Horse Trailers

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Boxa
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Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:06 pm

What are you using for a horse trailer? What would you recommend for someone just starting out with the horseback side of running dogs?
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Karen
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Karen » Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:51 pm

I started doing this a few years ago. I bought a 1998 Circle M Supreme 2 horse bumper pull trailer. Nothing special....just a small, steel, CHEAP trailer to get me from point A to point B.

I have it serviced yearly (the wiring is a pain and needs repair yearly it seems...I should learn to deal with it myself), have the floors checked, the bearings repacked...stuff like that. $100/yr and peace of mind.

It was what my Durango could safely haul and what my budget would allow.

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If money was no option but I wanted to keep the Durango, I'd have bought a Brender Up 2 horse trailer.

If I could afford to replace the durango with a 3/4 ton pick up AND buy whatever trailer I wanted (within reason), I'd probably get a nice aluminum 3 horse slant load stock trailer with a large dressing room for dog boxes and rear tack area.
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Brittguy
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Brittguy » Tue Oct 07, 2008 4:14 pm

First I would suggest aluminum.Always looks good , won't rust, you may pay more upfront but when it comes time to sell it will be a large plus.I would also suggest a walk in tack area. You can put dog boxes and hay in there plus it is much easier to find things. My first trailer had a tack area under the manger and it always seem what I needed was in the back under something.

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Boxa
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:35 pm

I have a 3/4 ton diesel (I know the fuel costs stink!). But I can haul about any trailer. I guess with all the options out there I'm looking for some direction on what is most 'user-friendly' and what configurations are recommended.

For example, would you go with bumper-pull or gooseneck? slant or straight load? Aluminum vs Steel?
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Brittguy
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Brittguy » Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:41 pm

I have had both and definitely think that the gooseneck is more maneuverable in tight places.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by kbshorthairs » Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:04 pm

With the truck you have, your options are limitless. If money isn't an object, go with an aluminum gooseneck.

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tenbearsviz
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by tenbearsviz » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:52 am

Boxa, Here is a bit of a core dump for you...

First, what ever you get, you will soon grow out of. Try to stick with something you can resell.

Know your travelling range. Going over night? Need sleeping quarters?

Get a trailer that is one horse bigger then you haul unless the tack room is huge.

WHat is your budget? Add a couple grand. Used trailers are at a premium and good ones go quick. Be ready to buy.

Is the wife going along? Is she a "wild" girl... not like Girls gone Wild.. but like... OK with a whiz outside.. (sorry but it is am important question) It will determine the contents of a living quarter type trailer.

This is how it works for me. I have a two horse slant load CM Dakota for local trips. I like slant load because the weight is distrbuted better when hauling one horse AND the horses can brace themselves against teh wall with a fast stop of off road travel. It has a tack room for tons of stuff and a couple dog crates if the weither is too nasty for the pups to travel in the bed of the truck.

For weekend trips, I have a large LQ trailer. I started with a Sundowner 3 horse slant load with a 4 foot short wall. I finished the LQ to our liking. It took just ONE frosty morning and a 300 yard walk to the crapper for my wife to suggest a bigger trailer. We now have an 11 foot shrt wall with a slide.

Good Luck,

Don

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lightonthebay
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by lightonthebay » Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:24 am

I agree with Karen regarding going cheap on the first trailer and put your money into making sure it is sound (wheel bearings, floor, etc.). You will likely outgrow it and sell or trade it for a bigger one eventually. It is also sound advice to get at least one more stall than the number of horses you anticipate carrying if your tow vehicle and pocket book can handle it. You will likely fill the extra space soon because horses are an addiction. Also your trailer will likely be used for hauling home materials from time to time. A 3/4 ton tow vehicle is fine for a beggining vehicle, however, don't assume it will tow anything you may be willing to purchase. They have their limits. Check the GVWR and tow ratings on the door frame of the vehicle to see the legal limits of you tow vehicle. If it were me in your situation, I would go inexpensive but sound and keep my eye toward an upgrade once I determined that I wanted to spend obscene amounts of money for a "better" toy that would be seldom used.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by daddyfid » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:56 am

I was in your spot a few months ago. Bought my first horse a few months ago and had to borrow a trailer to get him home. I looked at many aluminum horse trailers but they were out of my budget. I ended up with a 16ft stock trailer with 5,000lb axels. This was a great choice for me because I can rig the front of it for a tack room. If I want to put 4 horses in there I can pull out the home made tack area with no problem. This weekend I loaded the 4-wheeler in front and the horses in back. If you look into the stock trailer option, make sure you get the heavy axels.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by RayGubernat » Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:38 pm

With a 3/4 ton tow vehicle you can go with a gooseneck modified stock trailer. With a stock trailer you can move the horse "compartment " wall up or back, wherever you need it.

