# Mcbride horse trailers - why the dislike?



## Saigold (Mar 21, 2019)

Why do so many people dislike the mcbride horse trailer brand so much? Is it because they seem to be generally smaller in dimensions to other brands?


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I have an X-wide, X-tall 2008 McBride two-horse straight load and love it! I mean, if I had the money, I'd buy myself a nice Merhow with front tack room, but the McBrides are more affordable, and that's all I could buy for the time being. Got a good deal on one that had had little use (the owner was 92!!! and just retired from showing!). They're quite solid, and I feel like it would fare well in a collision, though hopefully I never have to find out. Easy to tow, really, I have had no issues with it at all.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

I had a McBride trailer and it was ok, trailered well on the road with no problems was easy to hookup and unhook. The one thing I didn't like about it was that it was on the small size and not good for larger horses. If it had been a little wider and more spacious I would still have it.
For smaller horses it would be ok.


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## Saigold (Mar 21, 2019)

We just sold our mcbride. It was quite nice. But too small for our horses. And I was just curious, as the moment people would find out it’s mcbride they would walk away. And I see lots of people looking for trailers ads but it says no mcbrides. If our was wider we would have kept it


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Weird because mine is quite roomy, but maybe it's just that model. Or the fact that I have small horses in an X-wide, X-tall trailer  I like to have lots of space. I suppose if I were to put really big horses in there, it might be snug. 

One thing I worry about is rust. I feel like it is going to rust fast. That's the advantage of aluminum, but I wonder if the steel trailers do better in a collision. I feel like the light aluminum trailers (I used to rent a beautiful Merhow that was aluminum) might crumple like a tin can. Could be wrong though.


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## Saigold (Mar 21, 2019)

I suppose that’s what happens when you get a draft x lol. Nothing normal size fits. It was 5.5’ wide inside dimensions. So not much room per horse. 

Doing a quick research with steel vs aluminum, it says aluminum needs to have 3X, the thickness of steel for the same strength. So essentially while aluminum is a lighter material than steel, because you need so much more of it it end up being same weight if not heavier for a properly built one.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Saigold said:


> I suppose that’s what happens when you get a draft x lol. Nothing normal size fits. It was 5.5’ wide inside dimensions. So not much room per horse.


Sounds more like pony dimension trailer to me or that of a very small horse.
Pony trailers, smaller horse trailers also correlate with a 6' head clearance inside or slightly less.
Along with narrower width and shorter head clearance comes a shorter stall size too...all goes together.

I know nothing about that particular brand of trailer though...
If they tend to run smaller dimension sized then that would turn many away today needing larger for larger animals to fit comfortably inside.

Today the standards of 6' wide minimum up to 8' wide. and 7' tall minimum with 7'6" more standard and today 8' interior height is not unheard of for warmblood/draft trailers.
Height dimensions can be taller but width is a legal width limit no one can go over and use public roads shared by all.
:runninghorse2:...


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

I've never heard of McBride trailers....


*shrug*


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## Saigold (Mar 21, 2019)

@horselovingguy this was a full size trailer. 7’ high, total length 23’ and 5.5’ wide. I didn’t realize it was so narrow until I actually measured it. But I think this is why people don’t like them much it’s because they’re smaller dimensions. 

Here’s is our draft x in it. He’s 15hh and wide.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Your horse looks stuffed in that stall with how his butt hangs over the rear gate/ramp.
Trailer might be that long but the horse area is not "plush" by appearances in extra size left anyplace..

I too am accustomed to roomier stalls and space between butt bar and the rear gate/ramp.
I would also walk away from a trailer 5.5 wise cause my 16 hand quarter horse would not fit, grease the stall sides or not...he would not fit, period.

:runninghorse2:...


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

It appears in your case, size mattered. My stereotype of “down east” is that horses there are generally larger than “out west” mostly because of the hunter jumper scene hence the need for the bigger outfits. Using that (quite possibly flawed) logic, the vast majority of potential buyers are looking to buy big where you are.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

They're a Canadian brand and I've never seen one, so can't help you with the 'why people don't like them' part of it. If they run small, that's part of the issue if you live in a part of the country where the hunter/jumper/dressage is more popular.


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## Saigold (Mar 21, 2019)

We sold this one and will look for a bigger one. We got the bigger horse after we already had the trailer. But guess it’s time to upgrade. Lol. He does look stuffed in there. Although he did have a bit of space to move forward and not sit on the big bar. I didn’t like how there was almost no space between the but bar and ramp. And so the search begins and now my ad will prob say no mcbrides either lol


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