Horse Trailers

SeniorCoot
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by SeniorCoot » Thu Dec 17, 2009 6:41 am

I would think it depends upon how far back you run the tack room-- i have a three horse slant trailer in which we have only 2 horses most times--They are in back two stalls and we put 8 sq bales in third stall- tack room is never loaded heavily and we have had no balance problems on long (MT-1300mi) or short hauls around town. Tire wear seems just fine and trailer pulls well behind my 3/4T Duramax.

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Boxa
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Thu Dec 17, 2009 7:22 am

The trailer has a gate that separates it roughly in half. The gate is centered pretty much over the axles, I talked to my brother in law who travels with a lot of cutting horses and he said he didn't think it would be an issue, but he is more familiar with a GN application as opposed to a BP.

Getting ready to leave out for TX on Friday night for our first long haul. Thought I'd ask for another opinion.

Thanks again!
Caleb F. Bryson
Bryson's Boxa Kennel

FC/AFC Bryson's Boxa Briarpatch Baby SH
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shags
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by shags » Thu Dec 17, 2009 12:46 pm

When I had my two horses in the two end stalls of my 3H slant, the rig felt really unstable to me. However, we didn't have much weight in the front, probably just a couple hundred pounds tops. Now I pull with them in the stalls closest to the tongue and it pulls real nice.
Load up and try a few local trips to see which way works for you.
http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/forum/ ... ?forumid=2 has lots of good info about anything to do with lugging horses around.
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/archi ... 36502.html some good ideas here, too.

wannabe
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by wannabe » Thu Dec 17, 2009 8:36 pm

If you can't move the gate forward, tie your horse at the front corner. When you get the front half set up with dog boxes, tack storage, and a water tank, it will help balance the load. The tongue weight should be 1/10 of the total weight of the trialer.
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RayGubernat
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by RayGubernat » Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:51 am

Boxa -

If the trailer is light on the tongue end, you can put three or four 5 gallon water jugs in the front end of the trailer. That should help balance the load and you can bungee them or tie them down, so they don't shift.

A load distributing hitch migh also not be a bad idea. I bought one when I upgraded from a 2 horse straight load BP to a 3 horse slant load BP. It really does help keep the trailer from whipping around side to side, when going down the road. It is a DrawTite "style" hitch and I think I paid about $250-300, installed.

RayG

wannabe
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by wannabe » Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:15 am

IMO, a weight distributing hitch would be the last thing that you would want for a trailer with a light tongue. A 35 gallon water tank in the front section would help a lot towards balancing the load.
Soggy Bottom Kennels
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Belly Acres Whinehard
Soggy Bottom's Juicy Butte
Soggy Bottom's Bonafide
Soggy Bottom's Col. Angus

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Boxa
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Boxa » Wed Dec 30, 2009 7:45 am

Went nearly 2,000 miles in the new horse trailer this week. From STL to TX and back home.

On the way down, tied the horse in the front corner and packed hay, tack, etc behind him with the gate closed, just to be careful. Everything rode real easy but it was a real pain to unload and load that stuff when I wanted to get the horse out.

On the way home, the wife "needed" some furniture from the ranch. So I cleaned out the front half and packed it in the front while the horse rode in the back. We drove through some pretty sloppy stuff and there was a little wiggle back there when going through the mud (maybe this is to be expected?) but it seemed to ride fine.

Based on the info from the websites, I think a custom dog/tack box and a water tank should make the front heavy enough to pull the rig safely with the horse in the back.

Thanks to all for the info, thoughts and opinions.
Caleb F. Bryson
Bryson's Boxa Kennel

FC/AFC Bryson's Boxa Briarpatch Baby SH
FC/AFC Bryson's Boxa Lucky St. Lindy SH
DC/AFC Bryson's Boxa Wendell W. Woodbriar

Wildweeds
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by Wildweeds » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:07 pm

If your trailer is light in the toungue area let me ask one question...........Does the frame appear parrallel with the road or does it rise as it get's closer to the ball? if so................get a hitch that drops enough to level the frame.I suspect that your hitch is to high which sets everything off of kilter,more weight is on the rear axle than the front in this situation which gives the seat cushion consuming butt pucker when it starts to try and pull out to pass you.If your framework is level you should have a considerable amount of toungue weight if the trailer is built properly(remember I used to build them for a living).As someone has already mentioned,water is going to always be needed,buy a plastic RV tank and get it wedged in the front and secured,ball valve and a hose and your in business in more ways than one.

Edited twice now and think I'll get it right this time,


Park trailer on level surface,level the frame, Back truck underneath it along side and measure the difference,get corresponding hitch. Your 3/4 ton diesel out to yank that thing along and you should not even notice it's there.

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lightonthebay
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Re: Horse Trailers

Post by lightonthebay » Fri Feb 12, 2010 2:41 am

Great advice Wildweeds. If it the tongue is high rather than level at the ball it is very easy to get into a very bad wreck because the trailer tends to control the truck under those circumstances.

Boxa -- make sure that trailer is level!

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