You can set up a rack for dog boxes on the other side of that wall and then add a divider for sleeping quarters in the gooseneck and whatever Living quarter requirements you may have. The dog area side of the divider can be set up with hooks and racks for tack and gear as well as space for hay and feed.

As mentioned, the neat thing about a stock trailer is that it can double as hay hauler, 4 wheeler lowboy, moving van or whatever.

If you currently have one horse, you can assume that you will end up with at least one more before you are done. if you have two dogs now, you will probably wind up with five or six before you are done.

As far as living arrangements in the trailer, you will need someplace to hang your clothes and someplace to store the clothes you can't hang. You will probably want heat, something to cook on, something to sit around to eat, some kind of chemical toilet and a cowboy shower with a water heater. As far as major facilities, you will want a decent sized water tank, a generator for both electricity and heat, two 20# propane tanks for the water heater and cooking(one tank will invariably run out right in the middle of dinner or a shower).

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Boxa
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Thu Oct 09, 2008 5:54 pm

I guess I just need to figure out how much I want to spend?!!?

A lot of the rigs that you're describing sound like something I'd love to have, just not sure it'll be the best for me to start out. I was honestly thinking of a two or three horse slant aluminum bumper pull. I just hear of so many people who end up selling them after they've been in the game a while... why is that?

I'm probably just looking to get the 'right trailer' to start so I don't have to worry about trading/selling down the road?
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by kbshorthairs » Thu Oct 09, 2008 6:32 pm

The advice that people are giving you comes from their own experience. You have to go to some trials and decide what your needs and likes really are. People tend to underestimate their requirements and "trade up". If you are mainly going to weekend trials and prefer staying in a motel ,then you will have quite a different shopping list than someone that goes to week-long championships and needs all the comforts of home. When I started trialing, I traveled with a buddy that owned a converted stock trailer and we used my truck. Eventually, I ordered an aluminum gooseneck that was built to my specific wish list. I came up with that wish list after looking at every trailer owned by experienced people and adjusting their ideas, successes and failures to my situation as well as my budget. It was an aluminum Hart, three horse slant, mid-tack for a dog room and a weekender type dressing room. Most of the trials that I stayed for an extended amount of time had access to a shower.
IMO, a three horse slant would be a little heavy for a bumper pull application. I know they build them, but I wouldn't recommend one. After you pull a gooseneck trailer you will never want a bumper pull again, especially when you start talking about larger trailers. Goosenecks track better and are more maneuverable. That little red two horse might not be the flashiest rig on the grounds, but it is functional and cheap. It is a good solution while you are deciding exactly what you need and want.

ps I just saw an ad for a used Bloomer trailer, with an 8' slide out and nice living quarters for $199,000. Then you'd need one of those customized Peterbuilts to pull it. It is really getting expensive to own a dog. :D

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:52 pm

kbshorthairs wrote:That little red two horse might not be the flashiest rig on the grounds, but it is functional and cheap. It is a good solution while you are deciding exactly what you need and want.
The more I think about it... I may not know today what my needs will be later down the road? The steel trailers seem to be very affordable, but I hear people say that they're not as apt to hold their value for resale.
Also, I heard someone on here mention that the used trailer market is hot right now... so I should be ready to buy if I find what I'm looking for, why is that?
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by kbshorthairs » Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:57 pm

If you get an affordable trailer, like the red one that is posted, it will always be handy. There are times that you will need to take a horse to the vet or to just go ride around the lake some evening and won't want to hook up to a big trailer. You can keep the two horse and not be out much money. There are used two horse steel trailers everywhere for $2000 and with proper upkeep they will always be worth pretty close to that. If you bought a bigger trailer and then decided to trade up, more than likely you would trade that one in or try to sell it. That situation is similar to trading a car. The dealer gives you way less than it is worth and then marks it up to sell it. All he has to do is price it in an attractive range compared to his new inventory. You could sell the trailer yourself, but that can be a hassle. Lots of people won't have the cash to buy it and with the credit situation presently, they may not be able to get financing on a used trailer.
Aluminum trailers hold their value better, but they are still a depreciable item. It may be a hot market when you are shopping for a trailer, but not when you are trying to sell one! Isn't that always how it happens?
I have rambled on long enough. My advice, for what it is worth, would be to get by as cheaply as possible until you are more solid on your "wants and needs" list. Then get exactly what you want.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:36 pm

What would be a reputable source to have a used trailer "inspected" (for lack of a better term?)

