# Selling a stock trailer and buying a horse trailer, need help



## eclipseranch (May 31, 2012)

It's been 3 years since I was trailer shopping but a $5K budget seems really tight to me for a 3 horse slant gooseneck. Mine was an older Sundowner in good shape & was $11k but maybe its just my area. I love the gooseneck, though, will never go back to a bumper pull! good luck in your search


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I know it is tight, and depending on the value I can get out of the stock trailer then maybe I can have some more.

This one is kind of what I am looking for

Horse Trailer World - Huge Selection of Horse Trailers, Cargo, Trucks

Trouble is you can't read the plate on it, so I may have trouble bringing it across, I know it is listed at $5 900 but was hoping to negotiate a little, lets say 5 - 6K


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

does @MSN even exist anymore ? That add is probably ancient. I say buy once cry once. for 5k, your gonna get a rusty hunkojunko, be putting money into flooring, tires, brakes, etc then in a few years be looking again.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

That ad is current, the trailer is on a dealers lot in Billings, have been emailing about it, which is why I know about the potential issue with its plate...

Difficult to tell but it doesn't look like a hunk of junk to me, but I do appreciate that you can't see the important bits on those pics


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I saw a 3H gooseneck in great shape (believe it was a Featherlite, actually) on HorseTrailerWorld.com for 6k in TX. I'm also shopping for a 3-horse gooseneck, and I haven't found anything decent under that 6k mark. It's probably doable, but might take a while to find.

ETA: The ad you posted doesn't state what material it's made if, which could be why it's priced so low. If it's a big heavy steel trailer, it probably isn't generating a lot of interest.


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

Subbing because I know nothing at all about the trailer market over there, but will be getting one when we arrive.

They do seem to be more expensive than in the UK though :-(


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

OK, so if a 3 horse will be difficult, would a 2 horse be doable??




equiniphile said:


> ETA: The ad you posted doesn't state what material it's made if, which could be why it's priced so low. If it's a big heavy steel trailer, it probably isn't generating a lot of interest.


It's a Sundowner I believe that they are aluminum, but maybe some older models are steel, LOL I'm used to lugging a steel trailer around



Shropshirerosie said:


> Subbing because I know nothing at all about the trailer market over there, but will be getting one when we arrive.
> 
> They do seem to be more expensive than in the UK though :-(


Depends what you are looking for Rosie, little 2 horse bumper pulls can be had at quite reasonable prices, but once you have driven a goosneck you wont want to drive a bumper pull again. Then again they seem to be more expensive up here in Canada than they are down in the states.

You are going to have to get used to the oddness of having no ramp for loading, it seemed so odd when we came over, but actually works really well in practice:lol:


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

Golden Horse said:


> Depends what you are looking for Rosie, little 2 horse bumper pulls can be had at quite reasonable prices, but once you have driven a goosneck you wont want to drive a bumper pull again.


Well it all depends on your experience with a gooseneck. Only pulled one once and had a horrible issue with a narrow driveway and decided we much prefer bumper pulls. They do have their advantages at times. 

As to trailers - you can find a good deal as long as you can take time looking. A friend of mine bought a LQ gooseneck 3-horse slant for $3000. It was steel instead of aluminum though. Never had a horse in it. He remodeled the LQ area and didn't have to do anything else to it. Seems the original owners bought it new to take a couple large dogs to dog shows around the country and took excellent care of it. Of course when I am looking I can never find such deals!


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

Golden Horse said:


> You are going to have to get used to the oddness of having no ramp for loading, it seemed so odd when we came over, but actually works really well in practice:lol:


Handily enough, my trailer here is a Bateson and I'm the smug one saying "no I don't bother with the ramp, she just steps up"

I just told my husband, who is there already, to look for a pick-up for me. I'm keeping my options open on gooseneck or bumper-pull.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Cat said:


> Of course when I am looking I can never find such deals!



Aint that the truth


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

If you repainted that gooseneck, inside & out (notice the ceiling is rusty looking), redo the floors if anything looks black, and make sure everything works, lights, breakaways, proper safety chains. Bring it to BC right now all done up, you will get 6 or 7 grand.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Why not gussy the gooseneck up a little and add a tack room up front? My bumper pull stock has a 16' floor and I could easily enclose a small tack/change area up front.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

My initial thought was to do it up, but considering is is a steel trailer it is already heavy, and then when you are talking about...

