Info/Advice on Horse Trailers

[Clarissa24]

Hi Guys!

So I am saving up money now for my first horse trailer and feel like I don’t know too much about them yet. I have loaded horses in a slant and a straight-load with and w/o a ramp and so far my preference is for a 2 horse straight-load w/ a ramp (but that could change).

If anyone could offer advice and things to look for when trailer shopping that would be great. Below are my stats:

-2005 F150 Lariat (with tow package I believe) will be towing it
-For one Friesian filly (expected to mature to no more than 1500lbs).
-live in Seattle so hills are relevant here.
-Budget is $8k
-Not sure on the difference between a gooseneck and a bumperpull?

Basically what would be the best beginner trailer for someone who has never hauled yet? Thanks!

[Guilherme]

Here’s a good start:

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-242277.html

Here’s a good place to see what’s for sale around the country:

http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/newhome.asp

Note that this is not the only place and may not be the best place, it’s just one place. Google is your friend. Have fun!

G.

[Clarissa24]

Excellent, thanks so much!

[happilyretired]

You should buy the book called “The Complete Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Servicing a Horse Trailer” by Neva Kittrell Scheve. You can find it on Amazon. Excellent resource.

[ChocoMare]

Ditto to Happilyretired. You can also get it from EquiSpirit, Neva & Tom’s company: http://www.equispirit.com/info/horsebook.htm

[DHCarrotfeeder]

[QUOTE=Clarissa24;8308950]
Hi Guys!

So I am saving up money now for my first horse trailer and feel like I don’t know too much about them yet. I have loaded horses in a slant and a straight-load with and w/o a ramp and so far my preference is for a 2 horse straight-load w/ a ramp (but that could change).

If anyone could offer advice and things to look for when trailer shopping that would be great. Below are my stats:

-2005 F150 Lariat (with tow package I believe) will be towing it
-For one Friesian filly (expected to mature to no more than 1500lbs).
-live in Seattle so hills are relevant here.
-Budget is $8k
-Not sure on the difference between a gooseneck and a bumperpull?

Basically what would be the best beginner trailer for someone who has never hauled yet? Thanks![/QUOTE]

I think you should do your own research, but perhaps a few generalized answers will help.

Do check the rating on your truck. The doorjamb sticker and owners manual will tell you what the truck can do. Then look at the trailer and load carefully and study whether you’ll be up to the task. I would check at least these things:

• The “trailer” maximum weight rating of the truck. Ford specs a different value for gooseneck and “bumper pull”
• The rear axle weight rating of the truck.
• The rating of the tires currently on the truck. Note that the rating of the tires together should exceed the rear axle weight rating.
• The rating, condition of your spare tire under the truck. Confirm it’s inflated to the full value.
• The combined vehicle weight rating of your truck and trailer, loaded.
• The truck’s brakes are functioning well. Swollen brake hoses or rusty brake lines are very dangerous.
• The hitch and trailer wiring are functioning well and in good condition. I don’t think the 2005’s had built-in brake controllers, but you will need one. There are many used “junk” brake controllers available, so search out the threads for the “good” brake controllers and only use one of those.
• Do not let anyone convince you that better brake pads, helper springs, airbags, etc will allow you to haul a heavier trailer than the published limits. That’s not true and it’s illegal. (Those items do help make the permitted load more stable or easier to manage of course)
• Read the footnotes and confirm whether a weight-distributing hitch is required to achieve the rating you need.
• Remember that anyone selling trailers or trucks does not have a vested interest in your compliance to laws and safety. They want to sell you something with minimal fuss and stress.
• When calculating trailer weights and axle loads, you need to know the empty weight of the trailer. The tag on the trailer will show you the maximum permitted trailer weight. Some states require your rig to be sized for actual weight, others require it based on maximum weight. It helps to be covered on both.

Remember that any trailer rating assumes an unloaded truck and the trailer load is completely solid and steady. Horses are anything but steady, and other drivers will tend to make everything as difficult as possible for you, so it’s not a place to approach these limits.

Addition: Having a vehicle with engine that will get the load moving quickly is a matter of convenience. Having a vehicle that will control and stop the load quickly is a necessity. Don’t let anyone convince you that engine size and torque are an indication of towing capability.

Gooseneck are more stable but place more load on the axle of the truck. They cost more too owing to the more elaborate trailer structure. Not many 2-horse owners with half-ton trucks choose this because it can exceed the rear axle ratings.

Bumper-pull is not technically bumper pull when it’s mounted below the bumper. (A true bumper-pull is mounted right at the license plate tray). So I’m talking about a hitch mounted to the frame under the bumper here. These are the most popular choice. Make sure your hitch ball matches the size of the trailer socket exactly - the size should be stamped on both. A weight-distributing hitch is highly recommended - I’ve towed this kind rig without it, but it’s much better.

HTH,

David

[ladymcts]

Hah, DHCarrotfeeder said so much so well here … and I know because I basically violated a lot of the precautions he cites here, including overloading an F150 with a Gooseneck that was too heavy and just added airbags to help keep it level. It wasn’t until I was out on the prairie and cornfield highway a couple years later that I finally got into a situation where a wind gust got me into a “tail wagging the dog” situation and I have no idea how we didn’t end up in a pile of twisted metal splattered in a ditch.

Since you have a nearly-heavy horse, and I just had a long hunt for a trailer to accommodate my two clydes, I’ll toss in a few pointers on the trailer itself. “Warmblood” means that the shell itself is likely to be taller and may be wider, but it does NOT mean that the axles are rated to take a true heavy horse. The most common axle rating I was finding was 3500lbs, meaning two axles yields a 7000lb gross weight, so your trailer, horse(s) and gear s hould not exceed 7000lbs. I was also finding that many trailers don’t seem to have an empty curb weight listed, or at least sellers of used trailers don’t often know it. So with 7000lbs minus one horse at 1500lbs, you’ve got only 5500lbs of leeway there to cover your trailer weight and anything else you might want to put in it, including a second horse.

The trailer I ended up buying has an empty weight of around 4500lbs, with two 5200lb axles, so 10,400lbs minus 4,500lbs gives me 5900lbs for horses and gear.

Do not listen to people who say “big enough for a draft,” when what they mean is they crammed some poor oversized animal into it for one ride. OR worse yet, people who throw oversized animals into the trailer that’s not rated for the weight, causing bent or worn out axles.

Given your budget, I assume you’re looking for used. I found horsetrailerworld and searchtempest to be good places to hunt.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

I’m glad someone else is offering thoughts on finding the right trailer. We have Arabs and they fit well in most any trailer.

Ooh, one more thought: if you can buy a trailer with “Torflex” aka torsion style axles, your horses and you will both enjoy the ride. Trailers with the metal leaf springs tend to be squeaky and rough riding. For all the money that is spent on keeping horses happy and comfortable, this is often overlooked but very high value.