FAQ's on Trailers and Towing

What size trailer do I need for my horse?

Most horses up to 16 hands will fit in a 7' tall trailer. If your horse carries his head very high, or if he's taller than 16.5 hands, we recommend a taller trailer. Our slant loads are standardly 7', while our straight load trailers are 7'4" or 7'6", depending on brand. We also have standard designs for warmbloods, and can custom build extra wide and extra tall (up to 8') stalls in either a straight load or a slant load.
Straight load stalls are simple to measure. Make sure you take the chest and butt bars and divider pads into account when determining the usable stall area. By contrast, slant load trailers have a variety of stall lengths, depending on the width of the trailer. You need to be sure your horse will fit between the dividers (actual stall width) and within the walls of the trailers (usable stall length). If you're unsure, please measure your horse...from nose to tail and side to side. Then allow a little room for movement (more if you plan on long hauls) and compare to the trailer stall dimensions.

Should I get a slant load or a straight load trailer?

As with most issues, there are as many opinions on the merits of slants vs. straight loads as there are trailer owners. Slant load trailers all have dressing rooms. Generally speaking, for 3 or more horses, a slant load will be shorter. Some people find that slants permit the horse to lean against the divider while in transit and be less affected by travel stress. As far as I know, there is no definutive research to prove the least stressful method to haul. If you find a study, please let me know!

What can my vehicle tow?

Your vehicle dealer can provide the safe weight-towing capability for your vehicle. Generally, a sport utility type vehicle (Cherokee, Explorer, Trooper, etc.) can safely haul 5,000 pounds, equal to a light weight 2 horse bumper pull trailer. A 1/2 ton full size pick-up can usually tow 6,500 pounds, which is what a three horse gooseneck would be. Check vehicle capacity and loaded trailer weight very carefully to avoid overloading the vehicle. Avoiding a problem with the right-weight load is a lot less costly than a new transmission or rear-end!

If you have other questions you'd like to see answered here, please e-mail us at trailers@fuse.net.