Horse Trailer Universe

Myths and half-truths seem to be commonplace in the world of horse trailers. Many of these myths, stories, and rumors come about due to the mixing of truth with personal opinion. Often times these opinionated truths find themselves spreading like wildfire from person to person, with each individual seeming to add their own personal flare to what is already being passed around. Since so many of these myths are out and about amongst horse people, it’s only right to expose the myths with the real truth.

Gooseneck Trailers are Safer than Bumper Pull Trailers

This is a myth that has just a little bit of truth to it. Bumper pull trailers are notorious for having dangerous trailer sway and instability. There have been lots of reported incidents of these particular trailers becoming unhitched and causing accidents and serious injuries to the horses they were carrying. What gives the gooseneck trailer a safety advantage is that you have to use a pick-up truck to hook the trailer up to. Gooseneck trailers are hooked up to the bed of the truck, and when done by a qualified installer, can be extremely safe.

Image credit: Oneprunel
On the other hand, a lot can go wrong when attaching a bumper pull trailer to your vehicle. There are many different ways to attach this type of trailer, which leaves many different ways to make a mistake. One tip to make your bumper pull trailer a bit safer to use is to put weight distribution bars in the trailer to help balance out the weight. Some trailers, as long as they are attached properly and have the right weight distribution, can still be very safe. However, if you are planning on hauling more than two or three horses, a gooseneck trailer is highly recommended.

Step Up Rear Entry Ramps Are Better than Rear Ramps

There are a ton of different brands, types, and kinds of ramps available on the market. It’s safe to say that not all of these ramps are safe or worth the investment to use. If you are using a ramp that is slippery or difficult for your horse to maneuver, your horse may be reluctant to use it. This means it will be more difficult for you to get your horse to go up the ramp. A slippery ramp can also result in an injured horse if the animal was to slip and fall.

However, if you get a good solid, sturdy ramp, it will be much better and easier for your horse to get in and out of your trailer. One thing to keep in mind is that these ramps are heavy and will require more than one person to help move them. Also, ramps are more useful for getting the horse out of the trailer than in.

Another reason ramps are safer than step ups is because it is very common for horses to fall from a step up entrance ramp. These horses often become trapped and can be difficult to free without some type of injury. Some injuries may even go so far as to fatally harm your horse.

This is one of the most highly debated myths that exists in the world of horses and horse owners. The topic of safe entry and exiting from a trailer is extremely important and should be carefully considered when choosing a ramp. Keep in mind that it is important to keep your horse’s safety as the number one concern. There are a lot of myths out there, so you really should make sure to do the proper research before using equipment to find out the real deal on what is best to use for your horse trailer.

One of the trickiest aspects of owning a horse is getting the horse to load into the horse trailer without putting up much of a fight. This is easier said than done, of course, but there are things you can do to help your horse be more at home in his trailer and thus make your life easier when it comes time to load up.

Even though this may sound a bit strange, you should try to look at the horse’s trailer ride experience from his point of view. Horses are absolutely terrified of the dark, so would a horse feel safe and comfortable in a trailer that was poorly lit and was painted with dark colors inside? Probably not. That being said, the horse trailer should have an interior that is well lit and also light in color, as this will ease the horse’s fear. Horses like to have some room to move around because this allows them to get into the proper posture to avoid losing their balance.

Image credit: Doneastwest
Make sure that any furniture that you have in your horse trailer is well padded. Horses need room to move their heads around, so make sure there is plenty of space for them to do that. Another measure you can take to increase your horse’s enjoyment of his trailer is to cover the floor with non-slip material that will keep your horse from sliding around and losing his balance. Feeding bags are another essential item to add into your trailer. You don’t want the bag too close to his mouth or he may get caught in it and panic trying to get free. Of course, you won’t want to put it too far away either, or else he won’t be able to get a snack from his bag.

It’s also crucial to have an experienced and skilled driver behind the wheel of the vehicle being used to haul the trailer. Driving with a horse trailer requires a lot of skill, and a driver needs to be extremely cautious. You should try to go slow when turning and going around curves. Do not go over two hours in between breaks to check on your horses. Stop often and make sure the horses are alright and that they are well hydrated. Try not to wrap them up in too many blankets, as you may cause them to overheat. Also be aware of how tightly you tie them up. If you tie them up too tightly they may not be able to turn their head.

