I’ve had and hauled all of the above; stock trailer, stock combo, fully enclosed slant load and a straight load. My horses seem to hate the straight load the most (it’s also a bumper pull and all the others have been goosenecks) and were generally ambivalent about the rest.
I sold my stock combo in favor of a fully enclosed horse trailer because I wanted dividers and the ability to close the trailer up if I choose. Plus I added a stud divider on the first stall and generally use it for hay storage. I LOVE my trailer and will probably keep it forever. It has drop windows on the front (with bars to prevent heads hanging out) and drop windows on the butt side so it can get a lot of ventilation (important in Texas summers). The stock combo option is always cheaper than drop windows, so there is that. I live in Texas and I liked my stock combo for air circulation. I hated the giant door and not having dividers.
Huh?
All trailers have positives and negatives ,that is why,There is variety so you can find the right one for you.
To the OP, I have 2 trailers a 4 horse GN that can be made into 2 box stalls and a 2 horse aluminum stock combo with a dressing room.
The stock is the trailer I use most of the time, so far no horse has even hesitated to load,and I regularly give rides to friends to go hunting.
I really like this trailer a lot.
I have had both enclosed ( 2 h straight load BP) and currently a 16 ft stock trailer. I can say both myself and especially my horses prefer the stock trailer. More room, better ventilation, brighter inside etc. Even when hauling in cold or wet weather the horses are dry and draft free. Mine have never been bothered by things happening outside the trailer.
I just hauled a youngster home and bedded the trailer heavily and there was no blowing of the shavings. It is true that many horses who are hard to get into an enclosed trailer are a bit more willing to enter a stock trailer.
The trailer is also more versatile and can easily be used for other things too.
I love my 2 horse straight load gooseneck. It’s a 4 Star. It pulls very well. Among other things, the roof and walls are insulated. Trailers are such a personal preference, I think. My horse seems very happy w his trailer, so I am, too ;).
I was glad we had an enclosed float the last time we came home from the chiropractor.
Hail started on the way home. We parked the ute in the shed and left the horses in the float until the hail finished.
We have a four horse Sundownder goose neck stock trailer. I regularly haul 2 1/2 hours, sometimes more. I preffer a stock trailer but when we haul we haul two horses, they are separated by the gate in the middle. If I have to haul all four of our horses I load them up at an angle and tigh them tight. Horses do travel well packed in, like polo ponies. I like the stock trailer because the horses can situate themselves, while tied, facing the way is most comfortable for them, and I can saddle and I saddle in the trailer if it is raining. I can also adjust blankets, etc. it has worked for me for 30 years. If we have to trailer them all I might put on wraps, or shipping boots to keep their legs protected. Occasionally we have to send trailers to pick up horses if we end up on a hunt far away and have had to load other people’s horses; we have put five horses on it thT really didn’t know eachother and they did fine but it is usually a short haul home. I do not like to put horses on it that are not packed in tight or not separated by the divider gate.
