i'm buying my first horse trailer. i recently came across what seems to be a good deal for a 1974 in-line 2 horse bumper pull. i'd not considered an in-line trailer and would love to hear from those who have had one and what they thought about them. i'm a bit concerned about the height and width - The trailer is approximately 18’ long, 6 ½ ‘ tall, and approximately 37“ wide. my largest horse is 16hh.
Posted 2007-12-26 11:22 AM (#73381 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455 Location: Texas
Is it one with the steerable axle up front and a straight axle out back? I always wondered what would happen if you tried to pull one at highway speeds.
Posted 2007-12-27 8:22 AM (#73409 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455 Location: Texas
I would bet that if a lot of people took a tape to measure the perpendicular distance between the dividers in their modern-day slant load trailers, they would be surprised to find out just how narrow they are.
Posted 2007-12-27 8:34 AM (#73410 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 333
In the 70's a friend of mine had a four horse in-line. He loved it, but we had small horses --14-15 hands. I would think that today's horses wouldn't fit like they did back then. My first trailer was a WW and it was big for its day, 1976.. but my hub's 15.3 horse fit nose to tail in it because it was large but not large enough. The big box trailers from that era fit the bigger horses better, but the truly large horse, even those were a bit on the small side.
Posted 2007-12-27 8:36 AM (#73411 - in reply to #73409) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Expert
Posts: 1877 Location: NY
That is true I look at a slant load and it was too small if you measure left to right and front to back my draft horse would not fit , I went with a stock trailer for that reason
Posted 2007-12-27 9:02 AM (#73412 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Regular
Posts: 72 Location: New Mexico
Well, as a person of fairly advanced age-, I remember when those were in fairly wide use. I never had or pulled one, but knew some who did, and Longrider is right--they had the reputation of pulling very well, but being MURDEROUSLY hard to back! I have never owned (nor wanted to own)a 16 hand horse,and never will; but IMO, the 37" width *might* be OK-remember, for years the standard width for each 'stall' of a straight-load two horse trailer was just 30 inches!- but I believe that those who say the height isn't sufficient for that size horse are right. So, if I were you, I'd keep looking! JMHO--good luck in your search.
Margo in NM-who has been pulling horses since the mid-60's.
Posted 2007-12-27 9:46 AM (#73413 - in reply to #73373) Subject: stock trailer?
New User
Posts: 3
Location: long beach, ca
thanks everybody for your input abnout the in-line. i'd never seen one before and wasn't sure what to make of it. my appendix is 16hh, and his former owner says he doesn't trailer well - esp. unloading. he's a great horse, but gets scared at times - he's not spooky to ride, but very suspicious and scared if not eased into situations properly, such as trailering, i'd imagine. i road him home as i bought him locally, so i've not trailered him myself. i'm wondering if a stock trailer would be my best option? they seem roomier, and if i needed to, perhaps could unload him by allowing him to turn around and go out head first. so my next newbie question is: do stock trailers come w/dividers so more than one horse can be hauled without having them in direct contact w/one another? i've only seen completely open ones. i'm getting ready to trailer hunt next month, and of the stock trailers i've seen online, it's not clear to me if they have dividers or not. thanks in advance for reading all this and responding, if you have any input.
Posted 2007-12-27 10:13 AM (#73415 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
There are plenty of stock trailers that come with slant load dividers. My second trailer was a stack type Calico that I ordered. It was set up with slant stalls and a had the sliding gate on the back so I could haul sheep in it. It was a GN with a tack room up front. Great starter trailer that was relatively inexpensive. Had it for four years and got back 85% when I treaded it in. Just about any trailer that doesn't have a rear tack makes it easy to unload your horse head first. Good luck in your hunting
Posted 2007-12-27 12:59 PM (#73426 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
We owned a Corn Pro stock trailer with horse dividers for three slant load stalls. The tail gate was one piece with a sliding man door. It had an escape door on the first stall. There was no rear tack area.
When the tailgate was fully opened and the dividers were against the trailer side, the entire inside of the box was exposed. We were always able to load any horse not used to us or our trailer. It was a perfect rig for mares and foals or friends' horses who were trailer shy. The horses loaded straight in and had lots of room all around. Then the dividers placed them in the right position for traveling. It's a very good system.
Our new trailers with the rear tacks are tough to use when loading a new horse or one that doesn't like confinement. They have to be trained to almost load themselves, particularly in the last stall, when the horse has to bend around the tack area. We don't haul too many new horses anymore, so that is no longer a problem.
Each type of trailer will have advantages or disadvantages. You will have to choose which best fits your needs. Price should not dictate you choice, the wrong one(s) will be quickly replaced, and will cost more than a single correct trailer that you can enjoy for some time.
