Decisions

[khall]

I’ve got some equine related decisions in the near future. Wouldn’t mind some input. I’ve put them off for a bit because of dealing with my parents but now I can move forward with them. DH doesn’t really have much input

New horse trailer. I’ve had my Exiss 2H GN for over 20 years and it’s served me extremely well. But I would like to downsize to a smaller truck have a F250 diesel right now would like to go to half ton. Have thought about LQs too that could be pulled by smaller truck. Equi trek makes one so does double d and shadow. Though shadow tongue weight would require a weight distribution hitch. I’ve also thought forget the LQs just go with a bumper pull lightweight 2 H with a dressing room. Stay in the hotel like I’ve always done. Several make such trailers. There is an equi trek here in Georgia for sale now that would be perfect. Anyone have a LQs? Thoughts on them? Any lighter trailers that you can recommend? I priced out a double d. They are high. Nice trailer though.


Covered arena. I’ve wanted one for years. Really kind of need one considering I host clinics. I would look into building a separate arena not associated with my big one I have now. We have red clay dirt. It packs hard. I have an open fairly flat area I could easily fit a 60x110 in with room to spare. Priced one out. Metal trusses but wood construction and I’ve seen their work ridden in one they’ve built came in at just over $63,000. Doesn’t include dirt work which would be minimal but would need packed then footing. I like my M10. Would have to keep it watered. Anyone build a covered? Footing? Lights?


Two big purchases. I’m struggling to make decisions which is unusual for me. Will be looking at trucks in the future as well but not right now. Sigh. I’m a bit off kilter still I think. Would appreciate others ideas

[Srhorselady]

Expensive decisions so you want to get them right! Do your research! I had an all aluminum two horse, walk through, warm blood sized trailer with a large grooming area that I loved. (I got a steal of a deal on it used and sold it for almost twice what I paid when it was 12 years old). I pulled it with my Toyota Tundra (F150 equivalent). It got decent mileage and the vast majority of my trailering was NOT mountains. It pulled like a dream. However, if I needed to haul two warmbloods up the mountain to Flagstaff I used my friends diesel or 250 equivalent. I might have tried it with the Tundra with one horse but not two. I’ve been stuck behind horse trailers and semis going 30 miles an hour up that mountain grade. Think VERY hard before getting rid of the 250 truck if you ever haul in the mountains.

Sorry no opinion on the covered arena except your quote sounds cheap to me! I always wanted one….even the cloth covered ones…but when I costed them it was closer to $100,000. So I never researched seriously.

[Flight]

I'm not sure on trailers, i have a basic one and throw a camp bed down when I stay over at comps. But I'm very primitive

I will say, you only live once! So go for it.

I'm thinking about covering a section of this arena so should take my own advice. I've never seen timber covered arenas in Australia, we tend to use all steel. My initial quote for what I wanted was 300k, so ahhh not rich enough to follow the 'only live once' for that one!

[exvet]

As for hauling vehicles and trailers, just be sure you have enough weight and suspension with your towing vehicle that your fully loaded new trailer doesn't push you F150 or F150 equivalent through a stop light or intersection. I've made that mistake before when I was living in Virginia and making due with my jeep as a tow vehicle for a two-horse trailer. I down sized from my goose-neck 4-horse with large dressing room to a two horse with a dressing room. It was nice to have less length but I still hauled with a F250 minimum especially since I haul through the mountains regularly. While I really liked my 2-horse, I ended up selling it and getting a used 3-horse trailer with dressing room because we were having way too many fires and I wanted a trailer that I could haul out all three boys at once plus I've been hauling all 3 back and forth between our home in Prescott and our home in Rio Verde.

I agree with the others in that the arena estimate seems light. There is no way we could build a covered arena for less than $150,000 in this area and that's low-balling it.

Decide what is best for your situation and go for it.

[blob]

re: trailers: A couple years ago i bit the bullet and got one of the european trailers designed to be pulled by a smaller vehicle. DH and i live in the city and having a third vehicle isn't practical for us and having a true truck also isn't practical for us (it won't fit in our garage and street parking is both unreliable and unsafe). But he has an SUV and since the european trailers are built to be pulled by one it seemed like a safer bet. I did a lot of research and spoke to a lot of folks before getting my bockman. But I really do love it. It handles very easily, is very practically designed since our SUV goes well beyond the requirements, I also feel very safe driving it.

[khall]

Blob which manufacturer of European trailers did you go with? I’ve seen several in person and have hauled a Brenderup.
I just like the look of the equi trek. The one I’m looking at can haul 3 horses though I’ve not done that in years. 2 is the most I haul now.

Exvet I hear you. And that is why I’m waffling a bit! I’ve hauled a GN for 30 years or so always with a F 250 diesel. I’m just wary of the new diesels now. Mine is an 07 with almost 250,000 miles on it. Love this truck but the newer ones I’m not sure about. They are so tall too!


Why I was thinking European trailer to go with lighter truck. Surge brakes on the trailer.


I got the quote today. It’s just for the structure would still need dirt and footing work done. I’ve got pictures of the one I rode in. It’s not the full red steel covers many put up. But it is metal trusses not wood trusses.

I also know some who’ve used this company for pole barn structures. They had two built by them.

[blob]

I went with the bockeman. I also looked at the equitrek and i really liked their side load model. But ultimately decided on the bockeman, partly because it seemed like it would be easier to find a dealer/maintenance and of course it had what i needed and the reputation was good.

I went with the Portax K. If i were doing it again, I would have gone with the Portax K L (or whatever the slightly longer model is). When I'm hauling one horse there is plenty of room on the otherside for hay, etc. But when i have two, i would love more room for hay.

