Hey everyone.  I was directed to this site for help answering some basic trailer questions...I hope you don't mind!  I just got my first horses about 5 years ago and got an old, ugly two horse trailer for emergency purposes only.  Now I would like to get a little nicer trailer since I plan to use it a bit more this year. 

I have an F-150 (half ton) truck with only a bumper pull hitch now, so I need something light enough for my truck to handle.  I would consider getting a gooseneck hitch on my truck if I find a good enough reason to do so (safety, etc.), or if I find a good enough deal on a gooseneck to justify the extra money for adding the hitch.  I want two axles, and I'd really like to find a trailer with a tack area...but that's not a complete deal-breaker.  I'll use it mostly for short, local trips (so no living quarters needed), but I want it to be safe & dependable enough that I could take a long trip if necessary. 

My number one concern is safety, and I'd like some tips on how to determine if a trailer is safe...besides having a good floor.  I'd hoped to find something in the $1,500 range, but I'm beginning to wonder if I may have to go up in price to find something decent.  ??  Don't need fancy...just solid.

Right now, all my horses will load into my 2 horse, straight load trailer, but I've been told that I should look into a stock-type trailer.  I'd like suggestions on the pros & cons of the different styles of trailers, best places to shop for a trailer, questions to ask a seller, "traps" to watch out for, etc., etc.  I hate to even look now because I would be a perfect person for a dishonest seller to prey upon, so I'm trying to educate myself a bit before I start shopping.

If anyone can offer me some basic tips, or direct me to some resources to learn more about this, I would very much appreciate it!!

Thanks for allowing me to join, and for any info you might offer!

Kim

If safety is your main objective - then most definately look at a gooseneck....The hitch is MUCH safer and the ride in the trailer is much more stable for the horses. It will also give you more tack space.

I cant help you with your other questions as I am not in the US but I am sure there are others that could assist you.

Come on Retento and Gard - you guys will surely have some solid advice for our friend.

Good luck with your purchase.

like Retento said you will need a little more than 1500, I had find a three horse 16" BP trailer that was only a year old in great shape and I only payed 3000 for it, they are out there you my have to travel a bit, and I could haul two of my horses just fine with my Ram 1500 4 x 4 and then I treaded it in for a four horse slant load gooseneck with dressing room three year later for more than what I payed for it and I love the gooseneck of course I have a F350 dually now , just make sure that the brakes are working right,the floor is solid not rutted, and the axles are in good shape, the wheel bearing do not have any play in them, the ele. hook up and lights are working fine Good luck if you look around you will find one at the right

P.S. check the tire ware if they are wearing even then that will give you a idea of how the wheel bearings are and that they should be fine unless they are new tires on the trailer

The best advice is to take someone "mechanical" with you to look at the trailer. 

Im going to throw something else out there.  Like has already been mentioned, $1500 is not going to go far.  Have you considered going a little (ok maybe a lot) higher?  Once you get in the $4K range there are a lot of entry level trailers that could be had, new.  With a new trailer you dont have to worry about the floor, tires, wiring etc. 

Im talking about something like this;

http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=186734

WOW...what a helpful group you guys are!!  Thanks so much for all the info!  I'm a little bummed that I'll have to spend so much more to find a good, safe trailer...but that's okay.  I have a few things I might be able to sell to make up the difference.  :o) 

A few quick responses:

To Barfly:  Thanks for the info on gooseneck vs. BP.  I've never heard that about it being a smoother ride for horses.  I've actually never had anyone tell me they were safer, but common sense suggested they would be easier to pull.

To Retento:  Thanks for the info regarding trailers for my half ton...and I do have a tow package on it.  Any way to tell if the brakes are in good, working order?...just hook it up & test it & go by feel?  (sorry...I told you I know nothing!)

To Horsemen:  It sounds like you found a deal similar to what I'm hoping for...about a year or two old, still in good shape but deeply discounted.  I'll work on hubby & see if I can't beg an allowance closer to $3,000 before I start calling around.  :o)  Again, any tips on testing the axles?...just look under the trailer for rust, etc?  Great tip on the wheel bearings!!  Thanks!!!