Also, I know the weight of the steel trailers compared to aluminum seems to be a selling point. Is there an appreciable difference? How does that difference translate to fuel economy? I'm sure it will differ dramatically from truck to truck and trailer to trailer, but I guess I'm just asking for a good rule of thumb...

And I've seen some trailers that are advertised as 'warmblood', which are larger. Some of the Walkers I've seen at trials are pretty big, but I'm guessing they'd fit in a standard trailer? Pretty sure a 14-15 hand horse won't have a problem, just thinking to the future again!! :D
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by tenbearsviz » Tue Oct 14, 2008 8:40 am

A reasonable inspection would be from anyone you trust that understands wheel bearings, breaks, hitches... etc... Floors are very important to understand and inspect. Many are wooden and could be rotting under a mat. Event aluminum can get eaten away by urine if left to stand for a long time. Any local mechanic that has now financial interest in it would be a great source. Even a horse trainer experianced in tralers would work.

As for economy.. you will definatly find weight contributes to MPG. I get 15 MPG with a 2 horse steel bumper pull with 2000 lbs of horses plus tack... I get 11 mpg pulling my Aluminum over steel 14,000 lb (including horses) LQ gooseneck. I have a Dodge 3500 dually that empty gets 17mpg.

I think heights are either 7 foot or 7' 6". The higher the better. A goofball short horse can still whack his melon if they fly up while backing out.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by shags » Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:38 pm

Look under the trailer and check the framing that supports the floor. New wood over rotten metal - no good.
You'll also want to consider that a warmblood or thoroughbred size trailer will allow your horse to stretch out in order to urinate. That's important if you travel any distance or need to leave the horse in the trailer overnight.
Think about whether you want a step-up or ramp. The hinges on ramps take some care lest they deteriorate and fall apart. Trust me on that :o
Another thing to consider is ventilation - the more the better. Bad things happen to horse in stuffy trailers. They generate a ton of body heat so need fresh air even when it's cool outdoors.. Their urine produces a lot of ammonia that is bad for their lungs.
We're on our 3rd trailer in twenty years. If you can afford it, you might want to go with more than you think you need and save yourself the trouble of buying up in a couple of years.
Good luck and have fun looking around for your perfect rig!

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Boxa
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Thu Oct 16, 2008 8:14 pm

I'm learning a ton! Many things I never thought of before - esp. the ventilation. Another question, I wonder which is better to pay maintenance over the lifetime of a steel trailer with a lower purchase price or the higher purchase price of the aluminum trailer with less maintenance?
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by shags » Thu Oct 16, 2008 8:27 pm

We live in the midwest and keep our trailers outdoors. I've had two steel trailers and just bought an aluminum one. If I had it to do over, I'd go with aluminum first unless you have somewhere to park a steel trailer indoors or have plenty of free time and the facilities to do body work several times a year. Once the rust starts popping up, it seems to go like wildfire. We always kept our trialers clean and mechanically maintained, but just couldn't handle the body rust properly.
In shopping for our new trailer, I noticed that similar older models were priced not much less than what we paid for new; I hope ours holds its value as well.
Good luck in your search :)

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by lightonthebay » Sat Oct 18, 2008 5:56 pm

In a fair comparison, there is very little difference in weight between a steel and aluminum trailer. However, I stress a fair comparison! The reason for this is that steel is aproximately four times heavier (by strength) than aluminum so that an aluminum structural member must be four times as large to achieve the same strength as steel. Steel does have less resale value than aluminum, however, you pay less for it at the outset. I own both. I admit I like the aluminum better because I don't care to see rust on the trailer. But if I were starting out inexpensively I would go with steel unless I lived where they salted the roads. Either way, the routine washing of your trailer goes a long way toward preserving it.
I would go small, sound and inexpensive. Don't worry about resale -- just keep it as a spare so that when your addiction to this new hobby takes control of your life you will have another trailer to loan to the bums who want to borrow your trailer all the time. Keep your new aluminum trailer for your own exclusive use.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Wildweeds » Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:41 am

I used to build custom aluminum trailers for flashy pro rodeo competitors,show horses and cutting horses,I disagree w somewhat with the weight to strength ratio in your post.The custom trailers we built would weigh roughly 7000 pounds,this would be a 38 foot trailer on the floor with living quarters.Absolutely hands down no kidding the BEST horse trailers made.I repaired my pro's 28 foot on the floor steel trailer with dog boxes and living quarters and the tag on it had a weight of 7500 pounds.

