Stock Trailers

[Irish Hills Farm]

I am thinking about purchasing a stock trailer. I am looking at a 14' trailer with a center divider. I would like opinions from those of you who have owned or currently do own a stock trailer and the pros and cons to owning one.

Thanks! :saludando:

 

[SHANA]

We have a stock trailer, 16 foot long with a center divider. It works great to move the minis and large horses. This past weekend I took 5 minis, 2 arabians and 2 carts(for minis) plus all my tack, hay, etc to a local fair with no problems. The only problem with this kind of trailer is moving numerous stallions as you only have the one divider but you can ask the manufactor to make more dividers for a fee. I love it.

 

[Reijel's Mom]

I also have a 16 foot stock trailer with a center divider. I never could have imagined that I could get as much stuff in there as the above poster, though

, but obviously you can!

I've been pleased with it but it is my first trailer so I don't have a lot to compare to and I don't use it a lot.

 

[dgrminis]

We have a 2 horse trailer and then 2 stock trailers -- I never remember lengths but one is either a 14 or 16 foot and the other is like 24 ft. But I would MUCH MUCH rather use the stock trailers than the 2 horse trailers. You can fit more horses in the stock trailers and they have more room in there -- we have hauled both our stallions in it and they have gotten along fine -- but we can also haul our big horses in it with more comfort than we can in a little 2 horse.. We think our stock trailers are wonderful. And my husband can also take the mats out and haul cattle in them if he needs to and then powerwash them and put the mats back in and back ready for horses..

Works well for us

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Let's see... I have a 16' tagalong (6'6" high), a 16' + 4' (7' high) gooseneck, and a 24' gooseneck, and they are DEFINATELY my prefered transport method. They can do pretty much anything, and with the 24'er they CAN do anything.

The advantages:

1) The trailers are LIGHT. My gooseneck weighs 4100lbs, and the tagalong weighs 2400lbs. They are also usually several thousand dollars cheaper than the equivlant enclosed trailer.

2) The trailers are divided into 8' stalls, with each stall able to fit two horses (full sized) if nessesary. If you need to fit two per stall you can tie them.

3) For mares and foals you can leave them together with the mare tied.

4) For hauling less horses you can leave each horse in their own stall and leave them loose. The horse can balance themselves much better when loose and can also eat and drink on long trips.

5) They can also spend the night on the trailer with a fan if nessesary.

6) The open slats create good air flow, and can be closed if nessesary with plexiglass.

7) You can get trailers built with removable partitions, including slants, making it a VERY versitile trailer for horses or even cargo.

The disadvantages:

1) In an accident there is more risk of injury, but it's not as bad as it appears. There is less danger of entrapment, which is usually more dangerous than the accident itself.

2) Transporting loose horses, while safe, requires a full sized truck. You can't use a smaller truck than you would for the same sized enclosed trailer.

3) The open slats can be dangerous. I'd definately suggest using a fly mask to protect the eyes.

4) For the first few times you travel the horses will have trouble balancing, but they quickly adjust and prefer the freedom.

5) NOT WATERTIGHT

Not even close.

6) There are usually exposed latches in the trailer... not usually a problem, but it's possible. Just be careful making sure that the trailer you choose is safe.

7) The "stock" stock trailer is short; 6'6" is standard, whereas the standard for your average enclosed trailer is 7'. But you can certainly order taller; mine is 7' standard (its a Featherlite HORSE stock trailer).

8) There is a little more roadnoise than the average enclosed trailer, but I've been in some enclosed trailers that were FAR louder than mine!

 

[PondlakeMinis]

I have a 16 foot stock with one devider, we put the mares and fillies in one section and the stallions and geldings in the other. weanlings usually are turned loose. we really can get alot on minis in ours. I have owned various trailers over the years and this is my favorite for hauling alot of minis. I have a five horse mini trailer which I like also but is only used for hauling a smaller number--going to open shows or delivering or picking up a mini or 2. You can not go wrong with a stock trailer.

cyndia

 

[Gracie]

OI wouldn't trade my stock for ANYTHING< lol its 16 feet I believe, maybe more it has had the ROOF raised for more head room for large horses so truly accomodates any size,

We have the center divider ( which is removeable. )which we use when hauling 2 large horses they seem to feel comfy like there in a stall,

1 horse gets the entire trailor and YES we haul UNTIED as long as they are a veteran of the trailer,

We also have 2 removeable center dividers that go length wise so when hauling 4 large horses we put in the center dividers and the width center divider and all 4 horses are seperate.

minis usually get full run of the trailer less a stallion is on board then he gets front stall, I LOVE my trailer, and I have NOT had a single horse NOT willing to go in, people with hard to load full sized horses bring me there horses and they walk right in ,,its a very NON scary trailer, lol

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

Thank you so much for all of your responses! I greatly appreciate all the information given.

:

 

[Minimor]

Add me as another that loves her stock trailer. We've always had 2 horse straight haul trailers, but once our 2 horse trailer no longer suited us. You just can't fit many little horses in there, plus they couldn't see out the windows, and we hardly needed the 7' height any more...this past spring we sold our trailer & got a stock trailer. I'd hoped to find one 6' high but ended up with 6'4" which is still okay---much less wind resistance than the 7' one, and this stock trailer is 5' wide (wide enough for what we want/need) and 14' long. The side openings come down low enough that the Minis can see out if they put their heads up; side openings are mostly covered with plexiglass, and the one open portion I'm going to get it fixed so we can close it up if we want, or have it open--not sure yet how we're doing it, but will come up with something.

