Horse, Cattle or Livestock Trailer? What is the difference?

[blueriver]

Does anybody have this? What other brand would you recommend? Eddie

That's the best hitch to have.

 

[WM75Guy]

Does anybody have this? What other brand would you recommend?

Eddie

Eddie,

I have the B&W in both my trucks. It works great. Just remember a GN ball needs to have grease on it or it makes noise as there is considerable weight pushing down on it. The nice thing about the B&W is you flip it and there is not a greasy ball in the bed. B&W also has a 5th wheel adapter that slips in in place of the ball if you ever need it.

As far as a trailer I prefer aluminum over steel. Most trailer manufacturers do not prep before painting like a vehicle manufacturer does. Many steel trailers do not have primer, just a couple of coats of color straight on the metal. Aluminum does have corrosion issues, just not as much as a steel trailer. We bought our 3 horse slant load 7"6" tall 8' wide Sundowner from Sundowner of Texas - Triple M Trailers in Canton. They have a large selection of new and used trailers to look at on the lot or on their website. Their service department is excellent as well.

For Texas weather white or bare aluminum is better than red or black. We traded our red trailer for a white one when we moved back from Missouri, it stays much cooler. Lots of ventilation is important. Bars on the windows to keep their heads in is also important. A bug at 60 mph will take an eye out. If you end up with a open bar stock trailer make sure the front is enclosed or tarped to protect the animals. A fly mask also helps. For the exotics look at an enclosed stock trailer like the Sundowner Rancher. It limits their visibility but has good ventilation. For winter hauling you put Plexiglas slats in the windows slots.

Triple M Trailers - Lakota Horse Trailers For Sale, Living Quarter Trailers For Sale, Stock Trailers For Sale - Sundowner of Texas

 

[Xfaxman]

Eddie, click to learn about the Turnoverball GN hitch: Gooseneck Hitch | B & W Trailer Hitches

Does anybody have this? What other brand would you recommend?

Eddie

I should have mentioned that over the years we have had five trucks with the B&W GN Hitch. I installed all but the last one, the dealer did it.

There are copy cat brands, but I think B&W is the best.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

I have a B&W hitch and really like it. I also have a 18' Adams all- stock gooseneck trailer. Set up like a traditional cattle with additional 8-10 inches of height for hauling horses. Plus interior lights and exterior loops to tie horses to. Not that I've ever had or ever will have a horse , just got such a deal that it couldn't be passed up.
That being said. If your not moving a lot of livestock you'll never reap the benefits of the extra expense of a gooseneck setup.

 

[texasjohn]

Eddie, you are a smart guy and I'll only make a few comments for your awareness, likely you have already thought of these.,

If Karen hasn't trained horses successfully, when the time comes, they will need to be taken to a professional trainer.

A trailer for exotics is quite different from a cattle trailer. Look at what the people use to take stuff to exotic auctions. I think that higher, wider, more enclosed, darker, will be the general direction. I only know a little about exotics, but understand stress can be a VERY significant killer.

You said "exotic pets"... I think of pets as critters that will eat out of your hand and let you brush their coats and follow you around and are not dangerous. I have GENTLE cattle, but not pets. When the boys were in 4H, their cattle were pets, could lead around, etc...became dangerous when grown because they had lost their respect for people and would treat people as a member of their herd. Thus, they would push on people, not get out of the way, etc.....
The pens you have to build for exotics will work for cattle. Might be a good idea to visit an exotic ranch and watch them work their animals, see their setup and how it operates, how they load into a trailer.

I would have concern for the exotics you mention because they would have horns and could inflict injury if close to a person and swung their head to swat flies....not malicious, just being a critter. Then, there is the rut season....I know people who raise white tails...must cut their horns off to avoid killing each other during rut fights. Also, study on what each animal grazes on....your 30 acres will hold only so many grazing animals. And, it's not hard to find cases where wild animals which become accustomed to people will try to mate with them, or attack them to get food...etc...you get the point. I do not "pet" any of my cattle, when they come close, I make sure they stay a respectful distance so I don't get hurt...both in the pasture and in the pen.

As regards cattle, it makes sense to me for you to have an arrangement with your brother for the occasional animal you wish to butcher.

You may wish to start a separate thread on exotic raising...haven't seen one on TBN, should be interesting.

 

[nc redneck]

Sundowner is a excellent brand but come at a high price. According to lifelong friend who has been selling Horse Trailers for 30 years exact copy of Silver Star. They went out of business 10 or so years ago. Not sure if it was executives, tooling or manufacturing rights. But Sundowner is a copy of Silver Star with new paint and decals.
Sundowner, 4 Star, and well maintained Silver Star are all excellent choices.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I would try to find someone with a well padded well constructed horse trailer. By well constructed I mean clean welds, minimal places to injure a young horse. Sounds like this will be their first experiance in loading. You want to make it a good one or you may set the tone for the future. Horses do not like entering the dark confines of a trailer without proper training. If the horses have been weaned and seperated for a time it would be better. If this is to be the first time seperated from momma, that will be tramatic enough, no need to add the trailer in unless everything is perfect.

