Hi.

This is my first post. I'm looking for a 2H bumper pull. This would be my first trailer. I've only been riding for under 2 years and now have a 14.3 gelding who'll go right in and a 15.3 mare who's hard to load.  I'll probably be going out by myself a lot and I'm fit but 50's!  I'd appreciate any advice on which might be best for me. I started out looking at ads for trailers around $5K, but recently decided I need to pay a little more and go with a dealer.  Thanks!

Bella

I had a small Corn Pro stock trailer, and it was pretty cheaply made. I would not recommend it.

Of steel trailers, I have had a WW, S&H, Miley and the Corn Pro. The Miley was a VERY old 2 horse, and still solid as a rock. The S&H...not sure they make them any more...was a real nice trailer.

In the long run, it pays to get the best you can afford.

I recently looked at a Corn Pro BP stock trailer.  They seemed to be put together nice.  I would get a 16' with a mid cut gate.  This will give you plenty of room to load your gelding and then your mare will be able to see him already on the trailer and hopefully will be more inclined to load up.

I've written quite a bit on here about Titan trailers and how happy I am with mine.  As I was trailer shopping for my first Titan I did have the opportunity to look at Moritz. My opinion was that, for my money, and for the price this dealer wanted,  I didn't feel they were as well built, as strong, or as rust resistant as I wanted.  I have never looked at Corn Pro. I don't even know if there are any around here??? I bought a second Titan to replace my first Titan due to a traffic accident. I had the opportunity to buy a Hawk (which are really nice aluminum over steel frame) trailers, at cost through a friend who is a dealer, but stayed with the Titan.  If you do a search on "Titan" on this site you'll find what I've written.  Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. 

Gunnerhorse

Thanks for all the comments!  The corn pro and moritz are stock combos, slant load, dressing room, 7' tall, 6'8" wide.  The Titan has slats on one side, drop down or slide on the other. Thanks for encouraging me on the stock for my hard-to-load mare. 

I can get a 1999 corn pro slant, dressing room, mats, spare tire, for 4300 before tax.  I've been trying to check other ads and see if this is a good deal or not.  New, it and the others above are in the $6300 ball park.

Really shouldn't, but I'm considering a Shadow -  aluminum, new, slant, dressing room.  About $8500. But Shadow is a new company and I hear from folks who sell Sundwoner that it's not well made.  Any body know about the Shadow? It really is a lot cheaper than the comparables.

Thanks again!

Bella

Hi.

I read what you wrote a couple days ago and that's what made me consider the Titan!  I'm trying to find reviews of the other brands I'm finding out here, but haven't found any. Thanks!

There's several good trailer companies in your backyard.  You may want to visit their factories and aske to speak with the owner for a tour.  Tell them I sent you.  Here's the link of trailer companies. 

http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/manu.asp

This way you can see for yourself, and at the same time, make some valuable contacts for the future.  They will likely fix you up with a local dealer. 

Dave Mattern
Horse Trailer World

When you said that the Sundowner people said the Shadow was not well made... that is to be expected of nearly ANY dealer... to try and get you to Buy THEIR brand.  However, I think that staying with a well-known brand will provide more peace of mind in the event that you need replacement parts or repairs 4, 5, 10 years down the road.

For anyone that experiences snow / rain/ sleet on a regular basis, unless they are storing the trailer, I do not recommend slat-sided trailers as the weather comes in through the slats and will rust the steel along each side that holds the floor boards.

If you should buy a steel trailer - the Titan is good as it has galvanealed PANELS.. (not the entire structure) which will reduce rust greatly when compared with non-galvanized/non-galvanealed.  I do not know what other companies make galvanealed or galvinized steel trailers.  My old Circle J was galvan'd steel.

Your best bet, for the long term, is an alum exterior with steel interior.  However, I truly miss the fiberglass roof that some manufacturers use. It makes the trailer light in weight, more light in terms of daylight, and cooler in the summer.

I have a Titan, 3H GN Avalanche. Mine is enclosed, with 2 rear doors. I have drop down windows at the head; and slide windows on the butt side. The two rear doors are easier to use than a single, full width door. You should even be able to load the gelding with the left rear door closed; however, I'm sure the mare will want both doors wide open.

Try to keep the trailer low to the ground for ease in stepping in and out. Your mare might also prefer loading first as the trailer will appear very open (the titan's are white interiors) and it will make it easier to unload her if you put the divider against the wall and turn her around to walk out.

