# Piece of junk or great deal???



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Since it's so far away from you buy the adapter or whatever you need to get it home and go look. If it's SO bad that you don't want it, then you can return the adapter (I think I know what you're talking about, the thingee you plug the trailer lights into in the back of your truck) and either exchange it for what you do need or just get your money back. But, you say, nothing under $4000 in your area and it's $1000 and for another $1000 or less you can make it safe and road worthy. Even if it turns out not to be what you really want, then you can resell it and at least get your money back out of it, is what it sounds like. If it wasn't 5 hours away, I'd say go look first but since it's a 10 hour round trip, if you do go, I'd go planning to bring it home unless it looks a whole lot worse in person than it does in the pics.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Since it's so far away from you buy the adapter or whatever you need to get it home and go look. If it's SO bad that you don't want it, then you can return the adapter (I think I know what you're talking about, the thingee you plug the trailer lights into in the back of your truck) and either exchange it for what you do need or just get your money back. But, you say, nothing under $4000 in your area and it's $1000 and for another $1000 or less you can make it safe and road worthy. Even if it turns out not to be what you really want, then you can resell it and at least get your money back out of it, is what it sounds like. If it wasn't 5 hours away, I'd say go look first but since it's a 10 hour round trip, if you do go, I'd go planning to bring it home unless it looks a whole lot worse in person than it does in the pics.


Thank Dreamcatcher. Yes, I was thinking I could re-sell it if I decide not to keep it. 

As for the adapter kit, as I understand it (again, I'm pretty clueless about this), there's a part that has to be installed on the truck itself so that can't returned. I think it's going to cost a couple of hundred dollars. However, I think it should work on most bumper pull 2-horse trailers.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Acadianartist said:


> Thank Dreamcatcher. Yes, I was thinking I could re-sell it if I decide not to keep it.
> 
> As for the adapter kit, as I understand it (again, I'm pretty clueless about this), there's a part that has to be installed on the truck itself so that can't returned. I think it's going to cost a couple of hundred dollars. However, I think it should work on most bumper pull 2-horse trailers.


You're right, now that you mention it. My old truck had 2 different plugs on it for different adapters. That's what I'd do, put the plug on the truck and if you end up buying a new trailer with a different plug you can either install another one or you can change out the plug on the new trailer to fit what's on your truck. It's not hard, my DH is not a mechanic and he's done that on a couple of different trailers (Bale hauler, utility trailer, flat bed trailer, etc) and it only took him a few minutes. He's the guy that if something can go wrong, it will and take hours in the process, so if he says it's easy it probably is.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> You're right, now that you mention it. My old truck had 2 different plugs on it for different adapters. That's what I'd do, put the plug on the truck and if you end up buying a new trailer with a different plug you can either install another one or you can change out the plug on the new trailer to fit what's on your truck. It's not hard, my DH is not a mechanic and he's done that on a couple of different trailers (Bale hauler, utility trailer, flat bed trailer, etc) and it only took him a few minutes. He's the guy that if something can go wrong, it will and take hours in the process, so if he says it's easy it probably is.


Haha... thanks!

I'm trying to find out of the brake lights work at least. We should be able to haul it home empty even if the brakes don't work - straight highway roads most of the way. However, if the brake lights don't work, we could get pulled over and it doesn't have an inspection sticker so we'd be up manure creek. The guy is going to check the brake lights for me and let me know. 

Anything else I should ask about before making the trip over? We are NOT mechanically minded so any work that needs to be done would have to be done by someone else. However, as I said, we do have access to people who can do it cheap. 

I figure it's going to cost me 700$ or more to have my daughter's horse hauled to shows and clinics this summer. I feel like I'd rather invest that in a trailer that will last a few years at least.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

I don't see any helper springs for the ramp, maybe they are there but I just can't see them, without them the ramp could be very heavy and I know that you are a small person so lifting the ramp could be hard. Take a good look at the ramp if you go to see it, especially for rust because the ramp takes a lot of abuse over the years and you want it solidly attached to the trailer.

I know in Princess Auto, don't know if you have them in N.B. they have some tail lights on a long cord that you can attach to the truck and then run them around to the back of the trailer and clamp them on. I don't know what you call them.

It doesn't look too bad for it's age.

Does it have helper brakes, if it was rebuilt in 2000 I imagine it would, but something to check.


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

Hi AA!

Mmmmm. Most, if not all BP horse trailers use the 7-pin round "blade" connector, and a 2" trailer ball.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailer_connectors_in_North_America

You should be able to find or make an adaptor to whatever is on your truck (might even _be_ the right one already) for $10, or $15. If time permits, go ahead and have the 7-pin receptacle and an electronic brake controller installed on the truck, 'cause you will need it regardless. Be sure to run a ground wire rather than depend on the mechanical connection at the ball to provide a ground. It's a fairly simple DIY to install the controller yourself, but if you're not comfortable with it, you're probably looking at ~$100 to have it done. Try a local U-Haul place. Buy the EBC on-line. This one is popular, and you can probably find it new on eBay for under $100.

Tekonsha!

(link didn't work. Tekonsha Prodigy P2.)

As far as the trailer, lift up the rubber mats, and check the floor boards. It's a major equine-safety issue, it's costly to have them replaced, and a degraded floor is often an indication of rust in the frame. Surface rust in the fenders and sides is a visual ugly, but not a safety concern as long as it is _just_ surface rust. scratch thru the rust with a pocket knife; if you find shiny steel just below the surface, it's OK. Slide under the trailer with a flashlight and check the frame for deep rust, particularly where there are accumulations of road grit. Look to be sure the axles aren't bent, and that the springs and shackles aren't loose or extremely rusted. Take along a floor jack, and lift the wheels on either side to check the wheel bearings. Grab the wheels and try to rock them from side to side. A little play is OK, but more than just perceptible play is bad, as is any clunking noise. Spin the wheels and listen for bearing noise. You may hear some scraping from the brake pads on the wheels with brakes; that's not usually a concern. A grinding or rumbling noise is. Check the tires for adequate tread, for bulges in the sidewalls, and for out-of-round, both vertical and horizontal. Have someone hold a stick as a pointer while you spin the wheel. Check the hitch for free motion of the latching mechanism, and for excessive rust; be sure it grabs the ball securely. Check the electrical connector for robust connection to the cable (if this is solid, usually the interior wiring will be, too), and check that there is a separate ground wire with a clean solid connection to the trailer frame, usually a screw thru a round terminal somewhere on the tongue. Check the doors, and ramp if so equipped, for freedom in the hinges, and to be sure they latch closed securely. Check the ramp hinges for cracks and broken "assist" springs.

These are areas that can, and generally will cause problems, the rest is mostly cosmetic. That said, on a $1000 trailer, you will probably have to balance defects against the cost to repair them. The most critical, and most expensive thing to fix is rust in the frame, so it's worth the effort to really look the underside over carefully.

Hope this helps. Happy Hunting! Steve


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

Acadian - I say it is always worth a look. And once you own a trailer you will wonder how you ever got along without one. I love knowing I can hook up and go where my heart desires. You may find that hauling out to trail ride leads to more bonding with Kodak and more painting for you!

I say even if it is a long drive the most you would be out is time. And if it is in decent shape bonus! At $1000 not sure how long it will sit around.


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

ask how the tires are.. if they are dryrotted and not safe would be nice to know ahead of time before you make the trip, also how are the floorboards, and frame, and does the roof leak.. those were questions my Barn Owner had me ask when I was looking for a trailer


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Woodhaven said:


> I don't see any helper springs for the ramp, maybe they are there but I just can't see them, without them the ramp could be very heavy and I know that you are a small person so lifting the ramp could be hard. Take a good look at the ramp if you go to see it, especially for rust because the ramp takes a lot of abuse over the years and you want it solidly attached to the trailer.


Definitely pull that ramp down and lift it back up by yourself to make sure you can do it, even WITH springs, mine is a heavy ******. If you can't, you can always have a winch installed to help you. My DH put a winch on ours back when I had gotten tossed and injured my back, couldn't even help lift the ramp for a long time. It's noisy but the horses get used to it. 

For the mechanical and inspection type stuff, what the other posters have said, it's good advice.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

Here's one more old "used car lot" trick that is easy. Take a small magnet with you and run it over areas that look repaired. If it's been repaired with metal, the magnet will stick, if it's nothing but plastic "bondo" (as we used to call it), the magnet won't react.:smile:


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Definitely pull that ramp down and lift it back up by yourself to make sure you can do it, even WITH springs, mine is a heavy ******. If you can't, you can always have a winch installed to help you. My DH put a winch on ours back when I had gotten tossed and injured my back, couldn't even help lift the ramp for a long time. It's noisy but the horses get used to it.
> 
> For the mechanical and inspection type stuff, what the other posters have said, it's good advice.


Dreamcatcher, how did you attach the winch?? My trailer has a very heavy ramp even with the helper and since I hurt my knee last fall, I am wondering if I will be able to lift the ramp. We thought about trying to put a winch on when we bought it but I was just able to handle the ramp so didn't bother.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

The trailer is 6'6" tall...
Stall width is about 28" each horse with head divider only in place...
Total length of the trailer is 120" so... 10" long...that IS NOT just the stall area but sounds to me of hitch to ramp.
You need to ask some really intense questions before you go to see this...
I do *not* see a body divider nor butt bars or chains. For me _*not*_ having those in a straight load trailer is a deal breaker. 
Add in a ramp load and no way to keep the horses off of it or from backing out as soon as you start to put the ramp down...DEAL BREAKER for me! _
I saw the person hurt who didn't use the butt bar and snapped her femur when the horse backed off and caught her under the ramp! No way no how would I put myself at such a risk.:sad:_
I think this is a pony sized trailer when I compare it to dimensions of other regular sized horse trailers.
Then add the age of it..._it is old. 
Refurbished or not it is 40 years old. What do cars/trucks of this age look like in your area that were "decently" taken care of?_
It is steel and you live in a cold, winter climate where salt is used on roads...be very careful about that frame, all the underpinings of this trailer that they are sound and not swiss-cheese rust eaten away.
Looking closely at pictures shown I see a lot of rust on the head divider, the floor and trailer front seam.
I see a very large gap around where the rear doors close, _all the way around._
I am pretty sure I see a added vent to the trailer front... not the kind of vent commonly seen in trailer fronts and the window is not functioning as many manufacturers did at this age with a jalousie opening and screening behind it...
Just because the trailer was last registered and possibly used in 2015 does not mean it is sound and road-worthy!
Check this trailer out very, very carefully if you go to look at it.
You think it would cost $1000 to correct issues...tires alone will cost you that!
If it needs much of anything I think you could be looking at double that easily...
Sorry, don't mean to be a downer but basic replacement materials cost money, forget the labor involved.
Just look real careful if the size meets the needs and requirements of your horses...
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Woodhaven said:


> Dreamcatcher, how did you attach the winch?? My trailer has a very heavy ramp even with the helper and since I hurt my knee last fall, I am wondering if I will be able to lift the ramp. We thought about trying to put a winch on when we bought it but I was just able to handle the ramp so didn't bother.












