He posted the trailer info on one of my horse lists a few months ago. I don't know if I would haul my ponies in that 5th wheel. Hum...looks like someone fix the rear end themselves. Kinda makes me wonder about the stall floors. Also that gap between the two ramps ....gives me the willies. Looking forward to hearing every one's comments on this 5th wheel horse hauler.
Posted 2007-03-03 7:38 AM (#56658 - in reply to #56648) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Veteran
Posts: 148 Location: columbia tn
i would not take my horse in it,i would be scared of the floor system it must be really heavy to have three sets of tires on it... just my two cents worth i would not use it if it was given to me but then again i have seen some really rough horsetrailers pull into camp before that made me scheiver.. happy trails
Posted 2007-03-03 12:18 PM (#56667 - in reply to #56658) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 379 Location: Columbia, TN
This looks like Ralph Branson's old trailer. He was the guy that started the CCTR at Emminence and when he sold it to Jim Smith he used to come in it until his health started to go. It wasn't too bad back in the early 80's.
Posted 2007-03-03 10:00 PM (#56680 - in reply to #56648) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 500 Location: West TN
I am almost certain I have seen this one. I remember hearing that the man say that the floor had been reinforced to handle the load. I have a camper and trailer both. I wouldn't think about doing this with one. However, I saw a couple bring in some horses last year in one of those "toy hauler" campers meant for four-wheelers. I think their common sense left them when they bought that thing to haul horses in. At least he tried to make some stalls. Gotta give him credit for being creative when he came up with it.
Posted 2007-03-06 11:34 AM (#56775 - in reply to #56648) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Expert
Posts: 1283 Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey
I can't blame the guy for trying. My wife and I had this conversation last fall. We started out in a 4' shortwall, then went to an 8', then we adopted a little boy and went to an 11' then the last one was 14'(36' overall). Long story short they don't make a horse trailer big enough for a family(not the trailer peoples fault). When I got up in the morning(6am) I had to leave the trailer, my son was asleep on the dinette, where am I suposed to go? Sit on the toilet and drink my coffee? So now here I am outside in the cold, rain, whatever having no fun. So we decided to sell the horse trailer. With the proceeds from the trailer we bought a 32' fifth wheel with 2 slide-outs and Bunk beds, a used 3 horse bumper pull, and a used truck to pull the bumper pull with. Now when we camp with horses(3 times last year) we will both be driving. When we camp without horses (8 times last year) we will have all the room in the world. So before you laugh at the guy camping in the fifth wheel at the horse camp, you might want to step up in it and see how well he is living compared to your little horse trailer.
Posted 2007-03-06 12:40 PM (#56779 - in reply to #56775) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Regular
Posts: 62 Location: Western Wisconsin
I agree with HWBar. We're at the same place (young kids, no room). You can get a lot of camper for the buck compared to buying a large enough LQ for a family of four. And when we only camp 2-3 times a year with the horses it seems to make a lot more sense. We are camper shopping, but will keep the truck camper for those few times a season we take the horses along. There just doesn't seem to be a perfect setup that will suit our needs, short of spending $$$$$ for a reasonable LQ.
Posted 2007-03-06 1:49 PM (#56780 - in reply to #56648) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Veteran
Posts: 167 Location: Monroe, WA
Holy Cow! He's putting two riding-size animals BEHIND the axles?????? even at "only" 800 pounds apiece for average riding mule, that's 1600 pounds minimum of LIVE WEIGHT aft of the axles...... can you spell TAIL SWING???
I wouldn't haul that thing across the road with stock in it. We had a 32' travel trailer that came with the fresh water tankage (150 gallons!!!) aft of the axles under the bed. Those tanks came OUT after the first short haul. Stupidest thing ever thought of from a safe pulling perspective.
Posted 2007-03-06 2:22 PM (#56782 - in reply to #56648) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 602 Location: md
I used to ride wia guy that lived in Gettysburg, Pa that had one just like that. He used to go all over the place .and I think his health finally got him.
Posted 2007-03-06 7:11 PM (#56791 - in reply to #56775) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
Long story short they don't make a horse trailer big enough for a family(not the trailer peoples fault). When I got up in the morning(6am) I had to leave the trailer, my son was asleep on the dinette, where am I suposed to go? Sit on the toilet and drink my coffee? So now here I am outside in the cold, rain, whatever having no fun. So we decided to sell the horse trailer. With the proceeds from the trailer we bought a 32' fifth
Your new home-on-wheels sounds nice. Last fall, I got a 1993 Class A RV 25' adn I am so looking forward to horse camping in it. I have been wanting a real toilet and shower for years.
Posted 2007-03-06 9:59 PM (#56803 - in reply to #56754) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Expert
Posts: 2614
Well,I don't think Mr.Branson is putting anything in it any longer.I'm not sure if he is still around,even.
But,looks like it worked for him while he was able to make it work,and he had a good time in the process.
I'm not saying I would choose it but who am I to look down on something somebody else has? You might not think too much of my first little trailer,an old Champion.But it got us there and back.
He posted the trailer info on one of my horse lists a few months ago. I don't know if I would haul my ponies in that 5th wheel. Hum...looks like someone fix the rear end themselves. Kinda makes me wonder about the stall floors. Also that gap between the two ramps ....gives me the willies. Looking forward to hearing every one's comments on this 5th wheel horse hauler.
