# "Convertible" Trailer?



## poundinghooves (Aug 5, 2010)

I am looking for a cheap trailer just to mainly get my pony to local shows and a clinic or two and to bring goats/sheep to the fair and such. I came across this trailer that they are selling as a "Convertible" trailer. It's not a convertible, it just has a super heavy duty tarp stretched across the top because there's no roof! So, my question is, if I replace the tarp (it's tearing up) with a new heavy duty one, could it be used for the horses? Are there any dangers? Any reasons why it would be a bad idea? It's really cheap and I don't need anything fancy, but don't want to buy something that I'll be sorry about later on. So I'll post a picture of it. At first I thought "No way" but then I thought I'd just get some opinions on it. So tell me what you think!


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Nothing wrong with them, if the rest of the trailer is sound, I say- Go for it.
May have to spend some money on having a new tarp made though, might wany to price that and put it into consideration.


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## Zeke (Jun 27, 2010)

There is a guy here locally that cut the top off his trailer and uses it to haul short distances. He claims it's helped some of his horses that are hard to load....who'da thunk. 

I'm with cowchick, if the rest of the trailer is sound and you can find another thick tarp until you can afford a new roof, then I don't think i'd totally rule it out. Any idea who would be able to put a new roof on for you and for how much?


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## poundinghooves (Aug 5, 2010)

It has a new floor and new sides, and all the lights work except for the lower left rear one, which shouldn't be a problem to fix. It's really close to me, so I might just go out and have a look. I don't really no anyone who could put a roof on, but could check around for pricing, that's a good idea. Very interesting that it may help them to load without a top, haha. The back of this trailer looks a bit rough- they're using a board to keep it shut. Not sure if that's a good idea or not....


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I'm with Chick, I see no problem with it because it does have something to protect them from flying debris. That tarp (or, well, a new one LOL) will work just fine for hauling horses.

It's trailers like this that make me squirmy. I can imagine far too easily, with my luck, that I'd meet a car that kicked up a rock and I'd end up with a one-eyed horse.


















And I know there are thousands of folks that haul in these, but it always makes me cringe when I see someone going down the highway and a horse has their head sticking out over the open top in the back.


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## poundinghooves (Aug 5, 2010)

Smrobs, those would worry me. I'd never even seen them like that!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

That trailer had a steel roof that probably rotted so the owner tore it off and now makes claims of "convertible".
Nothing wrong with it as others stated as long as structurally it is safe and sound to use.
I would _never_ trailer my horse in it without a fly mask on to protect the eyes from flying debris. 
Make sure that those side and roof ribs are not rotted through and collapsing before you purchase it and again when you drag that heavy tarp across the top then need to cinch it down skin tight to prevent the snap and billow that could scare the heck out of your horse in noise and what is seen.
Make sure there is enough head clearance for your horse to walk under that tarped area with those roof ribs so he doesn't bonk his skull.
A body shop could tell you how much it would cost to redo the roof with tin. Available in sheets or rolls... bent and riveted to the frame it then again becomes a weather-tite trailer...
A new paint job on the new roof panels to prevent rusting and down the road you go in a really spiffy looking trailer...
:wink:


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

The roof adds a lot of strength to a trailer and quite frankly that strength is designed into the trailer. That makes a trailer were someone has yanked off the roof fundamentally weaker than designed. Now if it had been designed or reengineered properly without a roof I wouldn't worry. I personally don't take chances when it comes to my horses safety which puts this trailer into the big HELL NO category for me.

Second, take a look at that second picture you posted from the rear. I can see the back cross bar is broken or cut. Also you can see by the gap between gate and the bottom of trailer there is a huge gap on the right bottom. Put the two together and that trailer looks like a stroke victim with the muscles on the right slack. In other words, it's falling apart.


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## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

Smrobs, both types that you posted are featured at my barn, lol. A lady has one similar to the blue one you posted, but she does have a tarp covering the top and front. My barn owner has one like the white one, and it would make me a bit nervous to use one. If you have a short horse that could go in the front section then it wouldn't be such a big deal, but a horse putting its head over the roof is what I've always feared.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

horselovinguy said:


> That trailer had a steel roof that probably rotted so the owner tore it off and now makes claims of "convertible".





Darrin said:


> That makes a trailer were someone has yanked off the roof fundamentally weaker than designed.


Are we looking at the same trailer? This one that the OP posted didn't have the roof "yanked off", it was designed and built the way it is with the piping and tarp over the top.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

smrobs said:


> Are we looking at the same trailer? This one that the OP posted didn't have the roof "yanked off", it was designed and built the way it is with the piping and tarp over the top.


We are looking at the same trailer but seeing two different things. What I see is a standard 2 horse trailer that's had the roof removed along with obvious signs of rot and weakness in the frame.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

OP, it looks like the back frame over the door needs some welding or replacing. 
The board looks like a good idea considering that if you didn't use the board the drop pin to keep it shut looks like it could possibly bend or come undone if something pushed against it..
We have rebuilt an old Charmac, cut the back half off behind the axles, tore half the roof off, rebuilt a door frame, door and reinforced the top then gave it a lift kit and a paint job. It is an awesome running around trailer. Its never been on the black top and after 5 years the welds are still holding. The problem with cutting the tops off of trailers sometimes is that helps hold it together. Even the WW trailer that was made to have a rag top after 13 years of abuse, and I mean abuse, has had to have some work on the back frame and door.

In my opinion, for what you want to use the trailer for, it should be fine with a little work if the rest of the trailer is good to go


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