To Chadsalt:  I wish, very much, that I had someone mechanical to take with me, but I just don't.  Once I determine what I need I will start asking friends to see if they might be able to hook me up with someone, or might know a trustworthy friend I could buy a trailer from.  I'm also going to work on hubby regarding the price.  From the looks of the trailer you suggested, I might be able to find a used one at a trailer dealership for $2,500-$3,000.  ??  Since you linked to a stock-type trailer, I wondered if any of you might live in colder climates & have stock trailers?  Do you try to board up the openings on cold days?  We live in KS & we can get some pretty brutal temps during the winter.  I also wondered about the air quality for the horses when driving on gravel in the dry, dusty summer?  Any opinions on that?

Again, thanks SO MUCH to everyone for your help!!  I'll keep you posted as I continue my search & research!

Kim

I'm afraid that you are in a financial corner. The purchasing price you have in mind will only buy what you already have. A used stock combo BP or any GN in a usable condition, will cost 2x that amount and go up from there.

If you are mechanically inclined, you can look for the diamonds in the rough. There are differences between a rusted panel and one that is rusted through, even though both look similar. One is salvageable with some elbow grease, the other is best left to someone else. There are financially strapped people who are selling their possessions for only a payoff price; the balance owned after being paid for over several years.

You may have to revise your expectations. A search through the classified section of HTW, will give you an indication or what comparable equipment is valued. There are many Internet sites, Craigs list, EBay etc that may produce your goal.

Your present trailer has a value. It's condition will partially be a determining factor. Two horse BP trailers are commonly available at relatively inexpensive prices. It's value will also be determined by your location, how many other similar trailers are currently available and the local economic situation.

BOL  Gard

Hey Gard.  Yes, I am discovering that I may be under-funded for what I'm hoping to get...but I'm glad to find that info out now.  You have all been a great help. 

I do NOT want a "diamond in the rough"...that's kinda what I have now.  This trailer is primer gray, holes in the "wheel guards" (the pieces that stick out over the tires), the doors have a solid steel panel on the inside, but the "decorative" piece on the outside is all rusted, etc.  Hubby told me he could fix it up with ease...in a couple months time...and that was 5 years ago.    Considering how much the trailers are going for, I may want to check into a body shop to see how much they would charge to fix this one up.  ??

I try to watch our local CraigsList pretty closely.  I saw a little 2-horse bp (no tack room) yesterday going for $500.  From the photo it looked like a nice trailer, but I didn't call on it because I don't know how to be sure it's not a death-trap.  I've already learned some good things here & will continue until I'm comfortable.

When we went out to buy our truck a few years back the dealer kept talking to my husband, and he kept telling him to talk to me because I was the one who knew more about them than he did, just because I'd researched it for over a month.  Drove them both crazy! 

Thanks again!

Kim

Watch your local papers, craigslist and HTW for trailers close enough to home to go look at.  I wouldn't buy anything in that price range with out taking a close look at it.  No sense driving 500 miles to decide you don't like the trailer.  Be patient, there are lots of trailers for sale now as people are cutting back on their budgets.  People getting rid of their horses may also want to get rid of their equipement.

I'm sure you can find a good dependable trailer in your price range, But like the princess that had to kiss a lot of frogs. You will have to look at a lot of trailers.

Look for a trailer tha appears to be well cared for.  Are the tires worn, is rust creeping all over the trailer, do some of the trailer lights not work, is there old manure in the trailer . These all show that the owner doesn't pay attention to maintainence.  If he has good tires, all the wiring works, the hitch appears greased and fully operational. the jack goes up and down easily, all hinges swing open ( hopefully with out big squeeks), trailer floor is clean and solid. No rust or rust spots of have touched up with some touch up paint all show the owner cares about his equipement.

When you go to look at a trailer, Open every door and try every latch. Make sure they have not rusted shut. Crank the jack. Does it work. Plug in the trailer and see if the lights work.  hook up the trailer and pull forward. Hand operate the brake controller and see if the brakes work, ask when the last time the bearings were packed. Make sure the mats are out and look at the floor materials.

Good Luck

If the economy keeps going south and the stock market continues as it has today, I'm sure you'll soon be able to find a decent trailer for a real good price.

Chiefsfan, I'm located just a few miles south from you. Holton Trailer in Gardner and Cooper Trailer in Grain Valley are very reputable trailer dealers and can also assist in helping you find a safe trailer. I have gone through 5 trailers in the last 6 years. Luckily hubby is mechanically inclined and is very patient with my trailer needs and wants. It helps having a horse husband.