This isn't my trailer but a good shot of the rear of one. And of course, this one has no ramp. DH put the winch right in the middle and attached it to the ceiling, just inside the top doors. My ramp has a loop on the back that the top doors bar closes in to, and we hook the winch cable there. The up/down controller is hooked on the side of the trailer, but has long enough cable to be able to stand outside out of the way to raise and lower the ramp.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

there is some really good comments from Horselovinguy- a comment about the top of the doors in the back. We had a trailer like this (bullet nosed trailer) and our top doors had a gap. We usually did not have the doors on because it got too hot in the summer.

We also did not use the center divider in our trailer because we had one fat horse and one thin arab. They both fit in fine but the fat horse could not fit in the divider comfortably. But you may want a divider in case one of your horses is leaner.


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

I love the straight load design with the walk-thru in front. Those are VERY hard to find in my area. I agree that 'butt bars' are essential, but my own horse in her younger years went right under one of those, so it's also necessary to tie the horse.

I've had some horrible experiences with slant loads so will never buy one. Witnessed a lady get trapped between the 'escape door' that you can't open from the inside and a spooked horse who reared up over her head. Absolutely terrifying, and it was from that point I decided that if I ever bought a trailer, it would only be a stock or a straight load with walk-thru or a head to head. No slants for me!

Anyway, looks like that trailer might need some work done to it, but I think you might have found a diamond in the rough. And if you don't like it, you can always resell.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Good comments by Horselovingguy. I'd like to add the following being the owner of a 1978 trailer very similar to that one. It's still useable, btw, I just upgraded to a slant load 'cause I had wanted one for quite awhile.

1. Floor boards -- My husband and I have replaced the floor boards in the old trailer twice. Spend a little time studying how they're laid in and it's quite easy to do. So know that if the boards look off, it's readily fixable, and don't let that put you off it.

2. Body condition -- There will be rust, no doubt. I know my old one has some. That too is fixable if needed. It goes without saying it will be bigger dollars if the frame is compromised. Look closely underneath where corners meet, edges join, etc. (btw, bring a flashlight with you for that purpose).

3. Size -- It is a size I think that will work for your two (judging by their pictures) but I wouldn't want to put anything bigger in there. I'm willing to bet you'd like to upgrade to a larger one at some point (can't beat a walk in tack room:wink but this will see you through until you're in a position to make that move.

4. Divider -- That's a pretty easy fix to do. You can sketch out a plan of what you want and get a welder to make it up. I'd really recommend a partial divider (that you can also remove) because it allows the horses to spread their feet for balance while still maintaining their private space. You should have butt straps and they are easily made using heavy clips, decent sized chain cut to length and covered with rubber tubing or heat insulation tubes. I cant' tell from the pictures but if there is no vertical bar at the back to use for connecting both ends of the divider you can still make that work -- get the welder to make up solid tubes in lieu of chain for the butt bars and when those are in use they'll keep the partition fairly stable.

5. Electrical hookup -- Sorry I'm not remembering the proper terminology but I have a converter thingy to use so that my truck can pull either the old trailer or the new trailer. It's easy to put on and the price was under $50 so it's worth an investment to make the best out of your trip to see it.

6. Brake lights -- If the brake lights don't work, you can buy a portable lighting system that you stick on (I think it's just magnetized). It's just a couple of round lights and a bunch of wiring that runs to the truck plug in. If you have a Princess Auto (or similar auto type store) in your area you can get it there. Price is under $100, I think, but there again a good investment to get you home. As an fyi, electrical wiring in horse trailers can drive a person to lunacy as the wiring in the older trailers tends to short out (it's the grounding thing with the towing unit that does it most of time); with my old trailer although I frequently wrestle with the lights working as they should the electric brakes continue to work fine.

I hope it works out for you.


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## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

Honestly I'd buy the hookup kit and go see it. Heck, *I'm* tempted to go down there and check it out :lol: the divider is no huge issue to put in. As for butt bars, I've never actually seen a ramp load trailer _with_ butt bars. They've always had the chest piece and a tie ring where you either cross tie or single tie the horse up front so they can't run backward out of the trailer. 

It looks to be in decent shape, but I'd check the floor and the frame for sure and make sure they're solid. We had a horse years ago fall through a trailer floor we loaned. It was a narrow ramp load with a solid divider and trying to back him out was NOT a good time on the highway.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

Looking at the picture again, I don't think I can see a center back post. There would have to be one if you are intending to put a divider in. Just mentioning this as it might be an extra cost after getting the trailer. If you plan on putting in a divider you will need a good solid back center post as well.
I do believe these trailers should be used as they were built and intended to be used. This means with a divider, not all the way to the floor is best, and butt bars at the correct height for your horses.
I know people who do use their trailers with no divider or butt bars but this could result in some unpleasant circumstances as Horselovingguy mentioned earlier.

If I remember before you had Harley home and had him trailered in a trailer suited for much bigger horses, he got into a bit of a problem by trying to back out too soon and getting under the butt bar. A bar in the proper place would help prevent a horse from backing before the handler is ready.

I was worried about my trailer, being for much bigger horses and the butt bar high so I put some on lower as I don't want to trailer without using them.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Wow, was too busy to check this all day and am so excited about all the responses!!! 

Steve and horselovinguy, your detailed tips on what kinds of things to look for are super helpful! I am actually going to print out your replies so I can have them on me in list form, LOL. My husband knows a little bit about utility trailers, but not horse trailers. 

Also, yes, the light hookup from Princess Auto would be very useful. We don't have one here yet, but I would be driving through a city that does so we could stop in and hubby could most likely set it up if needed. 

Cheveaux, good to know what to expect and what to look for from someone who has a trailer of the same vintage! Yes, I'd love a tack room. I really would. But I can't justify spending 12 K on a trailer right now. I just found out my daughter needs braces.  Again, thanks for giving me tips on things to look out for. I admit, I hadn't even thought of the divider. Both horses are small, but still, I don't think I'd want them up against each other. We do have a welder nearby who has done all kinds of things with our farm machinery so he can do it all, and pretty cheap. That will add to the cost though. And yes, it IS an old trailer... at some level, I have to decide whether it's worth sinking money in an old trailer. 

Whatta - go look at it! Tell me if it's in good shape! I'll pay your gas money! I definitely don't want to compromise the safety of my horses though. The very idea of a horse falling through floor boards sends shivers up my spine. 

Woodhaven, you have an amazing memory! Yes, Harley did try to back out of a large Sundowner trailer once, and got caught UNDER the butt bar. The trailer was built for larger horses (the BO had a Percheron X) and the butt bar was too high for Harley. I freaked a little bit, but luckily, he was tied and when he realized he was stuck there, pulled himself back up. Still, I think that may have soured him on trailering. When we bought him, he would self-load. My 10 year old could load him. After that event, we have had to fight with him every time we want him to get on a trailer. Kodak, however, loads perfectly. And once another horse is in, Harley will walk in. Kodak has a very bad habit of backing out very quickly though. But Harley is perfect at backing up, LOL. So I guess she will go in first, and back out last. 

I need to consider the size of this trailer because that's not something that can be fixed. Horselovinguy had made me realize that it may be on the smaller side. I think I'll take out a measuring tape and put it on the floor to see how wide it would be for two horses. I like the idea of a smaller trailer, for towing purposes, but I want them to be comfortable. 

Decisions, decisions...


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Also, Dreamcatcher, thanks for reminding me to see if I can work the ramp myself. Being pretty stubborn and independent, I hate having to ask for help. I want to be able to tow this trailer where I want to go, load and unload the horses myself. So it's a good idea for me to try to work it to see if it can be done fairly easily. Woodhaven is right (again, great memory!), I am not a huge person, therefore, if there aren't springs, that ramp could come down fairly hard. Meantime, there would be two horses in there, itching to get out without a butt bar to hold them in... yikes. All things to consider.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Acadianartist said:


> Also, Dreamcatcher, thanks for reminding me to see if I can work the ramp myself. Being pretty stubborn and independent, I hate having to ask for help. I want to be able to tow this trailer where I want to go, load and unload the horses myself. So it's a good idea for me to try to work it to see if it can be done fairly easily. Woodhaven is right (again, great memory!), I am not a huge person, therefore, if there aren't springs, that ramp could come down fairly hard. Meantime, there would be two horses in there, itching to get out without a butt bar to hold them in... yikes. All things to consider.


I don't know how well your horses trailer but I could throw a lead rope across the back of the trailer and mine wouldn't move. Mine wouldn't move without it, they've been taught to stand still until I tell them to "Back" and unload.

The ramp could be heavy to unload, but I have found that to be the least of the worries. I've had my helper springs let go just as I was trying to lower my ramp (pre-winch) and letting it down was heavy but doable. LIFTING IT BACK UP was the really iffy part. That's why I'm all about CHECK that thing. If I'd had any idea I'd keep my trailer so long (had it built in 1997), I probably would have gone with no ramp because I'm not as young as I was when I bought that thing. Never really considered it, and *I* prefer a ramp, since I'm short and have short legs. Makes loading and unloading easier for me.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

If you don't like this trailer, you could resell it no problem. However, as your tow vehicle, it's not safe, 6000 is not live weight rated, you won't feel stable, trust me.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

waresbear said:


> If you don't like this trailer, you could resell it no problem. However, as your tow vehicle, it's not safe, 6000 is not live weight rated, you won't feel stable, trust me.


Not sure I understand what you're saying. Can you clarify waresbear?