The biggest concern I have with the titans that do NOT have a rear tack, is that there is no butt bar... which means the back horse is leaning on the doors.

Please be sure to check this - I have a 3H, but will only haul 2 horses because of this.

Consider not just the brand / manufacturer of the trailer, but the DEALER that will help you with all stages of your towing... the correct brake controller, the right tow vehicle hardware, etc., along with future repairs - if needed.

As Dave said.. you have  many dealers in that area. You might also consider speaking with Kay at Northside Trailers near Indianapolis. Although I have never bought a trailer from her, she has been VERY helpful to me over the past years with questions I have had. (I too am past 50... : )

In response to the above reply, Titans can and do come with a rear tack and when you have that rear tack you do have a butt bar. My horses load fairly well, but a friend's horse sometimes balks, and he also can't figure out to turn his butt to back out. So I just fold up the tack area, load or unload, and fold it back out again.

What I don't like about the rear tack is that if the horses urinate in the trailer, the urine can get into the tack area floor. So you can't put anything on the floor unless you put in a pallet of some kind so the urine can drain under, which is what I plan to do to resolve this situation.

I would also have liked a kick mat on the front wall. I am going to look into how to do that.

 Other than that I love my Titan. You can get other options such as an escape door at the first horse (even on a 2-horse) vents, drop down feed windows, bus doors at the butt, camper window in the DR.

Barstow...my comment about Titans and rear tack is:

 The biggest concern I have with the titans that do NOT have a rear tack, is that there is no butt bar... which means the back horse is leaning on the doors.

So.. what I said was Titans that DO NOT HAVE a rear tack (not all of them come with a rear tack area) will NOT have a butt bar. So.. No rear tack = no butt bar.  I didn't say they come without a rear tack. For me, at only 5'4"... unless there's a ramp, the rear tack area is nearly useless; hence - why bother (for me). I can only easily reach the lowest saddle rack, and the hooks for bridles and halters I need an extension ladder... well, maybe only a step ladder, to reach.  Without the rear tack, I can haul all sorts of other stuff : ) and save weight too!! (the reason for the 4' shortwall up front)

I agree about the "kick mat" (although it's so thin... ) on the front wall.  But the rumbar lining is easy and cheap to get. So far as urine under the moveable tack wall...  try using shavings in your trailer... they work REALLY good at sopping up urine - plus adding some additional cushioning. Spray them with a little water - or - use the woody pet which is MEANT to be soaked with water, to reduce dust. No more runny urine.

AND... are you sure your trailer is level?

The pool noodles (foam pipe insulation or pool toys) also work pretty well to plug up the bottom of the moveable tack walls. There's so much dust that goes over the TOP of the tack wall... again... why bother?

My horse had difficulty backing out of my friend's slant, when he was the back horse, because he had always backed out of straight loads previously.  I dropped the bars on the head window, Let him turn slightly to see what was behind him, then guided him forward a step so his head was sticking out, and he was able to back out and step down on the "curve".  Something I would not ask a horse to do if the trailer were too high up (think 17" wheels).

Yes, Titans come in all sorts of arrangements and levels of luxury. One friend has the Renegade - she customized parts of it (including raising the height of the outside tie rings!! good idea); another friend has the Classic.

Mine was bare bones. No ceiling vent in the DR, no carpet, no padding on the dividers, no feed bins, no emergency exit door, no extra windows in the DR. CHEAP and lightweight for my maxed out F150.

Gabz - My mistake. I Re-read your post more closely. Yes, without a rear tack no butt bar!

 I use the rear tack to store my folding saddle racks, broom, shovel, things that can semi-stand up and it doesn't matter if they get dirty. I agree that the bridle hooks are simply too high. I have left my saddle rack in the front tack area. Looks like a big PITA to take it out and move it.

 Not to get too far off-topic here, but your idea about the noodles is great. I shall give that a try, certainly not much of an investment to try it out.

On the shavings thing though, you bring up another problem I have with my beloved Titan. I have always used shavings because my mares will hold it all day and then as soon as they are loaded to go home, Niagra Falls. The problem with the Titan is that after I sweep and then hose everything out, the shavings get caught in that groove between the wall and the floor. Do you have that gap? It's about 1/2" wide and I have to get in there with the pressure washer and really blast it out, hay gets caught down there too. I am afraid that the trailer will rust, despite the galvaneal (no steel is completely rustproof IMO). Because of this I stopped using shavings. Maybe your noodle idea would work in that gap as well. I could cut a thin strip and fit it down into that gap.... hmmm. Worth a try!

