What about the doors did you have to check out?
I must have missed a thread on this… I am currently trailer shopping and have seen ads for Kiefers, so I was wondering what the door issue was.
Thanks!
When I posted about looking for a Kiefer many people emailed about the back doors. After much research, I found that here were 2 incidents of slant load trailers where the people didn’t use a but bar, the horses were loaded in the rear slots, and they broke the back doors and fell out of the trailers. The one I bought had a ramp so it was a non-issue, and, the ramp was really tall which I love! The more I looked around on the internet, I found that this happened to other trailers as well including Sundowner. I am not sure what you are looking for but my Kiefer came from PA and even with delivery, it was $1800 less than the local dealer. They have a 2 horse Grand Prix with Dressing Room left and are great to deal with.
Another vote for 4 - Star. If I ever get another horse trailer, I will order exactly the same thing I have now. I love it, and have never had a problem with it.
Essentially my wish list (generic, I know):
2 horse straight load with a side ramp (I know some of these actually come in a “3” horse variety also.
Dressing room.
Gooseneck or BP, havent really decided.
Thoughts on trailers?
ETA: I love Gore trailers, but haven’t seen one used in a side ramp, as they just recently started making them…
4 Star
Another vote for 4 star. It is what I ended up with when I was trailer shopping. I decided that I was going to be nervous enough pulling a trailer (first time!) I didn’t want to have to worry about the trailer itself at all. I went into it with a completely open mind because at the time I didn’t really know anything about specific trailer brands. Based on all the reviews I read, the 4 star won hands down.
If I ever get another trailer, it will most likely be another 4 star.
I am getting a Hawk this spring. I think they are good value and nice quality.
[QUOTE=naters;2209530]
Essentially my wish list (generic, I know):
2 horse straight load with a side ramp (I know some of these actually come in a “3” horse variety also.
Dressing room.
Gooseneck or BP, havent really decided.
Thoughts on trailers?
ETA: I love Gore trailers, but haven’t seen one used in a side ramp, as they just recently started making them…[/QUOTE]
I am getting a 2-horse BP straight load with rumbar flooring, dressing room, and maybe with a side ramp, from Hawk. I have also seen the Gore 2-horse with the side ramp option and it is NICE as well. I just have a slight personal preference for Hawk, and they tend to be very reasonably priced relative to other brands. I also like that the Hawk has a steel frame.
4-Star here too.
I love that Gore is essentially in my parents back yard (well, about 45 minutes). We bought a Gore a long time ago from a private party, but the gore manufacturing place (Mr. Jackson Gore) is SUPER nice about service, and taking good care of our trailer!
I have never seen a Hawk in person (that I know of…) is there a southeastern dealership?
trail-et or Merhow hands down 
Just found this ad, which is similar to the GORE trailer I like. I removed the contact information. Is this one of the years of sundowners that had some issues (and please refresh me on what the issues were)? Thanks!
And - that price seems quite a bit high, considering you can get one NEW from Gore at 15,000 (appx).
2001 Sundowner valuelite aluminum, white skin. 2-horse straight load, gooseneck $13500
Another vote for Jamco. I have a 4 horse head to head and haul big horses, one of which likes to destroy most things he is in. In my opinion, they are extremely well made and the only noise we hear when a Jamco comes down the driveway is if the horse is making the noise, not the trailer. I know that there are a lot of dressage people who have Jamcos, but what impressed me was the number of driving people who use Jamco. The Heintz hitch has a Jamco and those are Percherons. If a Jamco is so flimsy as one poster said, those horses would be pulling the trailer, not standing in it.
Sidekick
You should look into Sidekick. They are even in Florida and can add any feature you need. They also last a very long time and are lightweight. I love mine and it’s a '92 and still looks good. But you want to try and stay away from steel as they rust very quickly and require more work. So no matter what company you go with look for Aluminum and something with a well built undercarriage (ie axels). Some brands and shoppers overlook the importance. Good luck in your shopping.
[QUOTE=Bosspaige;2209502]
When I posted about looking for a Kiefer many people emailed about the back doors. After much research, I found that here were 2 incidents of slant load trailers where the people didn’t use a but bar, the horses were loaded in the rear slots, and they broke the back doors and fell out of the trailers. QUOTE]
The issue was that the trailers were MADE WITHOUT butt bars. Just the horses shifting their weight/balancing against the back door of the trailer caused the doors to buckle and the horses to fall out. Please see additional COTH threads on this.
My choice on trailers is 4 Star. I have a 4 h slant load super warmblood size, (28’ nose to tail, truck not included). It was simple and easy to order it and get it sized for my horses (drafts and BIG WB’s). Mine has a butt bar and ramp so no falling out the back for my horses. The welds are smooth and the dividers are easy to remove if needed. The mats come out easily and go back in easily also for cleaning. I have been very, very happy with it.
Other trailers I have owned are Trail-et (when they were good) and an off brand steel trailer about 25 yrs ago.
