# Issues finding a trailer



## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

I had a lot of trouble with this too. Two horse trailers that are still in safe working order were hard to find in my area. The dealerships nearby would post one online, but by the time I'd call it had "sold" (not sure on this, maybe they wanted me to have to buy a new trailer? ). Anything local I found in my price range was covered in rust. I ended up buying an older all aluminum trailer. It's an '01 4-star that I paid ~$7k for, which was more than we wanted to spend, but at this point I'd been looking for a trailer for and entire year. It is a good quality trailer though, and it tows much better than I remember the old steel trailers my parents always had. It's also got a bunch of nicer features not on newer, less expensive makes. 

If your tow vehicle can only pull 1 ton, I'm not sure you'll have an easy time finding a trailer in that weight range without a horse, though. My all aluminum trailer weighs between 2500-3000 lbs empty, and the horses weigh 2000 lbs or so, plus weight of any equipment, feed, and water I load. You might consider purchasing an older truck that will have appropriate wheel base and towing capacity. Under-powered vehicles aren't any fun on the highway hauling live weight. Even though my Land Rover Discovery weighs more than the trailer and has a towing capacity of 5500 lbs (more than my loaded weight with one horse), I go up hill at about 35 mph here in the Ozarks (we have some crazy steep terrain here). I have trouble keeping the rig stable at more than 55 mph on the flat. It chugs along at low speeds and I can't complain for the price I paid for (free), but I absolutely can't imagine trying to tow this trailer loaded with an even smaller truck. I'm not sure it would even move! Stopping can also be a concern if your trailer seriously outweighs the tow vehicle. In fact this affects all the dynamics when towing and can make the trailer fishtail and shimmy and whip your vehicle around while it does it. Like I said, I've got this problem a little myself, and on paper, my truck IS big enough. 

If you're determined, try to find a no-frills all aluminum without the dressing room or extra height. I believe some trailers also have some composite components specifically to be low weight, so if you can find one, that would be good. That should cut the weight down some, so if you load it minimally you might be close to your tow capacity. This should be ok for short hauls at low speeds. For the price of the aluminum trailer, though, you might be able to get a steel trailer like a Calico and an older more appropriate truck.


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

1 ton? An empty trailer weights more than that. You need a towing vehicle first.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

An empty Brenderup trailer is just under 1 ton IIRC. Add a horse and you're hauling 1.5 tons minimum. If your tow vehicle is only rated to ~1 ton you're well over weight and putting yourself, your horse, and everyone else on the road in danger.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Sure a heavier car can pull a trailer but I doubt it will be able to stop it in a hurry or keep it on the road if you need to swerve. Cars are not designed to haul livestock, in fact it is illegal here.


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## backyardhorse (Feb 22, 2013)

AND....even if your car can pull a trailer now, how long will it be before the transmission goes out? As LHP noted, the trailer itself weighs close to a ton. Here's an option, though.....BUY a suitable trailer, and then on the occasion that you need to haul, RENT a truck. Good luck to you, and stay safe


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

There's so much wrong with using a car to pull horse trailers I don't really know where to start. At best it's going to cost you a small fortune in repair bills, at worst someone is going to die.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Unless you're towing a mini inside a tiny trailer, using the car is not safe at all. It's also not good for the car. There's no trailer that I can recommend that is suitable for use with a car that can tow 1 ton.
1 ton is only 2000 pounds. Most horses are in the 900-1200 pound range, which leaves you very little room for a trailer, and you don't want to tow near your max.

Not having a problem in the past means you were fortunate. If you tried going up/down a hill or in the rain, you would end up on the side of the road with a flipped trailer.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Even a small 2-horse bumper pull aluminum trailer is going to be 3,000 pounds. With the empty trailer (no tack, no horse) you are going to be well over your weight limit. 

Not safe at all. 

The best idea is to first find a trailer that will suit your needs. THEN buy a tow vehicle that will be able to safely tow it. 

A car is not a tow vehicle.


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

You know, I just remembered my Mini Cooper is rated to tow 1400lbs, so you're probably talking about any large 4 cyl/small v6 car. If you like your horse and/or the car, please don't pull with it.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Amen to all of the above!!!!!!!!!


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## wausuaw (Apr 15, 2011)

I had a hell of a time trying to stay at or around 5000lbs. I really don't see how it would be possible (safe, anyway) to be less than that. (I have smaller horses, weighing less than 1000 lbs each, trailer being about 3000lbs- but I have wiggle room, so it won't kill -or possibly kill- me or my horses to be a bit over. 5000lbs was just a goal). Benderups are light, but expensive! They are also hard to find (at least here).


