Bumper pull straight load you can convert to a loose horse box stall or haul a 4 wheeler with?

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

I’m looking for a straight load trailer that is wide enough and set up safely (i.e. not camper door latches on the escape doors) that I can convert to a box stall for hauling a mare and foal. I’d like to have a ramp and be able to completely remove the center divider (i.e. it isn’t integral for the structure). I would like a full size back door–meaning I can move my 4 wheeler or riding mower with it too–no center divider, although I’m not opposed to two doors with an additional ramp. I just can’t picture how that would work. Most of the straight loads are pretty narrow–they make them long and taller for a “warmblood” configuration, and the escape doors are not meant for the pressure of loose hauling. I used one in an emergency with a mare and foal, but had to fill in front of the chest bars forward with hay bales to keep them back. Not ideal.

Alternatively, I think I will have to get a 3 horse slant and just use it as a two horse. I have big horses. Slants are not ideal, but I would really like the flexibility, so I’m open to considering them. That doesn’t help me use it to haul equipment though (ramp and full size back door are not something I’ve seen on a slant). It seems silly to buy another trailer just to haul my 4 wheeler or mower once a year to get serviced if something breaks.

[twcolabear]

I have a Sundowner 777, it’s an older model. A few years ago, they changed the model names. It’s a 2horse bumperpull. The middle decider come out and becomes a box stall. I’ve used it in that configuration whenever I had mare and foal to transport and to transport a pony who was too short for the bars. I’ve also used it when i moved, it made a pretty good moving truck

[moving_to_dc]

In my area, both TSC and Home Depot rent small equipment trailers with ramps that would easily fit a 4-wheeler or mower. Maybe an option??? Instead of searching for just-the-right trailer.

[Herefordgirl]

Eby trailers are able to do what you need. I am able to take my partition out by myself. I love it! It makes it so easy to clean and I have hauled various items in it.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

@Herefordgirl

Eby trailers are able to do what you need. I am able to take my partition out by myself. I love it! It makes it so easy to clean and I have hauled various items in it.

Thank you. I have an Eby dealership 8 miles away! I haven’t wandered over because all they ever have on the lot is cattle semi-style trailers. Is your trailer a straight load? One of the standard models, or did you order custom?

[cutter99]

Another thing to consider is a stock trailer. You should be able to configure it any way you want. I have a 16’ gooseneck stock with two 8’ boxes. I actually store the ramp for loading our four wheeler in the neck of the trailer.

Eby builds trailers to drool over. They are not inexpensive, but will last forever,

[NoDQhere]

We recently bought a Merhow two plus one, gooseneck. It is super well made. Rear and front side ramps and all the dividers come out easily so you can drive a lawn tractor, golf cart or whatever right on in. Merhow makes a large two horse bumper pull as well. Ours came from Loomis Lazy L Trailer Sales in Mondovi, WI so not a huge drive from you. They have exactly what you are looking for in a Hawk. Ebys are great trailers and all of the good trailers are expensive anymore.

[poltroon]

4-star would make a trailer like that also. I’m sure most would set up lever latches instead of camper latches if you had one built, also.

[danacat]

I have a Hawk TBred height trailer – custom, extra long with ramp and side escape door. It’s completely open inside with a full swinging door that divides the trailer in half (width wise into 2 box stalls) so I can haul 2 horses: one in front compartment, one in rear compartment.

My quad, riding mowers etc, fit in the trailer so I can haul them for repairs. I also use trailer to pick up hay, lumber, gates and all sorts of big/long stuff. Multi purpose horse trailer.

[moving_to_dc]

Something I have not seen mentioned… where do you plan to have tie-down locations for your mower and 4-wheeler?

[ladymcts]

As the owner of draft horses, I’d say you might want to look for a draft horse trailer … but then again I know how hard it is to find a true draft trailer. I simply LOATHE the ads that will say you can fit a draft in there! Yah, just cuz you squeezed one in for 15 minutes doesn’t mean it’s built to haul them. Urgh, sorry, offtrack rant now over.

Point about a true draft trailer is that it will have the extra width you’re looking for, and the ramp will be sturdy. (I’ve owned two trailers, both with ramps, one “warmblood” and one “draft.” The draft horse trailer’s ramp is much more solid.) Where you’re asking for the front end to be configurable … well you might look for either a “2+1” that’s intended to do that, or you could look for a 4 horse head to head in which 2 stalls could be made into one.

As I see it, the biggest problem with your request is the idea of converting that front space into horse carrying space if it’s not meant to be, especially in a bumper pull. While there are 3H bumper pulls to be found on the market, they are usually slant as you suggested, and the stalls are properly set to distribute weight over the wheels. If a 2H straight load has storage space in front, it is most likely not intended to be carrying 1000-1500lbs, and you could end up with a trailer angled downward on a squatting truck, or even worse, stressing the frame because you’re putting weight where the manufacturer did not intend.

