What to Look for in a Horse Trailer
Horse trailers come in all different sizes and styles, with many different amenities. Here are some of the options from which you can choose:
1. Number of stalls.
The minimum amount of stalls in a horse trailer is two, while the maximum is usually nine. For anything more than nine, you will need a horse van, which isn’t necessary unless you are facilitating travel for a large show team. I advise getting a trailer with one extra stall for the number of horses you have. For example, if you have two horses, purchase a three-horse trailer. This way you have extra room.
2. Slant vs. Straight.
Slant-load trailers have stalls that angle across the trailer from left to right. Metal bars swing across the aisleway and bolt into place to secure the horse. Straight-load trailers are only available in two-horse models, and they have a metal divider between the two stalls. I’ve always had a preference for slant-load trailers, mostly because they make fighting between horses more difficult.
3. Fixed Hay Troughs.
Many straight-load trailers come with fixed metal hay troughs in the front. I don’t advise that you add this feature because if the horse rears up in the trailer, he can get his legs caught in the trough. I’ve seen it happen. Instead, you can buy rope hay nets that attach to the side of the trailer. They’re much safer.
4. Slip-Knot Ties.
Most trailers come with nylon ties that go from your horse’s halter to the side of the trailer. This is great for controling your horse’s head movement while traveling, and will break away if something were to happen.
5. Tack Rooms.
Many trailers come with tack rooms in front of the stall area. These are wonderful if you plan on traveling to shows. They usually have a storage bin, 2-6 saddle racks, a bridle rack, and a flat cargo space. You can store your tack, trunks, buckets, pitch forks, feed, and anything else you might need in this area.
6. Dressing Rooms.
If you are showing quite a bit, or if you like to travel with your horse, then dressing rooms are great places to switch between rides. They usually come with a mirror, a small extendable table, and a rack on which to hang your clothes.
7. Living Quarters.
For the truly luxurious trailer, you can buy them with living quarters. These are basically trailer/RV combinations, with the following amenities:
– bathroom
– kitchenette
– dining room table
– 1 or 2 bedrooms
– extendable awning on the outside
– Barbeque grill areas
In addition to the things you can get on the inside of your trailer, there are also lots of things that can be added to the outside. Most trailer dealers offer custom monograms for the outside of our trailer, for your name or your horse’s name or the name of your stable. You can get trailers with ball hitches or with goose neccks, and and you can choose to have electricity outlets for parking or camping.
Essentially, you can design your horse trailer however you’d like, and there are so many on the market that you shouldn’t have trouble finding the amenities you need.
Here are a few reputable companies that build, design and sell horse trailers:
This is one of the most popular trailer companies in the world. They offer an 8-year structural and a 3 year Hitch-To-Bumper warranty on all of their products, which comes in handy for minor repairs as your trailer incurs more and more use. They focus mainly on safety – for both you and your horse – with padded butt bars, Suncoated breast plates (for protection against weather), adjustable dividers, quality dome lights, and door hold backs for loading and unloading.
Contact:
9805 OK Hwy 48 South
Coleman, OK 73432
(800) 438-4294 �· Customer Service
(800) 654-3879 �· Toll Free
(580) 937-4255 �· Local
Exiss Horse Trailers
Exiss specializes in custom trailers for large stables and livestock traders. Their trailers are divided into four categories: sport horse, event horse, event livestock, and mach 10. Their Mach 10 trailers are for hot rods and other vehicles, while the rest of their trailers are specifically for animals. They have a patent-pending slam latch that will cure any fear about doors popping open, and their living quarters are open and spacious.
Contact:
1-877-55-EXISS
sales@exiss.com
If you’re looking for a strong, durable trailer, then Trails West is a great way to go. They have several models of both ball hitch and gooseneck trailers designed to fit any truck and to haul any number of horses. They also have a wider trailer, which is good for the horses, but more difficult for the driver. I’ve always liked the fact that their horse compartment has gas shock features and aluminum pop-up roof vents in each stall.
Contact:
Trails West Manufacturing
Corporate Headquarters
65 North 800 West
Preston, Idaho 83263
Phone : (208) 852 – 2200
Fax: (208) 852 – 2203
Email: info@trailswesttrailers.com