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> I don't know how well your horses trailer but I could throw a lead rope across the back of the trailer and mine wouldn't move. Mine wouldn't move without it, they've been taught to stand still until I tell them to "Back" and unload.
> 
> The ramp could be heavy to unload, but I have found that to be the least of the worries. I've had my helper springs let go just as I was trying to lower my ramp (pre-winch) and letting it down was heavy but doable. LIFTING IT BACK UP was the really iffy part. That's why I'm all about CHECK that thing. If I'd had any idea I'd keep my trailer so long (had it built in 1997), I probably would have gone with no ramp because I'm not as young as I was when I bought that thing. Never really considered it, and *I* prefer a ramp, since I'm short and have short legs. Makes loading and unloading easier for me.


Harley was actually used to a step-up so maybe that would be a better option. Kodak will do either. And thanks for clarifying! Of course it makes sense that the big challenge would be shutting it!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Acadianartist said:


> Harley was actually used to a step-up so maybe that would be a better option. Kodak will do either. And thanks for clarifying! Of course it makes sense that the big challenge would be shutting it!


The back of the trailer you posted is similar to mine. 2 top doors and one big bottom door that becomes the ramp. Mine is heavy as sin and without the 2 springs, both working right, I can't lift it by myself without the winch. As long as the springs are good, I can do it one handed. Let one break and I'm screwed. Or was, until hubby installed the winch, now I'm okay regardless. 

After doing fire evacuation work and jumping up and down into a step up, I swore I'd never have one. My legs got very tired and very sore, long before we were done pulling horses out of the path of the wild fires.


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## Lylly (Aug 11, 2014)

Acadianartist said:


> Thank Dreamcatcher. Yes, I was thinking I could re-sell it if I decide not to keep it.
> 
> As for the adapter kit, as I understand it (again, I'm pretty clueless about this), there's a part that has to be installed on the truck itself so that can't returned. I think it's going to cost a couple of hundred dollars. However, I think it should work on most bumper pull 2-horse trailers.


My friend has the same one. She's letting me borrow it to hall a horse & a Mini about 2 hours away. her description: Its old & small lol I had a look at it. I love it, I love the ramp I love that its closed in and Its a good size for me to handle. I'm on the look out for one like it. My friends doesn't have the partition n e more so I will have to do 2 trips.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

[ Originally Posted by *waresbear* 
_If you don't like this trailer, you could resell it no problem. However, as your tow vehicle, it's not safe, 6000 is not live weight rated, you won't feel stable, trust me._
QUOTE=Acadianartist;9826930]Not sure I understand what you're saying. Can you clarify waresbear?[/QUOTE]

Towing weight is determined by "stagnant cargo" which is a camping trailer, jet ski and things like that that once secured don't shift or move.
"Live weight" is what is referred to as livestock; horses, cattle and such...

There is no truck manufacturer today that will give "live weight" numbers on their line of vehicles.
They are not tested pulling live cargo ever!
It is one of the reasons people who trailer often and have years of experience are so "stuck" on using heavier trucks with larger towing capacity...school of hard knocks and road warrior experience comes from them. :wink:

As for those "helper springs"....
I do wonder if that welder guy you know could also design and install helper springs on this ramp?
Some ideas to think about....

I think if someone could preview the trailer for you as it is so far away would be terrific.
It is a trailer to consider and look over carefully as a potential buy.
It is a trailer though that may need a lot of work or very little depending upon the care it has received during its past lifetime of use...
Today, the trailer is considered small, period.
When I said pony sized trailer I meant it...
When it was manufactured it was the norm for "horse" trailers to be these dimensions..so were horses often smaller in stature.
Today, as horses get larger so do the trailers need to be larger.
Just keep in mind that this trailer has a limited audience of potential buyers with horses that would fit in it because of those dimensions...then again, a landscaping company sometimes looks for trailers like this to cart around their equipment.
Just look with your eyes open to good and bad issues. 
Be a educated consumer and potential owner of this or any trailer..
Happy shopping!
:runninghorse2:...


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

^^^^This is what I mean Acadian. Your truck will pull that trailer and your horses, no problemo, however, one time, you are going downhill and a deer or a dog jumps out in front of you, it will not be pretty. You want a truck with a long box and heavy duty leaf springs and all the other things that comes with 3/4 tons on up. Trust me.


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## OldEnduranceRider (Feb 17, 2017)

Acadianartist said:


> Haha... thanks!
> 
> I'm trying to find out of the brake lights work at least. We should be able to haul it home empty even if the brakes don't work - straight highway roads most of the way. However, if the brake lights don't work, we could get pulled over and it doesn't have an inspection sticker so we'd be up manure creek. The guy is going to check the brake lights for me and let me know.
> 
> ...


Acadianartist, the FLOOR, pull up the mats and take a hammer to the floor. My husband and I just replaced the flooring on our 1990 Logan 3 horse slant. The flooring in the middle was not too bad, but around the edges, where the boards meet the edge of the trailer, especially in the corners, was all rotten. It was a couple of hundred to get good new boards, #2 Douglas Fir, or better. Wasn't too much work.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

waresbear said:


> ^^^^This is what I mean Acadian. Your truck will pull that trailer and your horses, no problemo, however, one time, you are going downhill and a deer or a dog jumps out in front of you, it will not be pretty. You want a truck with a long box and heavy duty leaf springs and all the other things that comes with 3/4 tons on up. Trust me.


Gotcha. Only I am not in a position to buy a new truck. If I was, I wouldn't be looking at 1000$ trailers! I hear you though, not ideal. We would still be far below the towing capacity of this truck with two horses weighing less than 2000 lbs and the trailer presumably weighing maybe 2500.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

[/ATTACH]
I tried to upload two pictures and not sure if they did come through ok
My trailer is a 1984 and big enough to carry a couple of Belgians easily so lots of room for our two smaller horses.
I had the helper spring at the back replaced but the ramp is still very heavy for me to lift. Dropping it down is no problem but lifting????
One thing I do (just a suggestion if you ever do get a trailer) is I drop the ramp and I leave the horse(S) in the trailer for a while while I unload saddles etc so the horse never expects to get off when the ramp is lowered.

I devised a system for lifting the ramp that I could handle, I hold a stick in my hand, about three feet long, then I lift the ramp to about waist high and place the stick under the ramp to hold it there and then I change my hand grip and lift the rest of the way. Sound odd I know but it does help me do the job.
That is the original helper spring in the picture, Hubby put a block of wood there to see if it would help with the lift. It didn't so off to the trailer shop.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

Here is a pic of Hubby lifting the ramp, he had no problem.
The trailer I had before was a McBride and 60" wide inside, it was small but ok for smaller horses and it had two smaller springs, one on each side of the trailer and I was able to lift that ramp fine so if you are looking to have springs added maybe look into that type. Sorry I don't have a picture of that trailer.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

Just my personal experience towing horses with a truck rated at 6000lb. You may find that towing with a truck this small is just a bit too much "adventure" after a few trips.

My last truck was a Dakota V8 Quad cab rated at 6000lbs and had the full tow package. I did use it several times pulling (borrowed) trailers 2500-2800lbs, 2 normal sized QHs in it and although I did it, I never, ever could relax or let my attention wander. The braking, even with the electric brake control perfectly adjusted was definitely sub-standard and the one time I didn't brake extra soon, I slid right past the intersection. The truck simply didn't have the heft to feel safe.

I never felt safe to go very far and when I hit the small hills and curves, the trailer would feel like it was literally pulling the rear end of the truck off the road. Driving on an interstate actually made my hair stand on end and made me sweat!! Even driving 30 miles below the speed limit.! Standing from the side, it was obvious that the loaded weight was pulling the whole rear end of the truck down and you could feel every single movement those horses made back there right through the whole truck.

This little trailer in your pictures looks to be in good shape, a whole lot better than this type in my area. The ones of this type here in the US Midwest have a lot of hidden rust that can't be repaired as it's structural. But, the structure of it is the only thing that counts when you have animals you care for back there. All the other features pale in comparison. I was in the dealership business for 16 years and I know many of the tricks people do to make something look good and hide the more serious flaws. It's pretty ugly. Can you find someone very knowledgeable and very critical to go with you?

This combination will work for short trips on flat land while you plan an upgrade. It's not a combination I'd want for the long haul.


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## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

I think as a starter trailer, as long as the frame, floorboards, etc are in decent shape you should be OK. Once you see how often you're actually hauling the trailer and how it hauls, you may want to upgrade your vehicle in the future. 

I have a Dodge 1500 Hemi I haul my 3 horse slant load. It does pretty good, but I am usually ever hauling one horse at a time. With two horses in it I do notice a huge difference (and I have never hauled all three at once). Ideally I would like a 2500-series truck to haul, but for how much I actually haul (plus my truck is my commuter), I think i will stick with what i have for now - and you might find that you'll do OK for how much you actually haul (especially if it is shorter distances, easy roads). 

I recently went through the trailer shopping hassle...and it is hard when you're on a budget. After looking at some pretty big POS's, I finally found one I was happy with - good electrical, good tires, enough space and decent floor boards. It is rusty though (just surface rust) and it does need some work. If the major stuff is solid on this trailer, I'd probably buy it. 

Electrical can be a pain in the butt to fix, but like someone else mentioned, those portable magnetic lights can be purchased from Princess Auto. We used to use those on our camper trailer...and they did the job.


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

waresbear said:


> If you don't like this trailer, you could resell it no problem. However, as your tow vehicle, it's not safe, 6000 is not live weight rated, you won't feel stable, trust me.


Hi AA, waresbear, All!

This is only true in context, as much depends on the driver, and the manner in which the rig is being driven.

If you expect to be able to hook up a 3000lb trailer, and put 2500lb of live animals and assorted junk in it, _and_ drive it the same as you would an otherwise unencumbered vehicle, One: your poor dam*ed horses, and Two: yes, your best bet will be a BIG truck.

That said, out of kindness and respect for your equines, and (if nothing else) because you would like your animals to arrive at their destination relaxed enough to work for you, it is really in your best interest to slow down, and drive like you're on egg-shells. Do not exceed the speed limit, in fact go even slower if the road is curvy, bumpy, or has a lot of cross traffic. Don't follow too closely. Accelerate and brake very gently. Slow _way_ down for turns. Try to anticipate stupid drivers, and assume the responsibility for staying out of their way. Find your Inner Zero, and stay there.

