Driving peeps - what's your hauling set up like?

[Grace67]

I'm in the market for a new trailer and will be hauling two minis and a cart along with misc show equipment. Just priced out a custom mini Hawk trailer and loved it but the shipping out here to the west coast is astronomical. I'd be curious to see what other mini driving folks who show or do CDEs have as their set up for hauling horses and carts. What type of trailer do you have? Full size? Mini? What do you tow with? Pictures would be great as I'm looking at all ideas. I tow with a 2011 Ford F150 set up with the heavy duty tow package so I'm limited to bumper pull and I'd like as rust and weather resistant as possible. Thanks!

 

[targetsmom]

We have a 2001 Sundowner Warmblood size 2 horse bumper pull with dressing room that we added dividers to so we can carry up to 4 minis. There is room in the manger area to carry a show cart and some supplies, but not our wooden wheel cart. We carry that in the back of our Ford F-250 with a cap. The shafts stick out a couple of inches and we use padding to protect them and tie the top of the cap down. We carry ramps and angle the truck so we can remove the cart, then straighten it back up for parking. Photo shows inside of trailer with 2 dividers and 2 minis. Area in front of the stall guard is where the show cart goes (we were visiting a nursing home this trip so didn't need a cart!).

We also have - but have never used - a carrier to hold a cart on the ramp of the trailer

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I use a 90's model Morganbuilt 2-horse slant load trailer with tack room hauled first by my mom's big ford trucks and now by my 2005 Chevy Express van. The van is a 1-ton extended model we tricked out with lots of horsie accessories (porch lights, undercarriage lights for loading/unloading in the dark, power outlets for camping, offroad lights, two stalls with a swing divider, shelves and a separate cargo area in the back) and can be used as a hauling vehicle with the trailer or I can load the horses directly in the van and go. The trailer was left over from our big horse days and wasn't quite right for hauling the little guys until I finally got permission from Mom to modify it a bit, now it works very well with mini dividers in the back, shelves instead of saddle racks in the tack room, a used awning on the side and a few electrical surprises my dear ex put in for me. (I LOVE that with an extra RV battery the lights work when it's not hooked up and I have a cheap but functional trailer cam as well!) The only thing I wish it had was a little more ceiling room as I have trouble fitting my carts in the back because the ceiling is too low and they can't stand upright. An extra-tall trailer eliminates that problem and lets you fit two or three carts where I currently can't get one.

Leia

 

[Marsha Cassada]

With a half-ton and budget it's a challenge to haul the horse and cart! I ended up ordering a bumper pull stock trailer, with covered front half and open back, so the cart shafts could stick up. Horse rides in the front under shelter, but the cart is exposed. That's not an answer in inclement weather. Perhaps a cart cover would be helpful to protect the cart; I havent' tried that in bad weather and I hope I never have to. Also, a stock trailer is not suspended like a regular horse trailer so the ride is not as good for long distances.

Someone mentioned he takes the shafts off when he hauls; that would be a pain in the neck but perhaps an answer.

 

[Minimor]

I have a 14' stock trailer, bumper hitch--love it! Torsion springs give a softer ride , especially fully loaded (I usually haul 6 ponies)... With one mini it may be a bit bouncy but I know the standard steel springs didn't have much cushioning either, when I'd haul one mini in the old two horse trailer I had before.

My tow vehicle is an F150 extended cab. When I go to shows all the tack and equipment packs in the back seat. There is room for harness too if I'm driving. Hay, straw, water jugs and feed tubs ride in the box, as does the cart if I take it. On a rainy day a tarp will protect the cart and hay/straw, I just have to get it well fastened down so it doesn't whip in the wind.

 

[horsenarounnd]

We haul with a 16" Featherlite stock trailer. Its light enough to tow with my F-150 crewcab for short trips, but for shows, etc I pull with a 32" class C Motor Home. I can put my golf cart in the front, and with a hamemade deck I can put two carts over the golf cart. The minis haul in the back half of the trailer and tack, hay bedding, etc all get squeezed in the front. Believe it or not, it all works and weighs in at about 5000#. We've haule to the National Drive with this setup, about 12 hours with no problems.

 

[susanne]

We haul in our Chevy Express extended van, in which we could haul all three horses in an emergency, but for most purposes transports one horse, tack and cart with much room to spare. We take the shafts off of the EE, which allows it to fit easily inside the back of the van, and of course the HyperBike could easily fit in a 2-seater sports car. Our method would not work as well if we had a cart that did not knock down easily, but it's sure great with our narrow driveway and turn-around area.

 

[Sandee]

I used to tow a 2 horse with 8' living quarters with my 3/4 ton Chevy (came with a tow package) long bed. I have switched to a bumper mini Hawk that holds 5 minis or the front two stalls can hold equipment. Depending on the length of the show and the equipment needed I can add a topper on the truck and put stuff in there. I normally take 3 horses and one cart and all the "stuff" for 2 people. But last year I had to add a 4 wheeled Viceroy and that took up most of the pickup bed. Love my truck and, knock on wood, it's now 13 years old and has less than 100,000 miles on it.

If you have something that will pull a full sized trailer with living area, it's cool to be able to stay at the show grounds close to your horses. If you are looking then I'd say at least a 3 horse and if you get it 7' 6" tall then you can stand the carts upright which takes up less room.