Hauling with portable corrals

[SharonA]

I’m planning to purchase some portable corral panels for camping, etc. this summer, but would welcome advice on how to carry them. My trailer is a Brenderup Solo, so they can’t fit in there with the horse. They won’t fit inside my tow vehicle either. So, that leaves the roof of my tow vehicle, or in brackets on the side of the Bupster. I am not sure I could bear the thought of drilling holes in the beloved and now irreplaceable Bup, though. Plus, I’m not sure how a couple hundred pounds hanging off the sides would affect the trailer’s general performance.

Anyone see anything wrong with putting the panels on the roof of my tow vehicle, secured tightly enough to withstand highway speeds, asteroid impact, global thermal nuclear war, etc?

[Guilherme]

There’s a bunch of different kinds of portable corral panels. What are you looking at?

G.

[Beverley]

Most folks I know who use the panels bracket them to the side of the trailer- but as Guilherme’s post suggest, size of panels affects your ability to do that, especially on a Brenderup I would think.

For trailhead camping, personally I went with swivel arms on the trailer which give a horse the same space as a box stall, roughly. It does mean ensuring your horse knows how to high-tie, best schooled at home first! (On the other hand I’ve seen horses blast out of the portable corrals and electric fences too!). Here’s some info:

http://www.easycareinc.com/Other_Products/hitie.aspx

[rmh_rider]

Corrals can be a pain to haul around. They have to go in your horse trailer, on top, or on the side. Then they are also heavy to lift and then there is the setting up of them.

Try this:

http://www.tilt-tie.com/index_files/TiltTie.htm

[mrgangrl]

What about step in posts and electric tape, with a solar or battery charger for your portable corral? It would be a lot easier to pack in a small vehicle.

[SharonA]

Thanks, all! The corral goes up in about 15 minutes with just me putting it together; piece of cake. I’m happy with the panels (probably Corrals2Go, as I borrowed a set and like them, and again, up in about 10 minutes). I did think about electric, but I would only electrocute myself and my horse would become injured from laughing at me. Also, I never trust the phrase “step in” in New England. Wherever I would try to step in, there would be a sheet of granite. The trailer arm things work great for many people, I know, but I just feel like the corral gives more freedom to move, roll, etc. If we’re camping for a weekend, I don’t mind fussing with the panels once to set up and once to take down. No biggie.

I have decided to put the panels on the roof of the car. Taking it slowly I can get them on and off the roof by myself, which is key. Now what I want is a giant bag to put them in, like the soft luggage carriers that clip on to the roof rack of your car. I need to find someone who will make a bag that is big enough to accommodate the panels. Isn’t there someone on COTH who makes custom outdoor gear?