You can do a search on on here for American Spirit. It has been a topic on here before.

From what I have heard, American Spirit came from  a guy who worked for Bison Manufacturing and developed his own line of trailer.

I haven't heard anything bad about them..........but remember all trailers will have their good and bad points with different people.

Here is the scoop on Bison vs. American Spirit, IN MY OPINION. Bison was owned by Tim Doogle and maybe partners, but Tim I know for sure, and Thames Goon was General Manager BEFORE THEY WERE BOUGHT OUT IN 2002(3?). They made a right decent trailer for the price. It had some quirks, like any trailer, but decent. I have owned 3 Bisons. 1. Bison 16ft open stock, steel. Nice trailer. 2. 2001 Bison Trail Hand 2hrse BP, steel. Great trailer, held up well even being pulled in Indiana winters and I sold it for $500 less than I paid for it 3 years later. 3. 1999 Bison Alumasport(still own), 3hrse, w/Bearcat LQ. The ONLY 2 problems I have ever had due to the trailer manufacture is a leaky roof seam(which was bound to happen eventually), and the ramp springs needing replaced. This trailer sustained major water damage to the LQ this winter due to an accident and has just had a new LQ installed by LSR Conversions, owned by Lewis & Shery Ragland, and is the company that installs alot of American Spirits LQ's. It is immaculate and the finishing touches are wonderful. They gutted my trailer and totally redid it.

Bisons new owners fired almost everybody that had more than 5 yrs experience if I remember correctly, and made a decent wage, within the first 6 months. Thames and two partners started American Spirit, with Thames son Taylor as engineer. The young man has been around this business all his life, owns and hauls his own horses, and is a graduate of Purdue Engineering School. If memory serves me Thames hired almost all the employees Bison let go, and having been in the facility and seeing them build trailers I can tell you what you don't see is the pride in ownership they put into the building of these trailers.

Bison on the other hand has been hit and miss on quality since the sell out. They started cutting corners, and I noticed more sharp edges than I care to think about in the last new one I looked at. Not to mention I've heard a lot of leak problems on the new Alumasports from folks I know. There is one poster here that loves their new BISON, and apparently got a good one so maybe they are getting better. If I were going to buy a BISON, I'd buy the all aluminum Stratus, as it seems pretty well built compared to the alumasports.

If I hadn't had a truck blow up 1800 miles out of warranty, a daughter graduate high school, and start college and unforseen medical bills all within the last year I would own an American Spirit today. And my next trailer will most likely be an American Spirit because I like and trust the people who are building them. And that's my two cents worth.

Let the beating begin. And if anything I have stated is incorrect I am sure that someone from American Spirit will set the record straight in this thread, as Thames and Taylor both frequent this site to see what people like, dislike, do and don't want in a horse trailer.

Hello again. I agree with MIfarmbabe, all trailers have good and bad points, and I'm sure American Spirit has theirs occasionally, but I bet they back it up. Call American Spirit and ask to tour the facility, and then call Bison and request the same. If Bison will let you in you can see the differences in how they are put together. Then make a truly informed decision, because these things aren't cheap and your gonna have it a long time most likely. The two plants aren't an hour apart.

"...and unforseen medical bills..."

Ed,

unforseen should be spelt unforeseen, but otherwise all looks well

haul_n_horses