Low Profile Trailers

[MountainWoman]

Does anyone have a low profile trailer and how do you like them compared to regular horse trailers. Not a problem for me as far as height because I'm short and so are the minis. Just wondering if there were any negatives I should be worried about. Thanks!

 

[Riverrose28]

I'm assuming you are talking about some that I have seen that are really short, compared to one that is 6' tall in side? I've shrunk to 5'4" so I'm short, now, but I also have a really bad back, and bending over is not good, especially while trying to load a young horse. I think that would be the only draw back. I think they look really cute, but I'll keep my big horse trailer.

 

[MountainWoman]

Yes, shorter inside. There's a company making them for mini horses and I was wondering about them as opposed to a standard height trailer.

 

[Riverrose28]

For myself, personaly I would buy a standard trailer, I've had to use alot of patience sometimes getting the young ones to load, and even though I'm short I just can't bend over anymore to help get them in. I like to train my young ones to load before they need to travel, and it does take some time, with someone inside and someone outside. I would go with a taller trailer, just my experience as an older person. Of course if someone is young and their back is in great shape, no problem. A couple of our horses you just say trailer and they jump right in, but they are few and far between.

 

[MountainWoman]

No, I'm not young and I have that old, aching back so I think I'll take your suggestion and just get a larger standard trailer. Thanks for your help!!!

 

[BeeBopMini]

we purchased a llama size mini trailer and absolutely love it. it is 5-1/2 feet tall inside so I don't have to bend and a breeze to pull. I kept my full size horse trailer as I use it for everything from storing that extra 50 bales of hay in the winter to hauling big furniture items. I love them both for different reasons

 

[Jill]

Both of our horse trailers would be considered "low profile", but they are also the only ones I have ever pulled. I love them both. One is an aluminum gooseneck 14' trailer that is 6' tall and 6' wide. The other is an 8' steel bumper pull that is 5.5' tall, and 5' wide. Really love them both, and there is very little "wind drag" from what we can tell. We pull them with a V8 F150 truck. I'm 5'7", so a little on the tall side of average for a woman, but it's not hard for me to go in and out of the bumper pull, and I've got head room in the gooseneck.

 

[MountainWoman]

Thank you BeeBop and Jill.

 

[Marty]

I always wanted one and was about to get one a couple years ago until I borrowed one for the weekend. Until you have cracked your forehead on them going in an out, you'll think they are wonderful. I kept forgetting to duck. And then I realized if I was ever in a wreck, it would be very difficult to get them unloaded, not to mention my back isn't the greatest either. Plus, there is more air flow in a regular height so I stuck with my big full size one.

 

[Jill]

Marty, why would unloading be difficult? A low profile horse trailer gives mins a much larger proportional clearance than any full size horses in a full size horse trailer.

 

[horsehug]

I absolutely love my mini trailer. It is 10' x 5' and 5' feet high inside. I hauled in the back of my mini van for years and then under a topper with my last pickup for years, and finally was brave enough to pull this trailer and am so glad it is just the size it is. Perfect!

Susan O.

 

[Jill]

Oh, Susan, do I hear you! It scares me to haul the trailers, but I cannot imagine trying to haul a "real big one". I could sell our little bumper pull trailer probably at least 1x a month, but it's just too handy and non-scary to me should I have to haul one alone, to part with for what it is actually worth in money (not a lot -- and it's too handy to let go). The first time I towed our "big" (not big, the mini gooseneck), I didn't even have a horse in it, but I felt like my heart was in my throat. I was taking it about an hour a way to show it to my mom and dad who, and to get a trip under my belt. If all you are hauling are "small" equines, I do think these little trailers are a perfect option because they are lighter (by a little) and have much lower wind drag. Plus, they are just super cool

 

[Jill]

PS... We need to take our two Great Pyrenees cross dogs (Dozer, 14mos (3/4 GP, 1/4 Lab), and Diesel 6mos) in to be "tutored" in the next month or so. Waiting for it to be a little cooler outside, and time where both H and I can take 1-2 days off around a weekend to just help them recover. I'm seriously thinking of putting THEM in our bumper pull trailer, either in their sleeping crates, or one in the "tack room" (big enough for a mini) and one in the back (big enough for 2-3 minis). They both get car sick, big time. I need to take a good look and if I can be sure that we can latch things so that something as dexterous (sp?) as a dog cannot unlatch anything, I feel like that option beats them vomiting in the SUV! So it may be multifunctional to have a little horse trailer

One thing I do know, though, is that the bumper pull is really hard for H and I to back up and navigate in that direction. If you put your hands on the bottom of your steering wheel, it seems to help with the navigation. The gooseneck track just like your vehicle, but the bumper pull trailer is about the opposite when it comes to backing up, and it is so short that it is easy to "jack knife". It makes you feel really frustrated if you are short fused like I am because it seems SO small and like you should be able to really just kind of pick it up and move it right. I have very little patience and less ability at this time for backing up the short bumper pull trailer.

 

[miniwhinny1]

I have a mini trailer that is 5' wide, 8' long and 5'4" tall, I love it, I don"t bang my head and they are easy to tow, I"be seen the really short ones and I didn't like them, you couldn't get there yourself, or at least I couldn't"t and if there was an emergency and you had to get into the trailer , you"d have to get on your knees to get inside.... Val

 

[chandab]

PS... We need to take our two Great Pyrenees cross dogs (Dozer, 14mos (3/4 GP, 1/4 Lab), and Diesel 6mos) in to be "tutored" in the next month or so. Waiting for it to be a little cooler outside, and time where both H and I can take 1-2 days off around a weekend to just help them recover. I'm seriously thinking of putting THEM in our bumper pull trailer, either in their sleeping crates, or one in the "tack room" (big enough for a mini) and one in the back (big enough for 2-3 minis). They both get car sick, big time. I need to take a good look and if I can be sure that we can latch things so that something as dexterous (sp?) as a dog cannot unlatch anything, I feel like that option beats them vomiting in the SUV! So it may be multifunctional to have a little horse trailer

Jill, this sounds like an excellent idea. When I took my dog to be spayed, several years ago now, despite not eating since before midnight, she still managed to have something in her stomach to make a mess of the pick-up cab on the way to the vet (I think she tossed her cookies 3 times). The cat in the carrier on the seat was just fine (he was on his way for "tutoring"), thank goodness, don't think I could have handle two puking animals in the cab.