Perhaps you have it confused with another trailer. We have not listed it anywhere else.
Posted 2007-03-10 8:08 PM (#56964 - in reply to #56648) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Regular
Posts: 53 Location: Belle, MO
Originally written by HWBar on 2007-03-03 5:13 AM
This guy was at Eminence Mo. about two years ago for the fall ride, it looks worse in person.
There must be some confusion. This trailer has not been at CCTR in many many years.
Originally written by kershawsowner on 2007-03-03 7:38 AM
i would not take my horse in it,i would be scared of the floor system it must be really heavy to have three sets of tires on it... just my two cents worth i would not use it if it was given to me but then again i have seen some really rough horsetrailers pull into camp before that made me scheiver.. happy trails
You are correct. It is very heavy. It does not have a regular camper floor.
Originally written by robdnorm on 2007-03-03 10:00 PM
I am almost certain I have seen this one. I remember hearing that the man say that the floor had been reinforced to handle the load. I have a camper and trailer both. I wouldn't think about doing this with one. However, I saw a couple bring in some horses last year in one of those "toy hauler" campers meant for four-wheelers. I think their common sense left them when they bought that thing to haul horses in. At least he tried to make some stalls. Gotta give him credit for being creative when he came up with it.
This is not an aftermarket conversion of a 5th wheel trailer. Mr. Branson approached the Carriage company and asked them to design this for him. It was built from the ground up with this purpose in mind.
Remember this was in the time before LQ trailers. It is a very creative idea. We build very large luxury LQ's, but it's still hard to get that much room. Not to mention being able to walk up to and around the bed.
Originally written by halfpint23 on 2007-03-06 1:49 PM
Holy Cow! He's putting two riding-size animals BEHIND the axles?????? even at "only" 800 pounds apiece for average riding mule, that's 1600 pounds minimum of LIVE WEIGHT aft of the axles...... can you spell TAIL SWING???
I wouldn't haul that thing across the road with stock in it. We had a 32' travel trailer that came with the fresh water tankage (150 gallons!!!) aft of the axles under the bed. Those tanks came OUT after the first short haul. Stupidest thing ever thought of from a safe pulling perspective.
Actually this trailer pulls better with the weight in the back to balance it. There is a lot of weight in the front. It was designed that way. This trailer has been pulled all over the country without incident.
Originally written by crowleysridgegirl on 2007-03-06 9:59 PM
Well,I don't think Mr.Branson is putting anything in it any longer.I'm not sure if he is still around,even.
But,looks like it worked for him while he was able to make it work,and he had a good time in the process.
I'm not saying I would choose it but who am I to look down on something somebody else has? You might not think too much of my first little trailer,an old Champion.But it got us there and back.
More power to you,Mr.Ralph.
Yes, Ralph passed away several years ago. His daughter had been using it, but she is now widowed and is not able to pull it herself. Rather than leaving it in storage, she is selling it so that someone else can get more years of service and enjoyment from it.
I understand that this a very unusual trailer. If you have questions, feel free to contact me directly and I'll be more than happy to answer them.
Posted 2007-03-10 10:38 PM (#56972 - in reply to #56963) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
Perhaps you have it confused with another trailer. We have not listed it anywhere else.then one of your friends posted the trailer info on my yahoo groups horse list. he even sent me the photos. i'm sure yours is a one-of-kind trailer.
Posted 2007-03-10 11:05 PM (#56976 - in reply to #56648) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Veteran
Posts: 187 Location: KS
I seen a trailer built a lot like this a few years ago at Devils Den, AR. It's living quarters weren't quite as big, but the trailer was wide enough to fit 3 horses across in it. The young couple that had it, said that it was specially built for horses. It was really a neat trailer.
Posted 2007-03-11 6:14 AM (#56979 - in reply to #56648) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
Use to run into a guy on the trails that had converted a full size gas powered yellow school bus into a camper with bunks,bath,kitchen etc..He had a gooseneck hitch welded to the rear of it and pulled a gooesneck stock trailer behind it.Stock trailer eaither had his trail horse in it or a small driving horse and wagon.Once in a while wagon,driving horse and riding horse.Said it towed great.Ran into him for several years using this rig.
Posted 2007-03-25 6:20 PM (#57762 - in reply to #56648) Subject: RE: Check this one out!
Veteran
Posts: 164 Location: Delaware
About a year ago I came across a Western Horseman from the late 70's that had a full section on the 5th wheel camper/horsetrailers. This was before LQ were invented. I can't remember the companies but when I asked my father he said they were the top lines from 1970-80 era. The floorplan was nice and one had side and back ramps. He said he knew someone that had one and since had used it carrying motorcycles. He said the floor was heavy braced and balanced differently for the additional weight. I since seen a few advertised here and there for sale. I always wondered why the conversion companies don't raise the roof more like the 5th wheels do. I also have seen a bus conversion with a flat bed and GN hookup.
Check this one out!
Looking forward to hearing every one's comments on this 5th wheel horse hauler. 
Be afraid, be very afraid
Last fall, I got a 1993 Class A RV 25' adn I am so looking forward to horse camping in it. I have been wanting a real toilet and shower for years. 
Diamond J,given that information about it,I probably would choose it!