Posted 2011-10-24 9:51 AM (#138458) Subject: Horse Trailer as "toy hauler"?
New User
Posts: 2
Location: Aberdeen, MS
Hello,
I'm new to the forum, and have tried to search on this topic, but didn't find anything so I decided to post.
We are a family of three...me, the wife (horse nut),and our 5yr old daughter. We're looking for a horse trailer with living quarters, that would double as a sort of "toy hauler" for our four wheelers. Does anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions what to look for, or not? So far I've noticed that most of the 8ft wide models have feed mangers and outside storage that extends into the inside. I don't think that would work. Wider would be better, but I haven't seen anyone making one any other way.
I've looked at the actual toy hauler campers, but they are not equipped to haul horses...to say the least. I believe a horse trailer would be "heavier" duty, but haven't come up with a manufacturer or model.
Any help would be appreciated,
Todd Irvin
Aberdeen, MS
Posted 2011-10-24 10:59 AM (#138460 - in reply to #138458) Subject: RE: Horse Trailer as "toy hauler"?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350 Location: Penrose, Colorado
we have a Bison Stratus Express and the rear of the trailer is open like a stock trailer, it is 8' wide and 16' long with a center gate I can put a john deere gator in the front or rear and still haul 3 horses, some slant load trailers have a rear door that does not have a center post and you can do the same thing with them and just take out some of the dividers.Hope this is a help.
Posted 2011-10-24 11:25 AM (#138463 - in reply to #138458) Subject: RE: Horse Trailer as "toy hauler"?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
You will want a trailer that has no rear center post with its "butterfly" door hardware. A one piece tailgate or duals with vertical "camlock" hardware, will give you access to the complete inside width of the trailer, without first having to remove the post.
A trailer with a rear tack that is completely removeable is a plus. With most, you can remove the saddle racks and swing the remaining wall sections against the inside wall of the trailer. The result is usually not a flush opening, with some interior space being sacrificed. You will loose several inches at the least, a foot or so depending on the construction. Mangers take up interior space width, and trailers can be purchased without this option.
Trailers that are sold as stock/combos are a good choice for hauling equipment. You can have slant stalls, removeable bulkheads/ slant walls, and the strength for your toys. We routinely carried a mid sized compact tractor, with a front end loader and rear mount blade in ours. It would only take a coupe of minutes to reconfigure the interior for the horses when we were done.
Our trailer was less than 7' wide inside, still wide enough for many types of toys and the horses. The correct choice in trailers will do well for both of your needs.
Posted 2011-10-24 12:32 PM (#138466 - in reply to #138458) Subject: RE: Horse Trailer as "toy hauler"?
Veteran
Posts: 147 Location: santa clara, ca
they only thing i might add is to haul the 4 wheeler and other toys in the very front: always make the horses the easiest things to get out for obvious safety reasons.
Posted 2011-10-24 12:36 PM (#138468 - in reply to #138458) Subject: RE: Horse Trailer as "toy hauler"?
Regular
Posts: 57 Location: Red Wing, MN
The only drawback we've found using our horse trailer as a toy hauler (ATV's) is that some of the State Park parking lots aren't designed for this big of rigs. Depending on how full the lot is when we get there, we might not be able to get in and out.
Posted 2011-10-25 8:09 AM (#138503 - in reply to #138458) Subject: RE: Horse Trailer as "toy hauler"?
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
I would avoid any trailers with the built in mangers. They take up enough space, that you can only haul the ATVs single file. Pretty much limiting you to hauling 2 atvs in a 4horse trailer.
Any way you look at it, A 4H trailer doesn't equal a 4 ATV trailer. The bikes just don't fit in as snug.
Posted 2011-10-25 8:33 AM (#138505 - in reply to #138458) Subject: RE: Horse Trailer as "toy hauler"?
Location: Central Arkansas
We have a 4 Star 4H Weekender that has the removable folding back tack. We use it as a enclosed hauler to haul equipment & "stuff" more than anything. It has the double "butterfly" doors with a easy to remove center post. A full reinforced ramp allows us to drive the biggest 0 turn Diesel mover that Kubota makes, up into it without any trouble at all. I like hauling our CATV's to the maintance shop in this trailer since I can be there in it, before, I can physically strap everything down properly to a flatbed!
Horse Trailer as "toy hauler"?
