Choosing a Trailer: Straight Stock/Stock Combo?

I'm hoping to purchase a trailer within the next year or so. My experience is limited (this will be our first trailer) so I would appreciate some help/clarification from those more knowledgeable. We have the following desires and limitations:

1. We want the open feel of a stock trailer with top air slats.
2. We'd like to haul tied but "open" in the trailer without partions.
2. We will have 2 horses to haul. Both under 16 hands now (they are very compatible) but would like to accommodate up to maybe 16.3 hands in the future. I'm thinking 7' wide and 7' or 7'6" tall.
3. We want "extra" space for our horses. We've had them in a typical 2-horse slant and they seemed very crammed. One is slightly claustrophobic, as well.
3. We will be hauling with a 4x4 V-8 half ton Toyota Tundra with towing package. It lists top towing weight of 7100#, but my research shows ~5,600# is more realistic.
4. We'd like a small tack area up front. Just enough room for a couple of saddles and bridles. No need for a formal "dressing room."

I'm a bit confused about the difference between stocks and stock combos. "Stock combos" seem to be just slant loads with open air slats on the top. Could we potentially purchase an extra long 2-horse slant (or a small 3-horse), remove the partitions and haul open? Are traditional "stock trailers" completely open to the front or would some have a small tack room available up front? Would you then tie two horses straight load style, side by side toward the front? Can you then do without chest bars? I love the idea of a 16' stock with two box stalls, but it might be too heavy and then we'd have no tack area.

I'm leaning towards a small 3-horse without dividers and a small tack up front. How do you safely lead in and tie one horse before loading the second? How essential is a small access door for the front stall area? Most slants do not seem to have this.

Many questions. Thanks!

I have an Adam stock/slant combo. You can custom order these - custom length, height and width. I got a standard 14 foot, 7 foot tall but added 6 inches in width. My horse is long and I wanted more room in the slant stall. The way it works is this. It looks like a stock from the outside. Open slats at the top. It has a swinging slant gate that you can either attach to the side wall with a clip (so trailer is completely open stock), or you can fasten it slantwise, creating a slant "stall up front" and horse # 2 rides in the back area, as "open stock". I LOVE this configuration. 99% of the time I haul just my horse. For now, he goes in the slant stall. I know for a fact he travels well in an open stock, but I want him "trained" to ride in the slant for the time(s) I need to haul a 2nd horse.

If your horse is clausterphobic, you can order this trailer up to 16' and still have the dressing room up front. My horse is 16.1 hands but he is long. Make sure you measure your horse nose to tail like they would be standing in the trailer. I was SHOCKED at how many trailers would not have worked. He would have been very crammed if I had not gotten the extra 6" width. If you order extra width or length, the slant gate can attach further back in the trailer, giving the front horse more room.

I am SO glad I opted for the dressing room. It's small but I keep all my stuff in there and it is so handy. I cannot imagine not having it.

I have a small dressing room up front - side entrance door with camper door/screen door. Jalousy window, nice venting. I paid extra for padding in slant stall, kick plates throughout trailer, mats and rubber protection on the bumper. It is a step up and we have had NO issues with it. My horse can back out or step out. (we do both)...and he is older with arthritis.

My trailer is steel. I haul with a GMC Sierra half ton - 5.4L engine with tow package (2009) and have had NO issues. I looked at the Tundra's and they are very similar trucks. I believe you can also order the trailer with just a center gate, so in essence you create 2 "box stalls" - one in front, one in back, so both horses travel in a stock box stall. The trailer also has a nice escape door with chest bar. When I load, my horse self loads and I keep the escape door open. He hangs his head out while I close up the trailer. Then I walk around and take his lead rope off. It is a cinch to load him.

If your horse is clausterphobic, consider getting white. I was "talked into" white by my teacher (was considering the grey colors...). I am so glad I got the white, especially with the very hot summer we just had. It's open, airy and light.

Check out the Adam website. The dealer I used is in Edinburgh, VA and he was FABULOUS. Cannot recommend him enough. He can custom order the trailer - sizes, etc. PM me and I'd be happy to send you pics.

The best forum HANDS DOWN for horse trailers/trucks is Horse Trailer World, here is the link: http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/newhome.asp

You'll find great info. on what trucks can safely tow, what brake controllers are the best, what trailers hold up and are worth purchasing, etc.

