trailering without dividers?

I think hauling with the dividers allows a horse to relax a little more than an open trailer for long hauls. The horses can lean against the dividers and don't have to worry about bracing against momentum. For a long haul, I feel like the horses come out less tired than with an open trailer, but personally I like open trailers. I often saddle a horse at home and haul to the trailhead with a loose cinch. Then it's just cinch-up and go. Can't do that with dividers. Too much chance of getting the saddle beat up or snagged on something.

All depends on the horse :) I have a 2 horse straight load that I converted to a one horse slant to give him more room and to balance better. However, the trailer can go back to a 2-horse straight. I don't tie when he is in the slant
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Do you think it's possible they turn backwards because of wind, or is your trailer enclosed? I would think dealing with brake forces would be easier for them facing forward. Interesting.

Some people believe horses haul more comfortably in slant-loads, but I don't know of any real research on it. I think it's mostly a matter of style and design. With the widths of most trailers, I think slant loading wastes less space and gives you tack compartment in the back and a changing room or tack in front as well. Most straight loaders have stalls that are quite a bit wider than necessary, which is the wasted space I'm talking about. Slant load works best for a living quarters trailer, in my opinion, using that bit of extra space with the long wall.

My dad used to have a 6-horse straight load tongue-pull that was the length of a normal 4-horse. It held 3 horses abreast, two deep. The stalls were snug for your average Quarter Horse, but once in, they hauled well. It was just under the legal width for a trailer.

Most people I talk to say they can remove the dividers and fit an extra horse in, when necessary, without problem.