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Sorry to thread hijack, but I have a question that's related. I have a v6 Chevy work truck, it hauls my two horse bumper pull trailer just fine everywhere I go, and the 4 horse trailer with only one horse just fine, (except that's only in flat areas) 
Is using my truck dangerous for my horse? Should I borrow my parents v8 suburban or v10 ford and try to sell my truck for something more suitable? 
Honest opinions, I'm going to be going to college in a year, and Stitch is coming with me. 

Again, sorry to hijack the thread, I'm just genuinely concerned after reading this. I wouldn't want to put my horse in danger
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

What model Chevy? Does it have a factory tow package installed?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Rideordie112 said:


> Sorry to thread hijack, but I have a question that's related. I have a v6 Chevy work truck, it hauls my two horse bumper pull trailer just fine everywhere I go, and the 4 horse trailer with only one horse just fine, (except that's only in flat areas)
> Is using my truck dangerous for my horse? Should I borrow my parents v8 suburban or v10 ford and try to sell my truck for something more suitable?
> Honest opinions, I'm going to be going to college in a year, and Stitch is coming with me.
> 
> ...


A 3/4 ton truck is going to be better for towing than a 1/2 ton truck. 

With that said, I currently pull my gooseneck 3-horse trailer with my husband's 1/2 ton GMC pickup. I usually only have 2 horses in it, but I have sometimes hauled 3. Is it ideal? Absolutely not. Can it be done? Sure. 

Until I can afford a bigger pickup, this is what I got and I'm making do with it. 

If you have the option and the means, get a bigger pickup. 

On that same token, you never want to be "over-trucked". When your tow vehicle is too big for what you are towing, your horses will receive a much rougher ride because the truck is going to "throw" the trailer around a little bit.


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Okay thanks guys! I'll see what's reasonable for me to do

And dancing it's a 2006
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## wausuaw (Apr 15, 2011)

I had a v6 Chevy silverado, it COULD pull my horse trailer, reasonably, but it really wasn't good for my truck. I have a V8 1500 WT (2013) that is more well suited- truck doesn't even care it's there (flat terrain). Your truck (depending on GVR, wheel base, gear ratio, etc) is probably ok for short distances every once in awhile- but I wouldn't use it (or any V6 truck) for a horse trailer for an extended period of time from my experience and research.


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

What's the factory tow rating on the truck? Is the hitch factory? Welded in? How does it feel when you tow? I think you're probably ok in the short run as long as you're doing short hauls. It is much more pleasant to tow with a larger truck, but I think yours meets the minimum requirements for a 2 horse trailer. I'd definitely install a brake controller if you don't have one. Well worth the $200 for that, particularly with a small truck. How much do you think you'll be hauling and over what kind of distances?


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Rideordie112 said:


> Sorry to thread hijack, but I have a question that's related. I have a v6 Chevy work truck, it hauls my two horse bumper pull trailer just fine everywhere I go, and the 4 horse trailer with only one horse just fine, (except that's only in flat areas)
> Is using my truck dangerous for my horse? Should I borrow my parents v8 suburban or v10 ford and try to sell my truck for something more suitable?
> Honest opinions, I'm going to be going to college in a year, and Stitch is coming with me.
> 
> ...


Find out the tow rating on your truck and the weight of the trailers you tow and that will give you a starting point. My guess is that with a V6 you might be a little challenged pulling a fully loaded 2-horse. I know someone who tows an old steel 2-horse with his V6 Tacoma, and it is fine most of the time, but trying to tow it fully loaded up a hill he couldn't make it and had to unload his horses and walk them the rest of the way (which fortunately was not far) I'm not sure the exact tow rating of his Tacoma, but when I was truck shopping I considered the largest engine/double cab Tacoma as a viable option as long as I only ever hauled 1 horse at a time (I only own one, so that would mean not hauling any friends' horses with me)

A 3/4 ton truck is not strictly necessary for a 2-horse. I tow mine with a V8 Tundra with no issues (truck's tow capacity >8000 lbs; my trailer is 3000 lbs empty and rated to 7000 lbs). 

As mentioned, definitely use a brake controller. I'll pull my trailer out of its parking spot without connecting the brake controller sometimes, but wouldn't even consider driving it around without it.


