# Hauling minis



## Cheerio Girl (May 21, 2006)

I was just wondering what was the best way to transport minis.

My neighbor has a full size horse trailer that I could borrow, but I read somewhere that sometimes the ties can be too high for minis. My dad has an SUV, but I'm not really sure how safe it is to transport a mini in a car. I've also heard about special mini trailers (anyone know of an affordable manufacturer ?) Any advice on which way to go ? Also, would you recommend using shipping boots?


----------



## MeadowRidge Farm (May 21, 2006)

We have a full size trailer, but never tie our minis. Our divider can be removed and its like a box stall, easily fits 3-4 minis, if we leave the divider in we just put 1 or two on each side. my trailer is fully enclosed. Works great for us. We have also transported minis in the back of our pickup, which does have a cab on, with that we matted the bed and put shaving and straw down so its not so slippery, that has worked good too. We looked at the mini trailers and they are cute, but I didnt like the fact that you couldnt stand up in them. Corinne


----------



## Miniv (May 21, 2006)

We also use a full size trailer. We don't tie either.

Shipping boots are not necessary. And if a horse isn't used to wearing stuff like that it ends up stressing them.

MA


----------



## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (May 21, 2006)

We just finally finished converting my 15 passanger van to haul the minis. This picture was taken before it was quite done. They will ride backwards and we put doors on the stalls . Here are some pictures

Right now there is a tarp on the bottom, then some indoor outdoor carpeting and then the rubber mats although I have to still trim one mat a bit. the whole thing is basically removable as well.


----------



## MeadowRidge Farm (May 21, 2006)

Lisa, What a great idea, and I bet your horses love it! Corinne


----------



## wiccanz (May 22, 2006)

This is our van, a Toyota Hiace with the extra long wheel base & extra height.

We first lined with ply then put a waterproof, rubber type coating on top. We easily fit 3 horses in the back half, and our cart and other gear in the front half. :bgrin


----------



## Happy Valley (May 22, 2006)

I use a full size trailer and don't tie them. I close the middle if there's only one or two, and leave the whole thing open if there's more, and I drive very defensively!


----------



## suz (May 22, 2006)

My husband converted an enclosed cargo trailer into our mini trailer and it works great!






We have a large rubber mat down and shavings on top of that.

And we can pull it behind our minivan, as it is much lighter weight than a "regular" trailer.






I don't tie him either. I do use a camera/monitor so I can keep an eye on him from up in the van.

p.s. Since this picture was taken, we put a mesh/wire type cover in the windows so he doesn't stick his head out. He definately liked it better without the wire, but safety issues are number one!


----------



## Jill (May 22, 2006)

I have an 8' mini trailer and it can easily haul 3 minis. I love it but it's my only horse trailer so far ever, so not a lot to compare it to. It is light enough that my mid-size SUV could pull it but we use the truck not the SUV. I do tie the horses for trailering. I picked it up pretty inexpensively second hand and it's been kept under roof so is in very, very good shape.


----------



## Cowboy's my baby (May 22, 2006)

Jill said:


> I have an 8' mini trailer and it can easily haul 3 minis. I love it but it's my only horse trailer so far ever, so not a lot to compare it to. It is light enough that my mid-size SUV could pull it but we use the truck not the SUV. I do tie the horses for trailering. I picked it up pretty inexpensively second hand and it's been kept under roof so is in very, very good shape.



Hi,

Where do you find the mini trailers?

Thanks.


----------



## wildoak (May 22, 2006)

I have a full sized 3 horse slant - have big horses to haul too now and then - and whether I tie depends on who and how many I'm hauling. One mare and foal, I don't tie. Hauled two yearling colts to a show this weekend and they would have been scuffling the whole way if not tied, as I have no mini dividers. I did have lower tie rings installed. Removable mini dividers are on the wish list, but have to still be able to put the big mare in.

Jan


----------



## shminifancier (May 22, 2006)

When not hauling them in the back seat of my car like this.






I hauled in this trailer ! And I also haul them loose while in the trailer..


----------



## Lauralee (May 22, 2006)

We have a miniature horse hauler. It's super. If you would like to visit Bob Kane's website (he is the maker), go to my web page and go to the links.

We also have a 3 horse slant combination stock trailer, which we use if we haul more than 4 at a time.


----------



## shane (May 22, 2006)

THIS IS A TRAILER WE HAD DESIGNED AND WE GOT OUR FRIENDS TO MAKE IT, I LOVE IT ITS SOOO LIGHT AND WE CAN FIT THREE MINIS INTO IT, THERE ARE TWO PARTITIONS IN IT



:


----------



## SandyWI (May 22, 2006)

We took all the seats, except the driver and passenger front seats, out of our mini van and built a double stall in the back. We have a thick sheet of plastic under it. The stalls have plywood floors, covered in rubber mats. The stalls are removable, as all the pieces were made to slip into slots or with pins. It's worked great for two years. We've hauled horses all the way from Oklahoma City, Tennessee, and Ohio back to southwest Wisconsin, where we live.

We have a ramp we slip into the frame of the middle sliding door, when it's opened, and the horses walk up it. We slide the two front seats all the way forward to load them, as when they get into the middle of the van we have to turn them around and back them into the stalls, as I like them facing the front so I can turn around and talk to them. :lol:

All our horses have been trained to go into the van. I love this in case there's an emergency and I don't have time to hook up the big horse trailer to the pick up truck to get a horse to the vet. It's super fast getting them into the mini van! And this works great for training foals to trailer, because they are right next to their moms and can see everything around them, and outside, too.


----------



## cast (May 22, 2006)

well my daughter just bought a Ponderosa Trailer, 3 horse and it is small and low and can be handle with no problems to think of. It cost her I believe less than $6,000 and should do you fine.


----------