I used a bumperpull stock trailer for 12 years before deciding to bite the bullet and buy a gooseneck. That is what bit me! First it was a basic LQ for camping (A/C and electric fridge and microwave) and I thought I had hit the big time by not sleeping in the back of the stock trailer. Then I moved onto a used full blown LQ that was 4'6" short wall - I determined after a year that was too small for both hubby and me when it rained. Sold it and bought a day bumper pull because the 14 foot short wall LQ we bought was too big to haul around for day trips. My current trailer is 15 short wall and I just bought the same gooseneck trailer shell I had with the small LQ to use as a day trailer, but without the LQ installed and it was the same price as the LQ trailer I sold. That was very HARD!! But hindsight is 20/20. I just prefer hauling a gooseneck for ease of traveling and accessing tack.

So my point is to determine on how you plan on using the trailer. Are you wanting to camp or just go to local rides and to the vet? If you have any desire to camp, I'd go with the gooseneck. I found my friend a very nice bumper pull stock with managers in the front for under $3500 from this site. I think if you come up with 3-4k, you should be able to find a safe, nice looking steel trailer.

Also Horsefest in Springfield from March 13-15 is a great place to go and meet trailer dealers and see what kinds of trailer they sell. This will give you a good idea of what brands you like for a used trailer.

Wow you guys...I can't get over how friendly & helpful everyone has been!!!  I can't tell you how much I appreciate all this!

PaintedHorse, you have a GREAT checklist that will be very helpful for sure!!  FlyingHFarm, I have started talking to some horse friends & spreading the word that I will be looking soon, but since I have to wait for the money to hit the bank I haven't been too aggressive yet.  Great tips though & I will follow up on them soon.  Luckeys71, I hate to hear you had such a bad experience with your trailer!!  I don't think I'd buy one off eBay unless it was a local trailer that I could go look at first, and your experience just confirms that...unfortunatley for you!  :o/  trguy4820...shoot...wish I'd posted this last week!  Your trailer sounds like it may have just fit the bill for me.  Oh well, hopefully I'll find one even closer that is as good a deal!

And finally, ponytammy, thanks so much for the suggestions of local dealers!  I will try to go visit each of these places soon & see if I can't get an experienced salesperson to help me with some answers & guidance.  If I go before the money hits the bank account it will prevent me from making an impulse buy!!  :o)  I got quite a kick out of your trailer buying experiences!  Hubby would KILL me if I did that!  LOL!  I think at least for the next few years I'll mostly be using this trailer for local rides & vet trips, etc.  I don't have many horse riding buddies close to me so I have to travel 30 miles or so to ride with friends...so I don't need fancy, but safety is a major concern, regardless of how short the distance.

One more question for you all...can you give me pros & cons of aluminum vs. steel?  I wanted to check into aluminum because I figured the lighter trailer would be easier for my 1/2 ton to pull...but is steel much better/safer?

THANKS so much to you ALL!!!  Off to bed now to dream about trailers!  :o)

Kim   

US Rider just published an article in their eNewsletter on shopping for a used trailer.  Has some good tips:

http://cde.cerosmedia.com/1R499a9bce41daf012.cde/page/18

Thanks again to everyone who has posted here!  Because of your great tips I have compiled a nice list of things to look for during my trailer search.  I also found some new articles with great info.  We're going to visit a dealer this Saturday (hubby wants to go too...yeah!) so I'm sure we'll get more info there.  We're going to try to just "look", but if we can negotiate a good enough deal on a cheaper trailer...ya just never know!  :o)  Due to our limited knowledge, it sounds like we might be good candidates for buying a new (or nearly new) low-end trailer.  I'm getting really excited! 

Again, thanks to you ALL for all the great help!

Kim

I only skimmed through this... 

Is your F150 a V8 or V6? Is it a regular cab or extended cab, or crew cab? Short bed or long bed? 

The "bumper" hitch... You are talking about what is UNDER the truck, correct? not actually ON the bumper? 

If you are using the factory-installed hitch, below the bumper, you have a maximum of 5000 pounds with 500 pounds tongue weight without using a weight distribution hitch.

I went to a gooseneck in my F150 (V8, Ext Cab, rated at 9300-9600 tow with GN);  because the hitch was only a little more expensive than the WDH but much easier to hook up to the trailer.

