Posted 2006-07-10 10:33 AM (#44347) Subject: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
New User
Posts: 2
Location: Pennsville, NJ
Hi. Sorry to repeat what may be an often asked question. Does anyone have recommendations for trailers for the big horses? I have the upheaded hitch Percherons that stand at 18 H or more. I would like to haul a minimum of two horses but probably two mares and two foals. I prefer a step-up (no ramp) and think I might prefer a bumper pull because I've never hauled a gooseneck. I'll probably be using a GMC 2500 diesel short (regular) bed, 4 door truck. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Posted 2006-07-10 11:57 AM (#44355 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Elite Veteran
Posts: 648 Location: Coconut Creek, FL
check the websites to see trailer height - but I have seen Sundowner, 4-Star, Hart list some trailers as 7'6" & 7'4". I imagine there are a few other brands as well. (possibly Elite, Platinum, Sooner, etc. )
Mine is 7'9" and I've had several draft and warmbloods in it and they had lots of headroom, but the manufacturer doesn't make them anymore.
Posted 2006-07-10 11:06 PM (#44403 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Expert
Posts: 1871 Location: NY
hello i have a draft horse belgin let me say that a gooessneck trailer is easyer than a bumper pull . the trailer i have is an eby 7'6 h stock combo i like ramps so i have two put on it is easyer on and off i hope this helps
Posted 2006-07-11 8:45 AM (#44410 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Malta, Il
We have a shire cross mare that is 16.3 and we just bought a sundowner 3h slant.We went with the extra height 7.6 trailer but only 7' wide . They make an 8' wide. You may be happier with a straight load with horses the size of yours. You would be better off with a goose neck trailer hauling those bigger horses, they pull so nice, weight is on the truck and you have better control.
Posted 2006-07-11 9:03 AM (#44411 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Expert
Posts: 2689
Not wishing to resurrect the slant vs straight load discussion yet again, but...
Be very careful with stall angle, length and width when looking at slant load trailers with LARGE horses in mind.
That said, my Jamco 2 horse Bumper pull is listed as 7ft 6inches interior height, but it is 7ft 9inches at the walls and a few inches more than that at the peak - measured from the TOP surface of 3/4 inch rubber mats.
I know the dealer (informally) hauled a very large Shire in it the week before I took delivery. He keeps Perchies and for him to say that the shire was large probably means that it was HUGE (-:
Posted 2006-07-11 9:59 AM (#44417 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Member
Posts: 13
Location: Alachua, Florida (Gainesville)
(Howdy, Reg!) I've got an 18hh, one-ton Percheron and just acquired a yearling Shire who promises to be just as bulky. After shopping trailers for over a year and being inundated with (often conflicting) information, I decided to call a couple of big-time professional haulers to get their opinions. I got lucky -- I ended up befriending the primary hauler for the Disney World draft teams. One of the things he stressed for my heavyweights was FLOORING. He told me to stay away from wood flooring, even though aluminum flooring would drive the price of my trailer up somewhat. While wood is easy to repair/replace and dampens road noise, he said he's seen way too many horses drop through a seemingly patent, solid wood floor onto the interstate at 75mph. (My vet confirmed this -- she's had to put several horses down along the side of I-75 and I-10 for this reason.) Just thinking about that gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Even though this hauler's rolling 6-horse luxury hotel is all-aluminum (a HUGE custom SideKick), he strongly recommended those companies that manufacture composites...that is, tubular steel frame with aluminum skin, floor, and roof -- all double-walled and insulated. Be aware that some composite manufacturers do not offer aluminum flooring. Because I'm on a budget, I looked hard at Sundowner and Merhow, and they each have their attributes. Merhow seems a little better put together, though, and the price points are pretty much the same. Definitely check out the Merhow review at http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/contribute/Homepage/MrTruck06...
Posted 2006-07-11 10:16 AM (#44419 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Member
Posts: 13
Location: Alachua, Florida (Gainesville)
BTW... Ditto for Reg's sentiments on slants, for a variety of reasons in addition to stall size. From what I've learned, there's not a slant-load out there that will comfortably accommodate a large draft.
