Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The truck chassis of a horse van delivers a comfortable ride in a stall-like environ-
ment.
There are three types of horse-hauling vehicles: the enclosed trailer, the stock trailer,
and the horse van. Enclosed trailers are typically two-horse and four-horse models and are
the most common trailer seen on the road. The height inside trailers ranges from 72 to 90
inches, with most near 76; length of standing room ranges from 66 to 88 inches (depending
on style), with the average around 70; the width of one stall is from 26 to 32 inches, with
most toward the low end. A 16-hand horse can fit into a standard trailer, provided he is
levelheaded about loading and unloading. Better suited for large horses are the 7-foot-high
Thoroughbred and Warmblood trailers, which allow ample space for the tall and long-bod-
ied breeds.
Choose a trailer that allows your horse to hold his head at a comfortable, natural level
without his ears touching the ceiling. The trailer should be long enough to keep the horse
from being tightly sandwiched between the chest bar and the butt bar and should provide
sufficient room for him to lower his head and blow. If you are planning to haul a very large
horse, you may need to look into a custom trailer or van.
Stock trailers are usually the equivalent of a four-horse trailer in length and basic style,
but the sides are slatted rather than enclosed and are designed to haul horses somewhat
loose. This comes in handy when hauling mares and foals and young horses or when haul-
ing saddled horses. Horses have less of an enclosed feeling because they can see out of the
stock trailer, but because of the slatted sides, horses can get dusty, cold, and wet.
A van is a horse stall on a truck chassis. It is more comfortable for the horse than a con-
ventional trailer and is the most expensive of the three types of transport.
Trailer Construction
Materials and workmanship dictate, to a large degree, the cost of a trailer. Materials com-
monly used include steel, aluminum, and fiberglass. A trailer with a frame and skin of steel
is generally very sturdy. Substituting an aluminum skin while retaining the steel frame will
decrease weight and rusting. Fiberglass is often used for roofs and fenders, as it is cool,
lightweight, and easy to repair. Quality workmanship will be evident in the straightness of
the frame, the fitting of seams, the finishing of edges, and the paint job.
Good-quality trailer suspension should be sturdy but not stiff. Whether you decide on
leaf springs or rubber torsion suspension depends on the quality of each, but the latter gives
a less stiff ride. Be sure the suspension is independent: That is, when one wheel hits a bump
or a hole, it will absorb the shock independent of the rest of the trailer. The trailer must
