Trailer box stall and load relative to axles

[NaturalSelection]

I’m getting a customized 2+1 GN Balanced Ride trailer and I’m soooo excited (customer service is fantastic). Since this is my first and last new trailer I’d like to get it as ‘right’ as possible.

The horse area is 17’. I want the ability to haul my one ginormous horse loose in an 11’ box if I ever drive across the continent. Where would you put the box stall divider gate— so the 11’ box is towards the nose or in the back? I’m a little worried that is the box is in the back and the horse faces to the rear with his nose squished up to the back doors that the majority of the load (weight of horse) will be behind the axels with the potential to create instability. Thoughts?

[Bluey]

@NaturalSelection

I’m getting a customized 2+1 GN Balanced Ride trailer and I’m soooo excited (customer service is fantastic). Since this is my first and last new trailer I’d like to get it as ‘right’ as possible.

The horse area is 17’. I want the ability to haul my one ginormous horse loose in an 11’ box if I ever drive across the continent. Where would you put the box stall divider gate— so the 11’ box is towards the nose or in the back? I’m a little worried that is the box is in the back and the horse faces to the rear with his nose squished up to the back doors that the majority of the load (weight of horse) will be behind the axels with the potential to create instability. Thoughts?

Congratulations on your next forever trailer, you will enjoy it greatly.

When it comes to horse trailers, distribution of the weight is determined also by how much a horse may move back there and change how the trailer balances as you drive along.
If your horse back there can move around, you will sure feel it, compared with a horse standing still in one place.

Most trailers are made for best balance with most of the weight over the trailer axles, not transferred back to the pulling vehicle.
I think your trailer manufacturer should be able to help you decide, they should know and/or have access to engineers that can help answer those questions.

[grinanride]

HEY!
in the back over the axle is the most stable location in your trailer and that is where your horse will be in the loose box configuration! your horse will not be squished!
Thanks for asking!
Risa
BalancedRideTrailers.com
HappyTrailsTrailers.com

[Bluey]

@grinanride

HEY!
in the back over the axle is the most stable location in your trailer and that is where your horse will be in the loose box configuration! your horse will not be squished!
Thanks for asking!
Risa
BalancedRideTrailers.com
HappyTrailsTrailers.com

Wow, impressive, that is service!
Even quickly answering trailer questions on COTH.

[NaturalSelection]

Thanks folks, I appreciate the responses. Risa really is good at this, not only responds to emails and phone calls, but even COTH posts.

[grinanride]

Thanks - You all are the BEST!
Risa

[endlessclimb]

So, there’s a little more to it than that. Risa has a bit of a vested interest in getting the order on the books, though the fast response is wonderful!

There is a trade off here.

The further forward you put the axles, the easier the trailer will be to drive from the standpoint of turning. Those back wheels want to get where the front wheels of the truck are in the shortest path possible. Moving the axles forward will shorten the drive length of the trailer, in a way. It won’t cut the corner so bad.

Putting the horse over the axles, while it might be the most stable for the truck, will also yield the bumpiest ride for the horse. Remember sitting over the wheel wells in a school bus? Yeah, like that. The sidewalls and the torsion axles of the trailer will contribute to that feeling for the horse.

Moving the axles as far back as possible is the most stable for the rig, assuming your truck can handle the additional tongue weight. It will also make the trailer harder to drive (see above about cutting corners on turns).

You have to balance a) ease of driving b) comfort of the horse and c) stability of the rig.