# NON gooseneck?



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

None, because SUV are not equipped to pull horse trailers. For one thing, the wheel base is such, if you had to turn or swerve sharply, you would flip.
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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Hmmm you have me confused......what type of SUV is it? Because to haul a gooseneck you need a truck with a box, I thought SUVs were enclosed?

Are you meaning you need a bumper pull and just need to get a tow ball + hitch to put in the square hitch lock in the back of the SUV?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

waresbear said:


> None, because SUV are not equipped to pull horse trailers. For one thing, the wheel base is such, if you had to turn or swerve sharply, you would flip.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


That depends on the SUV. I had a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer Extended with a longer wheelbase and hauled a 2-horse slant just fine. Suburbans and Expeditions are find for hauling, as well. However, I wouldn't probably haul with an Isuzu Rodeo or something that size.
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## Horsequeen08 (Jun 24, 2007)

Wait so you can get a ball-hitch thing to put into a square shape on the back of the suv? It is for sure able to haul, he bought it with the intention of some day hauling a boat. But right now it is just an open square. Haha I'm just laughing at how little I know about these things. But I guess you gotta learn sometime!


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Horsequeen08 said:


> Wait so you can get a ball-hitch thing to put into a square shape on the back of the suv? It is for sure able to haul, he bought it with the intention of some day hauling a boat. But right now it is just an open square. Haha I'm just laughing at how little I know about these things. But I guess you gotta learn sometime!


Yes you can buy a hitch and a ball to slide into that square in the back of your SUV!!! LOL too funny! The hitch needs to be rated for the load being pulled, and after a few calculations you can figure out your tow load capacity on your SUV. In fact you can go to the dealer or google it and find out on line. Also, hitches come in all shapes and sizes, so get some help choosing the correct size. Also think about how heavy the trailer will be, the tow capacity of the trailer etc etc.....you can also buy stabilizer bars that help reduce sway etc......

You may want to ask around and get someone to help you and show you correct hitching (ie. safety chains, brake away cable etc etc) being safe in towing is key!

Good luck:wink:


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## Horsequeen08 (Jun 24, 2007)

Well...now that just opened a whole new door for me. So is it better to find the trailer I want before buying the tow hitch/ball thingy? (still great use of terms, I know  ) Or is it better to do it the other way? Haha I'm still laughing at my complete ignorance. I've never owned a show horse until recently, so I've never had a need to trailer anywhere. Guess it is time to google trailers!  Thanks!!!


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Horsequeen08 said:


> Well...now that just opened a whole new door for me. So is it better to find the trailer I want before buying the tow hitch/ball thingy? (still great use of terms, I know  ) Or is it better to do it the other way? Haha I'm still laughing at my complete ignorance. I've never owned a show horse until recently, so I've never had a need to trailer anywhere. Guess it is time to google trailers!  Thanks!!!


Haha! Just make sure you know what size/weight trailer your SUV is capable of towing.....and don't forget to add horse weight to your calculations......do that first, then buy the trailer......a hitch is easy to come by! You need a BUMPER PULL!! :lol:


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Horsequeen, what kind of SUV do you have?
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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Also, any auto or farm store should have these, but you need to also know how much drop down you need, so trailer will be level.

Links to what you will need to look for. Hitch Adapters

Trailer Hitch Accessories For Towing,denver,littleton,colorado


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

****
Okay, I got a chuckle out of you! 

I think Muppet has it. You have right now, just the receiver for the hitch. You'll need the hitch and ball and it will slide in there - they make it that way so it's interchangeable if you need to change your ball size or type of hitch.

Your owners manual or the side of your where your manufacture sticker is will have the weight capabilities of your SUV. Use it as a loose guideline. My truck is rated for 9000lbs but I would prefer not to haul over 7000lbs. Any trailer will have it's weight (on the same manufacture sticker like your truck) to compare, leaving weight room for horses/tack/feed, etc. 

Depending on whether your driving something like a Jeep Liberty or Chevrolet Tahoe is going to greatly affect your weight ratio.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

You need to go talk to someone at a trailer dealership. If you didn't know a ball goes into a receiver hitch, you need to have a personal tutorial.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Just go to a trailer place, rv store or truck store. They will set you right.
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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

First off, what kind of vehicle do you even expect to tow a trailer with? Maybe it's not built for something as heavy as a horse trailer, but just those ****ty little tin things that people haul a couch in.

Then, seeing as you are a complete and utter newbie to this, who is going to teach you how to drive with a trailer? Pulling a trailer is a completely different ball of wax then just hooking up and "away we go." 