Kiefer
[QUOTE=Bosspaige;2209502]
When I posted about looking for a Kiefer many people emailed about the back doors. After much research, I found that here were 2 incidents of slant load trailers where the people didn’t use a but bar, the horses were loaded in the rear slots, and they broke the back doors and fell out of the trailers. [/QUOTE]
You’ve got to be kidding–and you’re OK with the fact that two horses fell OUT of these trailers??? Your research should have also revealed that the butt strap was OPTIONAL and wasn’t installed on the trailers involved in the incidents, and that the owners of these horses have contacted Kiefer, who maintain the position that the occurances are somehow the owners fault!
Please, someone, tell me when is it ever OK for a horse to be ejected from the rear doors of a trailer???
Now, i know the rear doors were redesigned in 2004, leading to their “better doors” slogan. And I know, Bosspaige, you made sure you had the “better doors” for your trailer, but god forbid you ever have a customer service or warranty issue where you have to deal with the manufacturer! Which reminds me, you don’t have a warranty anymore because you’re a second tier owner. It compares right up there with the featherlite thread started by tallebred. did you learn during your research process about the problems kiefer has had with the welds on their trailers? i heard a story about a genesis trailer that made my stomach curdle. After a long, drawn out lawsuit kiefer settled with that owner out of court.
As responsible horse owners we have a moral duty to hold companies to a standard that makes horse transportation safe for our equine partners and the motorists sharing the road with us. don’t justify big companies that victimize and prey on consumers–someday that consumer might be you!!!
Steel for a 2 horse trailer
I have a trails west 2 horse slant gooseneck and I love love love it. All steel except the roof.
I do not understand why people buy aluminum trailers for 2 and 3 horse trailers. In my research, I found that at that size, especially in bumper pulls, the aluminum is not much lighter. I bought steel because it is cheaper, and because I think it is safer. My husband went to a seminar by a local fire department that has expertise in large animal rescue. They prefer steel trailers because they dent and bend. Aluminum shears, which is more dangerous, from the point of view of both the horse and the rescuer.
Sounds like you put some words in the poster’s mouth. I didn’t see where s/he said she was “OK” with it. You want to make a point about Kieffer that’s all well and good, but do you absolutely positively need to slam an innocent bystander in the process?
Back to the topic of favorite trailers…
I’ve got a 1994 Trail-Et that is still going strong and I am perfectly happy with it. Given that the manufacturers of that old Trail-Et are now making Hawks, I plan to give both of them a look-see when it’s time for new trailer (add me to the 2/3 GN option!)
Hidden Pond Farm…NO, it is not OK with me that horses fell out of a trailer. But, it really isn’t okay with me either that you would write such an impolite post about one persons opinion but there really isn’t anything I can do about either of those things now is there?
I did do my research on the trailer and I will hold true to what I found. Kiefer did have those 2 incidents (maybe there are more, that is all I could find) of those horses falling out of the trailer. Why would they make a trailer with no butt bars? I don’t know. Ask some of the other manufacturers that do it to. I was sent a shot of a lovely 2004 Sundowner slant load that had no butt bars at all and when I questioned the owner, they bought it new and it never had them. And on that note, I found a similar story about a horse falling out of a Sundowner.
As a horse owner I would never rely on an aluminum door to hold a 1200 pound animal when they want out? Have you ever seen the force of a horse when they blow up? The bottom line is we are all taking a huge animal with a mind of its own and stuffing it in a moving box. Things are bound to happen? Ask a dealer if they have seen what a horse looks like after they rear up and smash through a fiberglass roof trailer and then come back down and impale themselves? Almost everyone I know has a fiberglass roof on their trailer and something might happen, then what?
I do agree that these manufacturers should be held responsible, but so might the owners. I am not defending Kiefer, or Featherlite, or Sundowner or any other trailer manufacturer. They should make the trailers as safe as they can, they should stand behind them and horse owners should do their part as well.
If everyone stayed away from every trailer that I heard had bad customer service and something went wrong with it, no one would own one b/c I cannot think of one single brand that someone didn’t have negative things to say about. I could not afford 4-Star of Jamco or Eby so I did the best I could with the money I had.
If buying a Kiefer trailer makes me an irresponsible horse owner in YOUR opinion, then that is what it is, YOUR opinion. This was supposed to be a post about which trailers people like so lets get back to the actual topic that was started.
way to emotional
This topic is one like Chevy/Dodge/Ford/???.
No one is going to admit their perjudice, and no one is right or wrong.:lol:
Check out Horsetrailerworld,com, and find out about the ones that you like, then shop for what you want. Remember…Different strokes…Different folks!:yes:
thanks…
for setting me straight, Bosspaige. Got a little strong in my wording and sorry about that. My bad. I realize that most of us do our best for our horses, and, yes, all companies have some negative reporting in this e-info access age, but there are definite trends in how certain companies do things that should make a buyer beware.
That being said, now I will stick to the thread topic. That is if I was going to go out and buy a trailer tomorrow a 4 star or and Equispirit would GMV.
