I currently have a 2001 Sundowner with aluminum skin/steel frame that is starting to show its age. It has been a great trailer, until I got my new horse a year ago. Her nickname is JAWS. She gets mad in the trailer and attacks the trailer... the wall, window, bars on the window, chest bar, hay bag... so far she's ripped the bars off the window and ripped out the screen, twice. I don't even put the chest padding on for her anymore -- she just rips it up. So, before she completely shreds this trailer, I'd like to trade it in for new one that may stand up to her a little better (I'm strongly considering putting a muzzle on her in the trailer). What brands would you recommend that will stand up to being slammed with a muzzle? I have an F-250 super duty to pull it with. I'm interested in living quarters, but that isn't a necessity (I don't camp, just show a lot). I'm open to anger management suggestions for my horse too! ;)
Posted 2015-07-07 1:49 PM (#163979 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
Member
Posts: 19
you will laugh but I would call Toni Trimble to find out why the horse is so mad at the trailer! LOL you can google her to get contact informationGood luck
Posted 2015-07-07 2:11 PM (#163981 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
"Jaws" needs a stock combo, with vent slats in the sides. All the fancy horse trailer things like pads, folding windows, etc are all gone. The bad part about having a trailer that's only metal is that she will ruin her teeth if she's really hell-bent on her destructive ways. You might also try a cribbing collar on her if that's what's going on back there.
Posted 2015-07-07 4:00 PM (#163983 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
Veteran
Posts: 127 Location: rapid city sd
Had a bad stud that did stuff like that. Put a dog shock collar in his halter and on low put an end to the naughty kicking, pawing, and the other wrecking stuff.
Posted 2015-07-10 7:54 AM (#164005 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
New User
Posts: 4
Location: MD
Thanks for your responses! Unfortunately, I really don't want a stock trailer... they're very unpopular in the rated hunter/jumper world! I was looking more for brand recommendations...
Posted 2015-07-10 8:18 AM (#164006 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
In the rated HJ world I rode in trailers didn't mean squat. The saying was you haul for show and ride for dough. The best horses I've had the pleasure of taking around the ring have loaded into the worst looking trailers, with literally over 1,000,000 miles on them. Don't fall into the Amateur syndrome, fancy horse/clothes/trailer/truck yet can't ride your way out of a paper bag. Just get the stock trailer... And the comment above about cranking the cavasson down on the horse, is in my mind cruel and a great way to make a horse head shy and sore.
Posted 2015-07-10 11:18 AM (#164010 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 430 Location: TN
Look for something older, built before the mid 2000s. Hart, Elite, 4 Star, Featherlite, Eby. I would also look for a stock trailer. Less moving parts to tear apart!
Posted 2015-07-10 2:05 PM (#164011 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
Veteran
Posts: 145 Location: Harrisburg, OR
I would find a trailer I like (price, amenities, etc) and take it into a reputable dealer and have them beef up the horse section or to save costs just the compartment you will be hauling the problem horse in. Thad
Posted 2015-07-20 11:20 PM (#164131 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
A stock trailer. With no windows. Just air slats on the sides. Trouble is.......finding one tall enough. Most are only 6'8" tall. ( made for cattle) I would love to find a 2 horse gooseneck, 7'4" tall, stock combo (tack room up front) that has the tapered nose or bullet nose and a single axle. Cant find that any where. Especially in California. I have an LQ and now want a little "get around" trailer that i can get into tight places (for day use trail rides) and....... going to the vet or farrier and the dental specialist.
Posted 2015-07-21 11:31 PM (#164224 - in reply to #164134) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610 Location: Northern CA
Doesn't mean that the horse is ill tempered. My gelding was playful and did stuff like this too get attention. Also when he got bored. Was not a mean bone in his body. Just extremely intelligent. Was always opening gates and moving things around. He loved it when i would be out working on the fence or the barn. He would walk over and extract one tool at a time from my tool bag. Then take off running trot around with head and tail in the air as if to say..."look at me". Then drop the tool and sneak back for another. My gelding would get bored and if you left him tied too long (sometimes) he would start chewing on what was around him. Rarely would he do it but when he did, it only took 1-2 minutes for total destruction of a piece of plywood or divider cushion,empty hay bag....what ever. He was a great horse in every other way. Totally kid safe. He was also the most curious animal i have ever had. I have learned over the years.....the prettier and more expensive your saddle or bridle or horse trailer is....the more it seems to get damaged than anything else. Bare bones, simplicity, practicality is now my choice with just about everything regarding horse.
Posted 2015-07-22 1:14 PM (#164232 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
New User
Posts: 4
Location: MD
A stock trailer really isn't an option for me. My horses tend to be accident prone and travel thousands of miles every year to shows... they need to be comfortable and rested when the arrive. Slant loads also aren't feasible as my horses are all 16.2+ hands.
As for her issues, I'm not sure it is something that can really be solved. She is not a malicious or dangerous horse at all. She loads right up and is perfectly happy standing on the trailer all day at shows. I put a GoPro camera in the trailer once to watch and see when/why she bites the trailer... basically every bump in the road, every stop/acceleration, hard turns... anything that makes her have to work to keep her balance and and distracts her from eating her hay or sleeping meant she was going to bite the trailer. I have been cross tying her recently and that seems to help, but I can't tie her so tight that she can't reach her hay. I'm planning to put a grazing muzzle on her when I get my new trailer.
Posted 2015-07-22 2:46 PM (#164234 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 430 Location: TN
Your horse is very clearly telling you she is not comfortable with the way she is being hauled. Could be the trailer itself, could be the position she is standing in. While you are dead set against a stock trailer, because they are not popular in your chosen discipline, it may be an excellent option for your horse, because she can choose how she wants to travel. Many have a center cut gate so you can make box stalls. I tie my horse's heads in mine and they can move their bodies around as they see fit. I've hauled many miles with my stock trailer as well as my LQ trailer and my horses are no worse for wear either way. Most modern stock trailers have the same suspension as an enclosed horse trailer.Listen to your horse. She is letting you know in the only way she can that something is not working for her!
Posted 2015-07-23 4:49 AM (#164238 - in reply to #163978) Subject: RE: Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
Elite Veteran
Posts: 690 Location: missouri
OMG! Get a trainer that can deal with this! You are putting yourself, and the horse, at risk. Get a clue! There are plenty of horses out there that have ground manners and won't tear up your property. There ia a reason she is acting out this way...
Toughest Trailer for Destructive Horse
