I currently have a 2+1 GN I bought brand new 5 years ago. At the time it was my dream trailer moving up from 3H SL GN & prior to that a 2H BP. When I purchased the 2+1 I had two personal horses, plus my daughter had a small pony that we hauled places. Currently I’m down to one personal horse and my kid doesn’t ride anymore. I feel The 2+1 is a bit a much for hauling one horse regularly plus l’d like the option of hauling with my Expedition if needed. The 2+1 can feel huge getting into certain places. Am I crazy to consider going back to a 2H bumper pull?
We have an infatuation with “bigger always equals better” in this country.
But I can’t tell you how many friends I’ve had who splurged for a huge rig, only to end up going back to a simple 2H BP when their needs changed. While some people become lifelong big rig converts, many people do find it tiresome to regularly haul more trailer than they need. There’s nothing wrong with either setup.
3 Likes
The real question is will it satisfy your needs?
I went from a 13’ LQ trailer to a 6’ LQ trailer a couple years ago in a move to downsize. Money was not a question as the trailer was already paid for, and nor was tow vehicle, as I was driving a one ton cab and chassis dually and was not going to downsize or upsize the truck.
I was getting into some pretty out of the way places that were very tight to get in and out of with the bigger trailer, and found myself fretting while there about getting out. In downsizing, my horse area basically stayed the same size with similar amenities, but the size of my LQ was downsized by over half. When my husband and I discussed it, we came to the conclusion the only time we are really in the trailer is to sleep, so all kinds of extra living space has no advantage for us. With the addition of an electric awning to the smaller trailer, we actually feel like we have more useable space than what we had with the bigger trailer. We are camping for a week at a time, not living in it full time.
In the end, only you can decide what is right for you. Weigh the pros and cons of each, and consider what future use is going to be. You have to be comfortable with your decision in the end!
Do what works best for you.
I have gone from 2H BP, to 2H GN w/8’LQ, to 2H GN w/DR, now hauling 16’ BP Stock.
Perfect trailer for my needs, I can’t see going back to bigger.
I have a 2 horse slant bp and I camp. I am planning on converting the tack room into the bedroom. I’m thinking of building a waterproof tack box in my truck bed to store my saddle and pad. I’ve tried just putting the saddle on the front seat of the truck but don’t like the smell. I think this will solve the storage problem without needing a bigger trailer.
I know a lot of people who have a big LQ trailer and then a run around. You even see bumper pulls being advertised as run arounds. I don’t think it’s silly at all, why have such a huge trailer if you only take 1 horse?
2 Likes
If you only have 1 horse and you don’t foresee having any more than 1 or 2 at any given time, then why not? There are 3 horse slant bumper pulls and 2 horse BP’s with small living quarters. I have a 4 horse GN that I would never give up but it would be nice to have a 2 horse BP for local hauls of 1 horse to the vet etc.
I downsized from a 3H gooseneck with weekender to a bumper pull combo stock, so that I could tow with an SUV, and not need a 3/4 ton pickup any longer (especially since it was usually just sitting in our driveway). Had it for several years, but it sure didn’t tow as good as a gooseneck, even though it was a popular, decent trailer model. So, I bought a Brenderup Baron, which hauled like a dream.
However, when I decided to return to a full-sized truck as my daily driver, I also went back to a gooseneck, but a small 2H combo stock this time, as one tows even better than a European trailer, IMO. I can easily get it in and out of fairly tight places, yet still have the towing advantages. But, admittedly, if the truck with the gooseneck hitch is in the shop, it can’t be hauled with our other truck, nor by any of my friends.
Sure, I no longer have room to take along a friend’s horse if I bring my two, but I decided that I didn’t need to make myself responsible for that.
So, my take on this is that you can successfully downsize from a 2+1, but a bumper pull trailer doesn’t tow as well (or nearly as well) in all conditions as a gooseneck, IMO, unless you invest in a European trailer.
1 Like
I thought about doing the same except one thing stopped me: I like using the front as a turn around area so I don’t need help with a butt bar. If your horse is awesome to load, then I’d have no problems doing it. I just have too many greenies (plus I’ve started shipping everywhere with a box stall)
I downsized from my former 2+1 to a regular 2H GN a few years ago.
The only thing I miss, and it’s not often, is having that side ramp to load big stuff - trunks, for example. But other than that, I don’t miss the bigger rig and I really do enjoy how easy it is to get my current trailer into/out of places.
That said, I really don’t think I could ever go back to a BP.
That’s just a preference regarding hauling in general, and I am unreasonably fond of my F250. I don’t use it as a daily driver though.
If you are only hauling 1 horse and it otherwise makes sense, I say go for it.
I am considering upsizing my BP trailer to a bigger BP. Everyone thinks I am totally crazy not going to a GN. I wanted a 2+1 for years but when I think about hauling that big rig around all the time I just don’t dig it. 90% of my hauling is to horse shows for the day that are 20 minutes away or back and forth to the vet clinic in breeding season. A few times / year I may go to a show that is 11 hour drive away, or wish I could haul two mares with their foals.
