How many more deaths, catastrophic injuries, and unjustified suffering will occur because of human greed? It is inhumane to put a horse in a trailer where the height is shorter than they are at only 5 ft 7 inches high, preventing it from standing upright in a normal posture or from being able to control its position as the truck changes speed or turns. End the greed and provide humane transport for horses.
This is what the trip is like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEFJTUYOgOw&feature=related

The peta and animal rights and rescue people need to mind their own business and leave the private citizens of the US alone. They seem to think that because they look at horses as warm fuzzy companions, that changes the definition of them as LIVESTOCK according to Webster’s dictionary. Livestock is livestock. Regardless of their past present or future. Horse’s can and do die even in regular trailers manufatured for horses. A rescue in my area just had one die enroute, and instead of continuing the 4 miles to their facility, they stopped at our local county agricultural fairgounds and drug it off and left it lay there for at least 48hrs. But, these very same types of “people” who fight for animals to have more rights than their owners, are doing exactly what they claim to be against. 2-Horse trailers are not any safer than double decker trailers, however people still use them. There are far more accidents reported involving horse trailers vs. horses being hauled on double decker trailers. These groups take one tragic accident and try to use it to re-write the law in this country. The only link I am seeing is the same one repeatedly when referencing such accidents.
I strongly urge our Congressman and Reps. to shoot this one down to further allow us as Americans to continue to live in a country that is supposed to be based on freedom.

Double-deckers full of horses are unsafe, period. Their center of gravity is too high. There have been a number of accidents with these. Of course there are going to be more accidents with single-deckers, there are many many more of them.

We are supposed to be based on freedom, not on cruelty, by the way. It is cruel to haul horses in a double-decker. And BTW horses are not necessarily classified as livestock. Do you see horsemeat in your local supermarket?

FYI: I haul on a regular basis, a 19H Belgian Draft Stallion in a trailer that is regulated at 6.5 feet in height. How high do you suppose he gets his head? He is fine as a frog hair and has never shown the first sign of discomfort on any of his hundreds of haulings! A horse balances his/her self with their head,, rarely do I see them with heads in the air to accomodate for balance. They usually are looking toward where the footing is. Ride one up or down hill and tell me what you experience. I ride 7 hrs daily nearly 8 months of the year and this has always been my experiance. JMO

So you are hauling a single-decker trailer? Much safer, wherever your stallion chooses to hold his head. And 6.5 (whether you mean 6’5" or 6 1/2 feet) is a lot taller than 5’7".

Your stallion could not even fit in a double-decker, could he?

To Seabiscute
Double-deckers full of horses are no more unsafe than doubledeckers of cattle/mules/ or larger animals. They are top heavy no matter what. As for horses. They are livestock. They were not raised as pets 100yrs ago. They were raised to do a job. Many people may treat them as pets and that is fine, thats on them and I wish I did see horsemeat at the local supermarket. It would solve the problem of shipping meat overseas, high horse populatios, suffering and unwanted animals.) It would hopefully make meat more affordable for the average joe. I would eat it if it were an option. It is hard enough to afford groceries every week with the increase in prices and the loss of jobs.
I love horses but know their, place. Just like my dogs and cats. They have their own purposes too.

For those who seem to think that double deckers are fine for horses to travel hundreds of miles in, without food or water, in cramped conditions that force them to be in unnatural positions.
I think the next time ya all take a road trip it should be in the trunk of a VW with 5 or 6 friends, likely by the time you get to Mexico from say, New York, you will think it is inhumane.
Accidents from these trucks hauling horses (which they were not designed to do) have caused many deaths, human as well as equine. The injuries these horses suffer are horrific, all of this is documented, look it up!
This is America, here, in this country, we do not eat horses, dogs, cats and a variety of other animals. It is 2009 currently, not 100 years ago.
How can anyone think hauling one horse alone in a trailer, compares in any way to 40 being hauled together in something designed for short necked animals?
ckw7171, you spoke of a high population problem. One of my concerns as well, perhaps you should contact AQHA and ask them with the current problem, how many foals they are expecting in the spring. I do want to mention though, it would be beneficial to all to stick to the topic here which is… the use of double decker trucks for hauling horses.
This is not the thread to debate slaughter, what happened 100 years ago, the economy crisis or whether or not you want to eat your dog.

live·stock (lvstk)
n.
Domestic animals, such as cattle or horses, raised for home use or for profit, especially on a farm.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Does this mean anything to anyone? Get it out of your thick skulls that horses are house pets. God this irritates me to no end. If you don’t want your livestock slaughtered and eaten,, fine but we don’t try to jeopardize your income making potentials, STOP trying to dictate what we can and con not do with regard to ours. Yes it is 2009 and webster’s still has not changed the definition of LIVESTOCK since its inception to the dictionary.

smart enough to pay thousands for yes votes from the house and senate to get what they want, but too dumb to google the word LIVESTOCK,,,, AMAZING!

Why haven’t we passed this bill already? Please call your congress person and ask them to co-sponsor it.

Has this country gone crazy, what next, mandatory seat belts for dog and cats? Maybe we could force the auto industry (since they are doing so good) to put dog and cat seat belt in vehicles! And then we could force the horse trailer industry to put air bags in horse trailers. And we could force all horse owners to carry a million dollars worth of health insurance on thier horses. That way we could get rid of the 140 billion dollar horse industry totally and you idiots would finally be happy. We should not have to call our congressmen because if they were able to produce a thought, they would have to see how stupid this is.

Horses are not cows, they are MUCH taller. A cow is 4 1/2 to 5 feet tall at the head. A horse is 6 – 7 feet tall at the head – a significant difference. Therefore they require a taller trailer so they can hold their heads naturally and balance to the movement. This is only being humane.

For those that do not understand: how would you like to be 7 feet tall and be forced to ride for 12 or more hours in the backseat of an Audi 180 coupe or other miniature sports car?

And for those who’d like to forget about this “insignificant” legislation:

“Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character; and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man.”
—Arthur Schopenhauer (philosopher)

We are the sum of our humanity, we can choose to be humane.. or not. But it is a CHOICE and we shall reap what we sow.