A really good thing to look at on aluminum trailers is the wiring if the lighting is GROUNDED to the frame or body I would suggest passing on it no matter the price.running the electrical current thru the aluminum creates cancer similar to rust on steel.We always ran a seperate ground wire to attach everything to.Inspect all the running gear as well,most specifically the walking beam part and bushings and bolts in the springs.All the "Cookie cutter made trailers now sport "Torque flex" axles in my opinion they are junk,we made 3 trailers with them and swapped them all out to conventional.The problem with the torqueflex is that they are designed for a "Set" load and if your load is lighter or heavier the ride is awful.Also they do not transfer the load as a conventional suspension would with a walking beam.If you short a corner and drive off a curb at the gas station you can point load the spindle on one axle and then tires will wear funny and blowouts can occur becuase it dosen't have the give of a conventional spring.We found this out early on and changed all back to conventional.I've been to enough field trials to see that everyones got two spares and many of the trailers sport uneven tire wear.The other thing about the torque flex axles is ground clearance you don't get much.My trainer has a big aluminum trailer now and I had to rebuild the back end because he hung it up at the Robertsons ranch and ripped the back bumper off in addition to tearing off the rear doors.I'll scan some trailer pictures and add to this thread to show off some of what I've built.



te="lightonthebay"]In a fair comparison, there is very little difference in weight between a steel and aluminum trailer. However, I stress a fair comparison! The reason for this is that steel is aproximately four times heavier (by strength) than aluminum so that an aluminum structural member must be four times as large to achieve the same strength as steel. Steel does have less resale value than aluminum, however, you pay less for it at the outset. I own both. I admit I like the aluminum better because I don't care to see rust on the trailer. But if I were starting out inexpensively I would go with steel unless I lived where they salted the roads. Either way, the routine washing of your trailer goes a long way toward preserving it.
I would go small, sound and inexpensive. Don't worry about resale -- just keep it as a spare so that when your addiction to this new hobby takes control of your life you will have another trailer to loan to the bums who want to borrow your trailer all the time. Keep your new aluminum trailer for your own exclusive use.[/quote]

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Wildweeds » Thu Nov 13, 2008 9:12 am

This trailer went to the Windward Stud Quarter horse ranch in Oklahoma,If I remember right it sold for 60K.The paint job really was a horrible undertaking but it sure looked snazzy when it was all said and done.

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Boxa
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:48 pm

The $60K trailer sure does look nice, but I'd have to say its a bit more than what I'm after right now! Do you work with any bumper pull applications or only larger setups?

I am interested in what you said about the tire wear and and durability being better with a conventional... why is this? Why did the manufacturers switch to the new type?
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Wildweeds » Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:40 pm

Boxa,

I don't work there anymore,haven't for 10 years or so,the guy is retired and hasn't built a trailer for about 8 years.We did build a few bumper pull three horse slants and a couple of four horse slants.The fellow that owns the Trailer pictured also owns a trailer sales outfit and he sells Sooners,Featherlites,Harts but his horses all ride in nothing but Holz trailers.We did build him a really nice 3 horse slant bumper pull for his son who at the time was 14 and an aspiring team and calf roper.

As to why they all switched to the torque flex axles?Couldn't really say but I'd venture a guess and say it was done to speed up production,they just bolt on and the conventionals require layout and welding of the parts(reads as ANY idiot can't do it)What happens with a conventional is the load is transferred over humps and bumps through the walking beam in the middle and the transition is an easy one via the springs.With the torqueflex it's possible to have one tire in the air and all the load fixated on the rear axle,the weakest point of that axle is the spindle and when it recieves the whole load and a jolt it can bend,after it is bent is when you see the tire wear funnyI'm not positive but I also think there is way less suspension travel with a torqueflex .Ground clearance could be another reason why as well even though I can't imagine a horse that cannot make a 16 inch step up into a trailer.The reason my trainers rear bumper and doors got thrashed is because his trailer lacks ground clearance,it's like 13 inches if I remember right.Half the tire is 16 - 3 inch structure underneath the trailer.

