Following on from the 3.5 lorry thread.

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humblepie

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Does anyone know why Equitrek and possibly others have the ramp on the driver side? I can see in some ways that if you did need to load in an emergency and there was no verge or pavement it would save the vehicle needing to be parked in the middle of the road. Walking along the small lorries and trailers at our yard the Boss lorry has ramp on drivers side and two others have passenger side.

What I think is perhaps stranger is having the person door in the Equitrek trailer driver’s side. Possibly having openings on two sides would make the structure weak ?
 
I can’t comment on Equitrek or side loading, but I previously had a Bateson trailer where the unloading front ramp was passenger side and the jockey door drivers side. I liked this set up in case I ever had to unload in an emergency (luckily that’s never happened) and I used to go out on my own a lot so having the jockey door drivers side meant I never had to go round the front/back or over the hitch to get in. I switched to an Ifor 511 and they come as standard the other way round, so I had mine made the same was as Bateson/I was used to.
 
Someone did tell me the reason they wanted the ramp on the other side and for the life of me I can't remember properly, I think whatever it was I was unconvinced as I prefer the horse behind the driver, next to a wall. I think it might have been something to do with if you had to unload on a road the ramp would have opened the side there was space 🤔
 
Because horses travel best towards the centre of the road and that's easier in a backward facing 3.5 carrying one if you load from the driver's side.
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ycbm said:
Because horses travel best towards the centre of the road and that's easier in a backward facing 3.5 carrying one if you load from the driver's side.
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Why is it easier? My 3.5t ramp is on the passenger side and the horse travels backwards behind the driver. I can’t work out why the other way is easier 🤔. In fact as the ramp makes it heavier one side having the horse on the opposite side to the ramp balances the lorry better.
 
Years ago I got told when Rice, or whoever they changed to, got bought out, the ramp side changed because in Europe they drive on the opposite side therefore, offloading would be passenger side of the road for safety. Makes sense.
 
Sussexbythesea said:
Why is it easier? My 3.5t ramp is on the passenger side and the horse travels backwards behind the driver. I can’t work out why the other way is easier 🤔. In fact as the ramp makes it heavier one side having the horse on the opposite side to the ramp balances the lorry better.
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Because you don't have to open and close the centre partition.
 
I was told that it was due to the hunt. They used to park (maybe still do) on the near side grass verge and unload away from the verge and the ditch onto the road. Early Ivor's were like that.
 
The other factor to take into account is how often you travel on a motorway. If you break down on either the hard shoulder or, heaven forbid, on a smart motorway, and pull as far over to the left as possible you almost certainly won't be able to get a nearside ramp down because of the barrier. That's one of the reasons why we favour a trailer.
 
phizz4 said:
The other factor to take into account is how often you travel on a motorway. If you break down on either the hard shoulder or, heaven forbid, on a smart motorway, and pull as far over to the left as possible you almost certainly won't be able to get a nearside ramp down because of the barrier. That's one of the reasons why we favour a trailer.
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When you break down the recovery truck winches your lorry to the appropriate position to then get your ramp open. Tried and tested last year! Not something I wish to repeat any time soon or ever!
I might add that the horse wasn’t phased at all whilst the lorry was being winched.
 
We have it on drivers side as means you stay on left side of the horse when loading and dealing with the horse on the box (I prefer tacking up etc on the box).

Also for the reason mentioned above with it likely being easier to unload on the road should you need to.

I don't think there is a wrong or right side, its just preference.
 
Mine is on the near side. As horses should travel behind the driver, having the ramp this side makes the open box more inviting in my experience. Some horses are not happy being asked to load/turn in such a tight space when it's on the driver's side and the partition is in place.
 
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