# Older Trail Et trailers. Opinions?



## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

So awhile back I was going to buy a Trail Et but it was newer. Now I'm in the market again for another trailer. Preferably I wanted a 3 horse slant with a tack/dressing room but I can't seem to find any in my price range. I did find though a 1989 Trail Et 2 horse slant with tack area and dressing room. What are your opinions on the 'oldies'? Are the older slant loads very roomy? Both my guys aren't very good loaders so it can't be overly claustrophobic. I can attach pix if anyone wants to see them but I did read that the Trail Ets (even the oldies) are going for a good buck cause they're a one of a kind trailer. I do know the trailers a tad shy of 7 feet high and 7 feet wide. Opinions on them are appreciated! (Or on slant loads in general, first time owning one!)

Thanks.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

Bump
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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

I have no experience wth slant loads:

personally I would close the stall and take measurements to determine if the horse will fit. and fit comfortably

also is there a rear tack? I would think a rear tack might make a hard loader that much harder since they are going into a hole/through a smaller door. where a straight load it's a wide open hole with a divider so appears roomier.


if you don't mind sharing: location/price range someone might have some more options for you.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

It's in NJ and its $3200. I thought the same thing about the tack compartment making it that much harder for my "hard loaders". I want a 3h slant load but cannot find any. I didn't really want a 2h straight load again but would settle. Here are pix. The inside ones aren't that good and some pictures make the inside look narrow. The opening though seems to be pretty big. 








































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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I've got a two horse slant load - the horses and I love it. I don't have a back tackroom so there is plenty of room to get the horses in and out. I do have a walk in tackroom in the front. It's also got some nice extra features like interior lighting, rubber bumper, etc. It's size is 7 ft high and I'm not remembering the width right now but it's not extremely wide. My biggest horse is 15 hands and fits very nicely in the trailer.

With the old trailers, I think you need to watch for structural integrity (good flooring, no rusting out spots, good trailer hitch and axles, etc), working brakes, working lighting system (good ground, no exposed spots, etc) and straight pulling. Also, if it's an "enclosed" trailer, you'll want a ventilation system and no drafts. You may find that trailer a bit heavier if it is all steel construction as well. After those areas are checked, it's just might be worth purchasing.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Just so your photos, OP. The trailer has possibilities. For it's age, I'm seeing relatively little rusting. How big are your horses? The padding in the trailer makes it look tighter. I think the width of my trailer stalls is 33-34" (give or take) so you'd probably want to see at least that in yours.

ETA - I'll just add that if your horses are claustrophic, perhaps you might want to also consider a small stock trailer (probably around 14 ft). They don't have alot of features on them but they're also lower in price.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

I was looking for a stock trailer but of course there's nothing out there now that I'm in the market again. My hkrses are a 14h pony and a 15h stocky paint. The lady said her 15.3h app fit fine in it. Both of mine are kinda crappy loaders. My mare just needs constant refreshers on loading and the paint I just got is just...stubborn.
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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

I like the idea of the stock trailer to get the most space in your price range.

my trainer has a gooseneck slant trailer that they actually took all of the slants out of so it's pretty much a stock trailer with a dressing room and the horses never have problems being moved that way


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I have very good loading response from my guys in the slant. Since it doesn't have a rear tack, I open both the big door and the little door and it's very "unclaustrophibic" looking for the incoming part. For the outcoming part, I don't back them out, I turn them around and lead them out - however with the NJ one, it looks like it's got a vertical bar welded in it (because of the tack part) so I don't think you'd be able to do that with it.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

I did find another one. Although its an Adams. 
ADAM 2006 For Sale Animal Horse Trailers


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

The Adams doesn't look to bad neither. Perhaps I missed it, but I didn't see the year or the size of it. I know it can be very tricky trying to find a used trailer. When I got my slant, I bought it new after giving up hope of finding a decend used one - there were a few out there, not all that many though, and someone always seemed to get to them before I did.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

Chevaux said:


> The Adams doesn't look to bad neither. Perhaps I missed it, but I didn't see the year or the size of it. I know it can be very tricky trying to find a used trailer. When I got my slant, I bought it new after giving up hope of finding a decend used one - there were a few out there, not all that many though, and someone always seemed to get to them before I did.




I believe the Adams is probably bigger then the Trail Et. Hard to judge by pix, though. But it doesn't have the back tack area like the trail Et so it's all open in the back with an upfront dressing/tack area. The Adams is a 2006.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

Just asked if the tack area slides over in the back of the Trail Et and she said she thinks so but she's never done it. And the area where the horses walk in and out when the tack area is "opened" is a little bigger then a stall door.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Well that's better - I'd want to make sure that's working as part of the prepurchase exam.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

I don't think it slides over just judging from the pix but the opening is about the size of a stall door. She said its more then half of 80 inches. (The trailer is 80 inches wide)


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

So, I guess you'll be taking a look at it?


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

Live had plans to see it since Monday but keep going back and fourth because if its too "stuffy" I didn't want it. But, it's kinda hard to tell so I guess I'll have to go look. How hard is it to teach a horse to load in a slant like that? I've never owned one before but my options are kinda slim it's either this one or ones that are beat. And my price range is pretty decent! The market doesn't seem to be too great right now.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Exercising consistency and patience, I'd say it's not hard to teach a horse to load into a slant at all.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

I did ask for the stall width so I guess well see!
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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

The stall widths were about 32''-33'' but the padding makes them seem narrower. 

The front stall is pretty narrow so no real stocky horses up there unless they're real good loaders. For my guy, who's a stubborn loader though. I can just leave the divider open and tie him and he'll have all the room. But the second stall is bigger.
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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Promising then - very promising.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

Yes and it was immaculate for an 89. The opening to get into the trailer was actually pretty big too. I forgot to measure how big it was, though.
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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

So, does this mean you took a look at it and made an offer?


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

Well we made an offer and they declined. So we were thinking it over and made the decision to buy it but it sold before we got there.
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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Ohh - bummer. Did you rule out the other one - the Adams?


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

The Adams I never went to look at as it ended up being too far away. I'm currently exploring buying a brand newie eclipse maybe.
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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I can't remember if I mentioned it before but that's what I ended up doing when I went to buy my second trailer. We didn't even get to the point of making an offer on an used one as we couldn't find one to suit me so got new. Granted it was more money, but after it was done I'm glad I did do it that way.


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## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

That's the predicament I'm in. I can't find any trailers of my liking and I want one that ill have for years. Do you have any expierence with eclipses?
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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

No I don't. I'm in Canada and there's a limited number of brands up here (through dealerships) so I didn't come across that one. Do they have a web site? Where are they located? And, what dealerships do they have?


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