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New User
Posts: 3
Location: Virginia | I am looking to replace what has been my basic "starter" bp trailer for many years with a 3h GN slant. I like the stock combo trailers b/c it seems that they would provide the most airflow in our hot/humid summers and are more open and inviting inside. Some of the trailer dealers I talked too try to steer me away from the stock combos and recommend an enclosed trailer... Any recommendations on the pros and cons? For reference, I've been comparing the 4Star stock combo and the Elite Mustang. Most of the used Elite Mustangs I've seen only have the sliding bus windows on the rear and that doesn't look like a lot of air would move in there but I have never had an enclosed trailer, so I'm not sure. Any help is appreciated! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 434
 
Location: Brooksville, Fl | I have owned both and a lot depends on the type of riding you do and where you do it. Both of my trailers were LQ's. I live in Florida and always felt the stock combo was more flexible and I liked the air flow so that's what I bought. I had mine made so it had plexi that fit into it for rainy weekends at shows or camping. I hauled a horse and carriages to many CDE's all over the East Coast. When my husband and I decided that trail riding was a bit less work and a lot of fun I went with an enclosed trailer. It's much easier to just close the windows when the weather is bad than to put in plexi. Also, our LQ was limited and we stored a lot in the horse area. Even with the plexi in we got some water in the trailer. This became a big pain in the butt so our replacement trailer is enclosed. I would recommend big drop downs and drops on the butt side if you go with an enclosed trailer. Our trailer has very large windows on the butt side which works well. I should have ordered at least 1 butt side winow a drop down but we still have plenty of air flow. Our ceiling is insulated as well which helps a lot. If you're not getting a LQ and not worried about storage in the horse area then I think a stock combo is a very good way to go. |
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Member
Posts: 8
Location: Utah | Logan make a great stock combo at a great price! The airflow is great and you can get it with plexiglasss to go in the air slots to make it all enclosed! Pull great and they are very good to haul whatever you need. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 373
Location: Texas | do you drive many dirt/gravel roads? Nice to be able to close up windows to keep dust out. |
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New User
Posts: 3
Location: Virginia | That's a good point - I do live off a gravel road...
Thanks for all the comments - very helpful!
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 Expert
Posts: 1877
 
Location: NY | I like the stock combo |
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| the stock combos are nice, |
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| Nothing will flow more air than air cracks with plexiglass removed,nothing. However, these designs cannot stop water as well as drop down doors. It is a trade off. My experience has been to create "draft" by opening air inlet forward and exhausting it at the rear via drop down doors at head and in rear door or doors. It all depends on climate. When trailer is parked for long periods with horses loaded as in fuel or food stops in hot climates doors or air cracks need to be opened on all sides for air flow. Drop down doors on both sides and rear doors seem to be very efficient under these conditions. You are correct in you're assumption that bus windows do little for air flow, particularly when sitting still. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 274
Location: Memphis, TN | I like the stock combo as well. Slide plexiglass in during winter trips. |
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New User
Posts: 3
Location: Virginia | I keep hearing that horses loaded with slant dividers in a stock combo get a lot of rain, dirt, etc. blowing right into their faces.... Is this really a problem? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 434
Location: Brooksville, Fl | I have never had an issue with the horses getting stuff on them in the stock trailer. One lady asked me about their faces once as I was unloading at a horse camp in Tn after driving there from Florida and I thought it was kind of a funny question. The way the sides were made, there was a large slat that the horses could actually place their eyes behind if they wanted. Most of the time they were watching the world go by. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 322
Location: Fort Madison, Iowa | I've owned both and prefer having the enclosed trailer. Sounds strange but some friends and I decided to get in the back of our trailers and take a drive around the campground to see what it was like inside for the horses. My trailer had the slats in it at the time and I didn't have enough air circulation so I pulled out the slats and never put them back in.A couple of things I noticed as a disadvantage with the slats out was the rain coming in. Sometimes while camping I'd like to keep stuff in the back but had to move it if it rained. The trailer was a steel trailer and when I look down where the slats should have been, it started to rust inside. I thought it was a pain to put the slats back in so I didn't. In the Fall when it's cooler, I was concerned about it being too cold for the horses after having one shivering once so I bought a blanket to help with that. I have drop windows with sliders in the front and the back has sliders in the window and back door. I also have roof vents that turn two ways and I turn them where the air comes in on the horse. I'm lucky where the horse area is insulated but I feel there's plenty of air circulation and don't find my horse sweating in the trailer.If I have a choice, I'd have an enclosed trailer and open everything up and it should give enough circulation on the hot days and give you an option of closing up and keeping dry during the rainy days. |
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Member
Posts: 22
Location: Ontario, Canada | We had a half stock and now have an enclosed trailer . Our kids took a lesson about 30 minutes away last night and it gave me piece of mind that they didnt have a cool wind blowing on them after there work out. On the half stock trailer we had screens on the windows as I was more concerned with them having something blow up their nose cavity's also.But I'll let you know how I feel in the HOT summer months...maybe we will have to take that idea of going for a ride in the back also. |
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Expert
Posts: 1877
Location: NY | I use Plexiglas on my and it keeps the rain out in the winter I use blankets |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534
Location: Zionsville, Indiana | In hot weather, having the roof insulated is probably just as important as air flow. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | We had a BP steel stock combo with slant stalls for many years. Our horse trailers are rarelly used during the winter months. One time we had to transport a horse to the vet during poor weather. When we arrived home, the horse's face was covered with snow and ice. Before the Spring season started, I permanately closed in the slat panels with plexiglass. In our part of the country, the summer seasons don't involve many truly hot days, so the opening above the rear door and lower roof provided the necessary exhaust for the front vents. We kept the trailer for several years after that mod, and were very much keen on the increased weather protection and horse comfort it afforded. When I later restored the trailer, I painted the roof white, which greatly aided in reducing the interior ceiling's temperature. Our present horse trailers are inclosed with moveable windows, a feature that easily allows the correct weather protection or ventilation as it is needed. In my opinion, the choice between windows and slats would be dependent on your local weather, and the distances involved in your trailering. Both have advantages and disadvantages; your personal usage will dictate which is best for your needs. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 781
Location: La Cygne, KS | If you can afford the regular Elite, order drops on head and hip. Best of both worlds for hot and cold trailering conditions. |
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stock combo or enclosed trailer?
