I’m in the market for a new horse trailer (which I can’t decide if I should dread or be happy I’m finally able to be doing). So to help me decide what I want, because I’ve only ever had a simple 3 horse slant with tack room and have no clue what luxury feels like😂.
What are must have features you want when looking for used trailers? Or if you are going to custom order what would you make sure to get?
More detail, please? Are you looking for a bumper pull or a 5th wheel goose-neck type? Will you look for living quarters or just a tack area? How many horses do you typically haul? Do you expect to camp where there is no electric/water? How many people travel with you? Will you haul local or distance? What kind of tow vehicle do you have or plan to buy?
In any trailer, used or new --the welds are the key. Look on-line at examples of good welds and bad. The finest trailer with poor welds won’t hold up.
Finally, before you buy, see the trailer in person with your own measuring tape. As someone who lives in “the trailer capital of the world” (Elkhart, IN) were there are 5 major horse trailer factories within 20 miles of my house --what is stated on the literature and what actually is --are often two different measurements —some 8’ wide trailers are measured outside to outside --but the horse stands INSIDE. Same with height --from the ground to the top is often quoted, but the horse in the trailer isn’t standing on the ground!
I’m going to be the Anti-Luxury Advocate.
I’ve owned the following - all were/are aluminum, which is the only “luxury” I’ll never go without. Both for weight & ease of care. All fully matted, floor mats removable:
2H BP straightload, no DR, w/ramp
2H GN slantload w/6’ shortwall full LQ, midtack & ramp
2H GN slantload w/DR, fixed rear tack, 1/2 ramp
Current trailer & my favorite is a 16’ stock BP w/center gate, no ramp.
While the straightload was convenient, no DR meant loading up my hauling vehicle with tack, etc.
I never liked either GN requiring me to get in & out of the truck bed to hitch.
Never liked slantload for my larger horses - 16h & 17h+. Even with a slant tied back, it was a tight fit for my larger horse hauled solo.
I traded the GN/LQ when the 2X annual maintenance of LQ was a PITA for the amount of use I gave it.
Traded last GN for the stock & never looked back.
I drive as well as ride & I can load both my mini’s carts up front & put him behind the gate.
No ramp means no headbonking when I load my 16h horse.
Just my 2¢, YMMV
Driver side tack room door.
Fans with an on board battery. (Battery also powers lights)
Moveable and removable partitions.
I like this (because I am typically driving and my horse is on the trailer first so I am always tied the furthest away from the tack room of my trailer while my guest is tied right next to it) until you have to empty things out on the side of an expressway to get the spare tire and such out.
I’m looking for 5th wheel goose neck. Ideally I small-medium sized living quarters. I’d ideally what a 4 horse slant. The camping question probably but I’d probably just take my current trailer for something like that (I prefer the whole sleeping in a tent thing). I probably can only definitely say one other person who would travel with me all the time, at most 2 other people. Truthfully tow vehicle is not a problem my dad’s truck can haul just about anything (as long as it’s not a crazy long living quarters)then he’ll help me pick the best truck based on what we can find.
In the event that you ever need to haul a young/difficult horse, a trailer that can be opened up fully (all dividers removed) and still be safe to haul in is invaluable.
A step-up is a plus in this situation, too - in my ideal world, I’d have a 2+1 with a ramp in front and no ramp in back so the horse could go in or out whichever way got the job done in a pinch. I don’t live in an ideal world, though, so I just have a two-horse slant stock combo for now. 
Thank you! I’m not a fan of stock trailers or bumper pull trailers. When not in use I store stuff in my trailer so being able to fully inclose it is a must. I don’t like hauling any bumper pull trailers not even my dad’s car trailer I’ll pull the longer gooseneck before I haul the bumper pull. I don’t know weird preference, might be because that’s how I learned 
Maybe when you get Old, like me , the “fun” of getting in & out of the truck bed to hitch will make a BP more attractive 
Even with a camera to get the hitch in place, you still need to do up the chains.
BP w/WD hitch & sway bars = better for aging knees 
For peace of mind a decent trailer camera system to monitor the horses while driving.
And though I have never had them, cameras to monitor sides and behind the trailer will be on my next trailer if I outlive the current one.
Your probably right there 
A truck with the sole mission of towing the horse trailer, so the trailer will always be hitched up and ready to roll !
7’W, 7’6"H, 16’ long
Yes this why I’m waiting to buy a truck till I buy the trailer I already have an old blazer my dad bought me for everyday driving. I want the truck to be the perfect towing vehicle for what I end up with.
Do your bigger horses have trouble turning around in that? It sounds like an ideal size, otherwise.
Our new (to us) truck has bed-steps on the sides and a tailgate that folds down into steps - makes hooking up the GN much easier with a bad back/knees.
Get an electric jack. So much easier than turning the handle when hitching and unhitching!
My current trailer (Turnbow) has some features that I just love:
Large straight load Stalls, two of them… Everything can be taken out of that trailer in a few minutes with one other person to help. Making it a wonderful stock trailer and great for loading and unloading mommies and babies.
It’s a 2+ one, the plus one is probably only realistically big enough for a pony, but it’s perfect for Haybales, trunks, anything of that nature, and it has a ramp side door exit. Also great for unloading all of the stuff without disturbing the horses or having to unload.
Mine has two ramps, which I’m fine with. There are pros and cons to ramps and step ups, if the trailer has everything else I love I just don’t care about the ramp or the step up issue.
Hydraulic over electric brakes. Oh my good God. I did not know such a thing existed. Now I can’t imagine a trailer without them. Absolutely no hitch in breaking. Even if you are going a good clip and you stuffed your foot down on that brake pedal, they dampen the force. It’s really incredible.
Hydraulic jack. Will never be without one ever again for the rest of my life.
I love my mid tack. I don’t understand why they seem to have just evaporated out of the current market. I think that the corner tack rooms that they put in the back of the slant load trailers are just awful. Extremely not horse friendly, not big enough For all the stuff that you have to take with you, so then all the rest of the necessary items are distributed here and there and harder to find. Yuck. Hate them and would never own one.
My trailer came with some sort of squishy floor. It’s two layers… Close cell foam with regular rubber mats on top. Extremely cushy for the horse. Dampens the bumping, and also insulates them from the hot roads
I’m looking for either a regular load slant or a reverse load slant. If I go with the regular load slant I’m tracking down one with both back and mid tack. All my tack is stored in my trailer so I need all the room I can get. I’m not super bothered my the rear tack my horses have never and will never be allowed to turn around I believe thats a safety hazard.
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