Hi,
I am in the market for a 2 or 3 horse slant bumperpull.. I don't really care what it is as long as it is light and quality My max tow weight with my Landcruiser is 6ooolbs.. my mare weighs @ 900lbs... i want to outfit my trailer for camping.. I'd like to have an awning, extra tie rings on the outside for haynets, fans in the stalls (we live in south Texas) and out fit the front tack as possiblly a small sleeper..adding a camper screen door, wiring it with 110v for a small fridge, an A/C with heatstrip. The awning, wiring and A/C would be the custom work, i can add the fridge and cot, etc myself.. i found a used Sundowner with many of the features that I want, but it is a mid 1990's model..I wanted something a little newer
Should I just go with a custom order (pretty pricey) or are there companies or individuals out there that do small-scale custom work of good quality? Would adding an after-market AC to my DR roof increase it's risk of leaking?

Welcome to the forum ...

You didn't say how many horses you'll be hauling, Don't make the mistake of assuming a single horse allows less of a tow vehicle than a 3 horse slant requires.

Be aware that a slant BP trailer is sensitive to less than a full load. If you load a single horse in the rearmost stall it unloads the hitch. The trailer could then sway uncontrollably. Or loading the single horse in the first stall will overload the hitch and squat your Landcruiser.

You might be better served with a two horse straight load with a large dressing room. If you're dead set on using a 3 horse slant with varible loading, a GN trailer is much more forgiving.

Adding an A/C unit will always increase the potential for a leak just like any roof opening. But if the roof has been braced for the weight of the A/C unit and the opening properly framed and sealed; you can enjoy a trouble-free cool environment in your trailer. A lot of the troubles (leaks) are caused by unsupported a/c units. The unit's weight bouncing on the road causes the roof to flex more than the seals can take.

Additionally... make sure the trailer is level when you're running the a/c. There will always be condensate water coming from the unit. If you're too far out of level, the a/c unit can't properly channel the water inside housing or the trailer can't shed the water from the roof.

Thanks for your reply...
I'll be hauling mostly 1 horse, maybe 2, possibly occaisionally 3 if I bring a friend, which is why I thought a 3 horse would be best.. It'd be nice to have the extra stall if I needed it..There are some 3 horse trailers out there that weigh in the mid 3000lb range( 2 horse models of the same brand go to 2100 - 3000lb range.. Add a 1000lb horse.. 200 lbs hay, 200lbs tack, and whatever water weighs.. That would still put me at 5000 - 5500lbs. Well within my weight limit.. I thought an escape door for the 1st stall would be a good idea (whether I get a 2 or 3 horse) so that I could carry hay and feed there when camping.. I'd like a hay rack, but think it'd be too hard to get a bale up on the roof unles I had a bale lift installed. My husband and I have talked of having stronger springs installed on my LC, plus I've been reading up a little on WDH's.
I wanted drops on the head and the rear, or B-I-G sliders on the rear if no drop windows.. It gets really hot here in south TX in the summer.. I want as much air flow as possible. The jury is still out on whether or not to get mangers.. I like them and love the extra storage, but I've read that horses can't stretch their necks down with mangers, so don't travel long distances as well..(What are your thoughts on this?)I've also read that horses travel better in a slant load than a straight load, because it is less tiring to balance side-to-side than front to back.. However, we brought my daughter's pony home here from Kentucky.. a 2 1/2 day trip in my straight load, and she traveled alright.. She camped her legs out front and back so as to brace herself against the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle..
I'd love a gooseneck (with a weekend package better yet!), but don't want to sell my LC to get a truck, so am contenting myself with sticking to a bumperpull and fancying it up as much as i can..

RAR ... I am strongly against towing a 3 horse slant trailer with a Land Cruiser.

Here's why:

The wheelbase of the LC is too short. This works against driving stability.

The hitch weight carrying capability is not enough. Stiffer springs just makes for a rough ride when empty. The weight balance is not changed, The front wheels will be unloaded. You want more weight on the front wheels to provide steering. Consider a WDH instead to level the trailer. At least you'll be moving some of the hitch weight to the front wheels.

The LC is rated to tow 6000 pounds of bricks or other secured cargo. It's difficult to secure a horse. Ever feel the whole rig rocking because the horse/s have decided to move around? Consider when all the horses get to thrashing around. And, speaking of horses... Total the weights ... 3 horses, 1000 pounds each + trailer 3500 # + a/c unit 150 # + (water gallon = 8# had a thirsty horse drink a 5 gallon bucket in one gulp) so 30 gallon for 3 horses 240 pounds plus 2 passengers 300 # + ??? ... you're already overloaded and haven't put the food & beer on...

Lastly ... as in my previous post, slant load trailers are sensitive to horse placement.

This is not what you want to hear, but it is from my knowledge and experiance. Safety or lack of, is the sum of choices made before the events preceeding the mishap. I have lost a young friend in a horse trailer accident in TX several years ago. She died leaving two small children and a husband.


PS..
I don't like mangers for the same reason as you read. If the horse can lower his head he'll clear more dust and mucus than if he has to keep it up. I tie to the upper halter ring for this very reason too.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Hosspuller,

i guess a 2 horse would be a better choice.. I just thought it would be nice if I could find a nice light 3-horse..Will a WDH help alleviate the problem with hauling 1 horse in either the 1st or 2nd stall?
It sounds like I won't be able to win for losing if a horse in the 2nd stall unloads the hitch and a horse in the 1st stall weighs down the hitch.

quote:

Originally posted by ridingarocky:
i guess a 2 horse would be a better choice.. I just thought it would be nice if I could find a nice light 3-horse..Will a WDH help alleviate the problem with hauling 1 horse in either the 1st or 2nd stall?
It sounds like I won't be able to win for losing if a horse in the 2nd stall unloads the hitch and a horse in the 1st stall weighs down the hitch.

If you're speaking of a 2H slant, I'm not sure if the single horse presents the problem a 3H slant has. A two horse slant just isn't as long over the wheels. A WDH is definitely the way to go for any heavy BP trailer and light tow vehicle.