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Thanks guys. I'll look into the tow rating and hitch stuff. I'll have to ask my dad. 
I will have to drive from California to colorado to get to college next year (if all goes as planned)
So based on what I've learned, my truck isn't a good idea.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

It's not just about tow rating and is a trap many fall into. 1/2 tons can be rated to a pretty decent rating but they still lack things like:
-Heavier frame that can take the stress.
-Heavier axles that can take the stress. 
-Bigger brakes that can stop the load.
-Full floating rear end. What's this mean? If you snap your axle the wheel will stay where it belong so you can stop safely. 1/2 tons have a C clip rear end which means if you break your axle (more likely when towing) your wheel and axle can exit the vehicle which is rather problematic.
-Heavier suspension which can better take the stress.
-Beefier transmission that was built to take the stress and heat of towing. Automatics will also be programmed with a different set of shift points and use a different torque converter.
-Believe it or not an engine that was built to tow. Typically if you look at the specs you'll see they are rated at a slightly lower HP than the same engine in a 1/2 ton but with higher torque. Torque is what you want for towing and the difference is usually in the cam used and engine management programming.


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## spirit1215 (Mar 11, 2014)

We just looked up the cars towing ability and it said it can haul up to 1.5 tons. Also, the frame is a truck frame(if that makes any difference?) and we have gotten accessories(brakes,extra wheels on the side and other stuff I can't remember). 
Like I said, we've hauled before with no problem and I live in PA with many hills and tight turns! We are looking for a truck that can haul more than the car but we have to work with what we have lol
Any advice on what we should look for in a truck then?


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

1.5 tons is only 3000 pounds. That really is not much.

If the conditions are ideal you can get moving but ultimately it's not safe. Not running into a problem to date doesn't mean your chances aren't really high to 

Look at the total estimated weight of what you want to haul and go from there. Get all the horses you think you would want to haul at once and figure out their weight. Then consider things like tack, water, etc.

If you want an SUV, a Yukon can tow recently well and I think there's another big SUV - a suburban? Those do better than some trucks. I wouldn't go smaller than that and definitely not smaller than a 1/2 ton truck. I went with a 3/4 ton truck to expand my options.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

DancingArabian said:


> 1.5 tons is only 3000 pounds. That really is not much.
> 
> If the conditions are ideal you can get moving but ultimately it's not safe. Not running into a problem to date doesn't mean your chances aren't really high to
> 
> ...


 Yukon is a 1/2 ton that weighs more than a pickup to begin with which lowers what it can tow. Suburban may or may not be a 3/4 ton, they can also be on a 1/2 ton chassis.

OP, basically you want a 3/4 ton pickup or more for safety's sake. As for what you are looking at to tow, about the lightest trailer you'll find is 2500 pounds (think some Brenderups are down to 1800 but good luck finding one) but most small trailers will be in the 2500-3000 pound range. Figure your horse at 1000 pounds. Couple more hundred pounds for gear puts you 3700-4200 pounds at a minimum. As already stated you don't want to tow at max rating for any length of time so at a bare minimum I would be looking at 5000 pound towing capacity. That puts you in the range of a medium sized SUV or pickup. But as I stated above those are pretty darn light to be pulling livestock and I wouldn't go less than a 3/4 ton. 

Also, don't get anything that doesn't have a transmission cooler as you'll fry your transmission in short order without it (automatic only).


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## spirit1215 (Mar 11, 2014)

My mom's car is an SUV but I don't think it's a surburban. I probably should have mentioned that before lol It's a big SUV and it will only be hauling one horse and we are going to be looking at a little one horse trailer( I'm not a big fan of it, it looks really small!!) but it's not heavy as the 2 horses we've been looking at...


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

spirit1215 said:


> My mom's car is an SUV but I don't think it's a surburban. I probably should have mentioned that before lol It's a big SUV and it will only be hauling one horse and we are going to be looking at a little one horse trailer( I'm not a big fan of it, it looks really small!!) but it's not heavy as the 2 horses we've been looking at...


Honestly it really doesn't matter whether it's a car, truck, SUV, or van. If its tow rating is 3000 lbs it's simply not suited to towing horses. The lightest one-horse trailer out there is the Brenderup Solo, which weighs 1300 lbs. Two-horse Brenderups are hard to find, and the Solo even more so. On top of that, if you can find one in good condition they're quite expensive. At that point you're often better off putting the money towards a 1/2 ton truck and steel trailer. A steel one horse trailer with no tack room _might_ be as low as 2000 lbs. With a 1000 lb horse, you are towing at capacity. Keep in mind that these capacities are based off "dead weight" cargo with a low center of gravity. Horses have a high center of gravity and move around. Towing a horse when the weight is at or near the towing capacity is unsafe. Period. 

