How to Choose a Horse Trailer

Figuring Out the Best way to Transport Your Horse

Jul 13, 2009 Megan Worley

Choosing a horse trailer to transport your horse in is a big decision and should be made carefully.

Try to look at any horse trailer from your horse’s perspective and make sure that it is safe and as comfortable as possible.

Types of Trailers

The first step in buying trailer is deciding what type of trailer is best suited for your needs. There are three types of stall configurations available in trailers: slant load, straight-load, or open stock type. Slant loads allow your horse to stand diagonally, which helps it balance in the moving trailer. This is best for horses that don’t have experience being trailered, and offer good resale value. This type is often expensive though. Straight-loads are usually cheaper but they make balancing more difficult for horses and can be scarier for inexperienced horses. These typically only come in two horse models. Open or stock trailers are usually not good for horses because there is no way to safely partition the horses.

What Size Trailer do You Need?

Deciding on the size of trailer you need should be based on how many horse’s you plan to haul. If you never haul more than one or two horses then a two-horse should suffice. This is good if you have limited parking spaces or if your vehicle can’t pull anything larger. Three horse trailers offer much more options and space but tend to cost a lot more and require a much larger vehicle. It is also possible to get a four-horse or larger but they are very expensive and require a very large vehicle to tow them.

Which Entrance Style is Best?

When you are looking for a trailer you can choose one that requires the horse to step up into the trailer or one that has a ramp for the horse to walk up. Ramps may be better for horses that are used to them or to reduce the impact of stepping out of the trailer. This also helps to avoid the risk of injury from a horse slipping or leaping out of the trailer. Ramps can however add to the cost of the trailer and can be scary for horses that are not used to them. Step-ups are good if your horses are accustomed to them and they can keep the trailers cost and weight down. Step-ups are more risky.

Trailer Extras

There are also a variety of extras that many trailer come with and that may be useful to you. If you are going to travel a lot with your horses, such as camping or to shows you may want a trailer with a living space. This allows you to stay in the trailer and can keep hotel costs down at shows. A separate tack room is also a good idea to have if you plan to travel to shows and need a lot of storage spaces. These can range from pretty small to very large depending on what you need. These spaces can be very useful but add costs and weight to the trailer.

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