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Finding Used Horse Trailers For
Your Horse and Your Budget by
Rebecca W.
When I started looking for my first horse
trailer, I had some specific needs I had to meet before I could purchase
one. First, I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee that's maximum load capacity is 6
thousand pounds and when I pulled a two-horse trailer with one horse loaded,
I was pulling about the maximum amount that I could safely.
Since I just own
one horse I needed a two-horse bumper pull. Secondly, I own a Tennessee
Walking Horse who is over 15'3 hands, so I defiantly needed a 7 ft. tall
trailer. Thirdly, at that time my horse was not used to being tailored and I
could not get him to back out; he had to turn around and come out headfirst.
So I needed a wide enough trailer that he could easily turn around. And
finally I didn't have very much money to spend, so I was looking for
something used.
After months of searching, I found a used
"Thoroughbred" trailer with a center partition that would swing to one side
to allow my horse to turn around. It also had a ramp which made it a lot
easier loading and unloading. I was able to purchase it for $1,500. But I
was concerned about it's safety because it was rusty in spots. So before I
purchased it, I took it to a place that repairs used trailers and had them
look up underneath to make sure its support bars where not rusting through.
My husband and I checked all the lights and breaks, pulled up the mats and
poked a knife around the edged of the wood floor to see if it was rotten. We
also rocked it back and forth while standing on the inside to see how stable
the frame was and grabbed the top of the tires and rocked them to see if
there was any play which would indicate the bearings need to be re-packed.
After determining that the trailer was safe, I
purchased it, had it repainted for $600, the bearing re-packed for around
$150 and new tires put on. It looked brand new! Now I had a used trailer
that was safe, rust-free, looked great and met my needs all for a
reasonable price. We save about a couple of thousand dollars.
About the Author
Rebecca W. is an horse lover. She owns a Tennessee Walker, Spirit
and enjoys trail rides with a women's riding group in Kansas. Rebecca
provides information about the areas they ride and interviews other's about
their horse trailers.
http://www.horsetrailersinfo.com.
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