Posted 2013-01-01 8:32 AM (#149066) Subject: Best ride for horses
Regular
Posts: 54 Location: cleburne texas
Hope all has a wonderful New Year. I have a 2012 gooseneck calico stock combo with a 4 ft straight wall tack. The thing rattles and bounces just like a stock trailer. It is six wide 6'6" tall. I have not been happy dince I bought it in September. Now I have a new horse thst dislikes it about as much as me. There is an Adam two horse bumper pull at a dealer just up the road. Nice big stall area and walk in tack. Thinking about doing some trading. Mine is all steel the Adam is aluminum over steel. The Adam is posted on here I don't know how to show link. It is only one in Texas. My horses are about15 and 15.3. i only have two and don't plan on hauling more than that. WoUld the Adam be a better trailer? I know it wouldn't rust lkke mine and I can't spdnd more yhan a trade and a little boot.
Posted 2013-01-01 10:24 AM (#149071 - in reply to #149066) Subject: RE: Best ride for horses
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
There are a couple of factors here to consider.
Ride quality is usually made up of how much bounce and movement the trailer passes thru to the horses. The type of spring or suspension, how heavy duty the tires are and how much pressure they are inflated to usually make up most of the bounce or movement. This is added to by the length of the trailer and how much motion is transferred from the trucks hitch.
The second factor is more the comfort factor, How comfortable is the trailer for the horse. This is made up from the noise level, how spacious the trailer is, Wind, heat and cold. The old stock trailers traditionally have a lot of rattles and bangs as they go down the road. The more expensive trailers usually have better fitting parts that don't rattle or make noise as the trailer goes down the road.
I don't know your trailer or horse, So I can't speculate on what the horse dislikes about the trailer. If it is the noise of the old steel stock trailer, Then a newer aluminum trailer may be quieter and less offensive to the horse. If it's the ride quality, and both trailers have 6,000 lb axles and "E" rated tires at 80 psi. Then both trailers will probably bounce and sway the same. If's its the wind, noise and open views that allow object to suddenly appear and disappear, Then a more closed trailer may help. Maybe your horse feels claustrophobic in the smaller trailer and larger, more roomy trailer may calm him.
Once when I was picking up my daughter at 4H, her horse just walked into my trailer. A mother standing nearby gushed about how she wished their horse would load like mine. She said they would spend an hour trying to load their horse. I offered to help teach their horse to load. Presented him to my trailer and he walked right in, calm as can be. The mother gushed, please just take him home for me. I resisted and said lets just teach your horse to load in your trailer. We then tried her trailer and the horse loaded just fine, But as she went to close the door, It had a HORRIBLE screeching sound as the hinges moved. Her horse blew up and immediately blew back out of the trailer. With some oil on the hinges and some practice, Their horse learned to load.
Posted 2013-01-01 9:06 PM (#149079 - in reply to #149066) Subject: RE: Best ride for horses
Member
Posts: 15
Location: Oklahoma
Originally written by lou on 2013-01-01 8:32 AM
Hope all has a wonderful New Year. I have a 2012 gooseneck calico stock combo with a 4 ft straight wall tack. The thing rattles and bounces just like a stock trailer. It is six wide 6'6" tall. I have not been happy dince I bought it in September. Now I have a new horse thst dislikes it about as much as me. There is an Adam two horse bumper pull at a dealer just up the road. Nice big stall area and walk in tack. Thinking about doing some trading. Mine is all steel the Adam is aluminum over steel. The Adam is posted on here I don't know how to show link. It is only one in Texas. My horses are about15 and 15.3. i only have two and don't plan on hauling more than that. WoUld the Adam be a better trailer? I know it wouldn't rust lkke mine and I can't spdnd more yhan a trade and a little boot.
I would recommend you try out the trailer before you trade. Maybe rent it, if possible. Stock trailers are more noisy but it's difficult to tell you which is best. The only thing I noticed is you are trading a gooseneck for a bumper pull. This would be a non starter for me but I just don't like bumper pulls because they are more difficult to hook up, don't have the smaller turning radius, and tend to sway more but without knowing about your tow vehicle I would reserve judgement. Yes, it may be more quiet but there may be other problems created. If you can't try out this trailer maybe a friend has a trailer you can try (bumper pull). Main thing is try to hook up a few times and see what the weight on the trailer does to your truck and finally try to pull at max highway speed on a windy day.
Posted 2013-01-01 10:19 PM (#149085 - in reply to #149066) Subject: RE: Best ride for horses
Regular
Posts: 54 Location: cleburne texas
Thank you all for the replies. I bought the Calico as I couldn't find anything else I liked and it was the closest. I had a three horse slant BP that I didn't like. I just didn't know this one was going to sit as high as it does and be as narrow looking. I have padded everything I can so it doesn't rattle so much. The middle gate rattles something awful. Plus, the mats in it are really slippery when it is damp.
Best ride for horses
