# How tall is your trailer?



## Failbhe (May 8, 2012)

My husband and I are looking to buy our first horse trailer. Until now, we've either hired transport, depended on the kindness of friends, or occasionally used my parents' trailer. 

Due to our current horse situation (one riding horse, two miniatures) we've done some looking around and we're pretty sure we want to go with a stock trailer with a large center divider making two box stalls. The minis would go right under dividers in slant or straight load trailers (unless we did a lot of modifying), and my husband wants the space for using the trailer for other things - picking up lumber, atvs/snowmobiles, helping people move etc. 

Almost all the trailers I've found have been 6'6" tall. That seems a little short, but they're obviously intended for horses - quite a few of them have tack rooms with saddle racks and bridle hooks. Last I checked cattle, pigs and sheep don't need tack rooms. 

If we hold out long enough I suppose we might find a good 7' tall one, but honestly there are some nice looking (and nicely priced) trailers that I hesitate to pass up on.

My current mare is a shortie and is only 14.2, but we're hoping to get my husband a horse eventually and that one will most likely be in the 15 but not more than 16 hh range. (Originally he wanted a Clyde cross... I think he's changed his mind, as a green rider a shorter horse means a shorter fall!)

Anyone else out there with a smallish-to-mid-size horse with a 6'6" trailer? Do you like it/regret it?


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

We haul in a stock trailer and one of our horses is about 16H. The trailer is 6'6", not an issue. I have rode horses taller than that that ride fine in a 6'6" trailer. I have found that most stock trailers come in that height, because cows aren't that tall.lol When we owned a "for real horse trailer" it was 7 ft. But I don't notice the height difference or worry about it, neither do our horses.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

I have a Titan Avalanche II slant load. Its 7' inside height. It seems much taller then that though. And my horses have headroom to spare. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I have a Valley Stock trailer with a solid center partition that I believe is 7'. It works just fine, even for my Percheron mare (16.3hh, 1600#, and WIDE). Your current horse should be fine with the 6'6", but if you want a horse upwards of 16hh I would definitely look for a 7'.


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## Barrelracer130 (Dec 30, 2010)

I have 1988 trailet 2 horse strightload, its draft height 7'6


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

I have a 7'6 tall slightly narrower than your average horse trailer. in it's papers it's described as a warmblood trailer. I loaded my horse in one of the stalls of it today and she had quite a lot of wiggle room especially considering a big bucket was taking up a solid square foot and a half of space.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

This may be a factor or it may not....

Even though some consider turning a horse around in the trailer and walking him out as opposed backing them is bad juju, we turn them around and walk out. I have noticed that horses that are worried to back out and step down seem to hold their head higher than normal and will bump their head on the back door frame of a shoter trailer and therefor adding to the anxiety.

So if you back your horses out maybe a taller trailer might be the way to go, or if you turn them around a step them out with no problems then you might be perfectly fine with a shorter one.


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## Failbhe (May 8, 2012)

COWCHICK77 said:


> This may be a factor or it may not....
> 
> Even though some consider turning a horse around in the trailer and walking him out as opposed backing them is bad juju, we turn them around and walk out. I have noticed that horses that are worried to back out and step down seem to hold their head higher than normal and will bump their head on the back door frame of a shoter trailer and therefor adding to the anxiety.
> 
> So if you back your horses out maybe a taller trailer might be the way to go, or if you turn them around a step them out with no problems then you might be perfectly fine with a shorter one.


Hmm, that is a very interesting point - I have noticed that horses that back out tend to hold their heads higher. I prefer to turn and lead out, and if we get the type we'd like (a stock trailer with box stalls) that shouldn't be an issue.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

My new trailer is a 7`two horse slant load. The horses and I love it. I agree with Cowchick about leading vs backing a horse out of the trailer. I turn mine (technically it`s a half turn I guess in a slant) and lead them out - we are all happy and relaxed when we get out of the trailer. My old trailer was a 6`6 two horse straight load. The horses and I hated backing out of it - those heads want to go up when backing and that roof was awful close.

My sister uses a 7`2 (or 4 just forget now) stock trailer. They ordered the trailer new and that was the tallest size available. Her horses are around 16 hands and they like the trailer. The horses are also led and not backed out. That trailer has proved quite versatile as it gets used to haul hay and other stuff.

In your situation, based on your planned uses, I think you`ll be quite happy with a 6`6 stock so go for it if a nice one shows up and you`ve tired of waiting for a 7 footer.

Good luck with your search.


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## peppersgirl (Aug 24, 2012)

my GN is 6'6.. our biggest horse who is just under 16h has no issue what so ever...Unless they are throwing their heads waay up,there isn"t an issue..


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## NeuroticMare (Jan 8, 2012)

7'6" with 2" mats, so about 7'4". My claustrophobic mare is a fan.


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