# Possibly trailer shopping again, good dealers, areas?



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Back story and pre amble...questions below the line..


Having a bit of a think up here, I like my gooseneck trailer, but I'm sick of having to rely on having the truck with the hitch on it available to me, 2 things prompted this thought, my old diesel truck broke down last year an hour away from home, with Big Ben in it, we were stuck for ages, and luckily we could get the diesel running again, otherwise I don't know what I would have done.

Fast forward to January this year and I jacknifed the rig and wrote off my diesel truck, so ended up having Gibbs boarded down at my trainers, (no bad thing) but the trailer was down there as well, and it has taken my DH and DS 4 months to fix a hitch in the back of the replacement truck.

In the meantime my friend and i took her truck and bumper pull trailer on the 8 hour round trip to fetch Gracie, and I found the driving was OK, it was as easy to pull as the gooseneck, and a bumper pull means that any of the vehicles around here could be used, I could hitch up and go whenever.

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I will be looking for a two horse, probably bumper pull,and used.

Prices in Canada are horrific, so where is good in the States to look, we are directly above North Dakota, and obviously have to balance travel times/costs into possible savings.

Looking to buy used, is $5 - 6 000 enough to buy something half decent?

What is the best lay out, configuration?


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## Rawhide (Nov 11, 2011)

Search

2014 Kiefer Horse for sale in Ocala, Florida :: HorseClicks


I'd start out by looking at these two sites along w/CraigsList ! :wave:


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Craigslist would be fine, if I can narrow down some areas. I'm also wondering if it is easier to buy from a dealer who is used to getting trailers across the border


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Nuts, just lost my post and, of course, it was mostly finished:-x

Anyways, briefly, what I wanted to say was: I was in your shoes not so very long ago. I had plans of upgrading from my old trailer to a newer slant load one. I made my must have list and started checking the ads concentrating in good ol' Sask. I found that there wasn't that many come up and when they did they were over priced given their condition (perhaps I was too picky) but sold anyway or else they were sold before I could get hold of the owner. I ended up buying new.

May I suggest you consider looking across the border in Alberta. They seem to make up for the quantity and quality that is lacking Saskatchewan. I suspect if you buy from there you may have to pay the PST tax to get it across the border and put plates on it. I also suspect that if you got one from the States, you'd have to pay both GST and PST taxes and perhaps some custom charges to bring it home as well. I tell you a person cannot get a break!

My recollection of Alberta prices for a two horse trailer (when I was looking) would suggest you can get a trailer for your price range that would have miles on it and would be showing it but would still be usable.

The set up I settled on, btw, was a two horse slant with walk in tack room. There's no saddle compartment at the back end so I lead the horses in and lead them out rather than back them out and they are very content with that way of doing it. I am most pleased with it (and I think I can confidently speak for the horses when saying they like it too). So, of course I would recommend the same to you.

Good luck hunting!


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I had a surprisingly hard time finding a used trailer in that price range when I was looking last summer. There seemed to be a lot of the older steel trailers at $2k and below, and some nice newer enclosed trailers at $8k and above, with very little in between. 

I ended up buying a new 14' Circle J Mustang configured as a two horse slant with tack room for $6500. Not quite as 'fancy' as I had originally hoped for, but it has generously sized stalls and is solid (not to mention it came with a warranty and I don't have to worry about whether or not a used trailer was maintained properly) My only complaint is that the tack room door isn't sealed, though from pictures I saw on the dealer's website they have a new door design on this year's model.


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## QH Lady (May 6, 2014)

*Trailer shopping*

I'm looking for a two bumper pull trailer. I have lots of questions. 1. Is slant load better or is it really just about personal preference? 2. Are featherlite/aluminum trailers better than the heavier steel ones..safety concerns? 3. I am on a budget, what would you pay for a used trailer? Thanks!


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

QH Lady said:


> I'm looking for a two bumper pull trailer. I have lots of questions. 1. Is slant load better or is it really just about personal preference? 2. Are featherlite/aluminum trailers better than the heavier steel ones..safety concerns? 3. I am on a budget, what would you pay for a used trailer? Thanks!



Good questions, 

Slant/straight, personal preference, I think most horses would choose a straight load, but rear facing.

Steel is heavier but obviously more solid, personally I like a steel frame with a lightweight skin.

Budget, very very personal, and area dependant, set your budget and then find one to fit!

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I found the ideal trailer in the next province only to have the wallet slam on me, seems like we have rented another 460 acres and now we need the money to seed that, but in teh fall, after harvest..............



I HATE being married to a farmer, it's always after harvest :twisted:


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

1. Agree the straight/slant is personal preference. I had a straight load that I'd haul one horse in. Took out the divider and it became my "One horse slant" since my mare would stand slanted. She likes my 2H slant and I like it better too (but only cuz it has a tack room!)

2. I know people who have both. I have a steel trailer and I like it. I don't know anyone who has gotten in an accident with either type, but it would stand to reason that the aluminum would not be as "strong" as a steel trailer in an accident. However, they are lighter and presumably would be a little easier to haul than a steel one. 

3. Prices for used trailers vary widely depending on make, model, year and condition. 

I paid $800 for my used straight load. I sold it 8 years later for $800.  I bought my current trailer (2H Trails West Adventure MX) for $3800? I found it on Craig's List in Dallas, TX (I'm in CA). It was in great condition. Then I paid my friend a little in gas $$ to haul it from TX to CA (she was coming back anyway). 

There are deals out there, but you have to look for them. Decide what you want in a trailer (as in the basics), what your budget is and then start looking. You'll find something, I'm sure!!


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