As mentioned earlier there is nothing wrong with a small steel trailer that's older,anybody that is handy can fix one up to be super reliable.They can be bought for CHEAP.First thing I'd do is tear every stich of wiring out and start over.It is SUPER
EASY and would take maybe 4 hours on a trailer like the Red one above.With brand new wiring you won't find yourself wondering if it is working while your towing and the FUZZ will pull you over in a second if it's not working right.The second thing I'd do is buy all new running gear hardware which consists of 10 bolts and 4 bushings for the spring eyes.Nothing worse than being stopped along the highway because one of the bolts that holds your gear is worn out and breaks.I'd also give the springs a good looking over and replace them if neccessary.Third thing I'd give a good once over is the hitch,make sure it fits the ball correctly,the other thing is the saftey chains THEY SHOULD NOT BE A CHAIN THAT IS WELDED ON THE FRAME. They should be made of roundstock with the chain threaded through and then the roundstock welded tho the frame.The reason for this is that chain is not metalugically designed to be welded,if it is welded on it will break EVERYTIME.

Inspect the brakes,the magnets are easy to replace,inspect the bearings and races clean em up and repack with grease and you'll be golden for many miles.

Everything else on a trailer is cosmetic.

I repaired my trainers old steel gooseneck trailer,rewired the whole thing,new brakes,all new suspension parts(because he didn't maintain it everything was shot)New paintjob and a whole bunch of aluminum gingerbread,new fenders and all new steel skin in the horse area.It looked and towed like a brand new trailer.He also got better mileage towing it because the original running gear was an inch out of kilter with the hitch(tires wear bad when they are scuffing sideways.also known as dogwalking).He had a 4 hour drive home from my place and called about halfway home ECSTATIC.I wish I'd have taken before and after shots.

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lightonthebay
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by lightonthebay » Sun Nov 16, 2008 2:39 pm

Wildweeds, I have not put my Exiss Aluminum, 4 horse, 413 LQ, trailer on the scale yet, (but I will) however, NADA list the weight on all Exiss 4 horse aluminum LQ trailers at just under 10,000 lbs (31 to 34 feet). Fair weight comparisons can be very tricky with different manufacturers, however, I believe the weight to strength ratio between aluminum and steel is about the same. If I am incorrect about that assumption I would like to be corrected with the data.

http://www.nadaguides.com/default.aspx? ... 2300019587

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by dan v » Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:05 am

There is very little difference in weight between a similar sized steel and aluminum trailer. Aluminum isn't as strong as steel so it takes more aluminum to get equal strength. And one thing about aluminum trailers, they may not rust, but they darn sure corrode and urine is really hard on the aluminum floor in the horse area. If you end up looking at a alum. constructed trailer, be sure to pull the mats out of the horse area and look for holes...even small pin holes area sign of trouble to come.
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Wa Chukar Hunter » Thu Dec 04, 2008 11:46 am

I can flat out attest that - Wildweeds aka Ernie did a HELLUVA job on the trailer in question. It was awesome. :mrgreen:
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by BigShooter » Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:28 pm

Wyndancer wrote: And one thing about aluminum trailers, they may not rust, but they darn sure corrode and urine is really hard on the aluminum floor in the horse area. If you end up looking at a alum. constructed trailer, be sure to pull the mats out of the horse area and look for holes...even small pin holes area sign of trouble to come.
This is the second poster to mention aluminum corrosion. Ditto x2 ... In addition to washing out the inside and outsides of a trailer immediately after use, if a trailer is ever exposed to chemicals (like salt) from a roadway, always pressure wash the entire underside of the trailer to prevent oxidation (aluminum corrosion or steel rust). Do this as soon as possible after the exposure.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Blue Dawn Kennel » Fri Dec 05, 2008 7:55 am

Boxa~

Would definatly suggest that you get a gooseneck aluminum. They hold their value and better up keep as all have said. Someone talked about the corrosion,we take are trailer in once or twice a year to a truck wash and have it acid washed and your good to go and with a smaller trailer not a big price to do it either. We have a 30' on the floor 4 Star 8' wide 7'6 tall and it costs us a $100. As far as the floors we have a very good inch or better rubber mate in the dog and horse area and do not have any floor problems plus can pull the mats out and wash the floors with hose or power washer. We had our first aluminium trailer probably 10 yrs and resold it for a $1000 or so more than what we paid for it so the do hold their value and if taken good care of then you can get it back if not little more. We're now on our 2nd 4 Star that we've had about 3-4 yrs. now. Same size trailer just now a 11' on the floor straight wall full living quarters, 9' on the floor dog area and 10' on the floor straight box for our 5 horses. Here's some pictures of ours (course you wouldn't need anything this big at this time) .