And finally, (and this is a personal safety issue for you as well), if something suddenly appears in front of you, straighten your steering, get a firm grip on the steering wheel, apply as much brake as you can muster, and hit it squarely if it comes to that. If you can't stop, at least you will slow down (which greatly reduces the energy involved: Ek = ½mv²; kinetic energy being proportional to the square of the speed/velocity). If you do hit something squarely, the energy will be adsorbed by the deformation and displacement of whatever you collide with, by the sacrificial structures of your vehicle (modern vehicles are designed to work that way), and finally, by your air bag and seat belt. Your horses don't have the benefit of an air bag, but they will surely benefit from the reduction in overall energy, and most trailers have reasonable padding at chest level in front of the horses. This is a far better scenario for both you, and your pets, than attempting to swerve, and hitting something while sliding sideways, swerving into the path of oncoming traffic, or flipping your rig into the ditch. As far as the object in front of you . . . um, sorry 'bout that :-( My $.02 on the subject, and worth whatever you take from it.

I will comment that I pull a two place BP trailer all of the time with a six cylinder Toyota T-100 truck, and have never had any problems. It's not the fastest thing on the road, but we always get there eventually. It's all about the operator.

Be safe out there. Steve


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

george the mule said:


> Hi AA, waresbear, All!
> 
> This is only true in context, as much depends on the driver, and the manner in which the rig is being driven.
> 
> ...


Thanks for this Steve - especially the part about hitting the "objet" squarely. Useful info. 

Again, I do not have the means to buy a bigger truck. It is what it is. However, I can tell you I will be a road turtle out there. Truly. I will be driving well below the speed limit and will avoid driving during heavy traffic times (we usually go to shows at the crack of dawn). The shows we attend are not far so no great distances to travel, no mountains to climb, and mostly rural roads since, well, our idea of a traffic jam out here is a herd of cows on the road. I am a nervous driver to start with so I will have to pull on my big girl pants to do this. Will be getting hubby to drive for the first few times, until I feel I can safely do everything, including back it up in a tight space. 

Braking fast for something in the road will certainly be a challenge. But I think it would be a challenge no matter how big a truck I had. When a deer jumps in front of you, there is little to no reaction time. I'm quite well-versed in looking out of my peripheral vision for them, and do better than hubby does (he's hit a few), but sometimes, there really isn't much you can do to avoid them. Deer aren't as big a problem as moose. 

Argh... I'm getting stressed just thinking about it. Maybe I should just keep paying to have Harley hauled by people with bigger trucks and trailers.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Acadianartist said:


> Thanks for this Steve - especially the part about hitting the "objet" squarely. Useful info.
> 
> Again, I do not have the means to buy a bigger truck. It is what it is. However, I can tell you I will be a road turtle out there. Truly. I will be driving well below the speed limit and will avoid driving during heavy traffic times (we usually go to shows at the crack of dawn). The shows we attend are not far so no great distances to travel, no mountains to climb, and mostly rural roads since, well, our idea of a traffic jam out here is a herd of cows on the road. I am a nervous driver to start with so I will have to pull on my big girl pants to do this. Will be getting hubby to drive for the first few times, until I feel I can safely do everything, including back it up in a tight space.
> 
> ...


NAH! Breathe deep, exhale and pull up them big girl panties. Having a trailer is just LIBERATING. Paying a hauler for big trips with lots of horses is one thing, but paying for every little show or trail ride? Think of how much you'll miss out on because of the cost. Just take it low and slow and you'll be fine. My first haul was half way across the country, 3 horses, full load. It made me very good at finding places I didn't have to back into and out of, and I learned a whole lot about HOW to drive when hauling. Now? I don't even think twice about it. 

Here's a cheapskate tip of the day for you: When you start making your own hauls to shows and trail rides, figure out how much it costs you vs how much you would have paid to have it done. Take the difference and put it in a cookie jar and see how fast you can buy that new truck and trailer. It'll amaze you how much you save.


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

Hey I don't have a truck.. but just bought a trailer.. figured it was easier to find a tow vehicle when needed instead of a trailer.. hopefully this fall/ next spring I'll get a truck.. I met a lot of flakes looking for mine though.. scheduled me a time to come look then not show, or call me 20 min before and say it sold, or, not be anything like the pics.. so just a heads up


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

RennyPatch said:


> Hey I don't have a truck.. but just bought a trailer.. figured it was easier to find a tow vehicle when needed instead of a trailer.. hopefully this fall/ next spring I'll get a truck.. I met a lot of flakes looking for mine though.. scheduled me a time to come look then not show, or call me 20 min before and say it sold, or, not be anything like the pics.. so just a heads up


Same here! I have a trailer, but no truck. Luckily I can borrow one pretty reliably.
But I agree with @DreamCatcherArabians, once you realize how nice it is to just go, it is awesome and you wonder how you managed before!
And I was a nervous wreck the first time I drove the truck and trailer :shock: Spent an afternoon cruising over empty parking lots and low traffic side roads. The next time I loaded my horse up and drove her to the trails for a walk - no way I would have been fit to ride:rofl: my wrists were still hurting 2 days later :shock: I am still on edge, while driving, but with each time it feels a bit less daunting.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> NAH! Breathe deep, exhale and pull up them big girl panties. Having a trailer is just LIBERATING. Paying a hauler for big trips with lots of horses is one thing, but paying for every little show or trail ride? Think of how much you'll miss out on because of the cost. Just take it low and slow and you'll be fine. My first haul was half way across the country, 3 horses, full load. It made me very good at finding places I didn't have to back into and out of, and I learned a whole lot about HOW to drive when hauling. Now? I don't even think twice about it.
> 
> Here's a cheapskate tip of the day for you: When you start making your own hauls to shows and trail rides, figure out how much it costs you vs how much you would have paid to have it done. Take the difference and put it in a cookie jar and see how fast you can buy that new truck and trailer. It'll amaze you how much you save.


Few things make me more nervous than driving in difficult conditions. It's the result of a series of accidents I've been involved in. None that resulted in severe injuries, but they did result in me getting a certain amount of anxiety about it. I've largely conquered this by having to drive through snowstorms, etc. and I won't let it hold me back, but having the horses in tow will definitely make it more stressful.

As for saving up for a new truck and trailer, that would cost almost as much as my barn and two horses did. Big trucks are very expensive. And for some reason, as soon as they cross the border, the price seems to double  Everything is cheaper in the US. Oh, and then there's tax, even on used vehicles. 15%. 

My only hope would be that hubby decides to replace his truck with something more powerful in the next few years. I can't replace my vehicle with a big truck because I put a ton of mileage on my car (it's a wagon, so also useful for hauling things and works well as a family vehicle) and guess what, gas is ridiculously expensive in Canada too! It would make no sense for us to both drive a truck. We need one family vehicle at least. 

I never heard back from the guy about the brake lights. For all I know the trailer could be sold, or it could be buried under a few feet of snow since we recently had a storm. I will keep looking for trailers like this though... I'd pay a little more for something that didn't need too much work. I think the lack of a divider is an issue for me. We may be able to add one in, but I won't know what kind of a job it is until I get it to the welder.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I am telling you, from many decades worth of hauling up & down mountain roads, through the canyon, etc, you need a truck designed for hauling. Granted you don't need a diesel but it's nice, however I will give you an example. I was on the highway, doing below the 110 KMH, I was probably going about 95 to 100, a deer hopped out of the ditch, I swerved, missed it with no daylight between me & that animal. Anything less of a truck, I have a Superduty Ford, longbox, 1 ton diesel, I would have hit the deer or flipped the rig. I felt stable as all get out, although a deer jumping out in the middle of the day right in front of you, does give one the "flutters". Last spring, the diesel was in the shop for repairs, I had a local show to go to, 7 miles from town, just a short distance on the highway, I used hubby's 1/2 ton with a two package. I had just one horse, 3 horse slant, but it's new and pretty light, has a fiberglass roof, I never felt so unconfident, it felt flimsly, not a secure feeling. I do see peops all the time hauling with 1/2 tons, but in this province, it's illegal, so when DOT does their checks, you see rigs like that pulled off the road and the owners scrambling to make arrangement to have their animals towed.....at their expense.


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

I agree with wares. Do you actually KNOW what that trailer weighs? 6000 lbs is not much for towing capacity, especially if you're looking at steel trailers. I tend to stick with a BIG rule of always staying 20% under what my trucks towing capacity is. As someone else mentioned, the numbers they give you are for STILL objects...Like boats, campers, utility trailers. Horses MOVE, they can lose their balance or just be stupid sometimes and shift there weight in a way that literally shifts your whole trailer. Having a truck that isn't designed to handle that is just asking for trouble.

Why put your horses lives....your lives or the lives of others on the road at risk?

Now if you found an older brenderup, fiberglass trailer...you may be ok. But I'd say ANYTHING steel is going to be too heavy, especially once you add two horses.....tack....hay...people in the vehicle (because the weight inside the actual vehicle makes a difference too).


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I hauled a LARGE Kieffer-built about 100,000 miles with a Ford F-150 Supercrew. It was aluminum, but BIG. I now have a 24' Featherlight 3 horse bumper pull, and it was ok with 2 horses behind the Dodge 1/2 ton.

I think the little trailer looks good; I would go get it.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I've hauled a stock trailer with a 1000 lb QH in it behind my F-150 (1/4 ton) with no real issues other than losing speed on hills - just not enough engine. Braking is just a matter of being smart and remembering you have a trailer and horse behind you, pushing you. You leave space in front of you in traffic. My truck has a 4 pin blade electrical connector and in the back seat I have an adapter that will change the trailer's 7 pin round connector to a 4 pin.

We have a 2 horse straight load gn with small (10') LQ that we pull with the F-250. Same issues with it and 2 horses, except that with the gn, I always feel more secure and stable. 

I can't afford one right now, but I do admit to suffering severe truck envy every time I see a diesel dually!

For short runs, if this trailer is solid, I'd go for it. The only thing I don't like about it is the ramp. I've never really liked them.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Still waiting to hear from the seller... he hasn't responded to my emails in a couple of days, so not sure what is going on.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

And behind door # 2, we have this candidate: Horse Trailer | horses, ponies for rehoming | Saint John | Kijiji

2000$ but appears to be in working order. It's only a couple of hours away and we have a friend who lives right in the area willing to go look at it for us. He's the guy who rebuilt my husband's utility trailer, so he can fix anything wrong with it, assuming the frame is ok. Today we are getting some stormy weather and the schools are all closed in the area where the trailer is, so it will have to wait a day or two. I've replied to the ad asking for more info. Trying not to appear overeager. It's not pretty, and it's an older trailer, but it does have a lot of new parts, so could be a good buy that wouldn't require a lot of fixing up. 

