This thread did prompt me to go pick up a bag of $airlite$ to try in the trailer sooner rather than later. It’s not cheap but if it worked, it looks like a bag might last a decent amount of time.
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Which model are you getting? I’m getting ready to order a Hawk XP XXL bumper pull.
I’m getting a very customized 2h straight load gooseneck.
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Did you look at 4 Star?
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I’ve owned one, a 2+1 fully custom, just sold it. They wanted 30k more for my proposed 2h set up than hawk, and with fewer options.
The 4 star had quite a few structural issues - snapped breast bar off the wall, WERM floor failed and bubbled, decals didn’t stick, cracked and crappy welds on the jack, failed clear coat on the outside… not to mention they put 2 doors two feet from where the drawing indicated they should be on the drawing the first time they built it (I rejected the trailer, and they had to build a whole new one from scratch).
At some point you’re paying for the name. I think 4-Star is there - their old stuff seems bullet proof but their new stuff is not.
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I thought I remembered that. I did the same thing…sent one back. I’m not happy w the one I have now and should have rejected it, too. It doesn’t quite match the measurements I asked for and are indicated on the drawings. I’ve had them for 35 years. The good dealers I did business with have passed away. Their sons (two different dealers) seem to be jerks.
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I sold it for more than I paid for it in 2018, so they’re still holding value. But overall color me unimpressed. I’m sorry you had the same experience.
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This is VERY encouraging. Who did you buy your Hawk from? And how did you sell your 4 Star? I’ve never sold one- always traded it.
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I ordered it through Risa at Happy Trails, and will pick it up at the factory. She also offers delivery. She is incredible, really.
I sold the 4-Star on Facebook, was prepared to list on trailer specific websites if needed but it sold in just a few days. There are 4-Star specific sale pages, all-aluminum specific pages, and 2+1 specific pages. Buyers bought sight unseen, with only a video tour.
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Thank you!
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Risa is the BEST. I bought my first custom Hawk GN from her in 2006. Her customer service cannot be beat. I now have her Balanced Ride GN 2+1.
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My horse pees in the trailer more often than not - his favorite trick is to do it after I have parked at the barn, and before I’ve made it back to unload him. This has led to me leaping out of the truck yelling “don’t pee!” in hopes of distracting him while I frantically unclip him and open the doors… this is a real winner when the brewery at the farm is open for business and regular people are in the other side of the parking lot…
So I bed - Hawk with mats, love it - using pelleted bedding. Very little dust and it absorbs the pee beautifully, making clean up much easier.
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Horses need to pee like people need to pee.
Put down shavings or pine pellets and puff the pellets with water.
If you are hauling horses on naked thick oak boards an inch apart, you do you. Anything else, care for your horse.
One more update: Petey is home safe, sound, and bubble wrapped! Huge kudos to him for self-loading perfectly into the trailer that bit him, while wearing shipping boots for the first time, in a strange place.
They ended up putting on a cast this morning to stabilize and protect it. It’s weird to not really be able to check on the wound, though I won’t miss bandage changes. Removing it in two weeks will be like waking up Christmas morning to find out if I’ve been naughty or nice!
(Looking wistfully out towards the pasture.)
Now back to your regularly scheduled program…
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Poor Libby…my friend had a gelding that got his foot through a lattice type fence and must have pulled and pulled and pulled. He had a very similar wound although bigger. He healed up well.
I use mini flake shavings in the back half of the trailer. My horse seems to think the trailer is her personal porta potty and seems to have to pee everytime🫣. If there isn’t something to soak it up, it ends up a stinky skating rink. I have a Brenderup and with the ventilation it has, I have never had a dust problem. I am always happy if for some reason, she decides to hold it.
Susan
For those that fly mask in the trailer, do you load them out fly mask on or put mask on then load? I haven’t used a fly mask on the trailer in years but you all make great points. The reason I haven’t is my main horse got weird about loading (we are well past that) and then had a few sales horses that didn’t load well initially so didn’t want to give them another reason to be difficult.
I hope your horse is ok! Ouch! Aside: I wrapped the support post pictured in your photo with a rubber mat (like a welcome mat size) and duct tape. My horse paws --I didn’t want him hitting that support post with his foot/leg. He has pawed through two of them in 3 years. I keep replacing duct tape and then the mat. To me all sharp edges should be covered in a horse trailer –
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I put it on first, but I make them go slow on approach and really look. I had a few horses basically end up in my lap because they tripped stepping up, and I think the fly mask contributed to that.
I’ve done both. If you put it on before, be sure to give them lots of time to look (obviously). But I’ve also put it on after loading with no problems.
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I usually load them and then put the mask on. I have a fly-mask that “lives” in the trailer. They know the drill; drop their head, flymask up, get a gingersnap. Makes for some very obliging ponies. 
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