ADVICE: Horse Trailer with LQ vs Camper vs Hotel?

[inca]

A travel trailer works if you pay someone else to haul your horse! But, if you have to haul your horse yourself, it is not really an option (unless you make 2 trips to the show, have 2 trucks and a significant other that will haul one, or something similar.)

There are some REALLY nice LQ’s out there but they will cost 6 figures. I agree that the RV is a great option if you don’t mind paying someone to haul your horse. But, you are going to be spending a lot of money on hauling fees, RV hook ups at shows, etc. If that works for your budget, great!

[Synthesis]

What I want is a 2 horse van + travel trailer. One of those 2 horse sprinter vans specifically. Perfect

[Blinky]

I have a few friends that always do their own shipping for 1 to 2 horses. Both in state and out of state which means they stay the whole time at the shows. They both have the horse trailer with LQ. Very nice!!

Me-one horse and an office job so it only makes since for me to pay for shipping. With that said: in a year or two we need to replace the SUV so getting a bigger one that can haul a small camper sounds appealing!

[BeeHoney]

I’ve gone through this debate myself and decided against the LQ. First of all, I do a lot of local hauling as well and adding on the LQ adds more length than I want when I am dealing with trips to places that have smaller entrances and less room to turn around. Also, I find that if I trailer in to a show and “hang out” during the day, I’m perfectly happy using regular trailer space. I just pack a cooler and some chairs and I’m good to go. I could easily run an electric cord into the trailer space and set up a little room to camp in if I wanted to. For me, I also don’t travel to away shows quite enough to make LQ worthwhile from a cost standpoint. LQs are expensive.

Lastly, I hate maintenance stuff. I’m good at keeping a trailer well maintained, but my DH has a camper that we go camping (no horses) in and that thing needs enough annoying upkeep and maintenance that I am glad it isn’t a part of my horse trailer. There’s a water heater, an air conditioner, a fridge, an oven/stove and a bunch of little doodads that all need to be taken care of.

[netg]

[QUOTE=Synthesis;8369597]
What I want is a 2 horse van + travel trailer. One of those 2 horse sprinter vans specifically. Perfect[/QUOTE]

Me, too!

I have a 2 horse with weekender. It’s perfect for me, in that I trailer weekly and it’s just a normal length gooseneck, but for the few times a year I want to stay in it, I can. I have generators, and a/c, heat, refrigerator, microwave, hot water heater and water pump, and a cowboy shower in back (just drains out the back of the trailer). There’s only one place I would go without showers, so that’s the only place I need it.

I think a weekender could be doable for these longer stays IF there is a door into the horse compartment (which mine is) and you use some of the options mentioned regarding an air mattress, etc., and use of the back part of the trailer. A full living quarter and 4 horse trailer is a huge trailer and very, very hard with which to navigate. My trainer just got ride of his to get one of the few motor homes which can pull enough and a 4 horse bumper pull trailer. It’s more comfortable, and they have been taking regular weekend trips in the motor home for fun as well, since they can.

[caballogurl]

I live within driving distance of all the major shows in my area, but I have considered purchasing an RV for long term shows like thermal that are not within driving distance. The main reason being for my dogs and kids. My husband works long hours and I hate leaving my dogs behind for weeks at a time. Not many hotels will let you take four dogs with you. Also, I like the appeal that I would have a place to relax with my dogs and children on-site. At Thermal, the closest hotels are not that close… at least a 15-20 minute drive.

[saddleup]

I have a three horse gooseneck trailer. I had a very small conversion done last summer. It’s really a one person space but it has a/c, fridge, cooktop, shower, toilet, and sink. Believe me, things are tight but it’s sure handy at a show to just have someplace to relax and then not have to drive to a hotel. I show at one place where the nearest hotel is 30 minutes away and it is hard to make that drive at the end of the day or the crack of dawn.

[Showbizz]

We’ve had our 4h LQ for a year now. My kids (6 and 9) and I are the primary occupants, along with typically one or two horses.

We stay in it much more than I anticipated, and we really, really enjoy the comfort.

It’s not cheaper than a hotel, for certain.

I’m not a camp cook, so we still usually buy our meals. I do take some microwavable stuff, and the kids enjoy it, but I’m a bit more picky about my dinner

We use the first stall (with escape door) for muck bucket, chest of drawers with show items, chairs, and wheelbarrow.

We also have mangers. That said, our horses are on the smaller side and we nearly always have a pony or two. I love the mangers as they hold a TON (blankets, coolers, RV supplies, helmets, hoses, cords, buckets etc) but know this is not realistic for most with big horses. We also have a rear tack. We’re not usually hurting for room.

