Trailers

[anyssapark]

I am getting a mini horse trailer made, it will carry 6 minis, on an angle (so long enough for my welsh x mini also).

I would like to know what your trailer has, that you couldnt live without, or that makes your life trailering your horses easier?

What would you change about your trailer?

Do you have any little nifty designs that you would share for carrying carts, camping in the trailer etc?

I'd love to see photos if you have them

Thank you!

 

[Jill]

I have two mini trailers. One is an 8' x long, 5' wide, 5' tall bumper pull and the other is an aluminum 14' long, 6' wide, 6' tall gooseneck. I love them both, but especially the gooseneck.

Some of the things I like on the gooseneck are the drop down windows, the way the door between the stalls and the (fully matted) dressing room swings so horses could ride there if I want, the personalized logo, and the rack on top. I also like how the mini trailers have less wind resistance and "tug" than full size trailers.

 

[Minimor]

I have a plain 14' stock trailer that I can haul 6-7 ponies in. I did think about adding dividers to haul the ponies in their individual stalls, but am now thinking that it's not really worth the expense--it works very well for us as it is.

While the Mini trailers are cute, I never wanted an actual mini trailer--they are just too low and I don't want to have to be bent over when I go in to get a horse or clean the trailer or whatever. Initially I had hoped to find a stock trailer that was 6' high--tall enough for me to stand up in but low enough that it wouldn't catch the wind. I didn't find one that low, and instead bought this one which is 6'6" high. It still tows well without much for wind resistance, and is plenty tall enough for me to stand up in.

The only thing I'd really change about it is the back door--it's a step in trailer and I really do prefer a ramp load. However, the horses do okay with the step up too so for now I haven't had it redone.

 

[anyssapark]

Thank you Jill and Minimor

The one i am having made is a bumper pull, it is the size of a big horse 3horse angle load, so still has plenty of head height, and room up the front also.

Jill, i have always loved seeing photos of your gooseneck. I have had the photos saved on my computer for a while now for ideas.

I do like the roof rack. What sort of things do you carry up there?

Thanks again! Please keep the ideas and photos coming

 

[sfmini]

I don't like trailers that you can't get to every horse in a hurry if there is a problem.

Also, access to each makes it so much easier to feed and water each on on long trips, and to be able to put on winter blankets when we travel home to Ohio from Texas in October. We start out pretty warm, but can get really cold about half way through the trip. Being able to blanket them in the trailer is so much better than having to unload in a busy rest stop or truck stop.

 

[ruffian]

I have a 3H full size GN. I've had a cargo trailer, stock trailer, and a low hauler - mini horse trailer.

Definitely love the ramp. It's too tall for a roof rack. I like the fact that it's tall enough to haul carts inside. Mine has swing doors (as did the cargo trailer) that swing both way and can be quickly removed to use it to haul lumber etc.

Like the drop down windows with screen option.

Like having a 2nd door up front to get to the horses in front or the tack area.

We built the stalls, which are sideways with a manger in the front. We can put hay in without worrying about hay bags or anything. Can separate horses easily or take one door out for mare/foal etc. I like the full sideways because their manure stays behind them, not rolling back under someone elses hooves.

Like the wooden floor with mats. Don't have to worry as much about rust.

Dislikes - didn't like having to bend over with the mini hauler. But it hauled nice. Hubby build a lift to put carts on top. That was cool.

The Cargo worked great, just wasn't big enough.

 

[anyssapark]

I don't like trailers that you can't get to every horse in a hurry if there is a problem.

Also, access to each makes it so much easier to feed and water each on on long trips, and to be able to put on winter blankets when we travel home to Ohio from Texas in October. We start out pretty warm, but can get really cold about half way through the trip. Being able to blanket them in the trailer is so much better than having to unload in a busy rest stop or truck stop.

Hmmm, i hadnt thought about this. I was going with full dividers from wall to wall.

How is yours set up so that you can access each of them? Would you have any photos?

 

[anyssapark]

I have a 3H full size GN. I've had a cargo trailer, stock trailer, and a low hauler - mini horse trailer.

Definitely love the ramp. It's too tall for a roof rack. I like the fact that it's tall enough to haul carts inside. Mine has swing doors (as did the cargo trailer) that swing both way and can be quickly removed to use it to haul lumber etc.

Like the drop down windows with screen option.

Like having a 2nd door up front to get to the horses in front or the tack area.

We built the stalls, which are sideways with a manger in the front. We can put hay in without worrying about hay bags or anything. Can separate horses easily or take one door out for mare/foal etc. I like the full sideways because their manure stays behind them, not rolling back under someone elses hooves.

Like the wooden floor with mats. Don't have to worry as much about rust.

Dislikes - didn't like having to bend over with the mini hauler. But it hauled nice. Hubby build a lift to put carts on top. That was cool.

The Cargo worked great, just wasn't big enough.

Thanks for your reply.

How did you haul the carts inside? Just in a stall? This float i have chosen would probably be too high for a rack to be easily accessable on top too i guess.

Also, are your mangers permanently welded to the float? I like that idea, i would love to see photos of them also if you have any please?

 

[Jill]

Jill, i have always loved seeing photos of your gooseneck. I have had the photos saved on my computer for a while now for ideas.