Will still be hauling it with hubby's truck, which, as stated before, is not really heavy-duty, but hubby says it has the tow package. I can't afford to buy a new truck just for towing the horses so we will have to make do for now, and just take it really, really slow. 

Hubby thinks I should go for it.


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

Acadianartist said:


> Will still be hauling it with hubby's truck, which, as stated before, is not really heavy-duty, but hubby says it has the tow package. I can't afford to buy a new truck just for towing the horses so we will have to make do for now, and just take it really, really slow.


Hi again, AA!

I used to have a trailer similar to this one; it was OK, but sorta snug for my 17h monster. I wouldn't have wanted to set off cross-country with him in it, but he was OK for our typical <1hr trips to go riding locally.
I will comment that in this part of the world, $2K is about the bottom price for a serviceable horse trailer, and a "nice" used one is gonna set you back $4K+.

"Tow Package" means whatever the manuf. wants it to mean, but generally includes an automatic transmission oil cooler, and sometimes a beefier rear suspension. Other things you might find are a heavy-duty torque converter (part of the AT), upgraded brakes, and a built-in electronic trailer brake controller. Regardless of the truck setup (and as I have already suggested), the key to trailering safely is the driver. It is up to the driver to know their rig, and it's limitations, and to take them into account while out on the road. Go slow, and drive defensively, and you won't have any problems. That is _not_ to say that you will never find yourself broken down on the side of the road, but there is no guarantee of that with a shiny new mega-truck, either. Do the best prep you can, and don't stress about it. As long as the critical things like tires, brakes, truck suspension, and hitch components are maintained in good condition, the worst that is likely to happen is that you will quietly coast to the side of the road, and have to call for roadside assistance. Inconvenient, sure, life-threatening, no. Why we carry cell-phones, eh?

It's worth reiterating: On _any_ motor vehicle, the most critical components are the brakes, the tires, and to a lesser extent, the steering/suspension, as those are the parts that might get you killed if they fail. The rest may be necessary if you want to actually go somewhere, but nobody ever died from a blown engine or transmission. (Were not talking top-fuel dragsters here ;-)

ByeBye! Steve


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I think the new trailer you posted has great possibilities.
Looks in decent "visible" shape but needs a thorough going over, under and through...miss nothing.
Yes, expect it to need work...but it should be road worthy now too.
Check those floors and floor supports and joists and everything underneath that can rust and corrode.
It looks to be a step-up with upper closure doors.
Make sure the doors can be removed and easily.
If it is a step up it has a center bar for rear door closure securement. 
Make sure the distance between side and center bar is adequately wide for your horse to walk/step-up with a heavy blanket on as you might need to trailer in frigid conditions with a sick animal and not want or can strip their clothing for health concerns...
Double check the inside height and make sure it is high...when a horse steps up the pop their head up several inches in the "heave" step...leave adequate clearance so no bunked heads. :-x
The right trailer for you is out there waiting for you to arrive....
Best of luck in your search.
:runninghorse2:....


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

I agree - black trailer at least has divider, manger and butt ropes. I understand everyones concerns about hauling with a smaller vehicle. But- I have been guilty of it myself - you make do with what you have. 

As you have said you are really a worrier by nature so I am sure you will be more than careful. Deer running out in front of you no matter what the size of your truck can be a recipe for disaster.

Just to make light of that - 1 1/2 years ago we were hauling to our local state park - it is 11 miles from our house - we were about 2 miles from home and going about 60MPH - when we pop over a hill and an old lady is toddling across the road with her cane. Hubby laid on the horn and Vonda (the lady - who is 92yrs old ) toddles as fast as she can to cross the center line. We missed her by 2 feet. If she had turned around to go back to her house we would have hit her. Vonda is legally blind and lives on our busy county road - hubby tried the brakes but the trailer pushed us and did move a little to the side and the ditches were so steep that if we would have swerved off of the shoulder we would have flipped the truck and trailer. He had tears in his eyes when we got passed her.

We go to Church with Vonda and know her very well - we told her it was us and she laughed and said - that's not the first close call I have had going to get my mail.

Moral of the story is - just because you have a truck rated to stop your trailer - doesn't always mean its going too! We have a 2012 Ford F250 that hauls a 3 horse slant load aluminum trailer. We had all 3 horses in the trailer and could not have safely stopped if we had wanted to.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Thanks george and horselovinguy! George - I hear what you're saying about the tow package. I don't think it's anything spectacular, but better than no tow package I guess - at least as far as the truck itself is concerned. Less chance of overheating, etc. 

The seller says it is currently in a snowbank, which is not surprising. He is, however, willing to take it out and have it safety inspected. If it will pass inspection, it is certainly worth the 2000$ IF the frame is in good shape. I will want to look at it, or have my trailer guy look at it, before I commit to buying, especially since it is currently buried in snow, meaning it has probably been in the same spot all winter, meaning the seller may not know just what shape the frame is in. Which is why I like the idea of him having to haul it somewhere for safety inspection. Then I can check the frame and make a decision. 

And yes, it's small, but again, my horses are just little at 14.2 and 14.3. Harley will be the one being hauled around most often, and he is the shorter one. Most of the time, he will be alone in the trailer, though I like the idea of having room for both if need be. Honestly though, I can't see us trailering to do a lot of trail riding, but who knows. We have access to so many trails in our backyard, we could be gone for days so I don't know where we would haul to, unless we decide to do camping. 

There was a gorgeous Sundowner two-horse bumper pull for sale that I was drooling over. 6500$ though. Hubby was supportive (god love 'im), but I just can't afford that right now. I'd be getting in too much debt. This would be a good compromise for the time being, assuming it's solid enough to last a few more years. Here's the thing: my daughter is 12 and is competing for the second summer in a row. She did 3 competitions last year, and we hauled Harley to a summer camp with her. This year, she may do 5 competitions and some clinics. But she's 12. In the next few years, she will either a) get into competing more and more, at which point we may upgrade (if I can pay off some other debts) or b) totally lose interest. I will not ever compete and wouldn't even bother with clinics. I'm too lazy to haul out for trail rides when I have tons of trails in my backyard. So odds are, I won't need a trailer for myself. Sure, it's nice to have if you have a sick horse, but my vet lives literally 3 doors down from me and I have neighbors who have a big, warmblood sized Sundowner and have said they'd haul my horse if there was ever an emergency. So for now, a cheaper trailer just makes sense. Also, probably all my little truck can tow anyway. Far from ideal, but within my means and fills a very basic need for the time being.


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## mred (Jan 7, 2015)

FYI, I have a 2hbp with a ramp. The divider is on a swing in front. No post in the back. The butt bars when in place, keep the divider in the middle. The divider on a swing is great to swing to one side when loading one horse. Give the horse a lot wider space to step into. But when the butt bars are in place it is very secure. Agree, make sure the butt bars/chains are the correct height.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

mred said:


> FYI, I have a 2hbp with a ramp. The divider is on a swing in front. No post in the back. The butt bars when in place, keep the divider in the middle. The divider on a swing is great to swing to one side when loading one horse. Give the horse a lot wider space to step into. But when the butt bars are in place it is very secure. Agree, make sure the butt bars/chains are the correct height.


Yes, I love the idea of a swinging divider, but it looks like this one has a post. Also prefer step-up - and so does Harley. The butt bars may need to be readjusted because of my smaller horses, but I assume that's not a big deal. Can have a welder do it if needed.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I am late to this party because I can't get on Horse Forum via my Ipad for some reason, so I'm on the desktop.

I didn't read all the replies but I know you're getting sound advice. 

Regarding looking at older trailers:

1. Sorry but you're going to have to stick your arm underneath with a hammer and tap-tap-tap the frames to be sure they are solid. If you can grab hold of metal with your fingers and it falls apart --------RUN don't walk back to your car while you're saying "thanks but no thanks".

2. The black trailer says new flooring two years ago. If the trailer has sat outside that entire time, even without having hauled a horse on the new floor boards, they could still be rotted just from the weather.

Take a hammer to the boards, walk on them to see if they feel spongy or dip in places.

3. Ramps --- I never wanted a ramp because I have such a bad back. These days my shoulders and one elbow are becoming contentious. All of that would lend itself to me struggling to get a ramp up. You're young but still, ramps on old trailers likely are not spring loaded, making them difficult to wrestle with.

4. Check the ball and the entire hitch to be sure they aren't bent --- It's easy to mis-judge when backing and back right into them ---- not me because I am anally cautious, BUT DH did that last week and really Teed me off, pushed my big stock trailer back about two inches; big bump to move that big trailer that far, even if it was on cement. No damage, but you get what I'm saying

Or the trailer may have been in an accident, flipped and the hitch bent. I've seen more than one flipped trailer be "straightened out" then re-sold by a dealer, instead of cutting it down for parts. 

I know this is a private owner but still be cautious.

5. I know you said the owner of the black trailer would take it to get inspected. I know how that works, if he is good friends with the inspector and wants to sell the trailer bad enough, lol. I would do my own inspection, then take the trailer somewhere unbiased before closing the deal.

6. I won't say anything about you're truck being too small. It is, I understand your reasoning, it is still precarious. 

If your husband's truck truly has a towing package, that means it *should* have a better braking system, heavy-duty radiator, and a transmission cooling system if it is automatic. All of that is a big help but ideally, saving for a "stronger" truck should be a priority if you buy a trailer this Spring


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Thanks walk! Some more great advice. 

I'll start at the end - I agree, we need a new truck. My husband has actually been casually looking and is planning on getting a bigger one. I have told him I could help a little with the payments. This, it seems to me, is the ideal arrangement. I drive a wagon. We need a family car at this point and two big, fuel guzzlers makes no sense. He will get a bigger truck, I will get a tow vehicle, and we will all be happy  But for the next little while, he is confident his truck can pull this trailer with two horses and still stay 20% below our towing capacity. He's towed a lot of heavy things on trailers before, though not live load, granted. 

Regarding the inspection, sadly, you're bang on. There's no way to know if whoever puts a sticker on it actually inspected it. So I would not buy it without having it inspected by someone else or looking at it myself. But still, to get it inspected, he'd have to get it out of the snowbank and tow it somewhere, so presumably, it would at least be road-worthy. As you say, if it's been sitting for a while, it may have issues he is not even aware of. 