Still, all in all, I am pleased with my choice. I got exactly what I needed for $8K - An equally equipped aluminum or straight load would have cost me another $4 if not more.... Great minds think alike, right Gunnerhorse?

Well, I can't believe I did it but I just bought the Shadow!  Paid $8700 before tax, for a 2006 two horse slant, dressing room, drop down windows on the left and slats on the back and right side, escape door at the first drop down window, mats, "rubber" around the sides. It's aluminum. The doors are light. One big one on the back that's very easy to open. Slant bar pulls back so it's really open for the first horse, esp. if the drop down window's left open.  The wall between the horse area and dressing room opens up. I absolutely love it! And I have to say that given all the shopping I did, I think I got a good deal.  7 year warranty. I had no idea I'd spend this much money!

The only thing that worries me about it is it's only 6' wide.  I fed my 14.3 gelding in there tonight (he went right in) and even though he's small it didn't seem he had much room to turn around to get out. He backed out. It's hard for me to picture my 15.3 mare in there, let alone with my gelding. But I suppose they'll fit. 

I really enjoyed reading everyone's comments. I wish I'd discovered this site a little sooner. I learned a lot. Pool noodles. There's a new one! And I didn't realize all those factories were so near me! If I wasn't determined to get this thing while I still had a couple weeks vacation, I would've definitely done the tours! And I'm sure I still will at some point. 

I know this Shadow's a new company and may not make it. But I feel good about it today!

So you can use woody pet on the floors, huh?  Isn't that pretty expensive? What other alternatives are there? (Maybe I should start a new thread..this could be addicting!)

Now I just need someone to do all this with. I have no one around me to help me load and try this thing out. I've helped others a few times, but it's different doing it yourself.  Know anyone near South Bend Indiana who'd like to go for a trail ride with me? 

Thanks again.  I'll keep reading!

Bella -

What kind of floor do you have? Is it alum, rumbar, or wood? Does it have rubber mats over it?

One thing that's nice about using Woody Pet or the nearest TSC equivalent, is that it is MEANT to be wetted - that expands the compressed little nuggets of wood shavings.  By having it dampened, it blows around less. (less dust in the rear tack, less dust for your horse to breathe / get in eyes, etc. )

However, all I've ever used is bagged shavings and spritzed them with water. I have wood flooring with rubber matting over it. Usually by the time I make my trip / camping whatever, and get back home again, they have dried.  I pick through the shavings and clean out wet and chunkies, and then sweep the rest into the center of the horse area. I pick up the edges of the matts (use locking vise grips or drill holes through the edges and run a SHORT length of stout cord through the hole - I prefer the vise grips) and sweep away anything there.

Then, before winter, I clean up all shavings (put them in the run-in or stall area), and thoroughly vacuum / blow out, the horse area and clean it. Apply a coating of liquid car wax (not sure about alum trailers).

I am also fortunate in that there is a car wash near me that is more than tall enough to take the trailer through (it's for the semi-trailers) without worrying about scraping the roof with the car wash sprayer.

On the shavings thing though, you bring up another problem I have with my beloved Titan. I have always used shavings because my mares will hold it all day and then as soon as they are loaded to go home, Niagra Falls. The problem with the Titan is that after I sweep and then hose everything out, the shavings get caught in that groove between the wall and the floor. Do you have that gap? It's about 1/2" wide and I have to get in there with the pressure washer and really blast it out, hay gets caught down there too. I am afraid that the trailer will rust, despite the galvaneal (no steel is completely rustproof IMO). Because of this I stopped using shavings. Maybe your noodle idea would work in that gap as well. I could cut a thin strip and fit it down into that gap.... hmmm. Worth a try!

I don't have a gap running lengthwise in the trailer, but at the back, on either side of the door opening, there is a 1" high opening, the width of the rear vertical supports. I try to keep these covered with small blocks of wood. My friend with the Renegade had the same thing. She shot her gaps full of that expanding insulating foam.

One bit of advice. Avoid hosing the trailer out everytime you use it. Try using either a shop vac or blower and a broom. Any crud on the walls, I will take a bucket and large scrubby brush and rag and wipe those spots off. 

