Trailer dilemma! Need advice please!

[rideon2]

I’ll start this by saying I think I’ve owned every configuration of trailer known to man over the past 30+ I’ve had horses! Currently have a brand new 24’ Adam JGA all-aluminum GN stock trailer 7’6" tall and 8’ wide with 2 10’ sections and a 4’ section. Have had it a year and literally have not had an animal in it! Bought it for a multi-use trailer for horses and cows (we raise show Herefords) but my son got crazy interested in baseball this past year, so cattle showing didn’t happen. No biggie.

Also have a used Adam 2 horse slant BP Rustler trailer that I am trying to sell outright because my TB doesn’t fit in the slant part.

Trying to decide if I want a smaller GN to use for everything, but we’ve always had a BP for short trips and ease of hooking up (only have 1 truck on farm with a ball in it)

For hauling, we only haul the horses occasionally and shorter distances, cows are also occasionally but longer distances.

What I know I want:
7’6" tall
At least 6’8" wide
Straight load with removable partitions (to open up for cows) or box/stock stalls ok, too
I’ve seen a few trailers that step up in the rear and have ramp off side, I really like that idea-want at least 1 ramp (side is fine)
Prefer a configuration that lends itself to 1-person loading-ideas?
Hoping to keep floor length at 18’ to 20’, 24’ is too much trailer for me
Dealer said my current 24’ stock is worth about $24K and BP $5,500 so that’s my budget

What I’m not sure of:
BP or GN? Would love 1 trailer that can meet all my needs, but am open to having a 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] used BP for short quick trips
Like the idea of the 2 horse straight with rear and side ramps, but heard horses have a tough time turning out of those? Maybe add an extra 2’ to floor length?
Maybe a 2 + 1 would work? Might be too big though? Do they make a 2 + 1 in a BP?

I realize this is all very scattered and indecisive, but any tips, opinions, etc would be appreciated.

Current horses are a 16.1 TB who’s fairly long who will load on a step up or ramp fine, and a 14 hand pony who will load on step up or ramp, but will NOT back off, must turn around (he’s small enough that he can turn in a straight load with partition slid over).

Open to any ideas and would love to hear about any multi-use/species trailer configurations you have!

[2DogsFarm]

I have nowhere near the years of trailer-owning that you have, but my experience has led me to “downgrade”.
*Starting with 2H BP pulled by SUV (for 16yrs) to
*2H GN slantload <which I do NOT like - w/LQ pulled by F250 V10 (lasted less than a year)to
*2H GN sans LQ, w/DR - same truck (5yrs) & finally back to
*BP 16’ stock w/center gate pulled by SUV. - sold truck & traded GN this year.

For me deciding factors were:
*Ease of loading solo for most of the time.
*Less maintenance - dealing with winterizing, then reprepping LQ in Spring was just One More Thing.
*Getting into Driving & acquiring a mini & his cart(s) - in a pinch I can haul all 3 (16H TWH, 13H Hackney Pony & 33" Mini).

Ramps suck IMO - even the one with hydraulic lifts on my 1st BP felt like it weighed a metric ton.
Plus I find horses stepping up less likely to bonk their heads than if walking up a ramp.
A side ramp would be nice now only as it would make unloading carts easier,

Slantload is PITA for larger/wider horses - my 17h+ WB was squished into that rear slot if I had to haul 2. He fit, but “just”.

GN never seemed easier to haul/turn/back to me & as I got older crawling in & out of the truckbed got really Old.

[cutter99]

What about going to a stock trailer with 20’ on the floor, with two 8’ sections divided by a center gate and 4’ for dressing/ tack room. I have seen show cattle trailers with a side ramp (mainly for loading show boxes) instead of an escape door. If you order a trailer, you should be able to get any configuration you want. With the side ramp, your pony could come out off that, if for some reason you could not turn it around to come off the rear.

In my opinion, there is nothing handier on a farm than a good stock trailer!

[rideon2]

@cutter99

What about going to a stock trailer with 20’ on the floor, with two 8’ sections divided by a center gate and 4’ for dressing/ tack room. I have seen show cattle trailers with a side ramp (mainly for loading show boxes) instead of an escape door. If you order a trailer, you should be able to get any configuration you want. With the side ramp, your pony could come out off that, if for some reason you could not turn it around to come off the rear.