You’re really probably better off looking for a trailer that is really built as a 2+1 if that’s your intended use. I’m just not so sure you’ll find it in a bumper pull.

Good luck!

[Texarkana]

@moving to dc

Something I have not seen mentioned… where do you plan to have tie-down locations for your mower and 4-wheeler?

Not ideal, but a strap can usually be run up to the head tie rings. Depending on the trailer design, the chest bars and center bar at the head may be able to be left in place even with the center divider out. The windows usually have bars on the inside that a back strap can be run through. I wouldn’t want to put a lot of pressure on the bars, but they work for stabilization. Some trailers have permanent rings on the wall for the butt bars, which would also work.

With my stock/combo trailer, I can secure almost anything using the slatted sides. It has certainly earned its keep in the past year as a multi-purpose trailer, in addition to running the horses around!

OP, a lot of readily available “east coast” brands (like Hawk) would probably fit your bill. But off the top of my head, I’m pretty sure the Sundowner Charter models will do what you want, because I think the bar on the divider comes out. And Sundowners are accessible nationwide.

[SonnysMom]

@moving to dc

Something I have not seen mentioned… where do you plan to have tie-down locations for your mower and 4-wheeler?

I have a 2 horse Trail-et. We move our Skag zero turn in it all the time. We either take out the center divider or swing it to the side. The center divider just lifts out. There is no back center post.

DH uses one of his BIG speed clamps and clamps the Skag to the center post that is between the chest bars. He puts a towel between the bar and the Skag so it doesn’t rub. It works well. We have moved other lawn mowers in there too. Same deal. We just keep the front center post in.

[danacat]

@moving to dc

Something I have not seen mentioned… where do you plan to have tie-down locations for your mower and 4-wheeler?

I just keep two old bales of hay in my trailer – I put them front and back of any equipment I’m hauling for stability & cushion. Never had a problem; no rockin’ and rollin’.

[Rae89]

I have a two horse sundowner straight load that is exactly what you are wanting. The dividers can all be removed, and I have done this to haul a quad, square bales, or a loose horse. There is two escape doors at the front of stalls but they can be easily locked. Super easy to remove all dividers by yourself as well. Mine is the warmblood size but I would have no issue hauling mare and foal in it loose.

[ChocoMare]

The EquiSpirit or their EquiBreeze will do and does exactly what you want. I’ve used mine without the interior dividers/bars several times for furniture to hay. Call Tom Scheve and he’ll walk you through.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Lots of good thoughts. Thank you everyone. I would LOVE a 2+1, but am not in a position to upgrade my truck at the moment to something larger and am limited to a 11,000 lb tow limit (and I think my payload bed weight is capped at 1515 lbs). Obviously I don’t even want to come close with a live load–so I would like to stick to a bumper pull for now. That said, I vastly prefer goosenecks.

It looks like the EBY is probably 5k more then a similar Hawk. Neither priced out with the rumber floor I want.

With regard to weight ahead of the chest bars, that is a good point. The horses wouldn’t be in the front of the trailer, because the dressing room would block that (I have to have a dressing room) but it is something to consider. Perhaps there is merit to my previous emergency method of straw bales in front of the chest bars with the mare tied and the foal loose. I’ve always leaned towards letting both be loose when hauling because I worry about the foal doing something stupid and getting hung up on the rope somehow. However if I did a three horse slant, I don’t know that I want a mare wandering around loose back there when I’m using a bumper pull. I do use anti-sway bars and a weight distribution hitch always, just for safety, but it’s still not as stable as a gooseneck.

I may be best off with a stock/combo or extra wide slant with extra long stalls and just getting a utility trailer. My dad’s is on it’s last leg. Maybe if I buy one I can store it in his garage instead of mine. But I still feel like horses may travel better in a straight load vs. slant.

I will check out Loomis!

[x]

Try a stock trailer. Some of the two-horse ones are set up as a straight load with dividers, etc. that all pull out to make an empty box

[Stacie]

Cimarron makes a trailer for a local dealer which they could easily do for you. Warmblood sized all aluminum. The side doors are 4 foot wide and lock with the same type of latch as the ramp for hauling like a box stall. The middle divider is very easy to remove. One person can do it. I think the stalls are 8 feet with 4 feet in front of the bar. It’s huge inside. The trailer is 1200 lbs empty including a dressing room. All the windows have bars for safety. All the doors can be locked with key as well.

[Hattie]

I have that trailer. It’s a custom Shadow BP that is 8 ft wide and has a full height side ramp in the front for my marathon carriage, full size partitition doors at the horse’s heads. You can take out the center pole with the breast bars and the divider between the horses and have a huge box stall. It pulls great and is so convenient. I sold my gooseneck 2+1 because I wanted to downsize a bit.