Understanding "GVW"
Let's take the mystery out of that "GVW" number that is usually stamped on the identification plate that is attached somewhere on the front of the trailer near the tongue. GVW stands for "Gross Vehicle Weight," which means the weight of the trailer plus everything in it: your 10-year-old Quarter Horse gelding, your friend's Tennessee Walker mare, your saddles, tack trunks, hay, water, etc.
Most manufacturers imprint the Gross Vehicle Weight rating (GVWR) on the trailer to let you know how much weight that trailer is engineered to carry. Generally, smaller bumper-pull, two-horse trailers weigh 3,000 to 4,000 pounds and have a GVW or GVWR of around 7,000 pounds. Sometimes you'll see the GVWR given weight "per axle." For a two-horse trailer with two axles, just double it.
STEEL VS. ALUMINUM
We looked at economy-priced two-horse, straight-load trailers to see what was out there. We found that you can get a reasonably-equipped, steel trailer for around $5,000. Aluminum is all the rage now in horse trailers and for around $7,000-$8000 you can have aluminum skin over a steel frame.
The steel trailers of today are not the rust buckets of yesterday. Advances in treating steel to resist corrosion have made the more affordable steel trailer an option to consider. Still, a steel trailer needs to be washed and waxed more often and keeping one under cover can prolong its life.
Delta makes an all-steel, two-horse step-up trailer for under $4,000. While it has a 10-inch, stock-trailer style opening down the sides, it has a divider and comes with an escape door and mats.
Bee's economical two-horse trailer is made from special rust-resistant galvanized steel for $5,330. Mats are extra. The Bee trailer has double walls that are padded on the inside and the floor has a lifetime warranty.
In general, trailers with a ramp cost more than the ones where the horse has to step up to get in. If you prefer a ramp, as we do, Monarch offers a model with a ramp, breast bars and two escape doors for about the same price. Mats are not included but most dealers will add them for around $100-$125 per stall.
Titan makes an all-steel trailer with a ramp also made from rust-resistant Galvaneal. It's fully padded with mats, two escape doors, roof vents and a rubber rear bumper for $6,120.
Ramp vs. Step-Up
There are people who recommend ramps and those who swear by a step-up. There's no proven right or wrong, although we lean toward ramps.
For most horses, we believe the ramp, top photo, is a better choice than a step-up trailer, bottom.
While getting into either type of trailer is normally not a problem for a horse, it's generally easier for a horse to back down a ramp. A ramp poses the risk of the horse slipping off the side and possibly skinning up his leg. But the same can be true with a step-up trailer. The horse may scrape the front of the coronet band on the hind legs when stepping down as he horse tends to land the hind feet slightly under the back of the trailer. And some horses panic a bit when asked to back down a dropped space.
So whether you choose a ramp or step-up, it's mostly a matter of what your horse is trained to negotiate and what you prefer to use. If you go for a ramp, though, be sure you can lift it.
Another subject of discussion is whether or not to unload a horse by letting it turn around and walk out forward, or by backing it out. Some people let their horses turn around and lead them out forward. It's easier for the horse, but backing a horse out is usually safer.
Shoop, a regional manufacturer in Eastern Pennsylvania, makes a two-horse straight-load with a ramp, two escape doors, mats and feed bags included for $5,600.
American Spirit's aluminum-over-a steel-frame trailer comes with mats, lined walls, saddle racks and bus windows for around $9,000. And it includes the company's exciting dashing horses paint job, although we'd prefer a little money off the price instead.
If you've got a big warmblood or draft cross, Kingston's large, ramp-load trailer has stalls one foot longer than standard trailers to accommodate big horses. The price runs around $9,300 for the "warmblood" size. The Kingston 10-foot Thoroughbred model is around $8,800. Both trailers come with two escape doors that give open, airy access to the horses.
Shadow makes an interesting stock/slant-load combo trailer called the Stablemate that has a moveable front wall. Hooked in place for hauling horses it gives a separate space up front to stash your saddle and supplies. Moved to the open position it frees up the entire length of the trailer for hauling hay, furniture or whatever. It has drop-down windows on the head side and stock-trailer-style openings on the tail side and a large escape door.
If your budget is really tight, an open stock trailer is something to consider. Most come with a single swing door on the rear and little amenities inside. But it can do double duty hauling hay, moving furniture, etc. Small, bumper-pull stock trailers cost $4,000-$4,500.
BOTTOM LINE
Remember that there's bartering room on the "sticker" price of a trailer. You may be able to trade in your old trailer on the new one. Ask for the best price or see if the dealer is willing to throw in an option.
Ask your local dealer if he has a good, solid trailer at an affordable cost. If not, consider the cost of a short trip to get a budget-priced trailer. Shop with a list in hand of your minimum needs (mats, windows, lights), and don't budge. This will help you avoid buying a trailer that seems priced too good to be true. If you can't get your basic needs met, it's move on to another dealer.