TL;DR: Don't do it. For the safety of all involved, just don't do it.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Doesn't the states, some or all, have regular Department of Motor Vehicle checks? They do here, and pulling a horse trailer, even a straight haul 2 horse with anything less than a 3/4 ton will probably get you cited and pulled off the road. Seen it happen.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

To my knowledge most states don't enforce the laws on non commercial vehicles. Take Oregon as an example. Non commercial vehicles do not have to pull into weigh stations so no inspection there . My trailer is required to be license seperate of my tow vehicle, on initial registering they check the VIN number and nothing else, renewals are done by mail. A cop could pull me over and do an inspection but that's something that rarely happens.

So in effect there is no enforcement if towing laws unless you get in an accident. Then the state steps in and reads you the riot act. Afterwards you are likely to be sued and lose in civil court if someone got hurt.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Darrin is correct.
One sees stuff on the road all the time that should not be there.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I found you a link to a huge list of vehicles from many manufacturers of towing capacities. **
So many combinations and choices only you will be able to scroll through and find "moms" car and what it has ratings for.
Please also realize that those ratings are for "dead weight" such as a camping trailer or boat...NOT live cargo such as a horse.
There is a difference and it is huge...

Also reconsider a one-horse trailer as that can put more stress on the tow vehicle than many realize than actually pulling a 2-horse. 
Sometimes the saved "poundage" but added stresses are not a good thing...

No one is trying to discourage you from getting a trailer, towing and transporting your horse.
What everyone is telling you is to do it the smart way of not over-taxing your vehicle by towing a live animals when you might be very near the vehicles capabilities.
The idea of having trailer will tow is to reach your destination in a safe manner with as little stress to the animal, the occupants of the tow vehicle and no more excessive stress to the tow vehicle that can cause roadside failure or worse...

Do your research, learn then go look at what you want and stay safely in the vehicles guidelines put out by the manufacturer. 
Then get some expert instruction in how to handle that "truck and trailer" as it is_ not_ a dead weight tow and when Misty standing in the back suddenly bumps her tush on the side of the trailer and makes you do a "Oh-crap" lane change you better know what you are doing to correct it and keep it from flipping over or going off the road. Think many are alluding to seeing what happens when you tow beyond the vehicles safe zones...

Please....be very careful. 
Your life, your horses life and the lives of those who share the road with you are all at your disposal.

_**Truck and SUV Towing Capacity Charts_


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

waresbear said:


> Doesn't the states, some or all, have regular Department of Motor Vehicle checks? They do here, and pulling a horse trailer, even a straight haul 2 horse with anything less than a 3/4 ton will probably get you cited and pulled off the road. Seen it happen.


There are no specific regulations that I'm aware of regarding appropriate matching of a tow vehicle to a trailer in any state. I imagine if you were pulling something that was, to the untrained eye, obviously dangerous to others on the road you might get pulled over and fined for something like reckless driving. But most people who haven't towed don't realize how much even a small horse trailer weighs and how much some of the smaller vehicles are rated (or not rated!) to tow.

Honestly I think the 3/4 ton requirement is silly. First, because "3/4 ton" is an outdated term that at one time referred to payload capacity (most "3/4 ton" pickup trucks now have a payload capacity much greater than 1500 lbs; current Toyota Tundras, which are considered a 1/2 ton pickup, have a payload capacity of ~1500 lbs) And while payload capacity is one number you might consider while pairing a truck and trailer (especially a gooseneck), I'd argue that other specs like towing capacity, GCVWR, wheel base, etc are probably more important. I'd be all for regulation based on actual vehicle & trailer specs (and requiring a brake controller over certain weights, etc.) but not based on vaguely defined vehicle "class."


