Have you ever added an awning to your trailer?

[hobbyhorse23]

I was trying to think of how I could improve my trailer this year (beyond fixing all the leaks

) and realized how neat it would be to have a pull-out awning on the tack room side. I know some of the fancy gooseneck trailers come with them but have you ever added one to a smaller trailer? How did you do it? How much did it cost? Anything I should watch for? Thanks for your help! Pictures would be wonderful.

Leia

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

I've always admired them... the only thing that bugged me was that you had to remove one of the clearance lights on the top. I'm kinda picky about my lights

 

[Mark & Sharon Bullington]

Leia -

I wold call arund to some of your local RV dealers or repair places. They would be able to seel you one and install it as well. I know of some folks that have had this done and they really like it.

Mark

 

[mydaddysjag]

My old gooseneck trailer had one. I cant remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure we paid over $600 for it with installation. That was maybe 8 years ago. Although I loved it most of the time, Im doing something different this time around. One time I was at a show and left my awning out for the day, since I was coming and going from the trailer to the barn where my horses were stalled. While in the barn it got a little windy, and before I got back to my trailer, the wind picked up and almost ripped my awning off. Now, this happened in a mater of less than 10 minutes. My awning was also a little "awkward" for a woman to close by herself. Opening it was a jiffy though.

This time around Im just going to grab one of those pop up canopy's, that way I can put it on either side of my trailer (will be easier to find parking when I don't have to worry about what side the canopy opens on), if the wind would pick up, it wouldn't rip off of my trailer, I could use it when we go camping etc, and you cant beat the price.

 

[Genie]

We added an awning. We took the trailer to a dealer who makes canvas tops for farm grain buggies.

He ran a strip of track down the topside of the trailer and made a canvas tarp that had a hem on the side with a rope inside of it. There is a tab on the end of the rope and you thread the tarp thru the track and draw it to the other end so it is threaded into the top.

There are holes in the tarp edges that you put a pole thru (Like a tent pole) and stand them up at the outer edge of the tarp so it is then a portable awning.

Sorry I don't have a picture but could explain it better with a picture.

 

[gatorbait4sure]

I added an awning to my trailer a few years ago and LOVE it! It runs the entire length of the tack room door side, rolls up nicely, and does well in light winds. I don't know of any awnings that tolerate good strong wind. I can raise and lower it to prevent midday sun from getting in.

Mine pulls down with a little wire hook which grabs a piece of nylon strapping attached to the end of the roll.( you pull this to one end and wrap it around an aluminum end support piece, to keep it out of the way during the day. Then you unlock the tab on the roller, hold onto the strapping ( to keep it from zipping up too fast) and it rolls up by itself.

The ONLY thing I would add to it is a roller for the tack room door. When the awning is open and positioned down, the door rubs along the awning and could rip it. When the awning is in it's upper positions the door is no problem.

An RV place installed it. It's made of Sunbrella material, and my horses really appreciate it at shows!

 

[wcr]

I had an awning put on my living quarter trailer and it was the best investment I made and wouldn't be without one. When I went to shows(had friends I parked with) we would leave room between the trailers and made an outdoor living room for those after show margarita parties. Hot or rainy it was shelter and I could park next to my stall and have the awning from trailer to stall and everyone kept cool or dry. It is a very versatile thing to have.

 

[picasso]

We also have an awning on our LQ trailer and our 3 horse with tack room one. We love them. Makes a nice shady place to sit or a place to stay out of the rain. The horses also appreciate them when they are tied to the side of the trailers. And yes I have had to sit out in the sun while the horses were under the awning!!! LOL

We had ours installed at a local RV dealer. Don't remember the price since it's been a few years. It sounds like ours are just like the one that "gatorbait4sure" has.

They do make tie down straps that you can get for them so the wind doesn't get them. There is a strap that goes over the top of them with rope on each end that ties to a stake that you drive in the ground. Pretty effective. We used to use them all the time when we had a camping trailer.

 

[RhineStone]

My husband put TWO awnings on our trailer!

Well...one we had from our old trailer. When we traded it in, the dealer said that the awning wasn't going to add any value, so we kept it. We got it from a local RV dealer for about $700 a few years ago (I think). It is a 17'. Then, we put one on the other side of the "new" trailer (below). When we are at shows, we sometimes put the horses on one side and the carts and us on the other. Ours sound a lot like Dru's, too. And I agree about the roller for the door. We don't have one, and we need to watch getting in and out if we don't have it all the way up.

Ours can be kept on the trailer, or the stakes can be taken off the trailer and set on the ground. I would HIGHLY recommend this option (if it is an option and not like that on all of them.

) Yes, Chad straps the awning down with those screw in dog tie outs and some ratchet straps, but we always put it up in bad winds. We also have clip on awning "deflappers" for the sides. I would say our awning is more secure than an EZ UP canopy. We have one of those, too, and have seen them blow away and get mangled at shows.

This awning I think is 19-20'. (The trailer is 24" on the floor.) Chad mounted the awning over the lights, so we didn't have to move any of them or take them out.

We would love to get one of those screened in rooms for it sometime. We just add a little here and there as we go. (I'd like the farm name on the trailer, too, sometime...all in due time as the Lord provides....)

Myrna

 

[whitney]

We use an easy up canopy you can put it up where ever to block sun or catch a breeze, (it only takes one person) is was only 69.00. Got lots of comments from people we were showing with it is big enough for 2 minis and both of us to sit under. Worked really well.