I do like the roof rack. What sort of things do you carry up there?

Thanks! We carry carts or hay up there. It's pretty easy to get things up and down w/ two people (one on the trailer, one on the ground)

 

[sfmini]

Our current trailer isn't set up for the access, the trailer we are in the process of buying isn't either, at least for blanketing, but it has drop down windows on both sides so getting to them to feed and water is easy. Also has a door in the dressing room so you can get to the front horse easily through there. It also has drop down windows on the back door and two fans inside so ventilation is perfect. It is a gooseneck, and the dressing room has a camper door on one side and a ramp on the other which makes it super easy to load carts for one person. It is also rubber floored so horses can ride in there when needed. Can't wait to actually get it.

 

[anyssapark]

Our current trailer isn't set up for the access, the trailer we are in the process of buying isn't either, at least for blanketing, but it has drop down windows on both sides so getting to them to feed and water is easy. Also has a door in the dressing room so you can get to the front horse easily through there. It also has drop down windows on the back door and two fans inside so ventilation is perfect. It is a gooseneck, and the dressing room has a camper door on one side and a ramp on the other which makes it super easy to load carts for one person. It is also rubber floored so horses can ride in there when needed. Can't wait to actually get it.

That sounds like a great set up. I am definately getting drop down windows also, and the windows at back are a good idea for ventilation. I like the sound of the ramp at the front door too! Thanks!

 

[maryann]

My husband has modified several regular trailers to accomate minis.

He uses aluminum so its light weight and the dividers are very easy to remove if you are carrying less minis and need more storage space.

The things I love about them are the fact that they have rails at the front of each divider to separate the horses . They do better if they can see their neighbor, but the bars keep them separate so they do not hurt each other. It also allows for better ventalition.

I also love that you can walk behind all of them and get to each one quickly in case of an emergency or for easy feeding and watering. After having this I just could not use the ones that go from side to side again.

What I hate about them. Hmmmmmm

Guess I have not ran into anything yet.

This is an older trailer that has the storage area up front .

This trailer is new and the front large horse pannel has been left in . Its been hooked further back to haul minis only or it can be hooked in the normal position in case you want to haul a large horse or a large horse and some minis. You also get better use of your space if you place the dividers straight for the minis in a slant load regular trailer.

This is a 36 inch mini . He has plenty of room . You could haul larger or smaller minis easily.

Good luck with your trailer. And have fun !!! You will love it. !! Mary

 

[minie812]

We have an older steel stock trailer that is 14ft by 5ft set up for minis. We have loaded 10 minis in it (in a Rescue) it is a solid old trailer. It needs repainted but is solid. I was looking for a newer trailer but I still have not found what I want. The mini trailers are cute but for the money I want something dual purpose. If I need to load a big horse-cows- 4 wheelers then a mini trailer won't work. We have been looking at goosenecks and I like that one Jill has...very nice.

 

[anyssapark]

Wow Mary, thanks. I love your set up. Our trailers can only be 1900 wide here in Australia though, i know USA has wider trailers than us, but wonder if this kind of set up is still possible... do you know how wide your trailer is?

Do you find these are a problem with trailering really small minis/weanlings? I could see my babies backing out of there and wandering around the trailer lol I guess i could get a foal gate made that attached lower down...

 

[sfmini]

There are a lot of pictures of our trailer to be on my facebook page, album is called Nancy Katz (a friend we are helping who has ovarian cancer). I don't think you even have to friend me to see those pictures but if you do, just friend Jody Hoch and you are in.

 

[Raine Ranch Minis]

There are a lot of pictures of our trailer to be on my facebook page, album is called Nancy Katz (a friend we are helping who has ovarian cancer). I don't think you even have to friend me to see those pictures but if you do, just friend Jody Hoch and you are in.

I couldn't find them? I am friends with you so I can see all your photos.

 

[sfmini]

Here is a link. It is an album named Nancy Katz Stuff.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2056427&id=1342115186

 

[Raine Ranch Minis]

Here is a link. It is an album named Nancy Katz Stuff.

http://www.facebook....7&id=1342115186

Thank You!

 

[ruffian]

Thanks for your reply.

How did you haul the carts inside? Just in a stall? This float i have chosen would probably be too high for a rack to be easily accessable on top too i guess.

Also, are your mangers permanently welded to the float? I like that idea, i would love to see photos of them also if you have any please?

Here is a bad picture, but this is what I use for dividers. They are polyethylene doors, virtually indestructible, no splinters, no sharp edges. This was 2 trailers ago - they go the other way with the managers on the left hand side so it's easier to lead them in to load. If I need to get to one in the back, I can walk over the mangers.

 

[minih]

We had our trailer custom built in 2009, I love, love, love it! It is on a larger scale than most here would need since we show shetlands also, I had the first stall and the last stall big enough to fit a cart upended if needed. We have since had a mattress made to fit in the tack room and we have air and heat if needed. Doesn't really work when all of us go to a show together, but for those times it is just my daughter and I it works great. We have it completely matted, drop down windows, 2 fans to keep the air moving when we stop, and plenty of air vents on top. Circulation was the main thing for our trailer this time.

Forgot to add we also have an access door to the stall next to the tack room so we can get to a horse quickly if needed.