We are going to ask our friend who lives in the same area to go look at it. He's the one who rebuilt a utility trailer for my husband from the ground up, so if there's one thing he knows a lot about, it's trailers. I'll make sure he gets down under it and checks the frame carefully. But I like your idea of going with a hammer, LOL I am willing to trust his judgment, so if he says it's worth the money, I'll send the payment to the seller and have our friend haul it away to his shop. From there, he can do any work that might need to be done to get it up to par. Then we'll go pick it up, possibly on the weekend or whenever he's done with it. 

As for the ramp, I agree, I prefer to do without. Not sure how Kodak will unload off a step-up because she tends to back out of a trailer very fast, but I do know that Harley is a pro at it. It's very cute, he kind of feels his way using his back toes and scrunches his haunches down, then backs up very slowly. He prefers a step-up as he seems uncomfortable stepping on a ramp.

My husband did notice there appeared to be rust on the bar that runs inside, right above the window. Wondered if that indicates structural rust. Guess we'll have to find out. 

I will want to repaint the inside and maybe touch up some spots on the outside. There appears to be some damage on one side, but it looks to be cosmetic. Will have to sand it down probably. It's not going to look perfect, and it's certainly not my dream trailer, but might do the job in the short term.


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Also, probably all my little truck can tow anyway.


I totally relate to not wanting to be in debt. I have gone trailer free for my nearly two decades of horse ownership because there are always other priorities.

I just wanted to mention that the size of the trailer and how easy it tows are not necessarily connected. A friend offered me his trailer any time I wanted it for nothing, and after moving my two little cows with it the first time I went back to the rental place and rented their stock trailer. That steel trailer of his is so heavy it really pulls hard.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Joel Reiter said:


> I totally relate to not wanting to be in debt. I have gone trailer free for my nearly two decades of horse ownership because there are always other priorities.
> 
> I just wanted to mention that the size of the trailer and how easy it tows are not necessarily connected. A friend offered me his trailer any time I wanted it for nothing, and after moving my two little cows with it the first time I went back to the rental place and rented their stock trailer. That steel trailer of his is so heavy it really pulls hard.


I hear you - I wasn't sure getting a trailer would be worth it, but at this price, maybe it will be. Like I said, I don't plan on traveling much, but my daughter is another story. 

Sadly, there are no trailer rentals anywhere in my province. No horse or stock trailers. My trimmer had offered to rent me hers, but she lives about 30 minutes away so that's a hassle too. This way, we would have complete independence, and the bonus of having a trailer on site so I can do some trailer training with the horses. Harley is not great at loading so we need to work on that. 

Good point about the size of the trailer not being indicative of weight. I suppose those aluminum trailers are much lighter even if they might be quite a bit bigger. Will look at those in the future maybe.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Update: talked to the seller last night. He claims he's getting tons of interest. Who knows if that's the truth or not, but could very well be since trailers at this price are few and far between. Another trailer for sale popped up in my feed, this one at 8500$. Gorgeous, but out of my price range. 2000$ trailers are rare, especially if they're in good shape.

He says this trailer's in great shape. Has the breakaway brakes, everything works, floor is solid (according to him), frame is solid, etc. etc. So tomorrow, we are having our friend, who rebuilt my husband's trailer, go look at it. My husband even decided to tag along since he had to bring down some machinery for our friend to work on anyway. So if the trailer looks good, and if they assess the frame as being solid, hubby will bring it home tomorrow. Turns out the whole trailer isn't snowed in, just the front, so they will be able to slide right under it. Our friend was insistent on the importance of a solid frame on a horse trailer so if he has any doubts, we won't buy it. As he put it, it's one thing for a frame to fall apart when you're towing a four-wheeler, but you don't want that to happen when you have live horses in the back! I'm reassured by the fact that he will not let my husband buy a trailer with a bad frame.


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

Oh, Goodie  We're keepin' our fingers crossed for you!

The Boys probably know this already, but tell them to be sure to hook it up and drag it around some; axle/wheel/brake problems show up more quickly when the trailer is in motion. And since there are two of them going, tell them to talk the seller into following behind while one rides with him to watch the trailer wheels for shake or hop (out-of-round), and to see that the trailer tracks in a straight line (bent axle/damaged supports). These things are way easier to catch this way. If they are brave, one of them can ride in the trailer while it is being towed; defects can be felt in the form of shaking or vibration (wheels), and heard in the form of squealing, or a deep rumble (brakes, wheel bearings).

Those reading along: If you have never ridden in a moving horse trailer, try it sometime. It'll give you a new appreciation of how brave and trusting your equines are 

ByeBye! Steve

PS: "Breakaway" brakes? I've never seen one that didn't have the battery and wire tether that supposedly slams on the trailer brakes if the trailer becomes disconnected. Wonder how many of them actually work; the one on mine doesn't :-( There are also things called "Surge" brakes, that do not require an electronic controller. I used to have a 4-place snowmobile trailer with them, and they worked quite well. Never seen 'em on a horse trailer, but maybe on an older model such as this one. I would count this as a bonus, as long as they were working properly. S.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

Honestly I think that everyone who hauls a horse trailer should spend at least 5 minutes riding in it.
It's an eye opening experience and would make those inconsiderate drivers think twice!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Chasin Ponies said:


> Honestly I think that everyone who hauls a horse trailer should spend at least 5 minutes riding in it.
> It's an eye opening experience and would make those inconsiderate drivers think twice!


DH would forget five minutes after he walked off the trailer. Love him BUT, since 2002, he has been grounded for life from riding any of my horses; even having the nerve to throw my toughest well seasoned trail horse under the bus:beatup:. He may hump hay, clean stalls, clean water tubs, but he is never allowed to ride again. I am sure he would be every bit as irresponsible taking my horses around a bend that his race car rides just fine on the trailer at top speed:eek_color:

I moved three of my horses across the U.S. twice. I had a rear tire blow at rush hour on the OK City By-Pass. There was an extra pair of hands, from somewhere, helping me slow that rig down and steer across four lanes to the shoulder ---- I trust myself and nobody but myself:charge: :grin:


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

walkinthewalk said:


> I trust myself and nobody but myself:charge: :grin:


Amen, Sister Walk ;-)


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Trailer # 2 just sold. Not happy about it since hubby was going to go look at it and hopefully bring it home tomorrow. But who knows, maybe a blessing in disguise. The search continues...


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

I learned very early on in my trailer shopping marathon I jut went through that I will take it, it is sold, and I will pay you in cash.. mean nothing to most sellers it seemed, also the appointments THEY made for you that YOU had to work your schedule around to be able to fit them in and be convenient for them were not worth the seller showing up for


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

RennyPatch said:


> I learned very early on in my trailer shopping marathon I jut went through that I will take it, it is sold, and I will pay you in cash.. mean nothing to most sellers it seemed, also the appointments THEY made for you that YOU had to work your schedule around to be able to fit them in and be convenient for them were not worth the seller showing up for


Well, I don't blame the guy for selling his trailer to the first person who shows up, but he had assured me it would still be there on the weekend and knew we were making a 4-hour round trip to go get it (assuming it was all he said it was). I'm just annoyed as heck at him for not even giving me a chance to go get it first. 

Found another of the same style, newer (92 McBride, 2 horse bumper pull), but it's an ad from last fall. Price is significantly higher, but not quite in my "out of the question" range. Has a valid inspection sticker from last fall, repainted inside and out and padding all replaced. Divider swings to the side. Would have to check frame, as always. Just because it looks nice, doesn't mean it's solid. For all I know, the trailer is long gone, but I replied to it just in case. If it's been sitting around, the price may drop. Though given how fast these types of trailer sell, I'd be surprised.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Boy ---- from the sounds of this, I should be able to get close to what I paid for my 1987 open stock trailer, if I wanted to sell it.

I bought the trailer brand new, so it's a one owner. I've always kept it oiled and well maintenanced. It has always sat out and is just now getting a little surface rust. I had to stop trail riding so it sat beside the workshop for eight years, when I had to bring it back to life to haul Joker to the vet every five weeks.

It had all new wiring in 2009 and DH just recently put yet another new floor in. For all the more I use it these days, it has to hang in there until my two remaining horses are laid to rest.

A new stock trailer similar to mine is a bit more than double what I paid for this one. It's not a lot of money in today's world but it doesn't make sense to Jacka** why I should spend that money, at this juncture of my life, lol

As far as suddenly selling the trailers you were looking at: IMHO, for something inanimate, there is no waiting around. He Who Shows Me the Cash first, wins. However, if I had your contact information, I would have the decency to let you know it's sold so you wouldn't waste your time coming to look at something that isn't there. 

DH sold one of his scooters he used to ride around the race track, when he goes racing. Someone asked him if he could hold it until the weekend and he said no, it was going to the first person with the cash. A little later the guy called back to say he was on his way -- over a one hour drive. He paid cash, loaded the scooter in his truck and took it to his buddy's house for keeping until his son's birthday

I said that to say, please don't be upset with the Sellers in these instances. It's different when selling stuff than with horses. Most people want a horse to get a great home, I don't know anyone who gives a flip about inanimate objects. Showing up first, with the cash money wins every time


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

walkinthewalk said:


> Boy ---- from the sounds of this, I should be able to get close to what I paid for my 1987 open stock trailer, if I wanted to sell it.
> 
> I bought the trailer brand new, so it's a one owner. I've always kept it oiled and well maintenanced. It has always sat out and is just now getting a little surface rust. I had to stop trail riding so it sat beside the workshop for eight years, when I had to bring it back to life to haul Joker to the vet every five weeks.
> 
> ...


Yup, as I said, I don't blame the guy for selling. But he gave me the impression he'd still have it on the weekend so we had lots of time to go get it. Things change, I get it. If he'd been local, it would have been easy for me to go get it the same day, but I couldn't leave work this week. Hellish time of year for me. Ah well, maybe for the best. It needed a lot of cosmetic work at the very least.

Far as getting your money for your stock trailer, I'm guessing it depends on what they go for in your area. There seems to be a need for two-horse bumper-pull trailers in my area. In fact, when I do a search for trailers, I find more ISO ads than FOR SALE ads. Everyone is looking for the exact same thing, at a good price. I don't think these trailers are actually worth more, but it's supply and demand. People don't sell their trailers. Lots of big, 20K and up trailers for sale though!!!


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

I forgot where in Canada you are located and I have no idea about customs, taxes and fees, but a road trip across the border may be worth your consideration...