I applaud you for wanting independence, but you have to have the vehicle, the funds, the knowledge or someone to teach you. Being independent but not safe is NOT BETTER than relying on someone else.


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

This whole thing sounds like a recipe for disaster. If between yourself, boyfriend, and any family and adults can't figure out gooseneck/bumper pull, I'm honestly scared to know someone like this may be on the road with others. There's a lot of things to consider when towing a trailer. Hitch capacity, heck ball size, brakes, lights, vehicle ability, hitch safety mechanisms, and that's not even considering the driving end if things. I have to be licensed and i am, to drive doubles, triples, tankers, hazmat but any average joe with the $$ to buy a trailer can can hitch up a wagon and roll. Just don't seem safe for anyone. I'll shut up now. Please find someone knowledgable to teach you and for now stop looking for trailers before someone gets hurt.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

OP there are plenty of bumper pull trailers horse trailers to choose from and your budget will be the decider as to what you purchase. As the others have said, you need to check the towing capacity of the vehicle before you commit yourself. 

If you are buying new from a dealer they will answer all the questions you can think of, and some more about 'how it all works'. If you are buying second hand from private individuals then I suggest you go find a friend with a bumper pull and ask to spend 20 minutes looking it over and learning the good points and bad points of that one. 

I started towing 8 years ago with my first bumper pull, having never towed anything before. The lady I bought mine from gave me a basic tutorial "always go 10 miles below the speed limit, remember you have a longer stopping distance, and your horses aren't wearing seatbelts". When I pulled that trailer home for the first time I was a nervous wreck, and it probably took me 20 minutes to hitch up the first few times. But with practise it gets easier and now I can reverse park my trailer in the tightest spot of the muddiest farm yard :lol:


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

To add to what's been said...

Just because BF's SUV can pull a boat doesn't necessarily mean it can pull a horse trailer. Pulling a horse trailer is a whole different animal. I've towed boats, wave runners, flatbed trailers with quads...heck, I've driven a 32-foot class A motorhome with a 28-foot box trailer full of quads and camping gear behind it. But NONE of that prepared me for towing a horse trailer. My Trailblazer had a 7000lbs towing capacity. Even with 1300lbs Aires in my friend's 3000lbs aluminum two-horse slant, my SUV wasn't working overly hard. The FEEL of the way the SUV drove, though, was completely different (I had previously towed a 20-foot semi-enclosed trailer loaded with furniture with my Trailblazer and you could hardly tell it was back there).

Everybody has to start somewhere with hauling their horses, but I would do all the research you can before taking the step to buying a trailer and hauling.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Also, please keep in mind that while your SUV may be capable of _pulling_ a certain amount, you need to make sure it's able to stop and turn relatively quickly with the weight you pull. For example, I'm sure my Dodge 1500 would be able to pull 10,000 lbs....but I would never go close to that because it would have difficulty turning and stopping.

You really need someone to help you with maneuverability and such. Backing up a horse trailer is a whole 'nother ball game.


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Yes.....and believe it or not, some have the trailer hitch fall right of the tow ball while theyre pulling out of a parking lot while their horse is in the trailer and they think its funny......those people shouldn't be hauling anything, let alone a horse. Idiots.

Do all your research and perhaps find someone who can give you sme trailer towing lessons etc. it's worth it in safety!


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Like Phly said, anyone can hook up a trailer and go. Are they safe? Not always. Cudos to you for at least asking and trying to learn beforehand. 

A gooseneck trailer hooks up to a ball in the bed of a truck. A bumper pull hooks up to a ball behind the vehicle. The ball can be on the bumper or on a receiver hitch (this is what your bf has). 

A vehicle that can tow a trailer doesn't mean it can haul a horse in a trailer. Even if it is under the weight limit, hauling a live animal such as a horse, is totally different than hauling dead weight, like furniture and such. A live horse will shift around on its own and throw the balance of the vehicle off. 

Not only do you need to figure out getting the trailer hooked up, you will also need the vehicle to have the correct wiring to hook up to the trailer. Some older trailers use a 6 pin round plug where newer trailers use a 7 blade RV plug. Also, the vehicle will need to be equipped with a brake controller for the trailer brakes. Smaller trailers like boats and utility trailers don't usually have their own brakes. Most horse trailers do. 

Depending on what your bf's SUV is, you may or may not be able to haul with it, and depending on how heavy the trailer is. A full size SUV or truck should be fine for a two horse trailer but not a small SUV. 

Brenderup trailers are extremely light and in Europe, they haul them with smaller vehicles. The downside is that they aren't cheap. Featherlight aren't exactly cheap either but are pretty light also. Any steel trailer is going to be heavy, no matter what brand. Older two horse straight loads might not be a bad option to look at. They are usually smaller than newer slant loads. The problem with them is more things can be wrong with them because they are older. 