Too bad you are so far away. I bet there will be more and more trailers for sale in SE Michigan as more and more auto workers tighten their belts.

Hi Gabz.  I'll tell you what I know about my truck, but I'm certainly no "gear-head"!  :o)  I have a 2003 F-150 Super-cab, XLT, short bed flareside (6.5'), V8, FX4 Off-Road Pkg w/the factory installed tow package...6,000 lb. max w/600 lb tongue weight.  (I don't even know what a weight distribution hitch is!)  :o) The engine is a 5.4 litre Triton, or something like that.  The 4 wheel drive does not work right though...got it fixed once before & now it's not working again, so I just never count on it.

I think I may have misread this, but you're not saying you almost doubled your towing capacity by switching from BP to GN, are you?  If you see anything in my truck specs that I should keep in mind when trailer shopping, please let me know.  I saw a trailer online that I like & it weighs 2,420 lbs., so I thought I should be safe if I haul two average sized QHs in that...even though I'll only be hauling one horse in it 90% of the time.

Oh, and I didn't even think about that, but we have a couple assembly plants just north of KC.  I know a lot of people are worried about their jobs.  Bad deal.  :o(

Thanks for your post!

Kim

I'm sorry, but I have just a couple more questions for all of you.  We're going to a dealership this weekend to look at some trailers.  Of the trailers on their Web site that we might be able to manage (financially), there are a few stock trailers (6x12, 5x14 & 6x16), a 2 horse straight load & a 2 horse slant load.  Of the three styles, I'd love to hear some hands on opinions on which are best & easiest for the horses.  What about a 5' wide trailer?  Can most horses turn around easily in a 5' if needed? 

I know a lot of this is personal preference, but since I don't have much experience with them, I don't have a preference yet.  I'd love to hear some of your preferences/opinions.

Thanks so very much!

Kim

If it was me looking I would go with the 6' wide by 16' slat load, it will give your horse's more room my BP was a 16 x 6 three horse with one divider in it and when I hauled two of my horse's it was not to bad but when I put a third horse in it they were a little cramped, and harder to load when your horse's are moving around, but two of my horse's are big and the other one was a little smaller, and when you have horse's that like to go in the trailer to go trail riding like mine do, I had wished my was a slat load, my new one is a four horse slat load and I love it, and as far as your truck go I would not worry you will be fine hauling two horse's around I did it for years with a Ram 1500

Good Luck this weekend

P.S. ask Gard he knows his stuff about trailers and he has had more experiences than I do, and he is very help full, he has helped me with advise with the conversion of my dress room into a weekender

I got a trailer just like the one listed here, we use it for pick up and delivery and for breaking them to load haul and tie. Ours is 6' 6" wide and 7' tall. Hauls two horses easly, I have slant loaded three in there. Two 15.2 TWH mares and one 13 hand Icelandic...... That was a bit tight but it can be done. Try to stay with at least 6' or 7' wide, wider is better!!

http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=186201

How many horses are you planning on hauling? Kansas Taxes will be a bunch cheaper if you go with a 12 foot stock type trailer instead of going to 16'. Also, I would recommend getting removeable plexi-panels if you go the stock route. You will want to enclose the trailer in the winter to keep rain and snow from getting inside the trailer. What dealer are you going to?

I prefer slant load so I can push the dividers against the wall to haul mare and foals, or other items like furniture. Can't do that too easily with a straight load. I would recommend at least 6'9 or 7' foot wide and 7' tall.

We've owned in order, a 2H BP straight load, a 4H BP straight load, a 3H BP stock/ combo slant load, and now two 3H GN slant loads. By far the most useful hauler was the 3H BP. We kept it about 15 years, and towed it behind three different vehicles. It's 7' wide, 7' high and 18' long open floor plan and ability to adapt to any load situation was welcomed. With a wide open one piece tail gate, any horse would load. With both a moveable and removable forward bulkhead, the dressing area could be utilized as part of the main load. The stall dividers could be also removed as needed.

It was the most versatile trailer we've owned, and there are many times I wish we still had it. We have our present trailers because of the comfortable amenities they afford. However, they are unable to haul anything other than horses, as well as the stock trailer.

Every trailer's ownership will involve some compromises. You will have to determine what you want from it, and find the one in which you will have to give up the least of your goals.

