Can we talk about Stock Trailers?

[Parrs_Gold_Bar]

Hi guys,

We just got a pickup truck and are (pseudo) looking at horse trailers.

In an effort to get more bang for my buck I was thinking maybe a stock trailer would be a good idea as it could double as a utility trailer. Nothing large, we’d only have two horses.

I’m in southern Ont and don’t tend to see too many stock trailers being used for horses so I have zero experience with this form of trailering – neither does my horse. I think the local feed mill rents stock trailers so I’d definitely try it before I buy it, but I’d like to pick your brains, first. Please excuse my ignorance, I really have NO experience using this type of trailer. Please be kind

So a couple questions:

1. Does the horse always get tied in? If they’re travelling solo do you tend to leave them loose? What would be safest for a newbie to get used to this type of trailer?

2. If you were looking at a used stock trailer (that is most likely coming from the cow world) what should you keep in mind to make sure it would be horse-safe?

Thanks in advance!

[sherian]

We got a stock trailer for the same reason, and probably now would not have anything else. The horses love it - bright, open and airy. Mine has a center gate so I use it as two box stalls, so the horse can travel however they are comfortable and have a stall to hang out in at shows and trail heads. If I have only one on I do still shut the gate so they stay in the front stall (if they stand at the tail end with no weight in the front it can affect the handling). You may have to hunt around to find one with good head room - many are only 6’6" or 6’8", you can find 7 or 7’6" but they aren’t as common and sell fast on the used market here. You will likely want to plan to repaint the inside a light colour, (lots are the same colour in and out) to brighten it up.

[cutter99]

I always tie my horses. I use a crosstie looped around one of the upright posts with a quick release snap at the post end.

You should look at a stock trailer the way you would any other trailer- check to see there are no sharp edges anywhere, check the condition of the floor, check that the welds are of good quality, check the tires for both tread and age.

And keep in mind that not all stock trailers were just used for cattle. We found one that was used for fox hunters. It was in excellent condition, and half the cost of the same exact model new.

[tpup]

I have an Adam stock/slant combo. With one horse I can haul loose and keep the slant gate tied back. With two horses, I put one horse in the front, and one in the back. I love it. Mine has a small dressing room in the front and an escape door. It’s easy to tow. It’s a bumper pull and perfect for 2 horses.

[Bluey]

Other than rarely a two horse trailer to haul to the track, we have always used our plain steel stock trailer to haul horses every place.

It has one gate in the middle and if we also have cattle, they generally go in one side, the horse/s in the other.
Most times, just a horse or two, that gate is not closed.

A horse with good cowhorse manners generally has been taught to load in there and stand quietly, not turn around, until someone opens the tail gate and calls his name.
If there are two in there, just the one called out will come out, the other will wait, because that time he may not be needed.

If a horse is just learning, we do tie them to the side and then generally to the left side and they ride in there a bit sideways, if two or three in there, at a natural slant.

The advantage for us is a stock trailer is useful for so much else, cattle, panels, tanks, feed, 4 wheelers.

[Parrs_Gold_Bar]

Good feedback so far guys, thanks!

You’re really helping me lean toward the stock trailer. My guy’s 17 so I’d definitely be teaching an old dog new tricks by getting him used to a stock trailer, but he always travelled very well… eats his fill then dozes off.

What are your thoughts on the colder climate? I don’t baby my horse by any means, he lives out and gets a blanket when it’s around -5 or colder, that’s it, that’s all. I understand the stock trailers are more open; do you take extra precaution to bundle the horses up when doing highway travelling in the dead of winter?

[Frog_Pond]

If you’re guy loads into a horse trailer without trouble, he’ll probably love a stock trailer – most horses do.

Newer stock trailers often – not always – have channels that allow you to slide plexiglass panels in & cover up the slats. That way you can adjust the air flow in cold weather.

I grew up with a 16’ bumper pull with a center gate. We went all over New England in the winter and just put a medium weight blanket on & one sensitive mare wore a fly mask to protect her eyes from any wind-borne debris. Our trips were never more than 2 hours and the horses all seemed happy.

My plan is to get another 16’ stock trailer that’s 7’6" high – for my big horse, and so I can toss my Gator in it when it needs to go to the dealer. Good luck!

[goodhors]

We cut pieces of plywood to fit the openings, bolt the plywood over the slats in winter to keep the wind off horses inside. There is still plenty of windflow over the top of rear gate, for good air exchange but no drafts on the horses. They wear light blankets, not nylon lined against the skin. The Irish knit under a nylon lined blanket works too, just no nylon on the skin, which will make a horse sweat inside the blanket while riding. No hoods. Horses stay plenty warm, even down at 20F while traveling. Just working to stand while riding along, will get a horse warm inside a trailer.

[Kathy_Nebel]

I have been hauling with a stock trailer for about seven years and I love it. My horses love it. I originally bought it because one of my horses was terrible in a trailer and a trainer suggested a stock trailer. Solved the hauling problem. I close the cut gate and leave the horse loose in the stall. Typically they will ride backwards. After using the stock trailer I sold my “dream” living quarters trailer because the stock trailer was just so much easier. Be sure to buy one tall enough for your horse; it seems that some of the cattle trailers have a lower roof than the horse trailers.

[danacat]

I had a stock trailer for years - extra high, wide and long-- with a swinging door that divided the trailer in half, width wise-- basically making two box stalls. My horses loved it! They rode untied-- could turn around in the stalls if they wanted to and I could lead them off head first. Since the trailer was a step-up, leading them off head first was a lot easier and safer than backing them out.

I never travelled with them in the winter, but if I had, I probably would have wanted to block the open sides with ‘something’…just to cut down on wind, especially in the rear stall…but only if I was going to be on a highway for a lengthy amount of time. Blankets for short trips-if needed.