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You'll notice on the last picture their's a big space, that is for a sheet of plywood that we put up during the winter/early spring months to keep heat in the dog area then pull off for more ventalation movement in the late spring, summer and early fall time. The dog area also has a vent coming from our LQ a/c unit that helps cool the dogs @ those hot hot trials. In this trailer we don't have the big space between the dog kennels for a 4 wheeler but a lot of them do (our old one did but we had to travel to a summer and winter camp then and were on the road 10 months out of the year). Also if you get something that has a stock package (you can have plexiglass slates put in and can take out during warmer weather for more air flow as well.)

Robbi

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Wildweeds
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Wildweeds » Sat Dec 06, 2008 11:49 pm

As far as the corrosion goes,when adding to or fiddling with wiring ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT YOU GROUND TO A WIRE,NOT THE FRAME the electrical current is 100 times worse than even the rankest horse whizz.The trailers that I built were designed with horse pee in mind,hence they were made with 100% saltwater marine material either 5086 or 6061 material.I'm pretty sure that is industry standard but you can't quote me on it.I know that we replaced an axle in a trailer that was in an accident that was over 20 years old and the floor was discolored but structurally it was like new.Most of the trailers I built are on the road making trips from one ranch to another or going from rodeo to rodeo.One trailer we replaced a few rivets on had over 2 million miles on it.It spent everyday of it's life on the road from a ranch in oregon to another in texas.The fancy trailer I posted the pic of weighed 7500 approx.The weight savings was in the construction of it,the materials in the construction of those trailers was about 1/3 bigger than a steel trailer (example steel trailers have 1/4 inch steel frames and that one was 3/8) the sides of it were 1/8 inch skin which is a huge weight savings as compared to the cookie cutter mass produced trailers that have the extruded plank siding.I've repaired just about every make of trailer made.Some are better than others of course but some are just really overpriced for what your getting.

All this talk on aluminum trailers is information that can also be used for dog toppers/trailers as well.I built one for my truck that I've never washed driven through plenty of road salt/deicer and it's discolored a little but still looks new after 6 years and over 100 K miles.

Hey Keith,

Mighty mouse had a heck of a fall season,6 trials and 8 placements and more than one should have.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Wa Chukar Hunter » Sun Dec 07, 2008 12:58 pm

Ernie - Cool - I always liked that dog. Tell RJ I said - Hello. We are doing pretty well down here in trials too - 4 trials 10 ribbons.

I am still pulling my old black two horse around. Gonna get a new floor and have it rewired - so that I can get another 5 yrs out of it. 8)
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by BigShooter » Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:13 am

[quote="Wildweeds"]I built one for my truck that I've never washed driven through plenty of road salt/deicer and it's discolored a little but still looks new after 6 years and over 100 K miles.

For those of you that don't live or travel much in heavily salted areas like Minnesota or Wisconsin if you don't want to rinse the salt off of your aluminum or steel trailers for 100,000 miles go ahead. Otherwise you might want to check with trailer dealers or owners that sell or own aluminum trailers for saltwater boats and snowmobiles. You know ... just to get a second opinion from people that don't travel primarily in warmer states or mostly on unsalted roads. Obviously the thicker the material (steel or aluminum) the less likely it is going to be prone to failure due to corrosion. Aluminum is subject to corrosion, just at a different rate than steel. With an aluminum trailer you especially want to rinse salt off of any steel parts like spring bolts or exposed brake components.
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by dan v » Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:04 pm

lightonthebay wrote:Wildweeds, I have not put my Exiss Aluminum, 4 horse, 413 LQ, trailer on the scale yet, (but I will) however, NADA list the weight on all Exiss 4 horse aluminum LQ trailers at just under 10,000 lbs (31 to 34 feet). Fair weight comparisons can be very tricky with different manufacturers, however, I believe the weight to strength ratio between aluminum and steel is about the same. If I am incorrect about that assumption I would like to be corrected with the data.

http://www.nadaguides.com/default.aspx? ... 2300019587

http://xnet3.uss.com/auto/steelvsal/basicfacts.htm

or here

http://www.cineventions.com/steel_aluminum.html
Dan

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by lightonthebay » Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:04 pm

Thanks for the fact sheets Wyndacer!

