Posted 2011-11-08 10:23 PM (#138804) Subject: merhow problems with warranty
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Winder, Georgia
Had my top double door(on the left side with a ramp) on my 2H Merhow Equistar hinge break! It also sheared the bolts on the flange that holds that side locked. Was very disappointed that the manufacturer will not cover this as it has never happened in 50 years. So I am having to pay for the door to be made, shipped, and installed. I think they stand behind their warranty......way behind it. I had told Dave of the problem last year when I had a friend's quarter horse's tail bloodied by the window trim on the back window. I put a tail bag on my big boy(17.2) but the quarter horse was only 16.2. Now it looks like I will be swinging the divider over, and using it as a box stall to haul my boy. I bought a 7'6" trailer as I am a tall person and need tall horses, but never figured that the trailer would not allow a tall horse to brace. The butt bar is too low, so horses in the trailer hit the door when bracing themselves, the butt bar is too low for a tall horse. I will never buy another Merhow! It is only a 2008, but may be listing it or trading it soon. Hoping the divider being over will help. I have a percheron, but he is not overweight. Doesn't touch on the sides and loads fine while standing, but when the trailer is moving he has nothing to brace with but his feet. So disappointed!
Any thoughts on the divider being over, or even taken out? I can leave the front chest doors on.
Posted 2011-11-09 7:26 AM (#138808 - in reply to #138804) Subject: RE: merhow problems with warranty
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Doesn't sound like a warranty issue to me, sounds like the horse's butt broke it all loose and pushed it out while rocking back and forth. Maybe your stalls could have been longer than 7'. I know Hawk builds a XXL trailer that has longer stalls for the larger horses. Why not relocate and raise that rear butt bar..... Or, add a second butt bar above the existing one. Breast bar probably needs to be raised also..... Trailer sounds as though it doesn't fit the horse....
Posted 2011-11-09 1:42 PM (#138825 - in reply to #138804) Subject: RE: merhow problems with warranty
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399 Location: Ottawa, Illinois 61350
I think you "hit it right on the head" Retento !! The horse is too big for the trailer; and not the trailer manufacturers fault. The "big boy" just needs a bigger trailer; no matter what the brand.
Posted 2011-11-09 7:44 PM (#138837 - in reply to #138808) Subject: RE: merhow problems with warranty
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Winder, Georgia
with the tubular design on the swing divider, the entire divider would have to be reworked to raise the butt bar. He is only on the door when he needs to brace, and doesn't seem to be bothered by the chest door.
Merhow has an xl, but I had my local dealer measure the height of the bar in them, same problem.
plus the windows are too low, the trim at the bottom of the bars bloodies their tail bones(even with my friend's tall quarter horse), so I use a tail protector on my big boy. He would have the same problem with a slant load, his rear would be on the windows. Hubby bolted a piece of floor matting on the bottom half of the window, so that problem was fixed and still have air flow through the top half of the windown.
I think it is a design flaw, a tall horse trailer that can't have a tall horse in the stalls.
Posted 2011-11-10 5:55 AM (#138845 - in reply to #138804) Subject: RE: merhow problems with warranty
Member
Posts: 48
LOVE my Merhow. Granted, mine is a slant, but my uber long bodied 17.1H Dutch WB never had an issue. It too sounds like the trailer may be a little small, regardless if the 16.2H rubbed his tail. I thought my trailers were big to accommodate my large horse. My neighbor just bought a used trailer that had been custom built for a Percheron driving team. Holy cow. Big difference.
Posted 2011-11-10 8:43 PM (#138863 - in reply to #138837) Subject: RE: merhow problems with warranty
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by JoAnne on 2011-11-09 7:44 PM
with the tubular design on the swing divider, the entire divider would have to be reworked to raise the butt bar. He is only on the door when he needs to brace, and doesn't seem to be bothered by the chest door.