BOL  Gard

Thanks to all for your posts.  I'm anxious to see all the trailers, but I also know I'm going to get all "giddy" and, of course, I'll want the most expensive one!  :o) 

Ponytammy, thanks for pointing out taxes in KS...I hadn't even thought about that.  I did, however, call the Miami County Appraiser's office & they said they only go by model year, year of purchase & cost...so size really doesn't matter!  ;o)   

We are planning to go to Cooper Trailer this Saturday (tomorrow).  If we have time we'll spin by Holton too, but Cooper has a much greater selection nearer our price range than Holton, and we may not have time to go to both.

I called Cooper the other day & they had one used trailer that was going to be around $2,000...but it's only 5' wide.  The vast majority of the time I'll only be hauling one horse, occasionally two horses, and I'm sure there will be a rare case when I'll wish I could haul three, but that won't happen enough to buy a 3 horse for much more money.  My husband mentioned the other night that if we can get this as a "starter" trailer, when the time comes to get me a new truck we can look into a new trailer then too.  We'll definitely get a truck w/a gooseneck hitch next time too, just so we have more options.

Thanks again for all the help!  If anyone thinks of anything else, please feel free to offer it up.  I'll post again tomorrow night & let you all know what happened at the dealership.  :o)

Kim

Thanks for the tips on the 5' trailers, as well as the Cherokee brand.  The place we're going tomorrow seems to have all Calico in our price range.  If anyone is interested, here's a link to the ones we're going to look at.  The top five are within the realm of possiblity if we can finance part of it...the WW is the 5' wide one.  http://coopertrailers.net/trailers.asp?SRT1=C_price  I think I could be happy with the cheapest one, but I'd really like a tack area, so that bumps us up to the slant loads.  :o/  We'll see...supposedly they have a few used ones that are not on their site too, and we can always come home with nothing & then watch the paper & CraigsList.

Kim

A word of caution on the entry level trailers;  Some times they try to save cost by putting brakes on only one axle.  You WANT brakes on both axles, saftey is not where to try and save a dollar. 

Brakes can usually be added to the idler axle for about $200 plus labor.

Good luck.

Edit, coming "home with nothing" the first few times is usually a good thing.

Yes, the brakes basically just bolt on and the idler hub is replaced with brake drum. 

Just make sure whoever does it upgrades the brake wire if necessary.  Single axle brakes often come with 16 gauge wire which is not sufficient for the 12 amps drawn by 4 brakes.

Stock type trailers come in an assortment of HEIGHTS.  You want a 6'9" or taller.  7' or 7'6" is really great. less head bumping!!  but not typical of stocks.

ANOTHER thing to ask about is galvaneal steel versus untreated. Galvaneal will hold up much better. If you have bad winter weather, you WANT the slat covers. Otherwise, all the rain and snow comes in and will rot your floor. You can't tarp, because the tarp will rub the paint off. You CAN buy special trailer covers though that will NOT rub the paint. Look in ValleyVet catalogs or online. They sell trailer covers.

No. I didn't double my tow capacity with a GN, but I think I doubled my SAFETY factor.  The tow capacity of the trucks are based on engine, frame, length, and rear axle ratio. 4WD decreases tow capacity because it adds weight to the tow vehicle. Also tow vehicle payload affects how much you can tow. There are charts available. But with a 2500 pound trailer and 2500 pounds of horses and tack, you should be okay.

If you get weight distribution hitch, you can tow as much from the frame receiver or more than a GN. Your receiver should show another set of numbers .. .weight carrying or something like that. 

With the GN, the problem is lack of payload. The stupid trucks can tow lots, but they have NO PAYLOAD... grrrrr...  So that's what limits me. 

Can't help you with the 4WD thing. I think it was the new body styles... 2004.. that they had trouble. You can STILL check at your dealership about a Tech Update. What happened with my 2004 (under warranty) was that there was an opening that allowed snow to get in someplace and the truck only went in 4wd - 4WD would not disengage. Then, that melted and then froze. The dealership near me was the place that made a fix and then submitted it as a engineering upgrade. They basically made some kind of flap.

I have an 06 now. better than the 04. I'll wait for the 2010s next. I hope.

