Understanding the Risks of Rear Tacks
Unless your slant load horse trailer has been properly designed, it could be dangerous for you and your horse.
Remember the horse trailer manufacturing industry is unregulated... The goal is to cut costs and sell more trailers!
Imagine asking your horse, "Are you in love with the trailer I purchased for you?" What would his answer be? Chances are, if your trailer has a rear tack, your horse may not be too happy. Why not?
How Do Rear Tacks Compromise Horse Trailer Safety?
Affectionately known as ‘birth canal trailers’ – traditional rear tacks in slant load horse trailers present risks that most horse owners might not initially consider. These storage areas, intended for equipment like saddles and grooming tools, often make the loading area cramped and potentially dangerous. The confined space can increase stress and anxiety levels in your horses, leading to unpredictable behavior.
What is the Impact of Confined Space on Horse Behavior?
First – let’s start with a fundamental truth. Horses don’t like to feel trapped.
Horses love wide-open spaces and can experience significant stress and anxiety when confined within the cramped quarters of a slant load trailer equipped with a rear tack. This restricted environment can heighten a horse's claustrophobia, making them more likely to resist entering the trailer or to act out once they are inside.
These feelings of stress and anxiety in horses can manifest as:
- Reluctance or outright refusal to enter the trailer
- Unpredictable or erratic behavior while inside
- Increased heart rate and signs of physical distress
- Possible aggression or panic, endangering both the horse and handler
Why Do Rear Tacks Increase Injury Risk During Loading?
Consider this: The average human entry door is about 32 inches wide, and the average person weighs around 160 pounds. Now, imagine your horse, weighing between 1,000 to 1,200 pounds, and significantly larger in every dimension compared to you. Yet, you expect your horse to maneuver through a trailer door that's only about 36 inches wide.
Do you see the problem?
Unsurprisingly, some horses might seem reluctant or even distressed when asked to enter such a narrow space. This setup is uncomfortable for both your horse and yourself. Attempting to lead your horse into the stall closest to the cramped rear saddle compartment can spell danger. Where do you stand? How quickly can you exit? What happens if you, at 160 pounds, are caught in a tight space with a 1,100-pound horse that's panicking in an unfamiliar environment? The answer is simple: it's a situation riddled with risk and one that's best avoided.
Safer Alternatives to Traditional Rear Tacks
What is a SafeTack Compartment?
The SafeTack compartment is an innovative design by Double D Trailers that revolutionizes the way tack is stored in horse trailers. Unlike traditional rear tacks, the SafeTack compartment is a rotating tack area that swings out like a second door, which significantly improves safety and accessibility.
Are Collapsible Saddle Compartments a Safe Solution?
Yes, most rear saddle compartments will collapse.
But who really wants to go through the trouble of removing the saddle racks, the pooper scooper, and other accessories to collapse the walls?
Let's face it, what is the point in having a rear storage compartment if it has to be cleaned out each time you need to load a horse?
Double D Trailers figured this out a long time ago and that is why we invented the Safetack. The Safetack design is safe for you AND safe for your horse.
You never have to "clean it out" to get it out of the way. You leave it loaded all the time which is the way a "storage compartment" should be.
How Does Trailer Design Impact Horse Comfort and Safety?
The overall design of a horse trailer, including the placement and structure of tacks, affects not just comfort but also the safety of the horse and handler. Trailers designed with horse psychology and physical needs in mind can prevent injuries and promote a more pleasant and stress-free travel experience. Enter SafeTack: Double D Trailers’ patented innovative design allows the rear-mounted tack compartment to swing out and remove all obstacles that could otherwise interfere with loading and unloading safety.
We’ve heard from many customers over the years about how their horses are impacted by the design of their SafeTack horse trailers.
Penny says, “Before, when I would get somewhere the horses would just be calling and trying to get out of the trailer quickly. Now, they just don’t seem to be that uncomfortable. They’re not stressed out when we get to where we’re going. It’s such a difference!”
Another client, Bonnie, reported that her unloading process went from being a dangerous nightmare to being, in her own words, “as smooth as silk.”
Make Safety and Comfort a Priority When Buying a Horse Trailer
What are the Best Practices for Maintaining Handler Safety with Rear Tacks?
To ensure safety when using rear tacks, always opt for designs that provide ample space and easy access. Other practices that can be helpful include:
- Proper training: Both horses and handlers should be well-trained in loading and unloading with the trailer. Familiarity can reduce stress and panic. Practice, practice, practice.
- Regular maintenance and checks: The tack area and its surroundings should be regularly inspected for any structural damage or potential hazards such as protruding edges or fallen gear.
- Extra safety features: Add safety features such as proper lighting and non-slip flooring around the rear tack area. Good lighting will help handlers see clearly and avoid obstacles, while non-slip flooring can prevent slips and falls.
Handlers should always have clear escape routes and should not have to maneuver around obstacles during loading and unloading.
How Can You Reduce Stress on Your Horse During Transportation?
Handlers should choose a horse trailer that aligns with their horses’ natural behaviors and needs to reduce stress for horses during travel. Horses naturally seek wide spaces and demand sufficient visibility because it helps them feel less confined and more at ease. Horse trailers’ design can mimic their natural preferences with features such as spacious and bright interiors, swing-out tack storage compartments allowing a welcoming and safe entry, adequate ventilation, quality construction, adequate headroom, and padded walls.
Are Gooseneck or Bumper Pull Trailers Safer with Rear Tacks?
The bottom line is that with both bumper pull and gooseneck trailers alike, with a traditional rear tack, your horse has to load through a narrow, confining door. (The birth canal, if you will.)
The choice between trailer types should consider the towing vehicle, travel distance, and personal preference.
Remember, the horse trailer manufacturing industry is largely unregulated, aiming to cut costs and boost sales. When choosing a trailer, you should prioritize models that consider the well-being of your horse and the safety of the handler, such as Double D Trailers’ models featuring the SafeTack design.
Ready to prioritize your horse's safety and comfort? Talk to our experts via video call and find the perfect trailer for your needs.
