An equine professional’s trailer is an important piece of equipment. Here is a look at some of the new innovations from several manufacturers, plus a comprehensive list of resources.

As an equine professional, you need a good trailer that’s not only safe but easy to haul and comfortable for your horses. If you show or compete, having the right amenities on that trailer is also important since they can make time spent away from home easier. Since horse trailers are a huge investment and can last a long time with proper maintenance, it’s critical to find the right fit for your needs.

Fortunately, the days of limited trailer selection are a thing of the past. Today’s manufacturers offer nearly limitless options for the horse compartment, tack rooms and storage areas, and living quarters. There are also trailers to fit nearly every budget from very basic and inexpensive models to higher-priced trailers with spacious living quarters, customized horse compartments, and more. If you are shopping for a new trailer, several manufacturers are offering new features for some of their most popular trailer models.

Here is just a quick look at a few models that are either goosneck or bumper pull, with a list of websites at the end to check out your favorite brand to see what’s new.

Featherlite

Nicole Ausdemore of Featherlite Trailers says, “Featherlite’s new trailer enhancements offer horse owners more convenience, safety and style choices.” Additionally, Featherlite is now offering a 10-year limited structural warranty for the 2013 model year trailers. New features for 2013 include:

• LED load lights that are smaller and more stylish. They can be located above the rear or side doors.
• Heavy duty springs on slant dividers.
• Wireless remote with a touch screen to control power awnings, slideouts, front jacks, porch light and other functions for the living quarters.
• Remote control loading light.
• Three additional clearance lights will be standard on Model 8533 for a total of fourteen clearance lights.
• Enclosed A-frame hitch on Models 9407 and 9409.
• Wireless rear camera.
• EZ Lube axles and FSA brakes. Forward adjusting brakes (FSA) automatically adjust to proper clearance during travel (eliminating manual brake adjustments).

Lakota Trailers

Lakota Trailer’s newest offerings focus on human comfort:

• Their Bighorn trailer line offers double slideouts to increase the space inside the living quarters.
• They offer an outdoor kitchen option that includes a refrigerator, cook top, sink, television and stereo.
• The Grande Edition package for the Bighorn trailer includes an interior upgrade, solid surface countertops, hide-a-bed sofa, redesigned feeder doors and baggage doors and more.

Logan Coach

Logan Coach also offers new features to make their trailers easier for humans to use and more comfortable for horses.

• Heavy duty (HD) aluminum doors and drop-down feed windows made with heavy-duty, extruded aluminum frames and double-skinned construction and insulated inner cores. These features add strength but also helps dampen noise inside the trailer. The drop-down windows include their EZ to Reach Latch System, which makes opening windows easy for people of any height. The windows include their One-Key Lock System, and the drop-down windows include extra-heavy-duty hinges, drop-down aluminum safety grills, and fly screens.
• Vortex spray-on rubber coating for galvanized metal sub-frames. Vortex is durable, easy-to-clean, and seals the area beneath it to prevent damage from moisture and debris. It also offers a smooth finish that won’t abrade your horses’ skin if they rub against it.
• Whiz-Proof Deluxe Flooring with Polylast provides added cushioning and traction for your horses as well as allowing urine to drain away easily. It is a permanent addition to the trailer, so you don’t have to drag out heavy trailer mats and it comes in a variety of colors so you can customize your trailer. Whiz Proof flooring comes with a 10-year warranty as well.

Sundowner Trailers

“We have completely revamped our entire line-up of trailers over the last couple of years to become more budget-friendly while still giving our owners the latest technology and developments in safety and convenience,” says Stephanie Griffin of Sundowner Trailers. They also offer the ability to customize almost all of their standard models to fit the customer’s exact needs with minimal additional expense.

• The Charter line is a straight-load trailer available in both bumper pull and gooseneck, with or without a dressing room. It is great for lighter towing vehicles.
• The Sportman trailer is a slant-load horse trailer available as either a bumper pull or gooseneck. Sundowner offers a wide variety of options so clients can customize this model.
• The Horizon Rancher Sport Horse trailer has living quarters that range from very minimal efficiency quarters to an eight-foot-wide living quarter.
• Horizon Special Edition Living Quarters debuted in February. Sundowner added hardwood cabinetry and soft touch walls and ceilings in this model.
• The Signature Series Limited Edition Living Quarters was introduced in 2011. It offers adjustable shelving, additional closet space and storage, tile back splashes, round showers, hardwood cabinets, soft touch walls, and custom furnishings. These trailers are fully customizable to meet any customers desires.

Check out this list of trailer manufacturers to see what’s new for 2012.

• Bison: www.bisontrailer.com
• Blue Ribbon Trailers www.blueribbontrailers.com
• Cherokee Trailers: www.cherokeetrailers.net
• Cimarron: www.cimarrontrailers.com
• CM Trailers: www.cmtrailers.com
• Eclipse Aluminum Trailer: www.eclipsehorsetrailers.com
• Elite Trailers: www.elitetrailers.com
• Exiss Trailer: www.exiss.com
• Featherlite: www.fthr.com
• Hart: www.harttrailer.com
• Lakota Trailers: www.lakotatrailers.com
• Logan Coach: www.LoganCoach.com
• Merhow Industries: www.merhow.com
• Miley Horse Trailers: www.mileytrailers.com
• Shadow Trailer: www.shadowtrailer.com
• Sooner Trailers: www.soonertrailers.com
• Sundowner Trailers: www.sundownertrailer.com
• Trails West: www.trailswesttrailers.com
• Turnbow Trailers: www.turnbowtrailers.com