Choosing the Correct Trailer Size For Your Horse

EquiSpirit Trailer Co.

If your horses don’t fit correctly in your trailer, they are at risk of injury and illness. Here is what you need to know:

QUICK TIPS

• Horse first, trailer second, tow vehicle third. Choose a trailer to fit your horse(s), not your tow vehicle. Buying a light weight trailer to fit the inadequacies of your tow vehicle instead of buying a substantial trailer to protect your horses could lead to disaster.
• Choose a horse trailer size based on both your current and future horses.
• Horses stretch their necks to cough out unwanted hay and dust in their respiratory system and to balance. Not having sufficient head area length can lead to illness and shipping fever.
• Correct interior height reduces claustrophobia, which reduces stress and fear.
• Correct stall width (width between two dividers or wall and divider) helps horses to balance. If they are squeezed between the divider and wall, it’s not enough. Too much width can get them in trouble.
• Never use a lower center divider unless absolutely necessary. No lower divider means more leg room to brace and balance. If absolutely necessary, use a lower rubber divider to absorb impact.
• The length of a diagonal in a slant load stall is not the actual usable length. The usable length is less. The divider length is more accurate.
• Slant load stall length is measured from side wall to side wall – it’s limited by DOT (Department of Transportation) width requirements at 102″. At 10″, the wheel wells are inside the stalls. There is always only 80″ of floor space between the wheel wells.
• The length from butt bar to chest bar in a straight load should leave six to eight inches to spare. Too much length can get a horse in trouble.
• You will need to carry essential tack and grooming supplies. Consider a tack area or dressing room rather than thinking a shorter non-dressing room trailer is easier to handle. You will not notice the difference in length towing a standard dressing room over a non-dressing room bumper pull unless your tow vehicle is not adequate.
• Determine the exterior width, height and length if you are going to store it in a small area or inside.

Visit our website to read How Do I Know What Size Trailer Will Best Fit My Horse? for more information about choosing the right trailer size.