Good luck!

I'd look closely at Adams -- they are very affordable and well designed. I have a stock side Adam 2H with a dressing/tack room, it's a BP at 15' and I will keep this trailer FOREVER! You can take out the partition and have one big box stall, or leave the partition in for a 2H straight load (I don't like slants for big horses, my guy at 16 h with a long back gets butt rubs in slants and unless you buy extra wide custom built, the short walls are too, well, short). The Adam trailers are super roomy and open, even on a hot day, there is plenty of room at head and tail for even draft horses. You can get an open stock with just a cut gate in the middle to give you basically two box stalls as well. Just be careful with how much length you put behind the truck.

Reconsider removing the partition if you are hauling 2 horses.

They will need something to lean on for balance while the trailer is in motion & that should not be each other.

Same for the chest bar & butt bar if you get a straightload.

Consider a GN not only for the easier towing but for the extra room.
Even if you never fit it out for camping you'll have room to store hay/feed, etc.
Better than the truck bed if you run into weather.

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2. We'd like to haul tied but "open" in the trailer without partions.
2. We will have 2 horses to haul. Both under 16 hands now
3. We want "extra" space for our horses. We've had them in a typical 2-horse slant and they seemed very crammed. One is slightly claustrophobic, as well.

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First off, a stock combo is a stock trailer with a dressing room. I've had both a stock and a stock combo and I'll always choose the stock combo from now on. Holds tack, grooming stuff, hay and shavings if necessary, and ALWAYS a GN, NEVER, EVER again a BP. Much, much, much, much safer and easier to haul than a BP.

You should get one at least 16' on the floor for 2 horses with a center divider that goes straignt across. Then leave the horses loose in their box stalls. They ride much better that way. The one who is claustrophobic will soon not be claustrophobic.

If you can custom order a trailer, have at least a 16' floor with 2 8' boxes with a center swing door with a slider in it. That way you can access both horses and you can easily load the front one through the slider - I do it all the time with mine. Makes it much easier if you are loading by yourself. Get at least a 4' door on the side of the front stall with a ramp. If you get a swing door in the back, get a slider in that as well. Then you have access to each horse all the time and can unload and load the front horse separately, without having to unload the back horse and figure out what to do with him if you only need the front horse.

My trailer is a Custom Fab and that's the way I designed it and I love it. Everyone who has seen it loves it.

Don't EVER haul either 1 or 2 horses loose in the entire length of a big stock trailer thinking you are giving them more room. The likelihood is that BOTH will stand crosswise by the rear door and cause the trailer to sway, or if they panic at something will run and possibly cause the trailer to flip. Eight feet for each in boxes is quite safe, 14-16 feet with one or two horses loose is an accident waiting to happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Tiki

First off, a stock combo is a stock trailer with a dressing room. I've had both a stock and a stock combo and I'll always choose the stock combo from now on. Holds tack, grooming stuff, hay and shavings if necessary, and ALWAYS a GN, NEVER, EVER again a BP. Much, much, much, much safer and easier to haul than a BP.

You should get one at least 16' on the floor for 2 horses with a center divider that goes straignt across. Then leave the horses loose in their box stalls. They ride much better that way. The one who is claustrophobic will soon not be claustrophobic.

If you can custom order a trailer, have at least a 16' floor with 2 8' boxes with a center swing door with a slider in it. That way you can access both horses and you can easily load the front one through the slider - I do it all the time with mine. Makes it much easier if you are loading by yourself. Get at least a 4' door on the side of the front stall with a ramp. If you get a swing door in the back, get a slider in that as well. Then you have access to each horse all the time and can unload and load the front horse separately, without having to unload the back horse and figure out what to do with him if you only need the front horse.

My trailer is a Custom Fab and that's the way I designed it and I love it. Everyone who has seen it loves it.

Don't EVER haul either 1 or 2 horses loose in the entire length of a big stock trailer thinking you are giving them more room. The likelihood is that BOTH will stand crosswise by the rear door and cause the trailer to sway, or if they panic at something will run and possibly cause the trailer to flip. Eight feet for each in boxes is quite safe, 14-16 feet with one or two horses loose is an accident waiting to happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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No wonder you think a GN is "Much, much, much, much safer and easier to haul than a BP". Quite safe my ass. With nothing to brace against the animal is much more likely to go down in an 'event', not to mention shifting cargo is NOT conducive to vehicular control.