[N2Equus]

We have a Sundowner Prostock. 16ft center gate, lined inside, 7’6" high with a tack room. I love this trailer and the horses love it as well. Unless the weather is very very cold we do not blanket as horses tend to get warm when hauling anyway. We do have the slats to put plexiglass in if we want to but we never have. I do love that there is plenty of ventilation. Most of the time we do tie and they stand at a slant. The first time we hauled a horse that had been hauled plenty on a straight load but never a stock we turned him loose in the front with the gate closed and he found his sweet spot and hauled great. He was 17 hands, we did use a bumper but he didn’t have a problem with the height. That was a six hour trip in winter with a med blanket (he was clipped) and he seemed to be fine and enjoyed the air. I think they like to see what is going on around them unlike a totally enclosed trailer with sounds that they can not identify/see.

[Pocket_Pony]

I’m also finding this thread helpful, so I’ll continue watching for more replies.

Are all stock trailers built with a wall divider (not sure what else you call it . . . to split the trailer in two for two box stalls)? Do some come with additional options for making a slant-load trailer? Curious because I have three horses, and while the chance of hauling all three at the same time is slim, it would be nice to have it as an emergency option.

[walkinthewalk]

40-some years ago, I started with a used two-horse and couldn’t wait to get rid of it, lol

I think I only had it for a year, found my first 4-horse open stock trailer and never looked back.

I have always had 3/4 ton or bigger trucks. IMO, a 4-horse stock doesn’t do any worse on gas mileage than a two-horse.

Having a stock trailer and only hauling one or two horses, is like having more closet space in the house — all the more you can take with you for a long weekend of camping:yes:

I still have the 4-horse open stock I bought new in 1984. It hauled my horses clear across the U.S. twice when I moved.

I kept fly masks on them during their time in the trailer but the weather was warm enough I didn’t have to close the sides in.

I have always tied horses, whether they are in the front or the back. My horses are seasoned travelers but they aren’t as seasoned as ranch horses or rodeo horses that could drive the truck, if they had thumbs.

Meaning, I don’t trust them enough to leave them loose while I’m going down the interstate at 75 MPH:)

Plus, coming back from California to Tennessee, I had a blowout on a rear truck tire that dropped it down to the wheel in less than 60 seconds.

There is no way this side of Hades and Back, I would have wanted my big nervous horse, in the back of the trailer, to be loose. The only reason that horse stayed reasonably sane was because the alpha and second-in-command horses were up front, most likely telling him to get a grip.

I did get the truck slowed down and off to the shoulder without incident but I’m sure there was an extra set of hands helping me hold that steering wheel.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

[QUOTE=Pocket Pony;8574274]
I’m also finding this thread helpful, so I’ll continue watching for more replies.

Are all stock trailers built with a wall divider (not sure what else you call it . . . to split the trailer in two for two box stalls)? Do some come with additional options for making a slant-load trailer? Curious because I have three horses, and while the chance of hauling all three at the same time is slim, it would be nice to have it as an emergency option.[/QUOTE]

If I were you I would look at a 3-horse stock/combo. That way you get a dressing room. You can do slats on both sides or drop down windows on the head side and slats on the tail and rear. You can have normal slant dividers, or take one or both of them out. You can add air vents in the roof too if you want. Check out the Titain Primo or Avalanche for an example.

Many manufacturers make them in steel, but you can also find this in aluminum.

[danacat]

[QUOTE=Pocket Pony;8574274]
Are all stock trailers built with a wall divider (not sure what else you call it . . . to split the trailer in two for two box stalls)? Do some come with additional options for making a slant-load trailer? Curious because I have three horses, and while the chance of hauling all three at the same time is slim, it would be nice to have it as an emergency option.[/QUOTE]

I think you could certainly order a custom built stock trailer set up the way you want it. Maybe a box stall (single horse) in front compartment and a two horse straight load option for the rear compartment.

If your three horses get along really well, you could ride all three slant-load stye-- tied next to each other-- no dividers-- or perhaps you could have removable, partial dividers that you slip in when needed, to keep horses separated.

[Parrs_Gold_Bar]

OK, next question:

We just bought a 2016 F-150. What’s the largest size you’d recommend? I’d also like the option to have the center divider with two stalls, at what length is that feasible?

[Pocket_Pony]

Thanks, TTP! I’ll look in to that.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

[QUOTE=Parrs Gold Bar;8574303]
OK, next question:

We just bought a 2016 F-150. What’s the largest size you’d recommend? I’d also like the option to have the center divider with two stalls, at what length is that feasible?[/QUOTE]

I would stick to a two horse bumper-pull trailer, particularly if you want a dressing room.

[Texarkana]

[QUOTE=Parrs Gold Bar;8574303]
OK, next question:

We just bought a 2016 F-150. What’s the largest size you’d recommend? I’d also like the option to have the center divider with two stalls, at what length is that feasible?[/QUOTE]

I’m not quite sure on the 1st question, it depends on a lot of factors (the engine, trailer construction, etc.).

But if you want to divide into 2 stalls that can comfortably hold an average sized horse, go with a 16’ stock trailer.

While the length in a 14’ trailer is sufficient for two horse stalls, it seems like a lot of 14’ trailers have the divider over the 1st axle instead of the true center. This makes the front stall a bit too small for the average sized horse, especially if the nose of the trailer has a slope to it. Of course, you can always get something customized.

A 12’ stock trailer with a gate will be too small to have two horse stalls no matter where you put the divider. But they do work well for hauling one or two horses that get along and can be trusted side by side.

[walkinthewalk]

You didn’t say you bought a half ton truck in your original post.

If you had, I would have said to buy a 2-horse trailer.

I would never pull a stock trailer with a half ton truck.

Buy a 2-horse:)