The back door we're thinking of having replaced, so that it's a solid door, no opening or plexiglass at the top. Then, some caulking will make it waterproof; right now the floor does get wet in a rain storm--and I don't like having to dry out the floor every time it rains--that's the only drawback to this trailer I figure--and that can be fixed!

The horses like being able to ride backwards.

This is also the first time we've had a trailer with torsion axles, and I am impressed with that feature. Should have had them years ago!

 

[Margo_C-T]

I have what's called a 'stock combo' trailer-14' X 5', a CM. I still keep a 'big' horse, so needed 'big horse' hauling capacity, but would own this one even if all I owned were minis! I LOVE this trailer; it is EXTREMELY versatile! Generally, a 'stock combo' has the 'front end' of a two horse straight load trailer-that is, feed bunkers, feed doors, a tack compartment under the feed bunkers, accessible from one(or can be ordered with both)sides,and a removable divider for hauling two full-sized horse(mine is very simple, only a solid panel at the heads, and a halfway divider, with butt chains behind. It is easy for ME alone to put in/take out.) It also has an 'escape' door, which I recommend), and the center 'gate', which can be removed(not as easily!)--I can take it out, haul up to 55 bales of hay, or put it in, haul a couple or three carts or one of my pair vehicles in the front and up to three minis(depending on their size)behind it-or, my 'big' horse and the minis behind, or....You get the picture! It has solid sides, with an open 'slot' above those, which can be left open, or have plexiglass strips(which I have) inserted, for more complete enclosure. The ONLY change I would make in it would be to get it in a 6' width instead of the 5' one.(I don't want to have to learn to pull anything wider...too old, too set in my ways!) I specifically ordered the 14', not a 16', length, for the better manueuverability...and have never regretted it! LOVE my Stock combo trailer, wouldn't trade it for all the fancy-smanchy slant loads around!

Margo

 

[frekles93]

[SIZE=14pt]I just got my 16 footer made in May and it has mini sized dividers that can be removed to haul anything I want. So far I have hauled more big horses then my minis.... Only thing i would have done different is to have vents put in the front that could be closed and opened with the weather..... I also have special window holders so that i can put plexi glass on the sides so that it makes it a little more warmer and water proofed in the winter.. I can haul 8 minis or 4 biggies.....[/SIZE]

April

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

WOW April I really like your mini dividers. If you don't mind I'd like to save the picture for reference.

 

[Relic]

A 16' 2 horse stock was the only thing my daughter could afford on her wages...but it hauls 4 sideways in tie stalls and the tack room thingy up front with the storage racks removed of the walls has fittings for a more solid divider for stallions if we need it so they can't see each other and haul facing forward and away from the mares...but mostly we only haul 4 so the tack room stays that way holding the cart and the other crap a person needs..we used a student welder to make the dividers.

 

[dannigirl]

We did have a horse trailer and downsized to a stock trailer that my husband has put dividers in. I really like the stock trailer for many of the reasons that others have mentioned. Another reason I like it is there are enough openings that I can look inside on a quick stop without opening the doors and climbing into the trailer. I like to check and see that no one has gotten into any problems.

Angie

 

[Gracie]

Your sounds like mine as far as the ways to switch it up i call it my convetable, lol I have the feed bins and also and I did forge tto mention I have a FULL door on the front right to get out of AND a1/2 door to get out on the left so After loading the last horse in the back,

And I can vouche for mine hauling 100 bales of hay, lol

 

[frekles93]

[SIZE=14pt]I can haul about 80 bales of hay in mine! I didnt want a smaller trailer because I didnt want to be limited to what I could haul. I was told I didnt need one that big and they didnt see WHY I needed one that big (16 foot) Well cause its my money and not yours.... This baby cost me about 7000.... but I also got extras.... VERY nice floor mats, extra dome light and then the glass runners where I could enclose it ever I wanted to.[/SIZE]

April

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I have one on order, as I wanted the half top style. That is what I have now, only it is old and I wanted a new one just like it. With the half top, I can put my horses in the front under the covered top and haul my cart in the back half where the shafts can stick up. We also use it for furntiure and hay. When we turn corners, it is easy to glance back and make sure the horses are riding easy. Mine is a bumper pull.

 

[Jill]

Sheryl --

I have a mini stock trailer that's a bumper pull. It's smaller than what you have in mind as it is only 8' long, 5' wide and 5' tall. It has a "tack compartment" in the front of it that's maybe 2.5 or 3 wide and the wall between that and the main part of the trailer swings. SO, Super D rides in the tack compartment but it's big enough really for a pony over 38" to ride in there as I've hauled BIG B's in that compartment and they had plenty of room. The main part of it must be 5'x5' and it's big enough for 2 big minis and maybe 3 if I pushed it. I like how the lack of a divider makes it really flexible. Plus, the short height makes it so easy to tow w/ little wind pull if any. It's the first horse trailer I bought (and later bought the gooseneck I have), and I still love it. Plus, the wrack on top is great for carts and not so tall for putting them on and off it

It's made of steel but is a 1994 (!!!) and has very little rust. I keep it under a roof when not in use.

Jill

But... I'm a little bit partial to my Wrangler :bgrin