How tall are you horses? 6'6" is the old standard for trailers. 7' tall is better for resale and less likely to scalp a horses head (been there). Also, the County only told you half the story on the taxes. The combined weight of your truck and trailer is what you pay taxes on for the tag in addition to the value of the trailer. This is in addition to the sales tax you will pay. I just paid taxes on my 3-horse gooseneck and about fell out of the chair with the cost!! Also if the title states stock trailer/ versus horse you should be able to pay less taxes if you have other livestock and can claim the trailer is used for ag use. However, You can claim ag use on a "horse" trailer if you have a horse business (not LQ trailers though).

Have you seen this trailer listing? Having removable plexi-glass is nice when hauling in cooler weather. Never heard of the brand, but it looks comparable to the brands you looked at today. http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=189648. Having the aluminum bright guard plates helps with rock dings in areas prone to paint chips which is what causes points of rust areas. With only hauling one horse I wouldn't be too concerned with the 6 foot width. But once again, a little wider is better for resale.

Did you price an Avalanche Titan trailer? This maybe more of what you are looking for. It is 7 foot tall and has plexi-glass panels along with the aluminum bright tread.

I've had a Titan Renegade gooseneck and it was a functional trailer. Galveneal is better than just regular auto paint, but it will still rust in this area. I do not like Titans dividers - I had difficulty getting them to extend out. My friend does too. And no they were not bent-Just a bad design for long term use in my opinion.

Are you set on a stock type trailer or do you want an actual horse trailer with dressing room? If you want an actual horse trailer that has dressing room and drops on the head I'd keep looking for a nice used trailer. A few months ago I sold a 2006 Trailswest 2-horse slant BP for $5500. I sold it because I didn't care for the single wide back door. That is something else to think about. Do you want a back tack in addition to the Dressing room? I find it easier to put tack away in the back tack versus dressing room - you don't have to step up with a saddle to put it away... I'm short and small so anything to make my life easier!

There are nice used trailers out there, and with Spring approaching there will more will be on the marker- just have to be fast in going to look at them. :) Make your want list with must haves then go out and look at all types of trailers. Horsefest in Springfield is a great place to look at trailer brands. Last year there was a bunch of stock and horse BPs there. Good luck.

Our horses range from 14 to 15.2 hh...QHs.  Not TOO tall & we've not had a problem so far w/our 6'6" trailer...knock on wood.  :o/  That's very frustrating if MiCo gave us incomplete information!  I asked specifically if those were the only criteria in determining the taxes, and she kept repeating that it was only model year, year of purchase & cost.  I even gave her all that info on one of the trailers we were looking at & she figured up the taxes for me...just to give me an idea of what I might have to pay.  I'll call them back & specifically ask about the combined weight & try to get this figured out.  Thanks for you help.

I had seen that ad for the trailer in Shawnee.  Our original thought was that if we were going to spend that much we'd buy from a reputable dealer.  I could get that Titan Challenger for less than what this lady is selling for.  To be perfectly honest, our heads are just spinning with all the options.  We started out wanting to spend $1,500 to get a basic, safe, used trailer...and now we're looking at brand new trailers nearing $5,000 or more.  sigh. 

I honestly don't have a preference right now as to the style...I can understand pros & cons of each.  We have been using an old two horse straight load for the past few years and it's worked out fine for us, but I dont' feel safe with it anymore, so I want a better one NOW.  :o)  My problem is that what I WANT & what I really NEED are varying drastically, and I think we need to just take a step back & think for a while about whether we need to get a cheaper trailer that will get us through for a couple of years until we can plan for a new trailer, or whether we'd be better off splurging & getting a nice, new (or nearly new) trailer that should last us many years. 

If we had the money to do it, we'd buy a new truck & a much nicer trailer w/all the options...but that just won't happen for a while.  We have too many other things that need to take  priority over that, and also, in this economy it's kinda scary to spend a ton on a great trailer...which, in reality, is not an absolute necessity.  There are very few instances that we HAVE to haul a horse...but I sure would LIKE to be able to do more things with the horses & I have to have a trailer that I feel safe in.  sigh.