Because only the panels are galvanealed, there are a great number of other places that are not. Avoiding having water / damp sit anywhere will give me more peace of mind as I've had 2 other steel trailers and they both had rust along the bottom of the outer walls, along the frame rails. (Bought used).  Plus... the shavings won't stick so badly if you don't use water to clean it out.

Of course - I've got a gelding so he doesn't pee on the walls but in the center. : )

One more tip - there is a product called Sweet PDZ. I highly recommend this product anytime you have any wet or dampness. It's also a HUGE help in drying out your trailer. Sprinkle some in with your shavings to help absorb moisture and avoid the ammonia smell.

Bella - one tip for you, to help your mare.

Put some of her manure in the trailer to help her feel that it's home.

Hi, I haven't been online much to keep up with this thread- started a new job that's taken up much of my time. So I'm sorry Bella Chance I couldn't get back here quick enough to help convince you you should get a Titan.  But really, congratulations on your purchase of the Shadow and I hope you and your horses enjoy it.  

In response to the numerous other replies on this thread, yes Barstow, great minds think alike.  I'm glad your Titan has been working out well for you. Mine is too. (Though I still don't have a DR window.) I put shavings in mine so I can't relate to your issue of urine running under the rear tack. However, I do find the shavings tend to slide under the front wall and into the DR. I don't recall having that occur with my 1st one. I'm going to try the pool noodle trick.  Like you, I would like a kick plate or rumbar lining on the front wall. I'd also like it under the blanket bar in the DR so blanket buckles don't scratch the wall. I'd also like to have a thing for the DR door to latch into so it would stay open.  Very annoying when you're parked on a slight incline or a windy day and the door is swinging shut on you. But if those are my biggest complaints... oh wait, one other.  The decals on mine are all peeling around the edges. Are yours?  I'm not sure why as it's stored outside same as my other one and never had trouble with that one.

Regarding the horse who has trouble backing out of the slant load maybe this idea will help. What I did with my horse, who has always turned around and walked frontwards off trailers, and is blind in the left eye so can't see where the rear tack is, was put a longe line on each side of his halter and "drive" him out.  This went very well and peacefully compared to the several times I'd hauled him before I thought of doing this when it had been more of a not so pretty "push him off,"   usually with the barn owner's help. The  next time I hauled I set it up, picked up the lines, and he just stepped off easy as could be, no hesitation.   Now I pull his tail and say "c'mon" and he steps right off. The only thing to note is he gives well to pressure on his head and nose. I don't know if this method would work with a horse that doesn't.

Gunnerhorse

So far so good with the Shadow trailer. Unlike yours, Gunner, it has a suction cup that holds the dr door open.  I also have that sawdust/shavings coming in under the dr door between the horse area and dr. I love that that door moves, though. I'll be able to open up the area and put a mattress in there if I want, easily. 

There are two flaws in the design I've seen so far.  The slant beam will not stay open against the trailer wall when I'm laoding and unloading.  I've rigged up something, but I sure wish the company had installed one of those simple suction cups inside to hold it secure.  The other is the drop down windows. You can open them all the way, and there is a suction cup on the outside to hold the outer window secure on the side of the trailer outside when it's open. But the inner window with the bars on it doesn't stay securely in place. I've had to mess with that, too.

Minor stuff. Otherwise, it's terrific. 

On price: I paid 8700 for it, a 2006, brand new, 7 yr. warrantly. I think that was pretty good, but you Titan and Miley may say otherwise. I am curious if I did well or not.

If I may revive this trailer discussion...

I am also weighing a Titan vs. an aluminum skin/steel interior construction (I looked at a Merhow Equistar today), as I'm ready to retire my '95 Bison rustbucket. And weighing the $4,000 price difference.

Since you live in the same general area I do, I'm curious to know how long you've had your Titan and what if any rust you've observed. A friend of mine had the Avalance stock, and not for very long, and I know there was rust on the coupling. My husband seems to feel that if I'm vigilant about waxing (which I failed to do with the Bison, or it would probably be in better shape), rust shouldn't be an issue. I do not have a place to store it out of the elements. Are stone chips an issue? I trailer down a lot of dirt roads.

