Even if you’re a fan of Brenderups, we wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never seen one of these. It’s a Brenderup Apollo, their front-unload model. If you have a horse that doesn’t like to back off the trailer or if you just like having the option of being able to front unload, this could be the trailer for you. Furthermore, since it’s a Brenderup, its aerodynamic shape and light loaded tongue weight mean you don’t need a truck to tow it. Here in the States, owners often use V6-powered sport utilities to pull their Brenderups. In Europe, where the Brenderups were developed, the family car is often the tow vehicle.
Brenderup has been producing horse trailers since the early 1950s, so their easy-towing designs have been proven in real-world use for over 60 years. This Apollo is a one-owner trailer that came in recently for us to show as a private sale. The owner’s horse passed away, so she’s hanging up her tack and making the Apollo available to serve a new owner.
Some of you may be thinking, “Hmm, it doesn’t look like an ordinary horse trailer, but it doesn’t look like a Brenderup either.†The Apollo is a Brenderup, but it’s from a different branch of the family tree. We sold Brenderups for many years, and as we recall it, at some point, Brenderup purchased a Swedish trailer company. The Apollo was an important design that came with the acquisition. Whereas the more familiar Brenderup designs were assembled in Texas from Danish components, Apollos were shipped fully-assembled from Sweden. The Apollo has a sort of “roll cage†structure (our unofficial description of it) that didn’t fit the production processes in Texas, so it was a more efficient use of resources to let the Apollo experts in Sweden build the Apollos. So the Apollo looks different because it has different origins. Still efficient Scandinavian design, just from a different part of Scandinavia.
In our Brenderup listings, we like to talk about the simple yet effective technology. We’ll get to that, but first, let’s talk about interior space and the thoughtful features in the Apollo’s design.
By our tape, the Apollo’s body length is 10.5 feet and body height just forward of the chest bars is 7’6â€. We measure a usable stall length of 79 inches (that’s “usable stall length†rather than “brochure stall length†– more on this shortly) plus about 39 inches of head space forward. We see an interior body width of 67 inches, which is about 3 inches wider than the other Brenderup models. Even though you can pull it with a smaller-than-typical vehicle, the Apollo is not a small trailer. (While we were careful with our measurements, we need to include the ol’ disclaimer that all dimensions are approximate.) We don’t recall a tongue weight spec on the Apollo, but keeping the other Brenderup models in mind, we’d estimate that the Apollo has a loaded tongue weight of about 200 lbs. (compared to 500 lbs. or more tongue weight for a typical domestic 2H without dressing room).
Getting back to “usable stall length†vs. “brochure stall length,†our measured 79 inches on this Apollo should be comparable to a brochure stall length of about 85 to 87 inches. How so? We’ve found that brochures usually overstate stall lengths by about 6 to 8 inches because they ignore the space lost to butt bars and chest bars and bar pads. We measured 79 inches from back of chest bar to front of butt bar; add 6 to 8 inches to that and you get a brochure stall length equivalent of 85 to 87 inches. And that’s how 79 can equal 87.
Moving on to safety and convenience features, we already mentioned the front-unload ramp, the signature feature of the Apollo. There’s also a spring-assisted rear ramp. Both ramps are nearly 5 feet tall to offer comfortable inclines for loading and unloading. The rear ramp is equipped with a storm panel. While it’s ok to run with the panel up, most folks run with the panel down for added light and ventilation.
There are 3 height positions for the butt bars and chest bars. The butt bars are equipped with easy-to-use fast-action latches so you don’t have to spend much time in the kick zone. Each chest bar is equipped with an external emergency release. (You hope you never have to use it, but it’s nice to know it’s there.)
To facilitate front unloading, the front portion of the stall divider swings to either side. Unload the horse in the right stall, then swing the front of the divider to the right to offer a clear exit path for the horse on the left. This particular trailer is equipped with the optional head divider, which can be easily removed if you don’t need it. It also comes with the optional double feeder (which is normally mounted at chest bar level, but we were pressed for time during the photo session and just spread it on the floor).
The Apollo comes with 3 windows in the front area for good natural light. The window on the left is a 5-position window that may be opened for ventilation. There are standard vents in the front and rear and the owner of this trailer had two additional roof vents installed in the forward area.
Moving to the exterior, that contoured box on the front is a removable tack trunk, a factory offering for the Apollo. It has two saddle racks and a couple of bridle hooks. While the tack trunk is removable, most folks leave it attached to the trailer. A nice thing about the design is that because it’s hung on the front of the trailer, it takes no space from the interior. When accessing your tack, you can leave the trunk in its straight-ahead position or swing it aside so it’s next to the groom door as shown in one of the pictures.
As we mentioned earlier, the Apollo features an aerodynamic shape and light tongue weight; two reasons why it can be pulled safely by a smaller-than-normal tow vehicle. The Apollo has Inertia mechanical brakes (as seen on other Brenderups), so you don’t need a brake controller in the tow vehicle. As you apply your brakes, the trailer’s Inertia brakes apply braking force automatically in proportion to the load in the trailer. With an empty trailer, they’ll apply a certain amount of braking force. With one or two horses in the trailer, more braking force is required and Inertia brakes respond accordingly. Inertia brakes are simple in design, smooth in operation and have been providing reliable service for decades. The Apollo is equipped with smooth-riding torsion axles (with shock absorbers!), radial tires (including spare) and much more.
This Apollo is extremely clean and shows very well, but we did notice some softness in a few spots low on wall panels. The chassis, wall supports and roof arches are tough, durable galvanized steel and the roof is long-lasting fiberglass. The trailer comes with several owner-provided accessories. We saw at least one lead rope, a hay net, some trailer ties and a couple of halters.
If you like or need a front-unload ramp, the Apollo has it. If you like the idea of a trailer that can accommodate two good-sized horses and doesn’t require a heavy-duty tow vehicle, again, the Apollo fits the bill. It was expensive to ship the fully-assembled Apollos, so they were imported for only a few years and consequently, they’re usually hard to find. But this one’s not! (Although we don’t expect it to stick around for long.) Stop by and check it out! Private Sale on display at Traveled Lane.
Traveled Lane Trailers, Inc. Attentive customer service in a "no pressure to buy" atmosphere. We install hitches and wiring and service most brands.
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