all the time. My dividers go all the way to the floor so I don't have to worry about it moving around.

[Chardavej]

I have a three horse bumper pull slant. When we go camping we put the two horses in, then put a small solid top plastic pellet in the rear doorway (fits perfect!) attach a strap to the under side, stack in 3 or 4 bales of hay then attached the strap over the top and to the front of the rear tack door (on the inside and doesn't interfere with the door closing). Keeps the hay from sliding forward, keeps it off the ground in case they pee and if I have to get them out quickly, I have an escape door and also I think in an emergancy I tend to react fast and think about it later, I could have the strap popped open and jerk the bales of hay out on the ground and get the horse out.

Luckily I've never had to test that...