Unlimited access >

Horse Hauling Myth-busting Help!

I would check the axles/wheels on the trailer, possibly an axle is bent or a wheel is wrapped

A long time ago I worked for saddlehorse farm, they had a 36 ft gooseneck that both axles were bend from jackknifing the trailer into tight spots

1 Like

Trailer will be inspected by the guy installing the partitions.
But I’ll mention your idea to the owner :+1:

I told him he needs to weight the trailer when hauling empty & see if that helps :sunglasses:

There’s this very fancy after market add on that adjusts the stiffness of the rear shocks of the track based on the tongue weight of the trailer at the moment.

I have undoubtedly done a bad job of explaining it, but it’s designed for the phenomena you and I both just described. It actually adjusts based on the number of horses/weight in the trailer.

3 Likes

I’ll suggest that to friend :smirk:

FWIW, he generally borrows my 16’ stock BP for hauling other than horses (hay, etc).
Win/Win - trailer gets out, he doesn’t have to haul 35’

1 Like

An unloaded long trailer can definitely make the truck bounce. I’d bet that once loaded it will quit.

3 Likes

In addition to what McGurk and endlessclimb have said, if your friend’s trailer has been equipped with heavier rated torsion axles for the giant load of big horses, that will absolutely be part of the issue of the trailer messing with the truck when it’s unloaded. Loaded up it probably pulls smooth as glass.

4 Likes

I have a blowout once in a “not enough truck” truck and you will never do it again
Just sayin’

6 Likes

Eh, blowouts on any size truck can flip the rig, especially on the front.

The difference between a tire blowing on a trailer when your driving a big dually vrs a city truck (aka 1/2 ton) is huge. Sorry been there, done that, have the tee-shirt

7 Likes

Duallys are different, I didn’t think we were talking about those here though - I could have missed it!

This has nothing to do with goosenecks like the OP was asking about, but I have towed my 2 horse bumper pull for over 20 years with Lexus LX 470 and 570’s. Now those are smooth-as-glass towing vehicles. Self-leveling hydraulic suspensions and a truck frame. The dealership owner swears I am the only person he has ever known to tow a horse trailer with a Lexus. Interesting because the Lexus LX advertising prominently features equestrian props in the photos.

Now I also have a 3/4 ton GMC pickup, but for the 2 horse BP I still choose to hook up to the Lexus.

4 Likes

?? I have only blown one, but, that was not my experience. I was hauling a gooseneck loaded with 2 decent size horses with a 3/4 ton non-dually. Did not feel anything. Saw it in the mirror. Changed the tire when we got to our destination. Neither horse complained that there had been an incident.

I’ve driven/been the passenger when other tires have gone flat though smaller trailers, but also with smaller trucks. Same deal - someone sees it in the mirror or you see it when you are ready to load and go from a day at a clinic (ugh) and you change it and carry on. No dramatics.

What am I missing?

Unless it’s a typo and you meant blowing a tire on the truck? That I can see being a huge issue with not enough truck!

1 Like

My preference is 3/4 ton or bigger. Diesel is nice, but I gave up my Ram 2500 diesel for a Ram 3500 gas because I put less than 6k miles a year on my truck and couldn’t justify the additional upfront cost and ongoing fuel + maintenance for a vehicle that gets such little use.

4 Likes

Northern BC here, I wouldn’t use less than a 3/4 ton. You need the stopping, pulling up the hills, holding down the hills, agains the winds and then through the snow, over the ice, power and stability that a half ton doesn’t have.

Oh you don’t drive through snow and ice? I hadn’t planned to either but a spring storm blew in during a clinic and by the time I went to head home there was 8inches of heavy wet stuff to get through.

8 Likes

It’s always worth checking, but a bent axle will waste a tire pretty fast so that usually reveals the problem pretty quick.

Add me to the bouncy empty trailer club, especially when the trailer (100psi) and the truck (80 psi) are at max pressure. Painful.

2 Likes

I have a gooseneck ball in my 1/2 ton Ford, but I really only like to tow with it in a pinch, and I’ve never loaded more than one horse when towing with the 1/2 ton. My biggest issue isn’t the tow capacity, it’s slowing or stopping on hills and also the clearance between the trailer and truck box. All of the newer trucks seem to have really deep boxes, so the trailer sits really close to the top rail of the box. I was told the only real fix for it is to modify the trailer at the axles to sit higher (no thanks, as the horse has to step up higher then) or to flatbed the truck. If I’m making a short trip and know the roads well I’ll use the 1/2 ton, but I do worry I’ll end up in a tight spot someday and wipe out my truck box and I also have to drive carefully on steep hills. It’s a bit more stress inducing with the 1/2 ton vs hubby’s 3/4 farm truck, if I had only one truck option I’d definitely choose a 3/4 ton flatbed.

2 Likes

There should be a warning on the dash.

Is your gooseneck properly hitched?
Did you check your lights and brakes?
CAUTION!!!
If you are not hauling at least 1000lbs,
ARE YOU WEARING YOUR BEST SPORTS BRA?

16 Likes

That, or the occasional road that the pavement expansion gaps jump the truck like that. UGH. We have two that I have to frequent with my truck and I mutter expletives at the rhythm of the road bumps.

1 Like

I have a Nissan Titan XD. Diesel. (I don’t think they make it with that lovely diesel engine in it any longer.) I live in the real mountains in Utah. It pulls my 2H with dressing room Trail-et bumper pull like a champ. It is also a very comfortable and somewhat luxurious vehicle.

Not towing, going up and over mountain passes on the regular, it gets around 19-20 miles to the gallon on the freeway. More like 15-16 towing one horse.