# Stock trailers?



## The Northwest Cowgirl (May 16, 2012)

Hey guys,
I need a new trailer, we're having too many issues with my straight load right now. My post, in case you're wondering: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-training/trailering-help-126869/. I have been looking into stock trailers, and found they're cheaper than a slant load. I have a couple questions about them though.

Would you recommend a stock trailer for hauling a younger horse? My horse is having some fear issues with our straight load right now.
What are the pros/cons of a stock?

Now my real question is how do you even load a horse in a stock trailer? I'm a little confused about this. Normally cattle are loaded just free standing, right? They're not locked in, like in a slant load? How would you do this with a horse?? 

I just need some clarification on this!
Thanks!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

NC, I got little stock trailer by Valley when I started hauling my horses (both were 3 year old at the time and almost no experience trailering). Exactly for the same reason: it was the cheapest option. :wink: Worked just fine for us. 

The way I loaded was different for my horses: with my qh I walked her on trailer, we both turned, I un-clipped the lead and walked off (I don't tie her in trailer), with my paint I calmly walked her on trailer, asked someone to close the door, and tied her on driver's side next to the hay net.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I prefer a stock trailer over a "real" horse trailer. That is why I am selling our horse trailer and going back to a stock trailer.

You can haul horses loose or tied, for me it depends on how many horses I am hauling. I really love them for mares and babies. If I had to haul a couple of mares with their foals to the vet or the breeders, I could divide the mares with babies into their box stalls with the center cut gate.

You will also find that horses that normaly are hesitant about loading into horse trailer will hop right into a stock trailer, especially after they have ridden in it a few times.

Some might say that undesireable weather might be a con. Mine don't seem to mind it whether it is snowing, raining, or below 0. You can get plexi glass slats for it in the winter. But in the summer they have plenty of air flow.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

My boys travel loose, one up front and one in the back. They prefer to ride backwards.


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## mypets (Mar 2, 2012)

I've had stock trailers for the past 10 years. I too had issues with horses loading in straightload trailers (they wouldn't) but they willingly went in the big open stock trailer. My first was a true stock, no tack room and a center gate. I would find my girls liked to ride backwards which was no problem. I tied them to the driver's side with enough room for them to turn as they wished. Walked them on and off and they liked it. My current trailer is a stock combo, slant load with dividers and a front tack. Still open enough that my claustrophobic QH will get on no problem and doesn't seem to mind the dividers. Haven't hauled my Paint gelding anywhere yet but he's a seasoned veteran of showing so I don't anticipate any problems. I wish I had the plexiglass for the sides especially when it's raining, but it's also nice to have lots of fresh air. I went with a stock combo because it was a pain not to have a tack room and I had to keep everything in the back of my truck all the time. So far I like it.


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## The Northwest Cowgirl (May 16, 2012)

Thanks guys!
One last question: can you find stock trailers with a tack room? Is that very common? Since I don't have a tack room at home yet, this is important to me.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

The Northwest Cowgirl said:


> Thanks guys!
> One last question: can you find stock trailers with a tack room? Is that very common? Since I don't have a tack room at home yet, this is important to me.


Yes! You can get them in all price ranges too. The cheapest I was willing to go with was a CM brand, WW makes them....just about any brand but it really depends on the features you want. I fell in love with a Sundowner(I swore I would never own one) 26ft.aluminum with a sliding cut gate! Coolest thing, you can slide the center gate wherever you want. You can make a compartment for hay and feed(the trailer already had a 5 ft. Tack room) or for a stud divider or for a few head of steers horses in the back, or cut in half for hualing mares and babies.....so cool.....so expensive.

The trailer I was thinking of getting from CM, because WW couldn't build, was a pipe sided trailer, 6ft tack, 20 ft horse, cattle with center cut, 8000 lb. Axles and the "bull package" which is a heavier dutier frame and bumper, carpeted tack extra lights, rubber mats was about $13500, brand new. I think their weekender trailers might be cheaper with out the extra hardware for the bull package.

My favorites are the WW trailers but they wont make what I want. But they make a "stock " trailer with dividers and tack. They are tough trailers....I tried to tear one apart and the best I could do was have to reweld the hinges for the back door....we tore the back half of a Featherlight off...lol


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Glad you took my recommendation & are considering a stock. Proud of you!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Easiest way to load in a stock, lead the horse up to it, if he don't get in, have someone behind smack his butt with a rope and in he goes & will probably not give you trouble again. To unload, let him walk out, no backing nonsense.


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## mypets (Mar 2, 2012)

The Northwest Cowgirl said:


> Thanks guys!
> One last question: can you find stock trailers with a tack room? Is that very common? Since I don't have a tack room at home yet, this is important to me.


 
Absolutely! They call them stock combos. Mine has the slant load dividers but you can take them out if you need to. The front wall swings back to open up the entire trailer if you want to haul something and need to use the whole space. Otherwise, it's a nice-sized lockable tack room.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Horses like stock trailers bc they aren't dark caves to enter. They are light, airy and multi-use-ful. DH _still_ regrets that our slant load can't be used as a U-Haul, like our 4-horse, straight-load stock trailer could.
I even had a shetland pony for a short time who had no trouble loading and unloading in my step-up stock trailer.


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## The Northwest Cowgirl (May 16, 2012)

waresbear said:


> Glad you took my recommendation & are considering a stock. Proud of you!


Haha thanks!
I was thinking that it would be good too, because my mother is planning to get goats later on, and my sister is looking into getting a little pony. I think this would better for us. Thanks guys, this really helps me out!


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