# Appropriate height/width of trailer?



## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

trailer seems kinda small, not just the height but the width, seems my sundowner was 6'9" wide inside.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Thanks, joe. It looks to be in great condition and it has everything I want, but I'm terrified that Ro won't fit.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

I just went through this as I was looking at a trailer that was smaller, it turned out not to have a title so I didn't buy. 
But I was told, that the rule of thumb is usually 18 inches from the wither height for head space.


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## Sherian (Aug 28, 2012)

I put a 16.2hh horse on my 7' trailer and his ears touched the ceiling, luckily he was a sensible sort and the trip was all of 10 min. For essentially 17hh I would want 7'6" so he has room to raise and lower his head to balance. Also check the width of the individual stalls, alot of small slants have stalls that are too narrow for big horses and they get brusied hips.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

My trailer is 7 ft tall, 6 1/2 wide, it's a 3 horse slant. Not sure of the depth, however, every trailer I looked at (all brand new, wasn't buying used this time), the 2 horse slants didn't seem roomy enough in the first stall, back one seemed fine. So I bought the 3 horse, took out the first divider, plenty enough room. I could have purchased the "Warmblood" version of my trailer, it was 7 1/2' tall, but stalls didn't look any bigger to me.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

I'm replying here so hopefully I will remember to go out and measure my trailer tomorrow. I bought it because my horse was 17.1h I think (or 17.3? I can't remember now) and she fit nicely into it. So my measurement might give you a guideline. If I could I'd load my 15.2 girl in there and take a pic, but the trailer is currently in a wet spot and I'm not ready to try to pull it out of there just yet.


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

I'd keep looking. The height is fine. I hauled my 16.2 full draft mare in a 6'6" trailer and I haul my 17.3 drafts in a 7'3" trailer. The problem is the width. At 6'2", the stalls are not going to be long enough without removing the partition and essentially ending up with a large one horse trailer. Ask for a measurement of the stall length (it will probably be less than 85") and width along the outer wall (probably 36" max as the short wall is 6'). That will actually only give him about 31". You can see how a horse that needs an 80" blanket couldn't stuff itself into that size stall. He doesn't have any room for his head and neck. As a comparison the width of my trailer is 7'6". Stall width is 45" and length is 100". I can put a 17H full draft in one stall.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

So, I measured mine that I hauled my 17.1 (17.3?) girl and my 15.3 together in without having to "stuff" them in there  It's 68 1/2 wide and 85 long; 79" to from chest wall to butt bar. And 79" tall. These are actual interior dimensions.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Thanks guys!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

JustDressageIt said:


> I'm looking at buying my very first trailer - which is terribly exciting and nerve-wracking. My gelding is fairly big and my budget is fairly small, which means I'm running into problems!
> Ronan is 16.3 3/4 (ha! Yes, literally a quarter inch shy if a solid 17hh) and built fairly substantially. He wears a 80-82" blanket, so is long-ish.
> What size of trailer is appropriate for a horse his size? I'm very interested in a 2 horse slant bumper pull with the following dimensions:
> 6'10" tall. 6'2" wide. Long wall 10'10". Short wall 6'
> ...


Honestly almost any horse can fit in whatever you trailer you buy. I've seen some really nice GP money earners fit in some of the smallest slant loads. 

Slant loads are better in that they are more balanced for you to drive, as the horse's weight is balanced over the axles. The downfall with them, is your horse will have way less room to move and stretch out. I've never liked slant loads, and would never get one.

Straight load trailers give you way more room, however they also unbalance your horse trailer. That can make a difference on the long term maintenance of your trailer, as well as HOW you will be driving that trailer. You always want to load your horse to the left if you're trailering one horse.

Also did you not say you are going to be selling Ronan?? not sure why you would be looking at a horse trailer to fit him, if your intentions are not to keep him-in which case size really does not matter.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Thank you everyone for your input!!

Kelly - undecided at this point but trailer is going to be a long term investment. I can see owning other big horses so I want to buy big enough to last me 10 years. 

Trailer shopping today!!!!! Eeeeee!!!


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

6'10 is too small. My 16hh horse will not get into anything under 7'3.

I have a 7'6 oversized 2 horse angle haul. It's a Sundowner with all the extras (lights, sway bars, etc..). I like the angle haul because my tack trunk just wheels up the ramp into the saddle compartment in the back.
I definitely would not get anything smaller, for sure. Even sometimes it is a bit small for bigger horses. You will definitely need a full oversized/WB trailer for Ronan.

Eta there are warmblood height trailers, and true WB size trailers. I have about 4-6" on either side of a hwy lane in my trailer, and the length is the same as a 3 horse (sorry don't know measurements), andc although its an angle, my horses have lots of room.
The best 2 horse, big trailers, imo, are turnbows, if you can find one. Hawk, Sundowner and featherlite are all decent brands as well. I've hauled with a draft size Hart before that was excessively large hahaha but a decent trailer.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

That trailer is definitely a no go. 

Looked a two today.. A new Royal T Imperial DX at 7'6" high and 6'10" wide, and a used '06 Cimmaron at 7'1" high and 7'6" wide. 
Thoughts?


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