It is interesting that Exiss should choose this forum to respond as all of my private contact information has been provided to Exiss.   There are claims in this open letter that are quite simply untrue.  I contacted the dealer who sold the trailer and provided them with the VIN,  model and names of the trailer owners. (the gentleman at the dealer in fact did remember the folks who own the trailer and said what nice people they are)  After being informed by the dealer that there was nothing they could do, I was given the number to contact at Exiss for TJ McCullough.  I provided Mr. McCullough with the VIN, model & names of the owners of the trailer as well as photos of the damage.  For Exiss to claim that they have been unable to locate the owners of the trailer is absurd.  My phone conversation with Mr. McCullough took place on March 23rd and was followed by emailed photos on March 25th.  I did not hear another word from Exiss until March 29th, the day I received the email from Mr. McCullough (posted in the open letter).   In my conversations with the dealer who sold the trailer, another dealer who is closer to me and with Exiss, I referenced the VIN on this trailer as well as the names of the owners.  I placed the calls because the trailer was in my care when this happened and I felt obligated to do so.

I am pleased that the horses referenced in the newspaper article were safe in the Exiss trailer they were in......I don't believe it was a Sport model (but perhaps I missed that part)  I don't take issue with Exiss defending their position and their product on a public forum......I do however take great exception to the outright lie that Exiss was not provided with the pertinent information needed to address this such as the VIN and owner names. 

I agree HWbar!!!! Good hell get over it already.

MarkM

Here is my .02.

So you borrowed a trailer and your horse damaged it so it is your responsiblity to take it back in the same condition your borrowed it. Your insurance will cover it, thank goodness, and your horse that this happened to is fine, the only real problem is your pride is hurt(mine would be too).  The owners didn't take it to the dealer or have even called Exiss's warranty department. I have to assume that they think you should bring it back in the same condition it was in before you borrowed it. It was an accident. Take responsiblity for what happened, because that is what you should do, and get the roof fixed professionally. The only thing that will happen is your insurance may go up and the owners of the trailer may be mad and not let you borrow it again but glad you did what was the right thing to do.

I would suggest that you take this as a lesson learned and move on.

You know, i've been reading through all these and the open letter and her response and all i got to say is that I own a 2001 exiss event xt400 gooseneck and i love it.  I have banged it up driving it and horses kicked it and bashed into it and it is one hell of a good built trailer.

There was an issue i had with the roof leaking (and some others i know that have 2001 exiss's) but that was fixed with some roof caulking and other than that the trailer has held up.  I pull to a horse show every other weekend starting in march and going thru october.  I wouldn't trade it in unless for a LQ trailer.  Good Job Exiss, great trailer.

Spooler, well said, I agree.

Our Exiss Event has held up really well too, it's almost 6 years old and has had a lot of use, we are very happy with it.

We were picking up a load of hay out of the field last year, I was driving, my husband was in the back stacking.   Well, my husband was leaning against the rear window as we were moving between bales and I hit a bump, his rear came through the back window.  Should Dodge be held responsible?  I don't think so.  It wasn't defective, it was a combination of bumpy ground and my husbands hip hitting it at the wrong angle.  Just like it was the horse "popping" up and hitting the roof at the wrong place.

No, you should go on the Dodge website and show a picture of your husbands a**

This really has turned into beating the proverbial dead horse.  Some think this should be fixed by Exiss, some think I should fix it and I believe that nobody is going to change anybody's mind.  That's ok - agree to disagree. 

I started this thread solely to set the record straight regarding Exiss' public response and its inaccuracies.  TWO Exiss dealers were contacted, both provided with the VIN, owner's names and the complaint.  Both got back to me with the same answer....Exiss will not cover damage caused by a horse.  The dealer who sold the trailer gave me the contact name and number for Exiss Warranty and again, I provided the VIN, owner name, and what happened along with photos.  AT NO TIME DID EXISS SAY TO BRING THIS TRAILER IN FOR A DEALER TO LOOK AT.  They simply responded with the email referenced in their public statement.  They have had the VIN of that trailer and owner names from day one.  To claim otherwise is an outright lie.

The owners of this trailer are FRIENDS of mine, there are no hard feelings whatsoever. I made all the calls as I felt it was my responsibility to do so...period. 

Now, if you think I'm wrong in expecting Exiss to back their product, you've probably already stated that on here so no need to do so again.  I am well aware that folks are sick of this thread.  I just want the record very clear - Exiss had all the necessary info from the get go.

Exactly... It sounds to me like it was just the case of the horse hitting at just the right angle and with the right amount of force for this unusual thing to happen.  It appears the horse hit it pretty hard (more than just a little bump), because in one of the pictures it appears that the roof is actually wrinkled from the impact.  Again, it's just my opinion, but I think that the person who borrowed the trailer needs to take responsibility for her horse's behavior.  Had her horse not hit the roof, this wouldn't even be an issue.  Besides, even if the roof had not torn, the horse probably would have left a good sized dent in the roof, which I'm sure the trailer owners would expect to be repaired. 

My friend just put the corner of his gooseneck trailer through the back window of his truck (dented the body too).  He doesn't hold Dodge responsible for not building a truck that's "trailer proof", it was his mistake he had it repaired.

God Bless the internet.

If your horse is tied to the side of the trailer and it paws or kicks a hole in the outside skin should the manufacturer be responsible!!!???? NO!!!! Good hell move on, horse wasnt hurt, you have insurance and WHEN YOU are ready to BUY a trailer, dont buy an Exiss! Buy a trailer that has the same roof (which is most, not all, but most, and to my knowledge and what I have seen even 4-Star). I also recommend when you are ready to BUY (not borrow) a trailer, get it with a lined and insulated package in the horse area. It will cost more but you for one should not complain about the price of your next trailer.

Mark M

I was recently sent the link to the photos of the damaged Exiss trailer, I'm the PROUD owner of a 2001 SS/400 with the same vents,This trailer is used almost daily with 1-4 horses in it (some of them convinced the trailer is evil)! I can tell you that my personal horse who is 17.2 has on several ocasions put his head up with some force and has never popped thru the roof, he has however open up the vent when unloading sometimes, also I would like to correct you if the horse had been tied properly he would have only been able to attempt to put his head over the divider, and that would not have have been near the vent! Take your case somewhere else ! Own up to the damage and leave Exiss alone.

I will be purchasing another EXISS for 2008 only BIGGER