Floor mats
New bulkhead to make a dressing room
Dividers for the slant loading
Saddle racks
Bridle racks,
Lining and dust proofing the dressing room/tack area
putting windows in the horse area
Sanding down
painting


Then actually it is a lot and money and effort to turn a perfectly good stock trailer into a half decent horse trailer. I'm hoping that with the money I am getting from Fancy and Flight and the cash from selling the stock I will have actually hopefully $6 - $6 500 to buy something that was designed to do the job, and hopefully will be nearly ready to go.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

waresbear said:


> If you repainted that gooseneck, inside & out (notice the ceiling is rusty looking), redo the floors if anything looks black, and make sure everything works, lights, breakaways, proper safety chains. Bring it to BC right now all done up, you will get 6 or 7 grand.


WOW, nearly worth the trip......mmmmmm do it up, offer to haul a horse out to BC, then leave the trailer there to sell, maybe worth it after all


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

GH, $5900 for the trailer you posted (and from how it looks like) would be quite low for my area. Of course it's old (1987), but still. I wonder if there is anything hidden behind. But then it depends on area a lot, so may be it's a norm there.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

That's the trouble, don't know if they are a reliable dealer or not, anyone here from Billings I wonder?


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I wish I could help, but I only know dealers around. Usually bad word is spread pretty fast, so I'd suggest to google. Or may be create a new thread in "Horse Talk" or something asking about experience with specific company. From my experience not too many people check the "Trailers" section of the forum (I rarely do myself).


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

The budget has been raised a little YIPPEE

Now looking for a 2 or 3 horse, gooseneck, with tack, under $7000

If in Canada gotta be Sask, Alberta or Manitoba

If in US withing around 500 miles of 58801

Who wants to help me shop?


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Around here, your stock trailer would go for about $4500 I think. People just don't want to haul that heavy stuff anymore. If you pretty it up and the frame is solid you could probably hold out for $5500, but not in a hurry.

I figure that I got a deal on my two horse gooseneck with dressing room. $3500, because it's steel so it's heavy. Steel is much nicer to weld though and that's a big plus for our household.

Sorry, can't help you shop though. Good luck!


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## loveduffy (Dec 22, 2011)

have you check eBay they have a trailer section


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Not sure if I'm brave enough to buy a trailer through ebay:shock:


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## Lindze (Mar 26, 2012)

Op, just have to ask where you are from ( phone doesnt show locations) we are looking into a trailer ourselves and this one may just do the trick....
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

We are in Saskatchewan, kind of half way between Regina and Yorkton


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

They have trailer dealer stores on ebay GH, really no risk. We bought a truck off ebay from Cali, best service, best price, better than a local car dealer.


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## Lindze (Mar 26, 2012)

Shot in the dark but did you have some mini's up in Thompson Manitoba about a month or two ago? I can't imagine there being that many stock trailers that colour from Saskatchewan.... Or maybe there could be idk
But ill show and discuss this with hubby 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Golden Horse said:


> Not sure if I'm brave enough to buy a trailer through ebay:shock:


Be _very _careful if you decide on eBay. For some reason I found lots of trailer scam on eBay when I was shopping for trailer several years back. 

Personally I'd keep checking craigslist daily (because it may popup today and get sold in no time).


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I have 2 nice contenders at the moment, NDAppy found me one on Craigs List in ND, looks good, price is right in the ball park, private seller, but have to bring it across the border, and pay import duties.

Second one, at a dealer in BC, right on spec and price, but twice the distance to travel, but no border fees.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Lindze said:


> Shot in the dark but did you have some mini's up in Thompson Manitoba about a month or two ago? I can't imagine there being that many stock trailers that colour from Saskatchewan.... Or maybe there could be idk
> But ill show and discuss this with hubby
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Nope, no minis here, would love some, but not happening LOL. I haven't had that trailer in Manitoba, well, only just over the border.


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

Three horse trailer - Edmonton Livestock For Sale - Kijiji Edmonton

This one looks pretty nice!
Horse trailer 3-horse angle haul 1994 Charmac Gooseneck - Strathcona County Cars & Vehicles For Sale - Kijiji Strathcona County Canada.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Sending message to the second one, sounds a strong possibility, thanks PP:thumbsup:


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

LOL, the second one was from May...they sold it, shame nice trailer


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