Allowing a 1000# animal to wander in a trailer (as a general course of action) is stupidity. Try properly securing your cargo, then come back and talk about safety. :rolleyes:

WOW, who peed in your wheaties 2bee?

Also consider the LOVELY EquiBreeze Stock Combo by the folks at EquiSpirit: http://www.equispirit.com/equibreeze...-features.html

I have their very first gooseneck model and love it. All the interior "guts" come out easily if you want to haul loose and go back in just as easily.

Fab folks to talk to and deal with. Class-act company.

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Originally Posted by Tiki

WOW, who peed in your wheaties 2bee?

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Just call 'em like I see 'em.

OBVIOUSLY you don't know much about trailering as professional haulers with very big names and lots to loose haul horses in box stalls all the time.

What I said was not to let the horse or horses loose in the ENTIRE trailer. THAT's what dangerous.

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Originally Posted by Tiki

OBVIOUSLY you don't know much about trailering as professional haulers with very big names and lots to loose haul horses in box stalls all the time.

What I said was not to let the horse or horses loose in the ENTIRE trailer. THAT's what dangerous.

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Some do, some don't. Many factors involved, idiot horses, idiot owners, length of trip, size of the rig, to name a few.... and yes I do know as much as any 'professional' hauler. At any rate, people ride motorcycles with out helmets, smoke, speed etc.....I fail to see what someone else does, has to do with what is safe?

What you said was "Eight feet for each in boxes is quite safe", which it is not. It is never safe for the horses, and with a smaller/lighter rig it is not safe for the driver. Though you are correct, 16 feet is dangerous.....too.

I'm a fan of chest bars, because they give the horse something to lean/fall against besides his nose, if you brake unexpectedly. (I'm talking a padded bar, not a solid wall.)

Many trailers will allow you to remove all the interior partitions. That's always been an important point for me.. but as it turns out, I have never hauled horses without the partitions. (I have removed everything for cargo.)

I appreciate everyone's responses, but I'm more confused rather than less!

First, as I mentioned in my initial post, what we hope to do (if I can determine if it is reasonable safe) is haul two horses TIED in an open-space trailer area without dividers/chest bars, etc. It seems chest bars, dividers are necessary with straight loads, so I envision an extra long 2-horse slant style. Maybe 13' on the long side, 8' on the short side which is about 2 feet longer than the typical 2-horse slant (I think). I don't think we can handle a 16' plus dressing room with our truck size.

From what I've read folks who are fans of hauling in stock-style trailers without dividers feel that horses have space to gain their balance and that there is less for horses to get caught on/under/between. I've heard so many horror stories of horses getting over a chest bar or stuck under a divider or have a leg over a divider. Do they need bars/dividers to lean on? I've heard arguments both ways!!! Those who own stocks seem to swear by them.

Anyway, maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree with what we envision. Just trying to be careful about our decisions and listen to advice, so thanks, again!

IMO, don't get a 2H slant. The resale market for a plain stock trailer or stock combo is much better, and get it 8' wide and 7'6" tall, and 16' long...if ONLY because the resale on a trailer that size is easy compared to tiny trailers. If the $ allow, as the 8' wide trailer feels so spacious vs. a 7'. I would want a stock combo as I would want at least a small dressing area/tack area up front.

There is less for horses to get in a tangle with in a stock, sure. If the horses all get along, it's a really nice option. If someone's a punk, there's *some* risk, but if they are tied right it's not an absolute ton more risk than is hauling them with dividers that are anything less than stud dividers. If you know your horses, you learn who rides well next to whom, and who causes trouble, and you load and tie accordingly, even turning some to ride backwards on a slant while the others ride forwards. You learn and you make it work. Horses are often happy as clams to step on an open floorplan stock, it's cooler and breezier, etc. I would not personally consider hauling horses loose as Tiki described, though I otherwise agree w/ her post. I've known a few who paced if left loose and I don't want that extra motion back there.

Some horses come off my slant load trailer with aluminum rubs. They practically sprawl against the dividers for support. Others come off w/o a mark. Depends on the horse and how they ride.

Don't you know there's no one perfect answer LOL? We are horse people, after all.