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:43 am

So these fact sheets are for steel vs aluminum. For the beginner, I would expect that if I stay under the manufacturer's recommended towing capacity for my truck that I should be okay... regardless of steel or aluminum?

Interesting info about aluminum corrosion, to hear the salespeople talk about the alum. trailers you'd think they last forever!
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by lightonthebay » Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:57 am

Boxa, you are correct. Follow the manufaturer's towing capacity rate and it won't matter if the trailer is made from reinforced macaroni!

I am sure the steel vs. aluminum fact sheets were only submitted to dispel the myth that aluminum horse trailers are significantly lighter than steel. As you know salesmen tend to "puff" the attributes of their product to get a sale. Either material can be used for a quality product but realize there is nothing magical about either material.

I wish you luck in your purchase.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by ezzy333 » Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:36 am

Boxa wrote:So these fact sheets are for steel vs aluminum. For the beginner, I would expect that if I stay under the manufacturer's recommended towing capacity for my truck that I should be okay... regardless of steel or aluminum?

Interesting info about aluminum corrosion, to hear the salespeople talk about the alum. trailers you'd think they last forever!
Remember those facts were put out by the steel industry.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by lightonthebay » Tue Dec 09, 2008 11:18 am

ezzy333 wrote:
Boxa wrote:So these fact sheets are for steel vs aluminum. For the beginner, I would expect that if I stay under the manufacturer's recommended towing capacity for my truck that I should be okay... regardless of steel or aluminum?

Interesting info about aluminum corrosion, to hear the salespeople talk about the alum. trailers you'd think they last forever!
Remember those facts were put out by the steel industry.

Ezzy
Duly noted! However, I am sure that the data can be verified through independent sources. It would be foolish to misquote scientific "specific densities" of materials. The laws of physics and chemistry don't end at anyone's door step. I believe the second link submitted was not from the steel industry. Nonetheless, it is good advice to question and then verify potentialy biased sources.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by dan v » Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:20 pm

ezzy333 wrote:
Boxa wrote:So these fact sheets are for steel vs aluminum. For the beginner, I would expect that if I stay under the manufacturer's recommended towing capacity for my truck that I should be okay... regardless of steel or aluminum?

Interesting info about aluminum corrosion, to hear the salespeople talk about the alum. trailers you'd think they last forever!
Remember those facts were put out by the steel industry.

Ezzy

Ezzy,

I could certainly walk out to be machinist chest and pull the 73rd (or whatever edition) of the Machinist's Handbook (an unbiased source) and get you the mechanical properties of mild steel (A-36 or 1018) and those of the various aluminum alloys (2024, 5052, 6061, 7075), but then that wouldn't be a clickable link. And as the above post mentioned, would be pretty foolish for somebody or and entire industry to misquote something as easily verifiable as that.
Dan

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by shags » Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:06 pm

Boxa,
if I were you I'd check out used vs new trailer prices of steel and aluminum, just to see the resale values. Then make a choice based on what you like and what you can afford. Do not believe either a vehicle salesman nor a trailer salesman as to how much trailer you can tow. Go by your TV's book, and don't underestimate how much stuff you're going to be hauling when you figure out the weight you'll be pulling.
I've had a couple of steel trialers, and here in the midwest they require a ton of maintainence, especially if you need to store them outdoors. We just got an aluminum trailer last season, and so far it's great. In my area resale value is very high on aluminum rigs.
As far as strength, I think they all have to meet certain standards. There's some kind of trailer association that gives 'em emblems :lol: Get hit by a truck while going 70mph on some freeway, and it ain't gonna matter what your trailer was made out of.
If you have any horse expos near you, like Eqiune Affaire etc, that's a wonderful place to shop - lotsa great deals on trailers!

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by SeniorCoot » Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:00 am

My first trailer was about like the one pic in post one or so-it made it up the TransAlaska Pipeline haul road and back several times- we got more gear & horses so went to a CircleJ 3 horse- slant- it was great made it all over AK and then to US when we moved to Wisc. In 99or so we sold it and got a Sundowner 3 horse live in -It was nice BUT couldn't get into places we were hunting in Montana etc so now we have a Dream Coach 3 horse slant Alum trailer and a slide in camper-all were good trailers- just different applications- one day I'll most likely go back to 2 horse straight load --when we don't travel with horses as much.
Horse trailer World is also a good place to sell trailers- I sold my Sundowner in about 2 wks for asking price and they charged $25. Good deal.
Last edited by SeniorCoot on Tue Dec 30, 2008 6:27 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by vols fan » Mon Dec 29, 2008 5:58 pm

a great place to look and compare prices is Horse trailer world.com , you can punch in what you want and look all day . i found my sundowner gooseneck on there. i have pulled both steel and aluminum, not much difference if you stay within your limints. pulling is easy buy you must STOP. go gooseneck , you will not regret it .

