Best Trailer for Stability (when parked/loading)

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zola89

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I have a bad loader, although fingers crossed we are making progress with this, and an Ifor Williams HB511. The other night my none horsey husband came to help me shut the ramp etc and he asked me something I hadn't really thought about and are wondering what others peoples opinions are.

When my horse moves abruptly in the trailer, not when travelling and trying to get her balance but more when she is playing up and tries to barge past or run off backwards/forwards, the trailer rocks/wobbles a lot. It doesn't help that my horse is a 17hh warmblood ~650kg and that when it wobbles she tries to get her balance but she tends to stomp and causes it to wobble more!

So the question is, are there other types of trailer that might be more stable/sturdy for this kind of thing? I'm just wondering if it might help the whole loading process. I cannot fault the trailer in general, it just rocks when my horse is playing up but I'm wondering if they would all do this.
 
Excuse me if this sounds daft, but is your trailer hitched up when it rocks? Just that some folk practice loading with an unhitched trailer, which is always less stable. You could also try putting the prop stands down for loading/unloading, but do remember to wind them back up for travelling!
 
Tiddlypom said:
Excuse me if this sounds daft, but is your trailer hitched up when it rocks? Just that some folk practice loading with an unhitched trailer, which is always less stable. You could also try putting the prop stands down for loading/unloading, but do remember to wind them back up for travelling!
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Yes, it's always hitched up! It doesn't have prop stands but I did wonder about putting the jockey wheel down as extra support, but it's remembering to pull it up again before driving off!
 
zola89 said:
Yes, it's always hitched up! It doesn't have prop stands but I did wonder about putting the jockey wheel down as extra support, but it's remembering to pull it up again before driving off!
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Put the jockey wheel down and the stands if yours has them at the back. Leave a post it note on the windscreen reminding you to take them off. Make sure you park on level ground where the ramp will lie.
 
I've found the IW511 to be quite stable. You can't have a trailer that is rigid and non-wobbly because then it would be too rigid over uneven road surfaces. It needs suspension to give the horse a good ride.
 
You can get prop stands as an optional extra, it would be well worth investing in a pair, and using the jockey wheel too. The idea of a note on the windscreen or sunshade is good, too, as driving off with them still in place would be expensive. A friend did that accidentally, and took the bent prop stands into a trailer dealership. On asking for a new pair, the salesman replied deadpan "I'm sorry, Madam, we only sell straight ones" :D :D.
 
Try not to park on a slope, if you have to, make sure you prop the ramp legs (if one doesn't quite meet the ground) so it doesn't give at all once the horse's weight is on. (we have a couple of thicknesses of wooden short plank we carry just in case we need to level the ramp.
 
We have to put the jockey wheel down and the brake on when loading and unloading The Beast. 511 very stable with that. She's a good loader but is 650kg and it moves a lot with her just stomping onto it, and she hates the movement.

You get used to the extra steps in the process.
 
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