And if your goal is to haul two mare/foal pairs -- that is, you wish to have two box stalls -- there are several manufacturers who make tall/wide stock-type trailers with a center divider, specifically for that purpose. I have yet to find one, however, that offers composite design (steel frame, aluminum skin) with an aluminum floor. The stock trailers I've found are either all-aluminum or have wood plank flooring. You may need to go with all-aluminum, but that gives you a wide selection (if your budget can withstand it).
My Perch, at parade rest, measures 7 feet from ground-to-eartip and is comfy with an extra 6" of headroom. You will likely be happy with a 7'6" tall trailer, but take note of the door clearance -- it can be a few inches lower.
Posted 2006-07-11 1:13 PM (#44430 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Elite Veteran
Posts: 648 Location: Coconut Creek, FL
Hawk trailers are aluminum skin and they will do alot of custome options for you. Friends of mine recently got a 3H GN that has a box stall in the front and two straight load stalls in the back.
I'm not sure of their floor construction, but you might even be able to get them to install a rumber or WERM floor which is better than aluminum.
There was a review on this website and it was quite good. The two that I have seen were well-made trailers.
Posted 2006-07-11 2:44 PM (#44441 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
New User
Posts: 2
Location: Pennsville, NJ
All great suggestions folks. Thanks so much. The Merhow looks like a fantastic trailer. I agree about the slant loads...way too small for my girls. I'll check out the Hawk too. Special thanks for the info about wood floors. I would not have thought they would be so flimsy.
Posted 2006-07-11 3:41 PM (#44443 - in reply to #44441) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Member
Posts: 13
Location: Alachua, Florida (Gainesville)
Hi again! With regard to the following:
To quote an earlier response: "...I'm not sure of their floor construction, but you might even be able to get them to install a rumber or WERM floor which is better than aluminum..."
Hawk, Trail-et, EquiSpirit all make great trailers, but to my knowledge none offer aluminum floors. (Don't hold me to this; their spec's may have changed since I last checked.)
Also, does WERM coating on wood plank make the plank completely impervious to moisture and rot? Wouldn't they have to coat the entire board -- all four sides and ends -- in order to make a board completely waterproof? (Don't forget that there's upsplash from wet roadways.)
I say this with respect for the attributes of wood flooring, but when you think about a one-ton draft horse abruptly shifting its weight to one leg with some kinetic force behind it, you're looking at supporting a focused live load of up to 2,500 psi, give or take. That's a LOT of impact pressure on a very small area. I would never want to test that with wood plank, even if the stringers (supporting cross-members) were 6" on center.
PS: No personal experience, but I've been told that Rumber is slick when wet (requiring shavings) and will bow under the weight of a hoof if the stringers (cross-member supports) are too far apart.
Posted 2006-07-12 7:09 AM (#44462 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Elite Veteran
Posts: 648 Location: Coconut Creek, FL
My '97 2H slant load trailer has a rumber floor and it's fantastic. My trailer is 7'9" tall and is warmblood size. I've had several draft and warmbloods in it and they fit just fine. The only issue I ever had with fitting a horse was a very long bodied TB. I was trailering him alone and couldn't close the divider. I just left it open to give him more room. The back stall is longer and he probably would have fit, but if I'm hauling one horse, I prefer to put them in the front stall. The trailer has an aluminum frame and is very well made thicker aluminum than most trailers and is very solid.
I mentioned WERM as I've seen it written about favorably on this board, but I am not familiar with the construction of it. I didn't realize it was a coating put on wood.
If a company is willing to do custom items they very well may install a rumber floor if requested. More and more of them are putting them in as a result of it's popularity. Keifer puts it in one of their models as a standard item.