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by jgries72 » Wed Dec 31, 2008 6:38 am

From a manufacturers point of view, you can have anything built that you may need or want. I would agree with some of the posters, that you will soon outgrow whatever itis that you purchase first so stick with someting that can be resold easily for the first trailer. Expirement a little with setting up the inside, how to store things, what sixe boxes you want, need, water storage, feed storage etc. The second trailer if you stay at this will be much better than your first.
I'm not trying to sell you anything but go to our companies web site www.travalong.com and take a look at all the different models there are. The aluminum trailers will resell for more and easier, they are a little bigger investment upfront but worth it in the longrun. I can also customixe anything you want and need.

aylaschamp

Re: Horse Trailers

Post by aylaschamp » Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:17 pm

Have you made your decision yet? I struggled with this same issue 5 yrs ago. I finally decided on the most affordable aluminum trailer with a few bells and whistles. Corrosion issues depend mostly on where you live. Down here near the gulf, steel trailer life is very short. Exiss is the brand I ended up with and have used it for the horses and dogs. It's a 3 horse bp with a small tacroom in the front. It still seems to hold value as well.

Sorry but these pics are the only ones I have and they were taken for the dog trailer.
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by aylaschamp » Thu Jan 08, 2009 7:24 pm

Encase your still looking here is one heck of a deal!!!


http://houston.craigslist.org/grd/985602698.html

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Boxa
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Sat Jun 27, 2009 7:49 am

Right now the place where I board my horse will rent me a steel, 2 horse stock trailer for $40 per weekend I have a hard time beating that.

But I just found an aluminum stock trailer for pretty affordable and wondered if anyone had thoughts on how feasible it would be to convert part of a 3 horse stock trailer into a tack room?

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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by RayGubernat » Sat Jun 27, 2009 6:27 pm

Boxa -

$40 a weekend is really tough to beat. If you trailer your horse ten times a year, you have just about paid for the license, registration and yearly upkeep on the trailer. The only reason to buy a trailer with a deal like that, is if you have other uses for it. o, BTW if you do buy a trailer, do you have a place to keep it?

Does the trailer have a gate? Most do. If not, see how much it would be to get one installed. Once you have a gate that separates the front of your trailer from the back of your trailer...you have the makings of a tackroom. Some Lexan or Plexiglass around the top to keep the weather out, a thin sheet of exterior plywood, or if you want to go first class...marine plywood, in the tack area and some indoor outdoor carpet over that, abunch of hooks and...you got a tack room. You could get fancy and put in shelving or a portable closet.

Field trialers do that sort of thing all the time to make a place for their dogs and their gear. Ideally the gate that seaprates the two areas in the trailer will have a passthrough door, but that is not absolutely necessary.

RayG

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Boxa
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Mon Jun 29, 2009 9:00 pm

I'm definitely not in a rush, just looking for a deal. B/c when I quit boarding there I will not have access to that trailer anymore. Trying to keep my eyes out for a deal, and yes, when I bring the horse here to the house I'll have the barn to store it also.

I thought that the concept of converting the stock trailer was a good one, seemed affordable, functional, and very practical. Like you said - it could be set up for the dogs, etc. Rather than having to make something else work that's more suited just for horse stuff.
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by SeniorCoot » Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:59 am

I hunted a couple of times with a guy in NM who had his trailer modified to put several hounds for lion hunting in what had been the manger in front of his trailer- really worked out slick and also kept the antis from seeing that he was a hunter.

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Boxa
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:41 pm

Well, I broke down and bought a horse trailer. Went with a 16' Aluminum Featherlite Stock Trailer. (http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/t ... ?ID=221967)

I haven't gone about converting the front into a tackroom yet, before I did I wondered if it looked like there would be a problem having the horse in the back half of this trailer? I didn't know if it would be unsafe to have the heavier load (the horse) in the back and the lighter load (tack and dogs) in the front? I'll be pulling with a 3/4 Ton Diesel Pickup.

Your thoughts are appreciated.
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