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

verona1016 said:


> There are no specific regulations that I'm aware of regarding appropriate matching of a tow vehicle to a trailer in any state. I imagine if you were pulling something that was, to the untrained eye, obviously dangerous to others on the road you might get pulled over and fined for something like reckless driving. But most people who haven't towed don't realize how much even a small horse trailer weighs and how much some of the smaller vehicles are rated (or not rated!) to tow.
> 
> [\QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I would suggest getting yourself a truck. Like a big... truck. xD Everything involved with hauling horses is too expensive, and there is too much room for error to use anything else. Just my opinion :>


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

I would vote a 1/2 ton truck (cheaper than 3/4 ton) with a decent sized motor that has a factory tow package, and then find a nice aluminum/steel stock trailer with brakes

by going with a stock trailer vs a horse specific trailer you will end up saving some money so you can turn that money over towards the difference between the price of the SUV sale & truck purchase


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Darrin said:


> verona1016 said:
> 
> 
> > There are no specific regulations that I'm aware of regarding appropriate matching of a tow vehicle to a trailer in any state. I imagine if you were pulling something that was, to the untrained eye, obviously dangerous to others on the road you might get pulled over and fined for something like reckless driving. But most people who haven't towed don't realize how much even a small horse trailer weighs and how much some of the smaller vehicles are rated (or not rated!) to tow.
> ...


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

waresbear said:


> Darrin said:
> 
> 
> > Oh, they make you unload your animals, in some cases, and test your break aways, trailer brakes, controller, suspension, the whole 9 yards.
> ...


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

I believe that most of your issues with DOT will stem from one of 2 things:

1. Being a commercial vehicle with DOT numbers that is required to stop at mandatory DOT check points

2. driving an obviously overloaded vehicle which maybe be the case with a small SUV & full sized horse trailer


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

verona1016 said:


> I understand how they could test the breakaway system, trailer brakes & brake controller, but how would they test the suspension on the side of the road?
> 
> And more importantly... why? If the tow vehicle/trailer combination is within the manufacturer's ratings then why would you have them unload the animals on the side of the road with nowhere to tie them up (since you can't tie them to the trailer if you're then going to be testing it). Seems like that would cause more problems than it would prevent.


 Likely the same thing a trucker goes through, not only do they make you show all equipment is functioning properly they also inspect for cracked, damaged and rusted parts. In the case of trailers that would also include ensuring the flooring isn't rotted out. So that would mean removing the matting and jacking up the trailer for a better look under it if the inspector wants to go that far so the horses would need to be removed. Either hold them or tie off to the side of the trailer or whatever else is available.


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

Darrin said:


> Likely the same thing a trucker goes through, not only do they make you show all equipment is functioning properly they also inspect for cracked, damaged and rusted parts. In the case of trailers that would also include ensuring the flooring isn't rotted out. So that would mean removing the matting and jacking up the trailer for a better look under it if the inspector wants to go that far so the horses would need to be removed. Either hold them or tie off to the side of the trailer or whatever else is available.


Must say if they want me to take my horse out of the trailer, the best thing to tie her to will probably be the push bar on the police cruiser :lol:


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

Not saying it doesn't happen, but I've never heard of anyone having an inspection like that, and lots of ranchers I knew were hauling all the time. However, if someone is going to get an inspection, it's probably the guy towing with a car that they're pretty sure they'll get to write a big fat ticket to.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Darrin said:


> ... So that would mean removing the matting and jacking up the trailer for a better look under it if the inspector wants to go that far so the horses would need to be removed. Either hold them or tie off to the side of the trailer or whatever else is available.


 My apologizes, I may have missed this but where would they do this? Is it just on the side of a road your travelling on? I just see that as an accident and law suit waiting to happen: What happens if the horse(s) are untrained? What happens if the horse(s) get loose and run in front of traffic? What happens if the horse(s) won't load again - does the inspection just drive off and leave you stranded? Would they only do this if horses were in the trailer and if not what if its loose animals like cattle or sheep? (Most of these are rhetorical questions - I wouldn't expect an answer however I'll read someone's speculations if they are offered)


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Doesn't happen where I live either, we are not required to pull into weigh stations. But a cop could pull you over and do an inspection if they wanted to but then they can also pull your car over and do an inspection too. In reality neither happen.

I am willing to bet in states that do require livestock haulers to pull in have a better chance to be inspected. In my case all they've ever asked for is brand inspection and proof of negative coffins.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

The only time I have ever had to stop was going over a state line, & had to show Coggins, health certificates & brand inspections. Nobody cared where I came from, where I was going to, or how long I had been on the road. On that trip, though I had a an F-250,pulling a 4-horse stock trailer, w 1 small horse & 1 small donkey in it. Coming from CA to AZ, (another trip/but w/only a 1/2 ton) I had all my paperwork , but there was no place that said to stop. Now going into CA is another story-& the Coggins is only good for 6 months not the year most states give you. So taking my new horses back to ride on my favorite trails probably won't happen.

It is always good to have more torque than you need & more stopping power when hauling livestock-they can do crazy things back there in that trailer! And you never know when you will need 4WD! It can really come in handy.


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