If your horse is still giving you a hard time when you try to load them into the trailer, there may be other factors involved. Some horses that are unfamiliar with being inside of trailers tend to get fearful of small, enclosed areas that aren’t well lit. They may be afraid of climbing up the ramp into the trailer. Something else you may want to consider is the possibility of your horse being injured. The pain caused by the injury may cause the climb up the ramp to be painful and too difficult for the horse to do.

These are just a few things you should keep in mind to help improve the quality of your horse’s traveling experience. Remember that a safe trailer that meets your horse’s needs will be a great help the next time you go to load your horse on the trailer. Anything that makes your horse more comfortable and easy to manage is a worthwhile investment. As long as you keep that in mind and put these tips into practice, you and your horse will enjoy many road trips together.

One of the most important pieces of information to keep in mind when shopping around for a horse trailer is the trailer’s weight. While this obviously isn’t the most important factor, it is one that can ultimately be a deciding factor in which trailer is best suited for your needs. The safety of your horses is always the absolute main concern that you really need to be watching for, and there are a number of things you need to look for in a safe horse trailer.

Always make sure there is plenty of light and that the horses have room enough to move around so that they don’t lose their balance. Make sure the stalls are well ventilated with good airflow. Check the trailer for holes, splinters, and other debris that may injure the horses during travel. Take the time to make sure that the doors shut and latch properly.

Image credit: JL Horsemanship
When you are figuring the weight of your horse trailer, you will need to remember that the total weight includes horses, feed bags, floor mats, and tires. The gross pay weight includes the weight of the freight as well as travelers. It’s extremely important that you don’t have too much tongue weight on your horse trailer, as this can lead to some severe problems. The tongue weight of your trailer is the weight that pushes along the hitch of the trailer. If the tongue weight of your horse trailer is too heavy, it might wipe out your suspension and do some serious damage to your tires. You may also cause the front wheels of the vehicle you’re using to haul your car with to lift off the road, or cause the back wheels of the trailer you’re pulling to raise off the road.

The hitch weight plays a significant part in the overall tongue weight of the horse trailer. The weight allocation hitch spreads the weight over all the tires of the horse trailer hitch, making it easier for the wheels to carry the weight of the trailer. It is important to make sure that the weight is spread out evenly, as this will help you avoid raising the tires of the pulling vehicle off the road or ruining the vehicle’s suspension.

Once again, it is important to stress that while the weight of a trailer is indeed an important factor in buying a horse trailer, the ultimate goal is to buy a trailer that accommodates your horse’s needs and gets him where you need him to be safely. There are a million different aspects of picking the right type of horse trailer, so be sure to weigh out everything before making a choice.

There are a lot of different places you can go to do research on this topic. It’s always a good idea to shop around at several different dealers before choosing a trailer, as you will have a better chance of finding a good deal. It’s also important to mention that the weight capacity the trailer can hold should be clearly displayed on the outside of the trailer. This is crucial to helping you calculate the total weight of your trailer. Make sure the weight of the horse you will be transporting isn’t more than the trailer that will be used to transport your horse, as this will negatively impact the safety of the trailer. It can’t be stressed enough that safety is the number one priority and goal of finding a horse trailer, so keep that in the front of your mind.

One of the most important safety factors that need to be carefully researched before purchasing a horse trailer is the weight capacity. The weight capacity is how much weight the particular horse trailer can hold at a given time. Most horse trailers are designed to hold a certain amount of weight depending on the size of the horse. There are a lot of dos and don’ts involved with buying horse trailers that have a specific weight capacity.

One of the first things you will never want to do is to go over the weight capacity listed on the outside of the horse trailer. This number indicates the maximum weight load that this particular horse trailer can hold before problems occur. It is extremely dangerous for you to go over this weight limit for several reasons. One reason it is dangerous is that going over the weight limit can cause severe damage to the horse trailer itself. You may cause the back tires of the trailer to rise up off the road while traveling, which can severely injure your horses. By going over the weight requirement, you may also cause the front wheels of the towing vehicle to come off the road, which could cause an accident.