In my opinion, there is nothing handier on a farm than a good stock trailer!

YES! This is actually one I am very interested in which is that same configuration!
http://dealerships.horsetrailertrader.com/dealer-inventory-item.aspx?stock=133394

[cutter99]

That is what I would go with and I would stay with a gooseneck. I have a 16’ gooseneck stock that I love for the versatility, but would love it more if it had a dressing/ tack room. I have found that anything under 20’ is easy to get around.

[NoSuchPerson]

I’ve got an EquiSpirit Equibreeze with a ramp on the back and also a side unload ramp. I love it. Love it.

My large draft mule has no trouble at all making the turn to walk down the ramp from the driver’s side stall, but I haven’t yet hauled both equines at the same time, so I have no firsthand experience with making the turn from the passenger side stall to walk down the ramp.

But, in case I didn’t mention it, I LOVE that configuration.

[rideon2]

@NoSuchPerson

I’ve got an EquiSpirit Equibreeze with a ramp on the back and also a side unload ramp. I love it. Love it.

My large draft mule has no trouble at all making the turn to walk down the ramp from the driver’s side stall, but I haven’t yet hauled both equines at the same time, so I have no firsthand experience with making the turn from the passenger side stall to walk down the ramp.

But, in case I didn’t mention it, I LOVE that configuration.

Would you mind telling me the width of your side ramp? In the trailer I linked above the side (and only) ramp is 50" and I feel like that could be tight when walking alongside your horse (or Mule!)

[NoSuchPerson]

Here is the floor plan I have:

https://www.facebook.com/EquiSpiritTrailerCo/photos/a.263618743786121.1073741830.261293434018652/618395428308449/?type=3&theater

They don’t show my floor plan on the web site, but on the one they do show (the one with full dressing room instead of tack compartment), the ramp is 53" wide.

I don’t walk beside the mule when I unload him. He waits at the top of the ramp for me to walk down, then I step to the side and let him walk down. Makes me nervous to be on the ramp with him - I have visions of him deciding to just jump the last couple of feet.

I feel like the configuration I have has more room in the front making it easier for horses to make the turn to the ramp. But, that could all be just an optical illusion without the exact dimensions to judge.

[oddoda]

My wife and I have a 2015 Exiss 8ft LQ 3H slant load GN trailer. The trailer is a big disappointment quality wise (and Exiss sucks in terms of customer service, I had to hunt down their VP of sales to get someone from warranty to respond to me but that’s a different story). We actually used our trailer full time for a while, after we sold our home in TX and just traveled the West with our horses. I personally do not like slants because the horses look cramped in there. However, we also own a Double D bumper sport 2H straigh load bumper pull and use this trailer very frequently to get to local trails - no sense in lugging the expensive and much larger LQ around for local/short trips. The other concern is crime - I can park truck and bumper pull trailer in places and go riding (some trails are sometimes in areas of high property crime like some parts of New Mexico for example where petty theft reigns supreme) and come back not worrying what was destroyed or stolen since there is not much to steal on the bumper pull, pretty basic. The LQ GN, on the other hand, all your stuff is in it and breaking in would be pretty bad, especially if you are on an extended camping trip. My $.02 anyways, I will always have two trailers for two different uses.

When it comes to ease of loading/unloading, I feel the straight load BP is much easier and safer. But then again, our horses are very well trailed and safe, I don’t keep wild eyed broncs around.

Every horse trailer we have owned or own has always had a loading ramp in the back. I find it much safer but your mileage might vary, personal preference and all.

I find the GN better in tight spaces but I have no issues with the BP either so no real opinion here. Every BP we have owned has been on a weight distributing hitch with a mandatory sway control bar so…

[rideon2]

I think I’ve decided to trade in my 24’ stock for the one I linked above, it’s a 20’ stock combo with a DR, step up on the rear with two 8’ sections inside, and a side ramp. Still not 100% sure, but I think this one will work nicely for my needs:

http://dealerships.horsetrailertrader.com/dealer-inventory-item.aspx?stock=134594

I also decided to keep my BP one! So this should have me covered! Horses, cows, and sheep! LOL!

If anyone has any other suggestions, I’d sure love to hear them before I make the deal!