I’d love to get everyone’s opinions rating the top horse trailer companies…I’m shopping for a new one, but only have limited knowlege (especially the ones from the south). I"d be interested in hearing your opinion of the top five companies in the country!!! If I knew how to make this thread into a poll, I would!!!
I have a Trails West trailer. They’re based in Idaho (I think), but one wound up in NJ somehow!!! It’s a very well made trailer. It’s a 2 horse, step-up, slant load, bumper pull. It’s also steel (I would have preferred aluminium), but it’s in excellent condition for 7 yrs old. Door and dividers are easy to operate. Windows open on both sides. Tack room has plenty of room for all of my junk…and it’s ALOT of junk!!!
The only thing I don’t like about it is that there isn’t an ‘emergency exit’ in the front of the ‘stall’ area.
I think you’ll get a list of a lot of the majors, like Sundowner, Hawk, Trail-et, etc. There’s a smaller company, out of PA, called Collin-Ardnt that makes a wonderful trainer. Double-walled insulted aluminum, just like the Sundowner (and others) yet the price is better (not TONS better, but you might save a couple thousand on a brand new one). I bought one last summer – bumper pull, two-horse, extra tall with dressing room for $9500. It’s so beautiful, sometimes I catch myself just “looking” at it, like you would a new car. It’s worth looking into if you can find a dealer locally. I don’t believe they have a website (bummer).
Since you’re in Florida, you might want to look into the Sidekick trailer that’s made in Milton. You could even visit since you’re so (relatively) close.
http://www.sidekicktrailers.com/trailers.htm
Hands down the best is 4 Star trailers. Its the choice of all big commercial shippers. If we can put 200,000 miles on them a year, no doubt you will have a great personal use trailer. http://www.4startrailers.com/
Isn’t Jamco the equal of 4-Star? They’ve just opened a new plant somewhere in Middle Tennessee.
http://www.jamcotrailers.com/trailers/index.php
4 Star, hands down.
I’ve had 10 or 12 trailers over the years and won’t have anything but a 4-Star. Theres a number of commercial livestock haulers in this part of the country virtually all use them.
I have a Classic which I’m very happy with. I’m not sure they’re available in the south. I think they’re made in Idaho.
I have also heard lots of good things about 4 star.
When I was researching getting a trailer, I spent lots of time on the Horse Trailer World website. The forums there are filled with info. You kind of have to sort through and recognize the sales pitches. After a while it’s not hard to get a sense for who is selling and who actually owns a particular brand of trailer. It also gives you a good comparison for prices, what materials are used for what trailers, etc.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;2103498]
Isn’t Jamco the equal of 4-Star? They’ve just opened a new plant somewhere in Middle Tennessee.
http://www.jamcotrailers.com/trailers/index.php[/QUOTE]
Was that a serious question? Equal? Not a chance in … Jamco’s quality is right down there with a equilite or trail-et. FRP single layer construction…no thanks. There is this one trainer with a 6H head to head Jamco, who you can always hear coming down the driveway into the show, all the partitions banging, walls flexing. She traded it in this year and ordered a 4Star.
The only trailer that I feel is in the same catagory as a 4Star and built for commercial service is EBY. Then Pegasus and Select trailers. All 4 manufactures offer Air ride suspensions. I looked all over Jamcos site… no option for Airride?
I don’t know if it is “the best” but I am very happy with my CM Saratoga
We are on our 3rd Collin-Arndt trailer, upgrading each time. I can’t say enough good things about them. Completely custom for a very reasonable price. The people are great to work with too.
I’ve looked at a lot of trailers, and the ones that impressed me to most were the Jamcos. I don’t know what the above poster was looking at, but the newer Jamcos I have experience with don’t have a bit of FRP and are solid as a rock and quiet as a mouse. Take a look at one in person and you’ll see what I mean.
Years ago we had a really big Featherlite, oversized 4 horse head to head/dressing room. Very nice trailer. When we wanted to have a custom trailer made we ended up with a 4 Star. The quality was equal to or superior to the Featherlite and the price was $10,000 less!!! The people at 4 Star were great to work with and the trailer was EXACTLY what we wanted/ordered. The delivery date was right on target, too.
4 star.
Just got through four months of shopping for a trailer and went with 4 Star.
Anyone had experience with Eby?
Jamco
I vote for Jamco. Our farm has three of them. The biggest has AIR-RIDE!! Super construction and very quiet. Also, not sure what the above poster is talking about. I’m very familiar with the other brands as well and wouldn’t want any trailer but a Jamco. Just my 2 cents.
Ebys are amazing. I want the deeeeluxe 3 horse side by side.
4 Star
When it comes to financing…a 4 Star trailer can be financed FAR longer than any other. The long term use of a trailer is what is considered and 4 Star out weights them all.