Image credit: Jasonstimpel
Also, if the vehicle you are using to pull the horse trailer with isn’t big enough or heavy enough to pull the weight of the trailer, you may damage your suspension. This is definitely not good, as it can really put a strain on your wallet. This is why it is important to make sure that you are not going over the required weight capacity of the horse trailer you are using.

One of the most important parts of weight capacity is making sure you have the proper hitch equipment to haul the trailer and its weight. It is highly recommended that if you use a trailer that is 2,000 pounds, you should use a Class 1 hitch. You need to increase the class of the hitch according the increase of the weight of your horse trailer. For instance, if you have a trailer that is 10,000 pounds, you will need a Class 5 hitch, which pulls 10,000 pounds.

If you should improperly load your horse trailer according to the weight capacity, you run the risk of causing serious injury to your horses. It is important to make sure that you make the safety of your horses a top priority. Horses have individual needs that differ from horse to horse. Making sure they are safe and comfortable should be the main goal of getting a horse trailer.

That being said, you should also keep in mind a few other details about how to make your horse more comfortable in his trailer. Make sure that you don’t put more horses in the trailer than the trailer can actually hold. These cramped conditions may cause a horse to panic and end up getting injured. The horses won’t have room to move and brace themselves either, which can be very dangerous.

Lighting is an essential aspect of a good horse trailer as well. Horses tend to be naturally afraid of the dark. Your trailer should be well-lit, preferably with natural light, but if you have to install a few lights inside the trailer, do so. This will help ease the horse’s fear and make it even easier for you to load them into a trailer.

Please remember to check the weight capacity on the outside of the trailer and to make sure that horses fit into that capacity before purchasing the trailer.

There are a lot of popular myths floating around the horse world that people have a tendency to take as 100% fact. It’s easy to see how so many of these half-truths got blown out of proportion, as information that travels quickly has a tendency to change from person to person as it’s passed around. Much of this happens during horse shows when likeminded individuals get together to discuss the latest equipment and horse trailer news and products. Let’s take a look at these popular myths and set the record straight.

Steel Trailers Rust, Aluminum Trailers Do Not Rust

In the early days steel horse trailers seemed to rust easily and aluminum seemed to be the best choice for a horse trailer. People are still in that mindset today, even though steel manufacturers have drastically improved the quality of steel and have made it much more durable and less likely to rust. If the horse trailer you use has been made from raw steel, and this steel has not been treated in any way or painted, the steel will rust very quickly. What you want is a horse trailer made out of kotesteel. This type of steel is coated before it leaves the factory and is far less likely to rust.

Image credit: Stevenarens
Another strong type of steel that is great to use for horse trailers is galvanized steel. This type of steel is very durable and doesn’t rust easily at all. The only way this steel will rust is if it is welded and not recoated. The whole statement that steel horse trailers rust is a myth because not all steel is the same. Some steel is stronger than other types of steel so you can’t really make a fair general statement like that.

The one thing people tend to forget is that while aluminum may not rust, it does corrode. When aluminum begins to corrode it turns into a fine white powder. Aluminum horse trailers are actually very similar to steel ones. They each differ in the different type of aluminum that is used to make the trailer. What really makes a difference in the life of your horse trailer is the type of material that is used to make it, the overall quality of the trailer itself, and how well you take care of the trailer that you use to transport your horses in. Make sure that you keep your trailer clean and that you wash the floor of your trailer once a month.

Steel and Aluminum React to Each Other

It is indeed true that if steel and aluminum are used together they react to each other. However, the companies who manufacture trailers that are made from both aluminum and steel know how to incorporate both types of metal without them touching each other. These companies often use some type of protective coating or maybe even Mylar tape to protect the metals from each other. Most aluminum trailers have to use some type of steel transition parts, so this really puts an end to the myth of the “all aluminum” horse trailer.

This myth is one of the most popular myths out in the wide world of horses today. It is a myth that has survived the test of time and transitioned into the modern world of horse trailers, despite all the advancements made in the steel industry. Remember, the most important factor to keep in mind when choosing a horse trailer is the safety of your horse. Make sure that your horse has a safe and comfortable trailer to ride in and that his needs are met and you’ve found the best trailer around, regardless of what it is made of.