When it comes to the horse trailer, you need to understand not every trailer is best for your horse. Horses and donkeys have several necessities that you need to think about when choosing a trailer. They need to move their legs, breathe in the clean and fresh air, and avoid interacting with harmful elements like pests. Once you do purchase a trailer, there are a few thing to consider when learning to tow a horse trailer.
You need to purchase a trailer that offers comfort, ease, and flexibility to your friend. Read the article further to understand what an excellent trailer looks like.
Things to Consider In a Horse Trailer
If you are thinking of purchasing the most suitable trailer for your horse, you might need to consider the following factors.
Size
You need to understand what is suitable for your horse. You may purchase a trailer with a fancy exterior or interior and several incredible features. But if your horse doesn’t feel safe and comfortable in it, you’ll be setting yourself up for many problems down the track. Before looking for the best trailer, keep your horse’s physique and body structure in mind. It will give you a precise idea of which trailer will suit your horse.
The trailer should have enough space to allow your four-leg friend to spread its legs. These animals also want enough room to use their neck and head for balancing themselves during travel. Measure your trailers’ headroom to pick the right one. If you choose a curved roof trailer, you need to know that this trailer’s measurement may be considered at the highest point of the roof, while your horse’s head may touch the outside wall.
Style
It’s crucial to pick the right style, slant load, walk-through, and other features.
A walk-through trailer is the simplest, effective, and best choice. Your horse will walk behind you while you walk through a big door at the front of the trailer. However, in small walk-through trailers, the room for feed reduces. But your horse stays more comfortable in it. It also allows the handler to escape in front of a disobedient equine quickly.
Additionally, if you want to accommodate more than one horse, go for the slant-load trailer. Sometimes it is not suitable for larger breeds, but you can haul many horses in its compact space. These trailers do have a few drawbacks, such as the horse standing in this trailer may find it challenging to deal with bumps on the road.
Construction
These are the three most common construction materials for the trailers: aluminum, steel, or hybrid construction that merge both steel and aluminum. When it comes to the steel trailer, it has the most robust construction and holds the animals properly, though you may find it a bit heavier to tow. On the other hand, aluminum trailers don’t produce rust, but they are not as sturdy as steel ones. Lastly, hybrid construction offers you the advantage of both steel and aluminum as a by-product of both.
These trailers contain aluminum outer walls and steel frames. They are also not heavy compared to the aluminum trailers yet have great strength. Your horses remain secure because the steel frame and aluminum exterior will protect your trailer from damaging elements, leading to corrosion.
Flooring
It would be best if you also considered the flooring type and style. If not chosen wisely, it can encourage insect and pesticide growth, making your horses uncomfortable throughout the traveling process. Aluminum floors are relatively light but can lead to rot and corrosion when they remain in contact with manure and urine for a longer time. Of course, these damages can extend and make your trailer unusable if not properly cleaned and maintained.
Wood floors have the composition of the high dense wood such as Douglas Fir. The manufacturer set these wood apart to allow airflow between its boards, which boosts the trailer’s lifespan. Wood floors also keep the cross member far from each other, thus making your trailer lighter.
Exteriors
No matter how much you prefer your animals’ ease and comfort, you can’t avoid having your desire to have an appealing and beautiful horse trailer. In this regard, you can opt for the fancy aluminum sheet-covered trailer with polyurethane paint and an automotive primer. It will give a glossy and quality finish to your vehicle.
You can choose from several options without avoiding the best structure and material of the trailer. Just make sure to opt for any exterior style that doesn’t make your trailer look old. Remember that your cart must have a timeless feel so that it remains trendy for several years.
Ventilation
Unfortunately, not every horse trailer has proper ventilation, which is crucial for air quality and temperature control. Hot seasons are more concerning than the cold ones in this regard. The interiors of the trailer absorb more heat on warmer days. So, if the trailer lacks adequate ventilation, it can significantly impact the animals’ health.
In this case, stock trailers are best compared to enclosed traditional ones due to their naturally free and open design that offers plenty of ventilation to the animals. Furthermore, having less or no air encourages unpleasant odor in the compartment, promoting pest growth.
Bottom Line
In a nutshell, when you are searching for a horse trailer, you need to consider your horse’s ease and comfort. It should have enough space to allow your friend to move freely. Plus, it should have proper ventilation and good construction so that your horses can easily spend time in the trailer while traveling. Read on here for the best tips on towing a horse trailer.