I love pulling it and can maneauver the beast quite well on most days It works well for us, but I can see where the storage (w/o mangers) being an issue for some.

[Lord_Helpus]

Instead of looking for a horse trailer with LQ, why not investigate a travel trailer with a “toy hauler” as the back part. (For those not familiar with this configuration, a “toy hauler” is meant to accommodate 4 wheelers or motorcycles or dune buggies. 3/4ths of the length is set up as a nice living space, with the back end (with a full sized ramp) meant for vehicles.

The living quarters part can have 2 or 3 popouts so you feel like you are truly in a home. Unlike LQ in a horse trailer which is always the width of the trailer. And you can get all of this in a quality used 5th wheel for $40k, plus whatever the cost of the insert is.

Here is a link to the horse stall inserts to turn the toy hauler portion into a space for horses.

Granted, I would not use this configuration to haul 2 huge WB’s for many hours. But to take 1 or 2 normal sized horses on short treks, it is an idea that may work for some people.

Link to insert in a “toy hauler travel trailer” to adapt it for horse use:

http://mrtruck.com/stableboy.htm

[Showbizz]

OP wants to haul 4+ horses.

[bamboopole]

Nice thing about LQ is you always have a place to stay. You’ll never get to a hotel that is fully booked and has no room for you. Even if there is no water or electric, you will have a bed and food.
We love never unpacking. Our LQ has a combination W/D. The dryer is not great, so often we have laundry hung all over. Horse laundry does not get done in LQ.
Love not having to drive to get a meal, then go to the room exhausted. We can shower, jump in civilian clothes and chill. Nice to hang out under the awning on a warm night, having a cold one with friends.

[enjoytheride]

I would personally go with a “weekender” Everywhere I go has showers and toilets, and you can do your cooking on a propane grill. A weekender is typically insulated and is wired to run a few things like lights and charge your phone off your truck battery, or hook onto electric for a longer stay. You can get one with an AC unit and heat strip or a cheaper option is a fan in the roofvent and a small electric heater A two foot short wall gives you enough room to sleep at night, who camps INSIDE???

A four horse slant with a rear tack and some creative packing/using your truck bed will get you where you need to go without adding a TON of length.

[HMF]

I have a 2 horse warmblood straight load with a midtack and LQ’s. My horses LOVE the space they have and they travel very well, I don’t think I could squeeze them into a slant load. The midtack is great as I don’t have to give up the storage space.

I agree, I don’t save much on hookups versus hotels but I have a generator so I do occasionally park in the trailer lot and run the generator to save a few bucks.

The convenience of being at the shows is a HUGE! When you roll into a show late and are exhausted after driving and then unloading it is so nice to just park and climb into the trailer. I also braid so having the trailer there to go take a nap when I have a few minutes makes it all possible. I can also leave my dogs in the LQ and they are comfortable and stress free.

The other benefit is that I can layover on long hauls without having to leave the horses at a strange facility and go to a hotel. Where I live nothing is close so every road trip is 7+ hours.

The only complaint I have is I would like a 2+1 so I can bring an ATV or Golf Cart

[sweetpea]

I have a 4 horse elite love it

I love the fact that when you come in on the day of set up and then park the trailer I can take a shower make my dinner and be done also I can say is no regrets no regrets no regrets I have a shower I have air I have a microwave I have a TV I have a great bed they even make amazing memory foam beds for the goosenecks they are a queen short so I would say if this is what you’re thinking you want to feel at your shows go for it I’ve done it for many years and it works I love it I love it I love it

[Equibrit]

Truck & LQ Trailer = transport, accommodation, and horse carrier.
Truck trailer = transport and horse carrier. Need hotel.
Camper = accommodation only. Need another vehicle to carry horses, therefore 2 drivers.

[hntrjmprpro45]

We bought a 4 horse with an extended tack room. We converted it to living quarters (although we aren’t quite done yet). Our amenities include full size mattress in goose neck, refrigerator, heat and air, microwave, TV and DVD player and room for an additional cot when my assistant stays with me. We generally show at places that have full bathrooms in the RV area, so we don’t need shower/toilet in the trailer. We don’t stay in the trailer at every show as sometimes a hotel is cheaper (sometimes you can’t rent RV spaces by the night but have to pay a full week’s rate which doesn’t make sense if you only are there for 3 days or so). But sometimes if we do multiple straight weeks it can really pay off.