So, in all, just figuring out how to hook the trailer up is one thing. You'll have more to think and figure out besides that.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Two weeks ago I just bought this straight load 1976 trailer! It's older than me! The whole thing has been redone, hubby being the safety guy he is redid the brakes and redid some of the wiring, nothing was wrong with the brakes or wiring, but he redid it to be safe! He trains heavy equipment operates for a living and if it can be towed, he's towed it! We pull it with a 3/4 ton Dodge.

I had a two hour trailer pulling lesson the other day (horseless) and I will be having atleast another 12hrs of lessons horseless! I did great, but I know the risks and want to get really confident and have the ability to handle the trailer safely. Hubby wants me out in the city, rain, wind, hills, highways, parking, backing up etc etc! And that's just fine with me:wink:


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Muppetgirl said:


> Two weeks ago I just bought this straight load 1976 trailer! It's older than me! The whole thing has been redone, hubby being the safety guy he is redid the brakes and redid some of the wiring, nothing was wrong with the brakes or wiring, but he redid it to be safe! He trains heavy equipment operates for a living and if it can be towed, he's towed it! We pull it with a 3/4 ton Dodge.
> 
> I had a two hour trailer pulling lesson the other day (horseless) and I will be having atleast another 12hrs of lessons horseless! I did great, but I know the risks and want to get really confident and have the ability to handle the trailer safely. Hubby wants me out in the city, rain, wind, hills, highways, parking, backing up etc etc! And that's just fine with me:wink:
> 
> View attachment 149386


I love that trailer! The only thing that would make it cooler is if you had a matching '76 pickup to pull it with.


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I love that trailer! The only thing that would make it cooler is if you had a matching '76 pickup to pull it with.


I know I know!!!! I call it the muscle trailer! Like an old muscle car!!! Too bad we got ride of the 1978 two-tone green Ford 1 ton!! (Think it was called a 1 ton, but it was a beast and pulled a huge 37' fifth wheel trailer!) 

Hmmmm now I'm going to be looking at old trucks.......


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I love that trailer! The only thing that would make it cooler is if you had a matching '76 pickup to pull it with.










it's a 79 but would be a nice match!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Phly said:


> it's a 79 but would be a nice match!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Ya ya!!! Haha just need some pin striping and a blue strip along the bottom! 

I'd be spending more on gas that I'd only be able to drive down the driveway and back!!!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Muppetgirl said:


> Two weeks ago I just bought this straight load 1976 trailer! It's older than me! The whole thing has been redone, hubby being the safety guy he is redid the brakes and redid some of the wiring, nothing was wrong with the brakes or wiring, but he redid it to be safe! He trains heavy equipment operates for a living and if it can be towed, he's towed it! We pull it with a 3/4 ton Dodge.
> 
> I had a two hour trailer pulling lesson the other day (horseless) and I will be having atleast another 12hrs of lessons horseless! I did great, but I know the risks and want to get really confident and have the ability to handle the trailer safely. Hubby wants me out in the city, rain, wind, hills, highways, parking, backing up etc etc! And that's just fine with me:wink:
> 
> View attachment 149386


My boyfriend and I looked at a trailer like that one a couple of months ago! It was really neat, but wasn't nearly tall enough for my monster.

Here's a pic of the aluminum two-horse slant I borrowed hooked up to my Trailblazer. I think the trailer is a Featherlite. Man, I miss my Trailblazer. :-(








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## Horsequeen08 (Jun 24, 2007)

Wow. I don't really understand how some of you think it is ok to post rude things. Some of you are very helpful, and I'm grateful for you to take me seriously and POLITELY inform me on the ins and outs of trailer buying/pulling. But *insert bad word* to the rest of you. I'm not sure why you don't have manners or never learned the "if you don't have soemthing nice to say, don't say anything" rule. Ok. And might I also add that I said flat out I was interested in trailers and knew nothing. I didn't say here is a trailer I'm buying and throwing my horses in and then towing away with no regards to anyone. 