I have had both BP and goosenecks. In fact, I have had a Sundowner. Okay but not the end all to be all. I had a BP two horse slant load with a small tack area. Steel constructed, open sides like a stock trailer, step up, one huge door that swung to the side. I forgot the maker but the roof surface rusted badly while all the other steel areas held up well. The PT floors dry rotted so I had to replace them. No padding what so ever and some rough edges here and there but it served me well.

A couple of things I want to point out about the BP trailer in particular. I first pulled it with an E150 Club Wagon that handled about as well as a flying cinder block. Yet, with no equalizers, that trailer would tame that van even when hit by a bow wave from a semi blowing by at 70mph. The other was that the axles were a drop design. That kept the step up maybe eight inches off the ground. Very easy to get the inexperianced horse to get in.

 

[Ken45101]

Goosenecks handle much better. I can hardly tell that I have 10-15,000 pounds behind me when towing However, goosenecks are heavier.

Again, the B&W turnover ball is excellent. We also have the B&W 5th wheel hitch which goes into the gooseneck ball socket. Good deal!

I do agree with borrowing a trailer at first if you can do so and see if you need one long term.

I don't understand the comment that the horses won't be available until November. We weaned all of ours at 3 months old per the vet's advice. He told us that there is very little nutrition in a mare's milk after 3 months. However, if that's the deal you have, then so be it.

As mentioned, young horses need training. Is you wife up to it? Or would she be better off getting an experienced horse? Have you actually met and interacted with these two? We had one colt that we could never handle or get close to. But, two others out of the same mare are the friendliest in the world, they just want to be my "best friend".

 

[tcreeley]

One option you might consider is getting a shipper to haul your horses for you. We did it in the beginning, safe route, easy, and they are experienced. The established ones carry insurance.
Trailers come with tandem steel spring axles or tandem torsion axles. Both are good. The torsion axles some think are easier on a horses legs.
Getting young horses is nice, but they are difficult to train if you are new to it. Unlike a dog, or cow- the chances for serious injury are much greater due to the horse spooking (plastic bags to sudden noise) or just poor behavior. Speed is a factor with horses- they just move fast, faster than you can react. Once spooked, they tend to "learn" that behavior, and repeat it.
Horses generally should not be saddle trained until they are 4 years old to give their backs a chance to fully mature. Some do it at three. Lungeing, ground driving, harness driving, then saddle work is a common sequence.
Get horses in pairs or a horse and a pony. They get lonely.
You can't take a month off from horses, especially young ones. 24 hour job. Horses need to be trained by the time they are 4-5 years old, otherwise you often get a horse that is unsafe for most handlers.
Introduce horses very slowly to grass to avoid founder and colic.
I'd stick with trained horses for my first horses. Learning on a trained horse is much better than trying to learn on an untrained horse.
Free horses- the cost begins to mount after you get them. They suck up the money - nothing fancy, just they cost.
Free horse are generally untrained, poor genetics, leg problems and the owner is unloading what they couldn't handle.
Start looking in craigs list to see what is out there.
We have had horses since I was 19, never a year without. Horses are not toys, but if you are a horse-person, you can't live without them.
Just know that horses that are screwed up for what ever reason usually end up at the auction for meat.

Think about leasing a horse or two. Good way to discover if the fit is good, if it suits your lifestyle, and if a horse is not the "right" one, it goes back to the owner. Feed stores in my area sell horse newspapers with the latest ads, and craigs list is good.

Good luck!

-If road dust is a problem, an enclosed trailer is probably better than an open stock trailer.
-don't forget electric brakes, especially the bigger trailers.

 

[lutt]

Hey Eddie sorry I'm late with the pics Here is a few. They show the back door that has the slider, the tie loops for tiying ur horse up, note the side are solid up so far, the tie loops an solid sides i the main things that separate a combo from a stick trailer. Also the little escape door. You want one. That is what this is. You don't want a straight horse trailer to haul livestock, especially a 2 horse can be done it's a pita. You can get combo trailers is a variety of lengths and heights with or without tack rooms up too 24 feet long on the bumper. No more than you plan on hauling and the trailer not being in use. I recommend something like mine n a 16 or 20. You can use it for double duty hauling. Do not buy a a straight up cattle hauler with open sides and a canvas top. That is something you will not like. The canvas eventually rots and has to be replaced. And I would stay away from a gooseneck for your use. This I a five wide in a 14 foot. It is fixn to b a straight pig trailer. For hauling out pigs. I payed 3800 cash out the door. Brakes on both axles, pretty diamond plate rock guards. And it's well lighted. We have pulled all I've the country with now issues. It's a WW. If I was gonna look into a long bumper pull, I would get a featherlite. With a tack room. Thy are only a little a steel trailer that's comparable. But will last a lifetime. That are aluminum. Exiss, and Wilson also make superb aluminum trailers. LUTT