Monday, June 11, 2012

Trailer Shopping

So we went and looked at trailers.  I'm kind of sad that we did because now I want a $30,000 ($16k used) trailer LOL!  Just kidding.  Those living quarters are so awesome!!  Wow.

Anyway, realistically speaking I'm still not 100% sure what I want.  I actually think I'm leaning toward a slant load now.  They seem more versatile because you can take out all of the panels and have an open trailer that you can haul loose in like a stock trailer or you can have your stalls.  I especially like the ones that have an escape door up front.  So cool!  I don't know if we will be able to find a used one in our price range though.  Slants seem to come with extravagant and expensive living quarters.

I want something safe and economical for short trips to town as well as something that can be used for camping . . . I have a feeling the short trips (e.g. to the vet or local one day shows) will be a LOT more frequent than any camping for a while at least.  I don't want something really huge or I'll be afraid to ever learn to drive it.  I still like the space of a stock trailer (for hauling loose), but everything I'm reading says they aren't as safe, they are too loud (for the horse) and have poor shocks (so it's rough for the horse).  After seeing how open and airy the slants can be so they are inviting I like them a lot, especially since they are so versatile.

So I think I'm leaning toward a slant load . . . we will just have to see what I can find in our price range.  I hate digging through all the scam ads ugh!  So wish me luck!

Oh and in your opinion which style is safer in a wreck?  It seems like a stock would be really dangerous because they could fall, but then again there isn't much to get hung up on/in or to crush them.  In a straight or slant load there's more to get tangled up in and technically they could still fall down . . . they could even slide under a divider!  That freaks me out a little because I have no experience with them.  I know any wreck involving horses is bad, but I still want them to have the best chance of surviving if something were to happen . . .

Everyone at the trailer place said slants are more comfortable for the horse because they can rock side to side with the motion of the trailer instead of forward and backwards.  I'm pretty sure in our open trailer that Chrome mostly stands backwards at an angle . . . so he might like a slant load better.

Yeah, anyway you can tell why I'm not making any progress making a decision.  My thoughts are just going in circles.  I guess I'm going to take a break from thinking about trailers and go do something else hehe.  Then I'll look at my pictures again.  Thanks for any help/advice you can provide!

6 comments:

  1. I can't offer any help, but I do admire the fact that you can drive with any sort of horse trailer behind you. I can't even back up in my Element.

    Mango Momma

    ReplyDelete
  2. I too have a slant load and really like it, better than the straight load. It does have more room and the partition opens up during loading so the trailer looks much bigger for nervous horses.
    If you went with a straight load I would strongly recommend the walk-through, where there are 2 mangers and a door in between them for you to walk out. It is a really nice setup, hard to come by but a really nice setup.
    I have had a stock trailer and didn't like it but it was also a true stock trailer for cattle. Maybe try a stock/combo trailer if you were looking at stock trailers? They are made more for horses.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know nothing about trailers, but a friend of mine just upgraded to one that has living quarters (she competes a lot) and she wishes she had invested the money long ago. :-) I don't mean to stir the pot, but she says that it improves her quality of life - she can bring her dogs to shows and cook up her own little meals, her horse is close and she doesn't have to put up with the noise in hotels.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Regarding the divider in a straight load - my husband customized ours after we bought it so the divider extends all the way to the floor of the trailer.

    We were afraid of the horses kicking each other under the original divider, or a slip and fall scenerio.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Awe yes, the living quarters trailer!!! Most of us dream of having one!!! LOL LOL
    A friend of mine spent her inheritance on one 50k!!! Brand new, to her order. sheesh We are all jealous, but really!! that much!!!! There are a lot nicer ones for less. Dont remember what brand she bought.
    I really dont know about the crash safety of different styles. Would be interesting to see if anyone knows.

    ReplyDelete
  6. i know exactly what i want: my old trailer in america. a three horse slant with all the walls removed and the tack room wall cut in half so i can hang out with my horses in there. sliding windows with screens all around, swinging rear doors. made of some sort of plastic-coated wood?

    but reality is i'm in germany and i'm gonna have to buy one of these pathetic miniature toy trailers. when you mentioned safety in an accident - this is something i think of all the time here, everytime i see a plastic toy trailer going down the autobahn. those horses are dead if there is an accident.

    my favorite brand of american trailer, if i can dream a little with you, is a Trailet straight load with walk through tack room. sooo nice!

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate all comments, advice and questions! Your comments are what makes blogging so worth it. I love to hear from my followers, so thanks for taking the time to share your comments. :)