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## george the mule (Dec 7, 2014)

walkinthewalk said:


> Showing up first, with the cash money wins every time


Yea, just like that. I sell buy and sell stuff on craigslist fairly regularly, and there are _so_ many Flakes: "Oh yes; I want it, I have the cash, will you hold it until the weekend . . .". And then you never hear back from them, meanwhile having turned away other potential buyers :-( I've gotten fairly mercenary about it; if someone calls to say they are coming to look, they better move out sharply, cause if they're not here in a reasonable time, and someone else does show up with cash, it's gone. "Cash talks, bullsh*t walks."

Recently, I posted a trashed out old pony cart for free. I pulled it to the end of the driveway, hung a "FREE JUNK" sign on it, and refused to answer the phone or reply to any of the 30 or 40 emails that landed in my inbox within the first half-hour. In less than an hour, there was a young lady standing guard over it, waiting for her hubby to come with a truck to fetch it home. I don't know how many potentials she fought off; for sure one of my neighbors, as I heard _that_ story 

Honestly, I much prefer selling on eBay, even with their ~10% cut, 'cause everybody is on the same page, but for big things like motor vehicles, trailers, etc, it doesn't work very well. In any event, the good deals go fast. If you're a serious shopper, you need to keep the cash in your pocket, and be ready to mobilize when the add pops up, or someone's gonna beat you to it. What I have found is that some people (me included) will take a Paypal "deposit" to hold something. Non-refundable, naturally, but sometimes worth the risk. Something to inquire about, anyway.

Keep looking, AA, your new trailer is out there somewhere waiting for you 

Steve


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

^^^^^ And an "Amen Brother GeorgeT" back at ya!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

SwissMiss said:


> I forgot where in Canada you are located and I have no idea about customs, taxes and fees, but a road trip across the border may be worth your consideration...


We're not that far from the Maine border, but the exchange rate is a killer so with everything else, plus the hassle of paperwork, makes this unappealing. Not impossible, for sure, but not ideal either.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

george the mule said:


> Yea, just like that. I sell buy and sell stuff on craigslist fairly regularly, and there are _so_ many Flakes: "Oh yes; I want it, I have the cash, will you hold it until the weekend . . .". And then you never hear back from them, meanwhile having turned away other potential buyers :-( I've gotten fairly mercenary about it; if someone calls to say they are coming to look, they better move out sharply, cause if they're not here in a reasonable time, and someone else does show up with cash, it's gone. "Cash talks, bullsh*t walks."
> 
> Recently, I posted a trashed out old pony cart for free. I pulled it to the end of the driveway, hung a "FREE JUNK" sign on it, and refused to answer the phone or reply to any of the 30 or 40 emails that landed in my inbox within the first half-hour. In less than an hour, there was a young lady standing guard over it, waiting for her hubby to come with a truck to fetch it home. I don't know how many potentials she fought off; for sure one of my neighbors, as I heard _that_ story
> 
> ...


Yup. Money is available, and I asked this guy if he'd accept an etransfer but he said nope, just show up with the money. Only it was the middle of the work week (really busy time of year for me as this is end of university term) so could not get there until today. I did not ask him to hold it because, well, why would he do that? 

Oh well... the search goes on.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

Acadianartist said:


> Oh well... the search goes on.



I feel we are in the same boat at the moment: You are looking for an inexpensive trailer and I am on the search for a hen with teeth, aka a cheap truck that is safe to use to haul my horse and will not cost an arm and a leg in immediate repairs... Fun :-?


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

you missed my point people..lol I said the seller had told us when to be there as it worked for them, and then never showed up.. I agree totally if someone shows up with cash its sold.. but I would tell the person I told to be here at such and such a time that I had sold it so they dont drive out there for nothing


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

@Acadianartist. I ran across this article regarding 1998 - 2008 Sundowner trailers. These were supposed to be the years Sundowner powder coated all their trailer frames and it was a disaster.

Please take a moment to read the OP's first post

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-trailers/sundowner-trailer-problem-51742/

Just an FYI in case you run across one of those "too good to be true" deals involving a Sundowner trailer

You can also Google "powder coating on Sundowner trailers and get a LOT of hits.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

walkinthewalk said:


> @*Acadianartist* . I ran across this article regarding 1998 - 2008 Sundowner trailers. These were supposed to be the years Sundowner powder coated all their trailer frames and it was a disaster.
> 
> Please take a moment to read the OP's first post
> 
> ...


Haha... good to know walk! Haven't seen any cheap Sundowners, but I really appreciate the heads up!

Two more trailers showed up today in my searches. 3500$ for a really, really old trailer that has had some upgrades, but has a fiberglass body that is really uneven and weird looking, but probably solid, and 3800$ for a McBride 1992 trailer in good condition, but the seller is not responding to my reply so probably sold (old ad). The fiberglass trailer is probably worth about 2000$, definitely not 3500$ so I will pass on it for now.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I know this is an old thread, and I had decided not to buy a trailer this year because of the fact that my daughter needs braces. Until I saw this.... Horse trailer for sale or trade | equestrian, livestock accessories | Fredericton | Kijiji

It's so cheap! I showed it to my husband and he thinks we should get it. We'll just add it to the line of credit and pay it off over a few months. I've contacted the seller and they are going to fix a brake light, have it inspected tomorrow morning, and assuming it passes, we are going to pick it up tomorrow night! 

It's no beauty, and I haven't seen it in person yet, so this is all very tentative... will hook it up, pull it around a bit, and look under the frame for signs of rust. But I like the fact that it's small (easier to pull), I prefer a step-up (so does Harley), I like the fact that it has windows (many in this price range don't, which makes me think they are just modified utility trailers), and, well, if it's been freshly inspected, this is an amazingly good price! 

I don't know about that metal bar used as a divider. Ideally, it could be easily removed and I could just let Harley stand freely, which I think he would prefer. But if it stays, I would want to add some padding to it. Same with the front bar. But I figure it's nothing some foam padding and a bit of vinyl can't fix. There's no butt bar so I'll have to look at what I can do about that to avoid Harley trying to back out suddenly when we open the door. I may get our welder friend to add some rings for a butt bar attachment. Again, this is all dependent on the frame being solid.

So... thoughts other than the advice previously given on this thread about things to watch out for or have a closer look at in regards to this specific trailer?


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

The seller is really sweet, btw, and has admitted that a lot of people are interested (no wonder!), but that she is going to give us first crack at it because I was the first to ask to see it. It helps that they are at a family gathering today and cannot show anyone the trailer anyway. Keeping my fingers crossed...


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

The metal bar dividers are pretty standard in older trailers. Could easily add some padding though, could even use a pool noodle probably. If you look closely it looks like there is a ring on the right side (when door is open), if thats the case you can just buy padding butt bars and they'll snap right in. Or a chain with padding on it like this 

https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/baker-breast-and-butt-bar-covers-3167


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

evilamc said:


> The metal bar dividers are pretty standard in older trailers. Could easily add some padding though, could even use a pool noodle probably. If you look closely it looks like there is a ring on the right side (when door is open), if thats the case you can just buy padding butt bars and they'll snap right in. Or a chain with padding on it like this
> 
> https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/baker-breast-and-butt-bar-covers-3167


Yes, I've seen those in tack stores and figured it wouldn't be too hard to add. Thanks! 

Ideally, I'd make a removable divider. Something I can get my welder to work on eventually maybe. 90% of the time, I will just be hauling Harley, but once in a blue moon, we may decide to take both horses on a trail ride somewhere, so it would be nice to have that option. I'm sure he could make a swinging divider with tube metal as long as I showed him what I want.


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

Acadianartist said:


> Yes, I've seen those in tack stores and figured it wouldn't be too hard to add. Thanks!
> 
> Ideally, I'd make a removable divider. Something I can get my welder to work on eventually maybe. 90% of the time, I will just be hauling Harley, but once in a blue moon, we may decide to take both horses on a trail ride somewhere, so it would be nice to have that option. I'm sure he could make a swinging divider with tube metal as long as I showed him what I want.


That divider may already be removable, most trailers I've seen they can unbolt or unsnap out  Something to check when you see it in person.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

We had a bullet nosed trailer like this and the divider swung to the side and you could hook it there to make the space wider for just 1 horse.

So Excited for you!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

carshon said:


> We had a bullet nosed trailer like this and the divider swung to the side and you could hook it there to make the space wider for just 1 horse.
> 
> So Excited for you!


Haha... thanks  

I know it doesn't look like much, but it has the bones of a decent trailer in my price range. Then I can practice towing, backing, loading Harley, unloading Kodak - to my heart's content! And the independence will be nice.

Oh, and we did tow my trimmer's beautiful warmblood sized trailer with my husband's truck. I was a little concerned by the size of it, but it's aluminum so not too heavy. We were at about half our towing capacity with Harley in it, and it towed perfectly. No braking issues at all (after we got all the components adjusted!). The truck did work a little harder towing uphill, but we expected that. Luckily it has the towing radiator. So it should tow this little one easily. I was even able to get through busy intersections towing that big trailer! And I never hit anyone, or even scratched it. Even when I had to park it between two other trailers, with barely enough room to open the tack room door! Slid it right in (didn't have to back, thank goodness!). With an audience watching me in amusement. It might have something to do with the fact that I was pulling ahead inch by inch like a caterpillar. 

Anyway, will let you know how we make out. I do hope the divider swings and/or can be taken out, but if not, I may look into modifying it.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

It looks decent, freshly painted.
The divider....DO NOT REMOVE IT...
That is your butt bar securing piece.
Remove it and Harley is now standing resting his butt on your back door as you go down the road...not really safe.
Till you make something else in the place, do not remove this for the safety of Harley traveling and to hold Harley in the trailer when loading and unloading on your time-frame.

The trailer is dark inside with no forward windows...more importantly though there is no airflow.
May I kindly suggest you go online and find butterfly vents and get them installed by someone who knows seriously what they are doing.
Now you have "0" ventilation front to back and it gets hot, humid and unbearable sticky in any climate in a hurry.
A front window would be fantastic, but realistically probably a large expense but butterfly vents are cost friendly and give you that much needed air movement for Harley's healthy breathing ability.
_Hope this is "the one"....:thumbsup:_
_Do check it out carefully regardless of "just being inspected"... your beloved horse will be traveling in this...let you keep him safe in your journeys!_
:runninghorse2:...


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

1. Check the frame ----- if you don't look at anything else check the frame

2. Ditto everythingn*HLG* said. I would add butterfly vents on both sides and me personally would put two hinged windows in the front?

