Ramp or No ramp

And I never said you did. I think all horses should load into what ever trailer you want them to, step up, ramp, side load what ever. I have over 30 horses and one trailer so thats the one their most used to its a step up stock we load cattle and hogs in it also.

I think ramps are more dangerous for people. I've heard of pinched fingers and even head injuries from dealing with ramps. And I may get blasted for this, but my safety or the safety of the PERSON who is dealing with my horses/trailer is most important. Horses can get hurt on ramps, too. There are pros and cons to both. I've loaded horses in and out of step ups for years. Never had a problem.

Someone also made a very good point about them being heavy. I would hate to have to ask for assistance anytime I wanted to use my trailer.

Not all ramps are heavy. You can get some very light ones, and also spring assisted/ winches/ electric and so on. There are many options.

There are also many different ways to prevent ramps becoming slippery.

From my personal experience, I will never get a trailer without a ramp. I brought my TB to a competition in my friend's trailer (no ramp). I was backing him out, he lost his footing because he didn't expect the drop, and had a really bad fall. He got a nasty, bloody gash right where the cinch goes so I couldn't ride hi m until he healed. I'm lucky he didn't break a leg. It was nerve wracking for both of us. He was so shooken up =(

That is exactly my fear about step ups.

No ramp.

I can put my step up anywhere to load or unload. With a ramp you have to add an additional "X" number of feet behind the trailer to let the ramp down correctly - for safety purposes on level ground - and still have more room for the horse to manuver after they step off the ramp.

Our step ups have soft rubber on the edge of the trailer - no scrapes on the legs. I have seen a lot more leg injuries from a horse scraping the heck out of it's leg by stepping off the side of the ramp.

I have never used a ramp, so I would say step up.
Ramps are nice, but I have never had a problem with step ups. In my ideal trailer, the ramp would be the last add-on :P

Very good points.

You still have to ave x number of feet for the horse to face up to the trailer with no ramp... I would venture to say with my float, (ramp) I would only need 1 or 2 more foot of room than if I didn't have a ramp. That's not enough to worry me.

Our ramp is covered in rubber with string in it (so it is rough) and it also has ridges every so often down it, horizontally. I've never had a horse slip on it, even in heavy rain.

Our ramp is light enough for me (19yo girl) to raise and lower myself.

My concerns with a step up... For me, it creates more danger. If I have a horse who rushes on or off a float, then a ramp allows them to do so safely. A step up can either cause them to fall, or launch out of it dragging me by the lead rope :] lol. Sure, I will teach the horse NOT to do so, but i'd rather be safer in those intervening times when it is still learning.

Also, teaching a horse to load... With a ramp, you can go a step at a time. The horse can stand half in and half out and get used to things, think about things, etc... I would think standing half in/half out of a step up would be uncomfortable and not very productive... Also you can't do it in steps. They have to jump up the step AND enter the big scary cave at the same time.

I will always have ramps, our current 2 horse straight load has one, our soon to be owned three horse angle load has one, and if we ever get a truck, it will have one. I just think it is way safer for me, and the horse.

You don't have to have any room at all for a horse behind a step for example you can back right up tight to a loading chute or a door. With a ramp you can't do that.