Maybe I just need to sleep on this for a week or so & try to clear my head...then think about it again when I'm not so overwhelmed.  :o)

It's late now, so I'm definitely going to sleep on it tonight.  :o)  Thanks for all the info & help.  Let me mull this all around & have a few more discussions with hubby & I'm sure I'll be back to ask more questions soon!  :o)

Thanks so much!
Kim

Unfortunately, it seems you ALWAYS end up spending more than you had planned for.  Even though you have small horses, now, you never know when that 16.2hh fella walks into your life and if you think you might ever want to sell it, 6'6" is going to be hard to sell.  There are just too many big horses out there and they seem to be increasing.  I do have large horses and I thought my 7' tall trailer would be fine, until I got my horse into it.  She's fine as long as she is behaving (fortunately, she usually does), but she's spooked backing out a couple times and banged her head.  She, now, always wears a head bumper, even though she hasn't bumped her head in a long time.  My "next" trailer will have to be over 7 feet.

Since, you already have "basic transportation", take your time and you will eventually find just what you are looking for.  I've seen a few on here and on Craigslist recently that look like they would have served me well and for about what I ended up spending or even less. 

Yes so many options! That is why I love trailer shopping. :) I'd rather look at trailers than go to the mall!!

Think of the Challenger as a true stock type trailer mainly built for cattle use. The other trailers with the removeable plexi-glass are more of a stock combo trailer. Sounds like you need just a basic stock combo trailer for occasionally hauling. If you can afford it, I'd go with nicely used or new. Less headaches and less money in the long run for an older trailer that may require floor repairs, wiring issues, and old tires that will need replaced. You can easily find a newer trailer for under 5K. Just be patient a few more weeks and the trailers will start popping out of the wood work around here as the weather warms up.

You shouldn't have an issue with the combined weight for a 12 or 16 foot trailer. Just thought I'd mention it in case you splurged and ended up buying a gooseneck.  I had to go from a 8M Tag to a 12M tag - went from the BP to the gooseneck. And boy did the taxes jump along with the insurance. But I am happy now... at least until I get the itch to complete the DR into a small LQ like my other trailer had. Gotta find out if we even have jobs at the end of the month before I even go down that adventure. Or both trailers may be for sale. :( This is a scary economy, but it is a buyers advantage right now. Happy Trailer shopping - This is the fun part, enjoy it.

I am particular to CM's. THey build a solid trailer. We bought one over the net at http://www.oklahomatrailersales.com/ sight unseen. Had it delivered to Alb,NM. They were great to deal with. They sell other brands. I now have a 05 CM Legacy. I will buy CM's in a heartbeat.

azgrulla

PonyTammy ... on the Titan dividers... are you flipping the little tab on the bottom rail to get the divider to slide?  I spray lube mine. It's an 04 that I bought in 04 and I've not had trouble with the divider at all.  I have friends with Titans - other Avalanches, a Renegade and a Classic and they've not mentioned trouble.

Just wondering. 

I don't like the dividers because they are solid and the first horse can't see other horses loading. Seems to make whoever is first anxious. It also blocks air flow.  But... I'm sure there are drawbacks to barred ones too.

Mine had the little knob at the top that you had to hold up and then slide the divider out. We greased the heck out of the pin, the slider and the internal spring. To no avail, after several months the little knob would get stuck and I could barely pull the divider out. I just don't think Titan's design is functional for heavy use. My friend is having the same issue with the spring getting stuck and the bolt not extending fully to latch into the receiver hole. We haul a lot (3-4 times a week) especially from March - November. And then 1-2 times a month in the winter if the weather cooperates for trail riding.

I really like Titan trailers for their value and durability as a steel trailer, but I just wish they would look at remanufacturing the divider. Trailswest and Travalong have a much better divider set-up in my opinion.

And I agree with you on the solid divider wall. I too prefer "jail bars" to the solid. Down side is a very bossy small mare next to a big, but wimpy gelding. :) Lots of squeals.  Hee Hee

ha ha ha... sounds like where I work..

for a stock trailer, I really prefer the single, full-width door.  I use mine to haul all kinds of things besides horses, and the wide opening with no center post is a real plus.

Marla

I've enjoyed all the additional comments on the various trailer brands, options & styles.  Thanks to all who have posted.

As an update, I talked to a couple of friends today who are checking into trailers they know about to see if they might be a good fit for us.  Also, I'm checking into a trailer similar to that one Open Range 2 horse slant that is listed on HTW.  Does anyone know anything about the quaility of Open Range trailers?  Any experience or opinions to share?  Here's a link to their Web site with standard options for the trailer I'd be looking at - http://openrangetrailers.com/BUMPER.aspx .  See any red flags other than the fact that the second brake & the 3500 lb. torsion are add-ons?

Thanks!