Here's hoping it's everything it appears to be


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

I agree with Horselovinguy, keep the butt bars in the trailer. They are there for a reason and should be used. Without them, if the back door is opened and the horse is still tied and tries to back out, that could lead to problems.
Also sitting against the back door while travelling is not good.

I often open the back of the trailer when I get to my destination and let the horse stand in the trailer while I unload my stuff so the horse gets used to standing and waiting for me to unload her, and I wouldn't do this without the butt bar 

I hope this trailer works for you as it is great to have your own, makes everything easier.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Thanks everyone! Good point about the divider being the only way to affix a butt bar! I won't remove it until I can assess the option of putting in a swinging divider, assuming this one doesn't swim. Also, excellent point about the importance of a butt bar, among other reasons, so the horse's butt isn't against the back door! So that will be going in asap (assuming there isn't one that just isn't visible in the pic). 

Will investigate the option of butterfly vents. But the trailer I use now has no front windows because the front area is a tack room. There are side windows, and that's enough in this climate. Harley isn't hot when he travels in it, and it doesn't feel hot when I climb into it either. That said, if I can make it more comfortable for Harley, I will!

Will be going at that frame with a hammer @walkinthewalk, as per your previous suggestions!  If it doesn't look right, we'll pass. There is another trailer in the same price range that is just a little further away, but it's black, and I'd rather have white so it doesn't get heated up. I don't know that the black exterior actually makes a difference, but it just seems like it would. Maybe I'm wrong.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Acadianartist said:


> Will investigate the option of butterfly vents. But the trailer I use now has no front windows because the front area is a tack room. There are side windows, and that's enough in this climate.


_Do you realize though the side windows allow light to enter and change the "black boogey-hole" into something more inviting to enter...you are the one with a hesitant horse.
Butterfly vents when open also allow light to enter when slanted open..
Side windows also allow cross-ventilation and I would be willing to bet there are overhead vents you may not even realize are present helping air-flow. The trailer you borrowed is no no-frills trailer.
You also are not sitting in a closed up trailer going down the road...
When you arrive someplace first thing done is "pop" open a door...and poof there is a breeze and air-flow.
Just saying the trailer has some limitations but they are easily accommodated and addressed.
Go look and make sure all is as good as it appears...then act upon what you discover.
:runninghorse2:...
jmo...
_


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

horselovinguy said:


> _Do you realize though the side windows allow light to enter and change the "black boogey-hole" into something more inviting to enter...you are the one with a hesitant horse.
> Butterfly vents when open also allow light to enter when slanted open..
> Side windows also allow cross-ventilation and I would be willing to bet there are overhead vents you may not even realize are present helping air-flow. The trailer you borrowed is no no-frills trailer.
> You also are not sitting in a closed up trailer going down the road...
> ...


Yes... this trailer has side windows so there is cross ventilation. Not sure what you mean. 

The one I borrowed did have overhead vents, but it wasn't warm on the day we used it so we didn't open them, just the side windows. I stood in there with the trailer shut for some time, getting Harley to settle down. I assure you, it never got hot. We have only had a couple of days nice enough to give us a hint of what summer will eventually feel like - this is a cool climate! Not saying this one wouldn't. But I will have a good idea of that once I bring it home and let it sit outside on a hot day for a while. We go to shows early in the morning and come home in the evening. It's usually cool enough that I have to wear a coat or a sweatshirt.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Acadianartist said:


> Yes... this trailer has side windows so there is cross ventilation. Not sure what you mean.


A very small side window in proportion to the trailer. Only half of that window opens and it is the half toward the back of the trailer cause that is how sliders are installed in horse trailers._ {that window should actually be open in that picture I believe}_
And it's hard to tell if the "whatever" more forward is a fixed or operational venting window or not..
Cross-ventilation comes from not just directly across from each other but from angled ventilation points...
This trailer is also solid rear doors so no ventilation from that area either.
Just some things I noticed from the pictures posted.
_Only you know your climate conditions and what will work in them or not._
I would be looking to add some butterfly vents regardless for better air-flow for Harley and or your other horse.
Good luck with the trailer...again,_* enjoy the search.* _:wink:
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

horselovinguy said:


> A very small side window in proportion to the trailer. Only half of that window opens and it is the half toward the back of the trailer cause that is how sliders are installed in horse trailers._ {that window should actually be open in that picture I believe}_
> And it's hard to tell if the "whatever" more forward is a fixed or operational venting window or not..
> Cross-ventilation comes from not just directly across from each other but from angled ventilation points...
> This trailer is also solid rear doors so no ventilation from that area either.
> ...


I did a search for butterfly vents for horse trailers. Would you install them in the roof? Again, our welder friend could undoubtedly install something like that fairly easily. I do want to make the space comfortable of course! Everything to encourage Harley to be more willing to step in there. 

And yes, there appears to be a second "window" towards the front, but as you say, difficult to say whether it actually opens. Something to check when I'm there for sure! 

Do I wish I could afford a 20K trailer? You bet! But given the demands put on my wallet right now, this is probably a decent compromise. To top it all off, I woke up to a very sick dog this morning. Vomit everywhere. He went off his food 3 days ago, which is NOT like him. I'm suspecting he ate something he shouldn't have, and now has a blockage somewhere. Waiting to hear from the vet so I can bring him in, sigh... it's not going to be cheap.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Acadianartist said:


> I did a search for butterfly vents for horse trailers. Would you install them in the roof? Again, our welder friend could undoubtedly install something like that fairly easily. I do want to make the space comfortable of course! Everything to encourage Harley to be more willing to step in there.


No...butterfly vents would go in the front wall of the trailer if I was doing the install.
They do come in different sizes to choose from too.

I found a picture, not a great one but something to give you a idea of what I refer to...








_Sorry, this is rather large and rude but you now see what I meant. 

_These vents are small, but let in great air-flow and you can adjust by turning the vent just how much air gets in so a little or a hurricane force as needed.
You are also able to keep out the rain but just crank a little for air not "wet" ...
:runninghorse2:...


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

horselovinguy said:


> No...butterfly vents would go in the front wall of the trailer if I was doing the install.
> They do come in different sizes to choose from too.
> 
> I found a picture, not a great one but something to give you a idea of what I refer to...
> ...


Ok, I see! yes, that makes sense. Will see what my welder can do if we do buy this trailer! Thanks! I like the red too.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

_So.... is there a "new" trailer in the yard???_
:runninghorse2:...


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

horselovinguy said:


> _So.... is there a "new" trailer in the yard???_
> :runninghorse2:...


Yes ------ Inquiring Minds Want To Know-----------


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Haha... not yet! They can't get it inspected until Tuesday so I'll go see it then. Just as well, because Friday would not have been possible, and this whole weekend has been a little overwhelming with the unexpected death of our dog. 

I'll keep you all posted when I go see it.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Acadianartist said:


> Haha... not yet! They can't get it inspected until Tuesday so I'll go see it then. Just as well, because Friday would not have been possible, and this whole weekend has been a little overwhelming with the unexpected death of our dog.



_A beloved family member lost....

I'm so sorry....:-(
:runninghorse2:...._


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

My sympathies as well. I know the loss is very hurtful for all of you but I especially hope your children are managing ok.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

I am so sorry to hear about your dog. My heart goes out to your family.

Hope the trailer inspection goes well today.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Thanks for your kind thoughts on the loss of our dog. It was sudden, and therefore even more difficult. I also got the vet bill today, which hurt almost as much. Just kidding... 

Went to see the trailer. We passed on it because 

a) frame was rusted
b) frame was rusted
c) frame was rusted


Did I mention the frame was rusted? Also, if I needed a d) it was really tiny inside. I'm 5 feet tall and I felt like I could reach the ceiling if I just hopped a bit. e) the sides were plywood! That was NOT obvious in the picture. My fault for not asking more questions. I could go on... the wiring had just been re-done and it had been somewhat well-kept, but yeah... did I mention the frame was rusted? 

I have come to accept that I'll need to at least double my price range to find anything near half-decent. So for this year, I will keep renting my trimmer's beautiful aluminum Warmblood sized trailer with the front tack room. 

Thanks for reminding me to get under there and look at the frame.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Just this week, someone on another forum relayed a story about someone she knew that had bought a used trailer a year ago. It had passed inspection for the sale. The buyers never looked at the underside or mechanics of the trailer.

I think they were at a show within the last month or so, loaded up to go home, started fo pull out, and suddenly people came running at them with arms flailing and yelling loudly.

Seems one of the trailer axles had turned at a 45 degree angle to the trailer.

Thankfully they had not reached the road to get up any speed.

******

You just keep carrying your overalls and a hammer in your truck and borrow that very nice sounding trailer until you find something your gut tells you is right


I bought my 4-horse open stock brand new, 30 years ago. I have always kept the frame, fenders and seams oiled. The paint is oxidized, It's on its fourth floor but the frame holding the floor is still like new, and DH completely re-wired it in 2009.

I'd like a new trailer "just because" but all I do is carry Joker to the vet, so I will continue to look like the 21st century version of the Grapes of Wrath because I know the trailer is solid and I don't have a trailer payment, lollol


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Yes, I have horrific images in my over-active imagination from floors falling out of trailers. Though the floor looked good on this one, that frame could have let go anytime. They assured us it was solid of course. 

Will keep using my trimmer's trailer until I win the lottery or pay off some debts. That will take a while.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Sad for you that disappointment in the trailer quality again reared the ugly head, or in this case..frame.:x

I am happy though that you took the shared words of wisdom and discovered the frame before you went ahead with a purchase unwise.

When the time is right, the right trailer will find you and you it...:wink:
Till that time of perfect meeting, the use of a good trailer shared willingly works just perfectly.
Each time you use that trailer you will also be on a learning curve and that learning curve will also allow you to learn what you like or dislike in this trailer and other trailers you will come across during your search for, "the one"...
:runninghorse2:....


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

horselovinguy said:


> Sad for you that disappointment in the trailer quality again reared the ugly head, or in this case..frame.:x
> 
> I am happy though that you took the shared words of wisdom and discovered the frame before you went ahead with a purchase unwise.
> 
> ...


Agreed! Though I am getting a little spoiled with this trailer  But she hardly ever uses it, so I can have access to it anytime, she's letting me "rent" it really cheaply, and I'm still learning to drive the thing! So for now, it's a great compromise.

Thanks to you, walkinthewalk, and everyone else for your great tips on what to watch for in a trailer!!!


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