That being said:
1) I'm not going to be the one towing the trailer, my trainer is. I will probably learn around the barn property eventually, but I have no desire to risk my horse's safety as she is one of the most important things in my life. 
2) Phly, and yes, I'm calling you out by name: your comments are very much uncalled for. Blantently calling me stupid for asking questions on something I don't know...I'll use your very own words "shut up now". How do you expect me to learn if I don't ask questions? How am I suppose to find out everything I have just from the other people in this thread if I don't ask questions? Let me just remain ignorant forever, or be a "disaster". I'm not a fool. I don't buy on a whim. I have a trainer who can help me find the perfect trailer WHEN IM READY to buy. Being interested and being ready are two totally different things, thank you VERY much. 
3) My bf bought the car (its brand new, 2012) with the intention of towing a boat in the future. We don't currently have a boat, he just knows within the next 5 years he'd like to get one, and is just planning ahead of have a car that can tow. 
4) Again, repeating the fact that I'm not stupid: The local horse expo is coming up next month. They always have tons of trailers. I will probably just go then and ask all the questions I have. I'll end up talking to them just for information and figure out exactly what I want and what I need and what is within budget. 

Sheesh. I realize that it was pretty silly not realizing you can buy a hitch for the back of an SUV, and already got a good laugh out of myself, as did several of you. I'm ok with that. What I'm not ok with is being treated like a a dumb person. You were all once me, knowing nothing about trailers. somewhere along the way someone taught you. 

Again, thank you very, very much to those who took me seriously and replied politely and helped inform me as best as possible. I wish I could give all you cookies or something. You make me actually enjoy reading the replies and making notes on what kind of research I need to do. 

Muppet- the trailer is super awesome! Agreed you need an older truck to pull it! You must love it!


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## Horsequeen08 (Jun 24, 2007)

Also, I did the research you guys suggested on weight limit only to find out his car won't pull a horse trailer, the weight limit is way to low.  Still, any more info you can give will be useful! At least now I know some more about what I'm looking for. Guess now I gotta search for a higher-weight towing vehicle. Maybe I'll just buy that truck that's for sale on the corner, lol. (Kidding!)


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

Thank you for calling me out actually. I stand by everything I posted earlier. Should you learn? Yes. Absolutely. But expecting a honest safe answer from your original post leaves a lot to be assumed. A small SUV, is it a KIA? Who knows... The total lack of knowledge you exemplifified, shows to me that if you were to get a trailer tomorrow, bad things could happen. So going off what I was given to work with I posted. 
Should I really get into how brakes work, wieght transfer, axle ratings, wiring, and plating issues when all I know is a small SUV and horse trailer? 
I feel it's In my best interest to assume the worst and work from there.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Yes I am enjoying the trailer! Thanks! At least I can get all my bins of tack out of the garage now!!


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Here's a tip I was given AFTER we got our trailer. Get one bigger than you think you need. If you need a two horse, get a three horse. Reasoning is that even if you only have X horses, and you buy a trailer that would hold X horses, a time will come when you need to haul X +1 (or 2) horses. 

We bought a 2 horse for my wife and me. Why would we need a trailer for more than 2? Not long after getting it, we needed to haul 3 and several times since. We have squeezed 3 in it but its just a bit too cozy at times and very possibly overweight for the trailer.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

usandpets said:


> Here's a tip I was given AFTER we got our trailer. Get one bigger than you think you need. If you need a two horse, get a three horse. Reasoning is that even if you only have X horses, and you buy a trailer that would hold X horses, a time will come when you need to haul X +1 (or 2) horses.
> 
> We bought a 2 horse for my wife and me. Why would we need a trailer for more than 2? Not long after getting it, we needed to haul 3 and several times since. We have squeezed 3 in it but its just a bit too cozy at times and very possibly overweight for the trailer.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


In addition to this, if your horse(s) are larger, like my beastly, they will take up more room. That two-horse slant I posted? Aires (at 16hh and 1200lbs) took up a little more than half of it.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Horsequeen08 said:


> Also, I did the research you guys suggested on weight limit only to find out his car won't pull a horse trailer, the weight limit is way to low.  Still, any more info you can give will be useful! At least now I know some more about what I'm looking for. Guess now I gotta search for a higher-weight towing vehicle. Maybe I'll just buy that truck that's for sale on the corner, lol. (Kidding!)


If you go truck (of course, I would say go DODGE!) if you're looking at just a two horse you can probably get away with a half ton (mine, as I said, is rated for 9000lbs and is a half ton, but it's then newer, beefier half ton that cost me a LOT of money LOL) but I would stick to the 3/4 tons if you could, and I probably wouldn't look at one that wasn't a 4x4 - but I guess that depends on where and when you'll be using it. Here, you got three feet of snow or three feet of mud so a non 4x4 is useless. 
If you can, go for a goose neck - they haul a lot easier then bumper pulls and gives you a lot more maneuverability, and the center of balance is the middle of your truck and not your bumper - a lot easier on the whole rear end of your truck. More expensive, but in the long run, definitely worth it.


