I frequently haul one horse in my two horse trailer that does not have a dressing room. I like to put things such as hay and bagged shavings in the trailer and usually put my tack trunk in the front. I’m going on a longer trip and have more shavings and hay to take than usual and ideally I would find a way to take my muck cart in the trailer as well. What’s the best way to secure these items to keep them from shifting? I’ve never had them shift but I’d rather be safe than sorry. My trailer is a 2 horse open front so there’s plenty of room in the front. I don’t have a stud divider unfortunately.
A cargo net should do the job. They come in various sizes.
This is one for a pickup tail gate.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/RBP-TAILGATE-NET-For-Full-size-trucks/50165189
or others to choice from
I usually just bungee or tie stuff with twine, but it will depend a little on what your trailer has hardware wise. My current one has a couple of good hooks/rings. My dad actually drilled holes in the one we had when I was a kid so that a trunk could be secured across the front.
I’ve installed several “flush tie loops” They’re safe for horses when not in use and very handy to secure stuff to. Be sure to anchor them to structural parts of your trailer. (not just sheet metal)
Link to example … http://austinhardware.com/TD-RM-170-ZN.aspx
Bungee cords or ratchet straps. Everything needs to be super tight to the wall if you’re putting a horse in behind/beside it IMO
My trailer repair shop added extra rings to the front of my trailer so I can fasten hay bales and buckets in front of the horses. Make sure everything is securely fastened. My horses like to paw at anything they can reach. I have to be sure everything is secured out of reach.
I was admiring a 2 horse trailer at a show, they had custom made a locking storage box above each wheel well on the outside of the trailer.
Gave them lots of extra rain proof storage.
Keep in mind your horse needs to spread his legs to balance so pack carefully on the side of him. Nothing to entangle or cut his legs.
OP… be sure you don’t over due the added weight in the trailer. Be sure your hitch and tow vehicle can handle the extra.
I am guessing you have a 2H trailer, bumper pull? Is there any reason you can’t load wheelbarrow, fork, shavings and hay in the back of your truck? Even the tack trunk could go there.
Rain would be a consideration of course, but just for hauling to your destination, hay, shavings, big heavy trunk, should be safely contained in the truck bed.
You can move the items into trailer after arrival for security, keeping rain or dew off them.
I am looking at not needing to tie them securely inside the trailer, no splash of horse pee getting on things while stopped. Horse has lots of room to spread legs for balance, can’t get into things under his nose with trailer open front. No chance of things getting loose in travel to get under his feet.
I would rather have my “stuff” away from horse in travel, not have to deal with the tying and wrapping to protect items from horse or shifting on rough roads. It is not very hard to move a few items straight from truck bed to stall, to settle horse in after arrival. The unused things, tack trunk, wheelbarrow or muck cart can then be arranged in the trailer for the duration of your stay.
"OP… be sure you don’t over due the added weight in the trailer. Be sure your hitch and tow vehicle can handle the extra"
Fair enough. But considering 2 horses trailers are designed to carry 2 horses with an average weight of 1000+ lbs. So when only 1 horse is loaded that leaves an extra 1000+lbs of that can be loaded.
One would have to have a heck of a lot of stuff and pack it very well to come close to adding another 1000 lbs. just saying…
When I have to take a lot of big and small “stuff” it is a lot easier to throw a cargo net over it and pull tight with the provided tension adjusting straps. Pretty easy to install the appropriate size D-rings to the trailer and out of the way so a horse doesn’t “mess” with them.
Makes for short work to secure everything really well and nothing can go flying around if a short stop and or breaking should happen. Much easier and more secure than using time consuming bungee cords, rope etc.
[QUOTE=gumtree;8830714]
"OP… be sure you don’t over due the added weight in the trailer. Be sure your hitch and tow vehicle can handle the extra"
Fair enough. But considering 2 horses trailers are designed to carry 2 horses with an average weight of 1000+ lbs. So when only 1 horse is loaded that leaves an extra 1000+lbs of that can be loaded.
One would have to have a heck of a lot of stuff and pack it very well to come close to adding another 1000 lbs. just saying…[/QUOTE]
Reading between the lines, I think there is a possibility the OP is pulling the rig with an undersized vehicle/small SUV.
There is also weight distribution to consider. 500 lbs of feed and hay in the nose of the trailer puts significant weight in an area that may not have the structural support for it, and could effect the balance of the rig…
