Mini horse trailers?

[Mulefeather]

Howdy all - long time lurker here, and considering purchasing a mini for driving at some point.

My question involves towing - I'd likely only have one mini, and I'd like to haul out for some small local drives/shows without needing to constantly thumb a ride from someone else. I own a 2006 Subaru Forester with a 2400 lb tow rating, and I've been doing some research on towing with it since many Forester owners use them for that purpose with ATVs/racing bikes/boats/general hauling. I've looked into conventional-sized 2-horse trailers and most of them are just too heavy, and seems like overkill to haul one mini and possibly a hyperbike or small roadcart for trail driving for a local drive/show.

I can't seem to find any info about the weight of some truly small trailers with something like the Forester. I'd love to hear from anyone who has a similar setup! I figure if I saw someone show up with a mini in the back of a Lexus at the last show I went to, I can find a way to tow a tiny horse

 

[lucky seven]

I have the same question about my Hyundai Tucson, I would love to find a small trailer for my one little horse. Would love to see a photo of that mini traveling in style in that Lexus!

 

[bevann]

My suggestion is that whatever trailer you decide on PLEASE consider 1 with 2 axels. Less bouncing around,more stability and much safer with live cargo.I have ridden in the back of a small 2 horse trailer and even in that kind the bouncing and swaying is scary.Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

See this would not be an issue here. Lol. Our trailers are all pretty much 2500kg limits.

 

[Barefootin]

Yep, if we are only taking one horse somewhere(vet,show,new owner) they usually just ride in the back seat of our extended cab truck. My auntie Kay has one of the little Ford Transport van things she uses for her 2 horses.

 

[MiniNHF]

I am actually working on a trailer project; I purchased a 95 2 horse trail-et with the intentions of converting it to a mini horse trailer. I removed the steel big horse divider and the steel head divider which let me tell you takes two people and I still struggled. We also replaced the top back doors that were at least 30lbs or more a piece and fabricated aluminum ones that now weight no more that 15lbs a piece.

My trailer does not have a tackroom so the front portion I have converted into a tack area and I can haul three minis or two minis and a show cart. I have a '10 toyota tacoma 6cyl and it does well with the weight it has to pull with that. I dont think I would tow that trailer with two big horses in it with my truck but for what I have now is ideal.

 

[AngC]

We started with a used 3-horse slant. Nicky rode home in the tack room of that monster (not something I would do again.) I hated it. My husband (who drove Peterbilts, back in the day) hated it... connected to our F350, that whole mess seemed almost as long as a tractor/trailer and was overkill for little horses. I wanted something small that I could pull with my older Ford Ranger. (The Ranger is a 4WD, 4.0L, V6, rated at 3160 lb towing capacity.) Trailer dealers around here don't stock the mini trailers. But we looked at the Hawk full size trailers and liked their construction. I don't recollect the other brands, but they looked cheaply-made. So we ordered a Hawk. If you check out this link, look at the brochure for the Miniature, Alpaca & Llama Trailers. It has all the weights and line drawings with dimensions. http://www.hawktrailers.com/lit.php

Some things I was looking for in addition to smallest possible size were dual axles--I wasn't thinking so much of horse comfort but rather my lackluster driving skills coupled with a flat tire; I wanted another tire in case of a blowout. This trailer (the 5x10) was the smallest I could find that still had the dual axles.

I don't know about a cart. Hawk does make aluminum racks for the top of their trailers (How do people get carts up on top of trailers, I wonder?) I had them install the dividing gate, because if I ever need to haul all three horses, the stallion fits up front separate from our two girls. You might be able to fit a small cart, if the shafts are removable?

I love this trailer. I can't really think of too many disadvantages. There is a bit of a gap when you drop the loading ramp, but I just taught ours to step over it. If you're tall, you might not like it. I'm 5'5" and I can stand up straight inside, with a few inches to spare. My husband has to stoop a little bit. We had to get my truck rewired for a 7-pin connector and also put in a trailer brake.

I put a photo up here so you can see the scale/proportions: http://www.horseyhouse.com

By the way, I don't think I'd feel too comfortable stuffing a horse into an extended cab. Not to mention, my husband would freak if I tried to put one behind his seats (wouldn't fit in mine; they're too fat.) I wouldn't want a horse loose in any people-type vehicle or van. Seems to me in an emergency, the horse could become a 250-300 lb bomb bouncing around.

 

[sfmini]

I have a Hawk Gooseneck that was customized for minis and love it. Have hardly used it since we are no longer showing and I am selling all my horses so the trailer will sell as well. The set up is perfect and the trailer hauls like a dream. I am guessing their mini trailers would be the same.

Calico also makes nice little trailers for minis but I would take a Hawk over them any day. Oh wait, I did. Sold my Calico to get the Hawk.

 

[paintponylvr]

I got a CM "stock" trailer. It is 14' long on the inside and has no separate amenities for tack/hauling minis - but that works for me as I knew I was hauling a wagon. My new wagon fits in the back behind the center divider.

I hang the harness on portable tack racks attached to the sides of the trailer. I can put up to 6 Shetlands up in the front section - if they all get along, they ride loose. If they don't, they are all tied up to the drivers side of the trailer.

But the trailer is all steel and it's not light. It's nice to have the 2' of extra width over the older trailer I had...

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I have a trailer very close to this. It's steel, so safe. The weight is like 1250lbs. It's a four horse, so it holds my boy and his cart super well. Hauls like a DREAM. It's by Calico. Love it!!

 

[REO]

I think I have the teeniest mini trailer in the world LOL.

 

[chandab]

Robin, that is the cutest trailer I've ever seen.

 

[lucky seven]

That is adorable.

 

[Barnmother]

Show us pictures of the inside of the teeny mini trailer, I just love it!

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

Ok Robin.....spill it!!! LOL Where do I get in line for one like that?? Manufacturer? Cost? And I agree...more piccies please.

 

[sdust]

Robin I didn't know you had a trailer similar to mine. I love my trailer. The manufacture is G & F Horse Trailers out of California. I only have one mini and my husband made me a rack for my cart. I only use the rack when I pull the trailer with the van. However, when pulling it with the truck I just put my cart in the bed.

View attachment 4929
View attachment 4365

 

[Mulefeather]

SDust and Robin, that is EXACTLY what I am looking for!!

SDust - Did G&F custom-make that for you? I *think* I found their site, but don't see anything similar.

 

[sdust]

Believe it or not my trailer (that is a current picture) is a 1996 model. I am the third owner and I have all the paper work. The second owner purchase it from a California person, drove it to Colorado with one mini and never used it again. It is like new inside and out! It was custom made and it has a custom cover that I use. It is very well made. I can get more details if you would like. I just need to go pull my paper work from my filing system.....

I paid a rock bottom price of $2000 for the trailer and if I am remembering correctly the trailer was about $4900 with the cover, in 1996. Robin's trailer looks like it could have been made by the same company. Robin?

 

[REO]

I'll have to go out and look. It is from CA. We got it years ago when both our car AND truck broke down and we had no vehicles at all. Which made our trailer a moot point. He got a loan from his 401K and we bought a used little suv cheap and I found this trailer here on the sales board.

It's SO tiny that we had to take out the divider to fit my fat minis in it LOL. It's seriously adorable. Our vet grins every time he sees it LOL.

I'll see if I can get pics of the inside. It's exactly like a big 2-horse. I bet sdust's is just like ours! Do you have pics of yours?

 

[paintponylvr]

I found a pic of one that I took while at an ECMHC meeting... It was made by Ponderosa, but I don't know any specifics.