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## Horsequeen08 (Jun 24, 2007)

If I buy a trailer, I'll probably end up keeping it for many years. So I want to get something will suit my needs both now and in the future. WS- by half ton do you mean the amount the truck can pull or the weight of the trailer itself? I think you mean the amount it can pull, but I'm just checking. 

As another note, just your own personal prefrence: What kind of trailer do you think it best? Slant load or straight? Ramp or step down? Etc. Just curious about opinions.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Horsequeen08 said:


> WS- by half ton do you mean the amount the truck can pull or the weight of the trailer itself? I think you mean the amount it can pull, but I'm just checking.


Half-ton actually refers to the hauling capacity of the truck bed. In a half-ton truck, you can haul 1000lbs (or half a ton) of materials safely. Three-quarter-ton can haul 1500lbs safely. One-ton can haul 2000lbs safely. This is completely separate from the towing capacity. Most half-ton trucks are rated to tow 7000-9000lbs from the tow bar (bar mounted to the frame under the bumper of the truck). 3/4-tons can generally tow 10,000-12,000lbs from the tow bar. One-tons can generally tow 13,000-15,000lbs from the tow bar. The towing capacity varies by brand/model/engine size. A Dodge Ram 1500 with the 4.7-liter engine won't be able to tow the same amount as the Ram 1500 with the 5.7-liter Hemi. The majority of 3/4- and one-ton trucks are diesels, so have a higher towing capacity than their gas counterparts. 

Also, make sure that whatever truck you end up buying has a tow package on it from the factory. Aftermarket tow packages usually aren't rated as high. A tow package will beef up you alternator to handle the trailer braking system and the lights. It will also add a bigger cooling fan and high capacity coolant.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

^^What she said!

Chev and Dodge's both use the "thousand" system:
1500 - half ton
2500 - 3/4 ton
3500 - 1 ton (by far the best option, but CASH. LOL)

Fords are F150, F250, etc but I wouldn't.... 

Avoid the mini versions of trucks such as the GMC Sonoma, Ford Ranger, Dodge Dakota - they're as uselss as cars. 

Diesel engines are best but I get by just fine with my Ram 5.7 gas job. 

Agreed with making sure it already has a tow package! Not only are they better, but they cost a fortune to buy and install after the fact.


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## Horsequeen08 (Jun 24, 2007)

As embarassing as it was asking the questions I did in the OP, this has been EXTREMELY helpful. Like I said, you guys were once me, super clueless. Someone taught you, and now you are teaching me. Man I feel like I already know so much more about horse trailers that the people at the expo won't think I'm a -complete- idiot, just 1/2 an idiot, haha. Thanks guys!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I'm lucky that I'm a daddy's girl and my dad is a car guy, so he's taught me a lot. He's the one who let me tow all the random stuff I have, starting when I was old enough to drive. My one weakness is backing a trailer. As long as I have someone guiding me who knows what they're doing and gives clear directions, I'm ok. By myself? Not so much. Lol.

You're right, we all did start somewhere and I think sometimes people who have been doing this a while forget that.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Horsequeen08 (Jun 24, 2007)

I'm actually terrified to even TRY to pull a trailer. I think when I get one I'm just going to make my trainer haul me everywhere. I'm NOT getting on the road until I've put like 50+ miles on the truck by "towing" around the barn haha.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Just a personal preference....
But if I was in your situation I would buy the best pickup you can afford, at least a 3/4 ton and hopefully a diesel.
Then I would spend the rest on a stock trailer. Forget the fancy drop down doors and such. If you can get one with a small tackroom that locks for your saddle and stuff for shows. ( it also works good for the "tackroom" at home) Horses load well into a open stock trailer and they are less inexpensive then the fancier models. later down the road as your needs change and you geta feel for what works for you in trailer options you can upgrade. Well maintained stock trailers seem to hold their value well.


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

Horsequeen08 said:


> As embarassing as it was asking the questions I did in the OP, this has been EXTREMELY helpful. Like I said, you guys were once me, super clueless. Someone taught you, and now you are teaching me. Man I feel like I already know so much more about horse trailers that the people at the expo won't think I'm a -complete- idiot, just 1/2 an idiot, haha. Thanks guys!


Absolutely we all started somewhere!
Braver the person that asks for advice.


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

I have used ramps and step-ups, and they both work fine. My personal preference is for a step-up as it seems easier to teach the horse to load, and subsequently harder for the horse to invent load evasion techniques :lol:

If you can, get one with a separate tack room, or at least tack space. Much much easier than shoving it all in the back of your car. Have fun at the expo, window shopping for trailers is fun 

And - stop worrying about your ability to tow. Absolutely everyone started off not being able to do it! We all learn.


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