OMG. Were you able to have a good ride after that? 
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Luckily yes. My only saving grace was that this clientâs horse was champion that weekend. Iâll never forget that âgood news/bad newsâ phone call on the drive home!
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I now do a check every time I unhook: can I see all the way around the ball and the truck and see a clear path for the truck to move away from the trailer without any cables or chains (or tailgates 
) in the way?
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Thank God you were able to give them such good news. Something like, âDo you want the good news or the bad news first?â 
Exactly! 
Backing up and trying to turn too tightly puts a lot of sideways pressure on the tires (axles too). Th weak link is the bead holding the tires onto the wheels, and pop go the tires off of the wheels. They donât actually pop completely off, but when the bead seal goes they lose all of their air.
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Oof.
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Iâve owned three goosenecks and two bumper pulls (including a Brenderup). I believe that a gooseneck trailer is the safer choice. If the extra $5K would not be a financial hardship, that alone would be a deciding factor for me.
When a double-bottom semi blows by at 80 miles/hour, the tail doesnât wag the dog with a GN like it does with a BP (even one with a weight-distributing hitch). When an elderly driver crossed over the center line coming towards me while I was towing through a hilly area hauling a load of precious cargo, I was able to swerve onto the shoulder and back to avoid getting hit head-on, fortunately keeping control of my rig and not knocking my horses off their feet. Iâll never forget the look of terror on the face of the woman riding shotgun in the guyâs truck (probably his wife).
Hooking up is a little more involved â we recently put a B&W Defender coupler on my trailer to make the task easier, and weâre pleased with it:
https://www.bwtrailerhitches.com/product/defender-locking-gooseneck-coupler
When I drove off with my brand new trailer from the factory that built my first GN, the ownerâs wife came running down the driveway after me, yelling not to forget about the tailgate. I never have, or knocked out a window, but someone else did. Replaced the tailgate with one of those slatted ones seen on trucks hauling a fifth wheel trailer, painted to match my truck. Since it was more aerodynamic than the original tailgate, I picked up a couple miles improvement on gas mileage so it wasnât all bad.
There is a learning curve, as the GN will cut corners (could catch a curb), and it takes more room to back up (although itâs easier to back because it has less tendency to jack knife than a BP) IMO. When I havenât towed mine in a while, it kinda seems like someone is tailgating me when I look in the rear view mirror, lol.
A European style BP trailer is my second choice, if a GN is out of the question, but it wonât be inexpensive and it wonât be as steady as a GN.
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in that assessment a consideration should be add as to just where the trailer will be stored
many people board their horses, some if not many of the boarding barns do not have space for others trailers, nor do they want the added trouble of storing some oneâs trailer
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I prefer BP --all my riding friends have Goosenecks. However, I am a âweekend warriorâ and only haul locally to a hunt or a competition. They are overnight haulers so need the extra space.
For backing - BP every time. I can back a gooseneck, but I hate that 5 feet of waitingâŠwaitingâŠwaiting⊠for the truck to get on the right side of the trailer to push it in the intended direction.
For hauling where roads are super tight and perpendicular traffic is not set back from the intersection? BP every time. It will follow the truck, the GN will not.
Otherwise, gooseneck.
I have a full length bed, so I will never take my back windows out. My tall truck is always a consideration in what I can pull, BP or GN (I refuse to go lower than the BP drop shank I already have, because of how much force is being put on the receiver when something pushes against it. Itâs like my hitch is a gigantic breaker bar).
I think a lot of people go too big on their goosenecks, and subsequently regret it (points at self). I sold my 26â on the floor GN for a 17â on the floor GN and I about cried when I could actually pull into a regular gas station. Note that my truck is the max length they make, so that contributes greatly to overall rig length.
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THANK YOU for the tip on the B&W Defender! Santa Claus is gonna bring me one 
And to the OP: Go for the gooseneck. Youâll thank us later⊠trust me 
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For those singing the songs of the Defender, I have one (they couldnât source a standard at the time of pick up for my trailer - itâs being sent to me when they get it) and I am confused. How does this make things easier? You still have to get in the truck bed to hook the chains. I hate the thing, itâs awkward and doesnât give that positive confirmation that yes indeed you are coupled, like a standard âslide the lock and drop the pinâ does.
Or is it the actual lock that people like? Anyone committed to stealing a trailer is going to get it. Weld a rim into the bed of a truck and I can get anyoneâs gooseneck, whether it has a lock on the coupler or not. (other security measures such as boots and locking chocks, thatâs different but still quickly defeatable)
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I do have a short bed - is that an automatic knockout for a GN? Iâve heard/ seen hitch/ ball set ups that are made for a short bed and have the hitch/ball set further back, but not sure if those are safe or intended for horse hauling. We do have the truck, specifically for towing, as well as a daily driver so that isnât a consideration. The truck would likely stay hooked up to the trailer, provided there is room to leave it so.
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There are GN built for short beds.
The specs ask for the ball to be 2" in front of the back axle.
You can put the ball there and use any standard GN, but unless it has a very skinny low front for the first foot it can, if turning short, hit the window or sides.
That is why the hitch extenders will still have the weight 2" in front of the axle, but the ball back enough so the GN front will be able to turn, not sure how safe that is.
I see plenty of short beds pulling GN, there must be a way?
Run it by your trailer place, they work those problems out all day long.
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we have had a trailer stolen, when a thief wants it they can get it
current trailer has three airpod trackers, one that is sort of easy to find then another that is sort of concealed but one that very well concealed
but have found having a declare value full comprehensive on the trailers only a very few dollars per year
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Thatâs what I do too - full insurance. Now, my trailer is stored in my barn so it has an extra layer of protection but still - if someone wants it theyâre gunna get it.
They can pull it, they just canât back it or turn it at full lock.
Some goosenecks have a taper nose - that helps. Square faced goosenecks will be more likely to bust the window.
It depends on how short. I never had a problem with my short bed F250 and square nosed GN. Although I donât remember if Iâve actually had to back it up at full lock. I do have a friend who has the offset hitch for her GN and super short truck bed (not the best set up). I havenât experienced it, but apparently it is way different to reverse than a standard GN set up. She has still popped the back window of her truck out twice. She now rolls the entire back window down when she reverses.
Also guilty of running into my tailgate. And after being blown around on the highway with a bumper pull we upgraded to a GN and never went back.
Weâve got a GN, but Iâve never had a BP.
On the price comment, I have found in the older used aluminum market (2/3 horse) at least, the BPs are a few grand more than the GNs. Possibly because youâre less limited on truck configuration with the BP? Thatâs the best I could imagine. This was shopping in the last few years.
Weâve done in a tailgate⊠even though my husband knows better, but I guess he was hoping the truck wouldnât roll in neutral and lost that bet.
Agreed on @endlessclimbâs short bed comment. Itâs doable, just less convenient.
My last trailer was 16â floor and new one is 18â. Iâve found them to be pretty handy even as a new hauler. Reverse is still rough for me, but thatâs not the trailerâs fault. 