After my experience with the Bison, a good sturdy trailer except for the rust, I really want to make the right investment (if I'd known then what I know now I never would have bought it). The worst I've heard about aluminum trailers is a comment from my farrier ("Steel rusts, aluminum falls apart") and what I've read while researching on-line-- such as the aluminum divider can be dangerous as it shears more easily in an accident.

Thank your for the reply-- I actually forgot to address my question to Gabz, who lives in the same general area. But I suspect you get more extreme weather than we do in the Detroit suburbs! So your input is valuable.

I am leaning towards the Titan...

Hi Cathyort,

I'm in Columbus, OH which might be more similar to you weather wise than Maine.   I had a Titan from April, 03 to Sept. '06 that I kept outside, uncovered the whole time. I washed it thoroughly, inside and out, I'm guessing, 2, times a year, would muck out the inside after every trip, (I use shavings when I haul,) and would hose out and scrub the inside probably once every month, when I was using it. (I would scrub where the manure landed on the wall, and the sweat stain on the divider every few trips. ) I didn't haul much in the winter. I may have waxed it once.  If I recall correctly, I had one very small, about 1/2 inch long rust spot starting on the inside of the butt side, about where manure lands from the first horse, and where water can drip in from the slats.  I also had a small, maybe 3/4" long crack on the back door about mid way up that had some rust color on it. This was on the inside only and did not go through the door. (as in surface only) I don't really know how to better describe that. There was no rust on the panels. There was some bubbling on the rear bumper, which wasn't rubber, and other non-galvanealed parts. Not major, ohmigod, hideous, this trailer has rust cancer bubbling, but, just some bubbles. If you keep in mind that the ENTIRE trailer is not galvanealed, you will not be shocked by it. I admit I was surprised at first b/c you read and read how it's gavalnealed and not supposed to rust and then you see rust.  You don't realize that it's the panels, that are gvnld, and that other parts aren't.  Shortly after I saw these spots, (the 2 I referenced, not the bubbling,) I was in a wreck and the trailer was totaled.  If you are  concerned about how the trailer will hold up in a wreck, YOU WANT TO GET THE TITAN!!!  If you PM me your email I will send you pictures of what a Titan looks like after a side-swipe with a Mitsubishi box truck at 50 mph. I can show you what the center divider looks like too after a 1000 lb horse falls underneath it during the wreck. I have had my 2nd Titan since April of this year.  No rust yet.   And my horse is still willing to get in it and let his white knuckled Mom drive him around.   Can you tell I love my Titan?   (starting a new post b/c this one is long.)

Gunnerhorse  

I want to add a little disclaimer regarding the accident:

ALL ACCIDENTS ARE DIFFERENT AND MECHANICAL FORCES WILL ACT DIFFERENTLY IN EACH ONE. I truly believe if I had been in a different type accident,i.e. more directly head on, angle,  or,  in an aluminum trailer the outcome would be different. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT BEING IN A TITAN TRAILER OR IN ANY ALL STEEL TRAILER will guarantee the survival of your horse, or of you.  I just feel it gives you a better chance.

edited to add disclaimer

Hi Cathyort,

In regards to stone chips, I never had an issue with them.  The worst that happened to me,((aside from totaling it, )   was I drove down a road that they were laying fresh asphalt on and streaks of tar got on it and I was never able to get it off.  Believe me, I wanted to cry.  The Titan does have a stone guard around the nose of it too. And what's nice is that the guard is placed over the trailer walls.  It's not built into the trailer as some cheaper trailers do it.

Now, in the interest of being fair I'll tell you some things that may be considered drawbacks: 

1. It is a heavy trailer.  3500 lbs for a 2H BP w/ DR.   BUT, it is steel over steel, part of what helped it hold up well in an accident. (ask your farrier, steel vs. aluminum.) ;)

2. It's not sleek and smooth.   While it is an attractive trailer,  people will compliment you on it, and ask you about it, and ask to see it, it's not all rounded off edges and polished joints.  In many ways, it's more about function than beauty.  However, the quality is there.

3. Bus windows on the butt side are a little small. They don't provide as much ventilation when open as I'd like. Even with the vents and head windows open.

4. Slats on butt side are nice for ventilation but awkward to put in and out, (the screw (at least on my '03) for them was a weird one.

5. It seems I'm not the only one having trouble with the suction cup thingees to hold doors open! That seems like an easy enough fix though.

I hope all this info has been helpful.  Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.