Merhow has an xl, but I had my local dealer measure the height of the bar in them, same problem.
plus the windows are too low, the trim at the bottom of the bars bloodies their tail bones(even with my friend's tall quarter horse), so I use a tail protector on my big boy. He would have the same problem with a slant load, his rear would be on the windows. Hubby bolted a piece of floor matting on the bottom half of the window, so that problem was fixed and still have air flow through the top half of the windown.
I think it is a design flaw, a tall horse trailer that can't have a tall horse in the stalls.
Post picture of your horse in the trailer with the butt bare in place...and one with the ramp up with the horse in place
Posted 2011-11-10 9:32 PM (#138864 - in reply to #138804) Subject: RE: merhow problems with warranty
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Winder, Georgia
I plan to this weekend, I just got it back from the rv repair place, we are waiting for the door, so my boy's butt is in the breeze! Got a girls' gettaway weekend planned. But the local dealer is working with me to try to find a solution. If it is just a longer stall, I'll go for the xl, but if it is the height of the bar, then I have to look at a different arrangements in the back. Plus when I haul him tommorrow, he will have the divider swung over and secured so he has the whole back area to use to brace if he needs it.
We'll see how it goes and what the dealer finds to help me with.
Ya'll have a nice weekend, I am outta here until sunday night!
Posted 2011-11-11 9:47 AM (#138874 - in reply to #138804) Subject: RE: merhow problems with warranty
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534 Location: Zionsville, Indiana
Just a thought, JoAnne. Have someone else drive your rig, and you ride back there with your horse. You need to see what he is doing, not just the results. You have several times used the term "brace". Many horses ride well in any trailer without touching the walls or dividers. Some horses push their butts against a divider, door, or wall just because that's the way they like to stand, regardless of the size of the trailer, not necessarily because they need to brace themselves.
If you do this, be sure there is a divider between you and the horse, and have a cell phone already dialed to the driver's phone, just ready to push the button if you need to escape or just to have the trailer stop. Be sure to go around a few corners while you are back there.
Posted 2011-11-11 12:04 PM (#138877 - in reply to #138874) Subject: RE: merhow problems with warranty
Member
Posts: 22
Location: 03303
Originally written by Kay on 2011-11-11 9:47 AM
Just a thought, JoAnne. Have someone else drive your rig, and you ride back there with your horse. You need to see what he is doing, not just the results. You have several times used the term "brace". Many horses ride well in any trailer without touching the walls or dividers. Some horses push their butts against a divider, door, or wall just because that's the way they like to stand, regardless of the size of the trailer, not necessarily because they need to brace themselves.
If you do this, be sure there is a divider between you and the horse, and have a cell phone already dialed to the driver's phone, just ready to push the button if you need to escape or just to have the trailer stop. Be sure to go around a few corners while you are back there.
Better, safer, and legal is to install a video camera in the horse area. It doesn't have to be a live feed, as you can watch the tape later if you use video cassettes. As you start to identify the specific area where the problem is, you can adjust the camera to film just that area.
merhow problems with warranty
Had my top double door(on the left side with a ramp) on my 2H Merhow Equistar hinge break! It also sheared the bolts on the flange that holds that side locked. Was very disappointed that the manufacturer will not cover this as it has never happened in 50 years. So I am having to pay for the door to be made, shipped, and installed. I think they stand behind their warranty......way behind it. I had told Dave of the problem last year when I had a friend's quarter horse's tail bloodied by the window trim on the back window. I put a tail bag on my big boy(17.2) but the quarter horse was only 16.2. Now it looks like I will be swinging the divider over, and using it as a box stall to haul my boy. I bought a 7'6" trailer as I am a tall person and need tall horses, but never figured that the trailer would not allow a tall horse to brace. The butt bar is too low, so horses in the trailer hit the door when bracing themselves, the butt bar is too low for a tall horse. I will never buy another Merhow! It is only a 2008, but may be listing it or trading it soon. Hoping the divider being over will help. I have a percheron, but he is not overweight. Doesn't touch on the sides and loads fine while standing, but when the trailer is moving he has nothing to brace with but his feet. So disappointed!