Currently I have a 2H BP and love it. I make it one box stall for a mare and foal, or haul one or two to the shows or for lessons. I can turn that trailer around anywhere, park it at my house in the city or take it grocery shopping. I’ve also hauled it to California and back as well as across the rockies countless times. Never ever had a problem with stability or running out of space, I have a huge dressing room.
Anyhow, I want to upgrade from that to a bigger 2+ Bp. Basically a 3/4 horse slant BP size that is a two horse straight haul with a front ramp and extra room that I could make it into two 8.5’ boxes for mares and foals.
I don’t think you’ll regret downsizing. If it wasn’t for the breeding stock, I would happily stay with my current trailer. I haul 3x /week in the summer probably.
With the addition of an electric awning to the smaller trailer, we actually feel like we have more useable space than what we had with the bigger trailer. We are camping for a week at a time, not living in it full time.
I would also use something like awning for that purpose. If you’re interested in new model of awnings, I can recommend you this web resource ( here: https://mygardenzone.com/best-retractable-awnings/ ), where they have collected the best options of quality / price, as I’ve analyzed them I can say it for sure.
So true. I downsized from a 2H BP to a 1H BP w/tack room. Lots of people told me I was crazy just like OP, but dang if that trailer hasn’t been one of my better purchases, it’s just perfect for me and my pony. You do you, OP!
So much depends on your life circumstances. I started with a 2h bp with dressing room and added a 4horse h2h.
Replaced the 4horse with a 6h h2h and needed to replace my 30yr old bp so got a 2h bp with side ramp and dressing room.
6 horse was a beast and I wasn’t using it once I stopped eventing. Ended up selling the 6horse and the bp and buying my current 2+1 with dressing room.
Only regret is selling the 2h with side ramp… loved that trailer layout even tho it wasn’t best brand. Really enjoy the Eby 2+1 as well… except I’m due to buy a new truck now and I want a dually but don’t want to pay for the dually… haha first world problems…
Life changes and our needs change; but life is short… get what you want.
I upgraded from my tiny 2000lb straight load trailer to a 14 ft slant. I actually miss my smaller trailer, although sometimes I think the tack room is too small and I should have gotten a 16 ft bumper pull…
Most people don’t need a huge trailer unless you like to camp.
Interesting discussion, I am yearning for the 2+1, have a 2 horse BP now. I love my handy trailer and am worried about going too big! I dont haul far but would love to be able to evacuate all 3 horses at one time if need be, for hurricanes. Tough decisions!
I did exactly that. Loved the 2+1 when camping or hauling 3 horses, but really don’t need it now. I hated driving it because it was so big, so the smaller 2 horse is just perfect.
I have a 2+1 and agree that it can be a beast to get in and out of some places. I have to be careful choosing restaurants and gas stations depending on how long I’m on the road. However, even though I am no longer eventing, I’ve been reluctant to part with mine due to it’s versatility. I’ve hauled everything in mine from a UTV, to llamas and minis. When eventing it was awesome to pile all my gear into the +1 area, i, e.: feed, hay, scooter, tack box, muck buckets. And when I recently took a mini to the vet, I just dropped the side ramp and on she went. I didn’t have to pull dividers or tie back gates, or anything. When a friend and I go away to trail ride in the mountains or to the beach, we take her fancy truck and my fancy trailer and don’t have to put anything in the back of the truck or on top of the trailer, and as I’m not getting any younger, climbing up on top of the trailer really isn’t my thing any more. I can’t imagine how I would get sealed bales of hay up there and adequately secured. So much easier just to stack them in the +1 area with all of other gear and take off.
So, I’ve resisted temptation to get a smaller, more manueverable trailer whether it be a two horse goose or bumper pull. I also keep all of my tack on my trailer in the dressing room, and have extra bridle hooks and saddle racks for it all; and I never have to worry about if I have something with me.
But no, it’s definitely tricky to get in and out of places occasionally. But I do fairly regularly haul two horses - two of my own with a friend riding or one of mine and then a friend’s horse, so it’s still justifying it’s existence. If I were only hauling one horse 90% of the time, I would probably let it go.
I have a 2+1 I bought new, and just recently bought a used 2h straight bumper pull to run around with. You’re not nuts for wanting to downsize. My new horse is a baby, and will need to go everywhere for a couple years to get good at going everywhere. I don’t want to be 51’ long to take her places.
However, for camping and showing, the “mothership” will come out and I’ll deal with being a giant rig.
I also know that if I have an unexpected large expense, the little trailer is going bye bye.
I went with a compromise solution: I got a 2+1 GN but without a dressing room. It’s 17’ long on the floor, up from the 12’ BP (also no dressing room) that I had. I do sometimes miss my little trailer, but at 17’, the new one isn’t really cumbersome and I love the extra features I get. I don’t miss having a dressing room because I never had one to begin with. I have that whole GN area for storage of anything I need to bring along, it’s just a little more difficult to climb up there to get it. This is it: http://happytrailstrailers.com/2017/05/15/2017-hawk-2-horse-bp-dressing-room-2-2-5/