Posted 2007-12-27 7:02 PM (#73433 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Regular
Posts: 71 Location: Northern CA
If you want slant load dividers and a wide stock gate opening, most trailer manufacturers sell these under "Stock Combo". Usually the only down side is you only get the stock type slats instead of drop down or bus windows, on the plus side, the "stock combos" usually carry a smaller price tag. I have seen them in both GN and BP.
Posted 2007-12-30 1:03 AM (#73486 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
New User
Posts: 3
Location: long beach, ca
this will be our first trailer, and i'm not sure how much use we'll it - maybe a few trips a year for camping or day trail rides. we don't show. anyhow, my current thinking is to buy an relatively inexpensive trailer to get my feet wet, and if it turns out that we use it a lot, maybe get a "nicer"/newer/more expensive one down the line. i'm going to start one that's close to me is a miley 1987 - supposedly in good shape. all things being equal, would i be nuts to buy a 20 year old trailer? i don't want to be penny-wise and pound foolish - i want to be safe, but i don't need anything lux either. i don't know the miley brand. where i am in so. cal. i see a lot of morgan built and logans.
Posted 2012-11-16 10:16 PM (#148381 - in reply to #73404) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Willcox, Arizona
I LOVE MY VERSION OF THAT TRAILER MINE IS WIDE TALL AND CARRIES 4 HORSES. TRACKS STRAIGHT, DOES HIGHWAY SPEEDS GREAT THO I WILL NOT EXCEED 65 MPH WITH HORSES BUT THAT IS ANY HORSE TRAILER.
Posted 2012-11-16 10:56 PM (#148383 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Willcox, Arizona
ALL DIVIDERS ARE REMOVABLE TO HAUL STOCK OR CAN BE SWUNG TO SIDE FOR SLANT LOADING 2 HORSES. OR LEFT IN PLACE AS A STRAIGHT LOAD 4 HORSE 2X2. 4 ESCAPE DOORS. LOVE IT.
Posted 2012-11-17 8:59 AM (#148386 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 504
I remember the in-line trailers too and people did like them very much. My tb is vey long as well as tall. I find that a lot of the trailers are just too short from head to tail. Even trailers that are extra tall or extra wide are too shoft from head to tail so be sure to take all measurements.
Posted 2012-11-18 6:25 AM (#148399 - in reply to #148381) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by Arizona Horseman on 2012-11-16 10:16 PM
I LOVE MY VERSION OF THAT TRAILER MINE IS WIDE TALL AND CARRIES 4 HORSES. TRACKS STRAIGHT, DOES HIGHWAY SPEEDS GREAT THO I WILL NOT EXCEED 65 MPH WITH HORSES BUT THAT IS ANY HORSE TRAILER.
With trailers like these it is critical to check tie rods on front axle to minimize sway and definitely check the trailer brakes routinely so that you don't have a case of trailer push in an emergency stop situation.
Posted 2012-11-18 10:22 AM (#148407 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Veteran
Posts: 127 Location: rapid city sd
had a 78 McQuerry two horse in line [in 78 ] pulled it with a chevy blazer-why I didn't wreck I don't know to this day, must have been just to young and dumb. The middle pin and the plate it sits on wears fast if it ever short of grease. Just a bad plan for a trailer. Next owner hit some ice in oct and that was the end of the trailer and both horses.
Posted 2016-01-01 5:41 PM (#165717 - in reply to #73373) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
New User
Posts: 1
Location: Oklahoma
It is the most pull able trailer ever made. In the 1960 we plumed those trailers with Oldsmobile 442 rodeoing at speeds well over a 100 mph, our average speed from coast to coast was slightly over 90. An inline trailer will track right behind you like it's part of your car. Horses love them it's the easiest smoothest ride ever . The reason they were not popular with most people was , most people could never figure out how to back them.
Posted 2016-01-02 2:56 AM (#165718 - in reply to #165717) Subject: RE: in-line trailer
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by Speedbump on 2016-01-01 8:41 PM
It is the most pull able trailer ever made. In the 1960 we plumed those trailers with Oldsmobile 442 rodeoing at speeds well over a 100 mph, our average speed from coast to coast was slightly over 90. An inline trailer will track right behind you like it's part of your car. Horses love them it's the easiest smoothest ride ever . The reason they were not popular with most people was , most people could never figure out how to back them.
Sorry...anyone who talks about trailering at 100 mph is an IDIOT...
in-line trailer
, I remember when those were in fairly wide use. I never had or pulled one, but knew some who did, and Longrider is right--they had the reputation of pulling very well, but being MURDEROUSLY hard to back! I have never owned (nor wanted to own)a 16 hand horse,and never will; but IMO, the 37" width *might* be OK-remember, for years the standard width for each 'stall' of a straight-load two horse trailer was just 30 inches!- but I believe that those who say the height isn't sufficient for that size horse are right. So, if I were you, I'd keep looking! JMHO--good luck in your search.