Posted 2006-07-12 9:24 AM (#44468 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Regular
Posts: 51 Location: Grundy Center, IA
I live about 45 minutes from Waverly, IA, which is home to a very large draft horse auction every spring and fall. I usually make it to every sale on the day that most of the horses are arriving, and by far the majority of the draft horses are being hauled in gooseneck stock trailers. Very few are in enclosed horse trailers like you see at a riding horse sale. And most of these trailers are no taller than 7', quite a few are only 6'6". I personally would get one that is at least 7'6", but am amazed at how many are hauled in stock trailers that are only 6'6" tall.
Posted 2006-07-12 9:50 AM (#44471 - in reply to #44443) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Expert
Posts: 2689
Originally written by Dogtrot on 2006-07-11 3:41 PM
Hi again! With regard to the following:
...I'm not sure of their floor construction, but you might even be able to get them to install a rumber or WERM floor which is better than aluminum...
Hawk, Trail-et, EquiSpirit all make great trailers, but to my knowledge none offer aluminum floors. (Don't hold me to this; their spec's may have changed since I last checked.)
Also, does WERM coating on wood plank make the plank completely impervious to moisture and rot? Wouldn't they have to coat the entire board -- all four sides and ends -- in order to make a board completely waterproof? (Don't forget that there's upsplash from wet roadways.)
I say this with respect for the attributes of wood flooring, but when you think about a one-ton draft horse abruptly shifting its weight to one leg with some kinetic force behind it, you're looking at supporting a focused live load of up to 2,500 psi, give or take. That's a LOT of impact pressure on a very small area. I would never want to test that with wood plank, even if the stringers (supporting cross-members) were 6" on center.
=======
I think the problem with HEAVY horses on wood is that the normal tests for rot (or "softness") are inadequate for predicting whether or not the floor will take such a heavy point load. Sure, they have bigger feet and the pressure (psi) might not be any greater than that under a pony, but between supports there is a lot more total weight.
re WERM: I know that it can be hard to clean if you ever let manure dry on it. The surface is nicely non skid, but that DOES retain "stuff" that makes it harder than regular stall mats to just flush out. I'd worry about any rubber/rubberised sealant over wood, it might hide more than it would protect.
BTW, I'm in the "All aluminum" camp, where "All" excludes things like suspension sub-frame, gooseneck sub-frame, associated transitions needed between steel where needed, etc.
\R
4-Star, Jamco, EBY...
not cheap, but the horses don't know that.
Posted 2006-07-12 9:35 PM (#44514 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Member
Posts: 40 Location: Richmond, VA
www.equispirit.comThese folks make an XXL option that should work for your drafts. Also, they're steel frame, galvaneeled steel inner skin, and aluminum outer skin with a fiberglass roof w/roll bars. Wood floor.Safest trailer on the market, IMO. I think Hawk and Trail-Et also make a similar model w/similar safety features.I wouldn't ever own a full aluminum trailer b/c of metal fatigue.
Posted 2006-07-12 9:45 PM (#44515 - in reply to #44514) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Expert
Posts: 2689
Originally written by chevalnoir on 2006-07-12 9:35 PM
www.equispirit.comThese folks make an XXL option that should work for your drafts. Also, they're steel frame, galvaneeled steel inner skin, and aluminum outer skin with a fiberglass roof w/roll bars. Wood floor.Safest trailer on the market, IMO. I think Hawk and Trail-Et also make a similar model w/similar safety features.I wouldn't ever own a full aluminum trailer b/c of metal fatigue.
Metal fatigue ?
Really ?
I'd like to see your sources on that, I'm assuming you mean metal fatigue in horse trailers or some other trailers ?
Not the 1950s early jet airframe stories ?
Posted 2006-07-13 2:28 PM (#44579 - in reply to #44347) Subject: RE: Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
Elite Veteran
Posts: 720
Anheauser (sp??) Busch just took delivery of several more Jamco 4 horse head to head trailers for their use. I understand they shopped long & hard, went with what has worked well for years....
The Jamco floor is just awesome. A extruded plank running crossways. I-beam about every 4.5". Great for distributing the weight. And if that's not heavy enough, they have a HD floor...!
Draft Horse Trailer Recommendations