[mari]

Have you considered partly covering your existing big arena? I've seen some lovely examples of really large jumping arenas that are covered at one end only.

[exvet]

Exvet I hear you. And that is why I’m waffling a bit! I’ve hauled a GN for 30 years or so always with a F 250 diesel. I’m just wary of the new diesels now. Mine is an 07 with almost 250,000 miles on it. Love this truck but the newer ones I’m not sure about. They are so tall too!

Gosh I do know what you mean. I ended up getting a 2016 used (one year when I got it with only 30,000 miles on it) Dodge diesel 3/4 ton on the advice of a diesel mechanic I've used for many years. The guy that bought my 2006 F350 also gave my choice for replacement a huge thumbs up, also a diesel mechanic. I've only got 61,000 miles on it now and it's in fantastic shape. I purposefully bought it because it was a true farm truck and not built up. Now I'm not sure what I would get if I had to replace it but I do know I would talk to my diesel mechanic before I went looking for anything. Fortunately his wife is also into horses (different discipline) so he's also very aware of the needs for towing a horse trailer. BTW my former 1996 F250 is still going strong on the original engine. My son drives it. I think it's pushing 400k for miles. He hauls a dump trailer with it, no issues.

[khall]

Mari yes I’ve thought about it but that would be even more expensive because of the width I would need to cover my existing arena. 85’ of free span. The one I priced out would be 60x110. Same size I’ve ridden in before at my trainer Mark Russell before his untimely death in 2016. He built same style. Wooden construction with metal trusses. Was nice arena.

Now to convince DH!!

[texsuze]

Re: trucks and trailers, my 2007 Chevy Silverado HD2500 diesel is in the shop right now for some work (oil change, front rotor re-do, coolant stuff). It has 106K mi. on it and although I'm horseless now I think I'll keep this machine until it drops in the traces. So convenient for all the things that require a truck to carry. Always getting unsolicited advice (usually from men) about keeping it, or, do I want to sell it;). Can't stand the high tech gizmos and styling on new vehicles.

I had a 2008 Exiss Sport 2H BP trailer with tack room, that I loved. Just the right size, good fit with my truck. Sold it after my heart horse, K, passed in 2022. Got exactly what I'd paid for it back in '08, which was fine with me, but seeing it go down the road with the new owner was very emotional.

I'd suggest maybe thinking about keeping your current truck/trailer for now, since both appear to be working for you for current needs. As long as both are safe and can be maintained. It might buy you some time to research/proceed with the covered arena project. Would a pole barn type infrastructure work with your arena dimensions? Would lights be essential or could that money be used elsewhere? What about access to new arena if it will be used by others, i.e. cost of creating road/parking space? Getting the footing right might bump up the price point. Just some thoughts but gosh what exciting decisions to have to make!

[khall]

Texsuze thanks for the input! I’m definitely keeping the truck even when I get a newer one. We grow our own hay and need a truck big enough to haul 20’ GN flatbed with 140 bales of hay on it. In a hilly field at that. Right now it’s my daily driver. I did have use of a suv for a few years of my mom’s using it for her and her errands. My truck just got too difficult for my tiny elderly mother to get in. But mom has passed so I gave the car to my sister and I’m back driving my truck as my only vehicle. DH wasn’t happy with me but sis didn’t have a car had sold hers and the suv wasn’t worth that much. Drives great though and did what I needed it for with mom. So ole diesel is back hauling me around. I used to drive it 100 miles a day taking DS back and forth to school so nbd for me like putting on a well worn boot.

The reason I am looking for new trailer now is to have it when I get a new lighter truck. Why I’m specifically looking at lighter trailers. Priced out a double D with tongue weight of 600 ($$$) and the equi trek day trekka and multi trekka with tongue weight of 330 ($$). Designed to be pulled by lighter vehicles. I looked at a couple of other BP with LQs and just not suitable imo to be pulled by lighter truck.

I don’t really want to go with the other euro trailers. Most don’t have a dressing room and I definitely don’t want to not have any tack storage area. Bockmann are nice but just not enough trailer for me. Not a fan of fautraus. So I’ll make the decision in the next couple of weeks on the trailer.

As for the covered yeah pole type wood structure would work just fine. I have pics of the one I’ve ridden in put up by the company I contacted and priced one out a 60x110 same size Mark had and I’ve ridden in with several horses. Yeah the footing and base is my next dig into. I think you can be as elaborate as you want or less so. Mark’s was less so. Similar ground of clay and he put sand over graded packed clay. Rode just fine. Me I’ve already got a rigged round pen here. I did nothing to the base just put screenings down and it’s held up for years. Use it a good bit. So I’m thinking my clay graded and packed with screenings on top and mag chloride for dust should be fine. My big arena is road base packed clay packed rock then screenings and it’s amazing still after much rain and lots of clinics. One major overhaul a few years ago scraped back and packed then screenings put back and added to. Everyone who rides in it loves the footing.

Lights probably not needed though electricity would be nice. New arena would be fairly close to my barn. Parking is well established and wouldn’t be affected by new arena. One turnout would be less grass but my horses are fat so would not matter to me.

I’ll keep you all posted. And I’ll try to post a picture if I can figure it out!

Oh and I plan on selling my GN 2 H straight load. It definitely is a very serviceable trailer but too heavy for a lighter truck. All aluminum and well used but maintained over the years.

This is pretty much what I’m looking at

https://buffalorivertruss.com/steel-met ... -carolina/

8x8 posts metal trusses. Talked with my go to guy today. He’s going to get me up cost of grading packing and screenings for footing.

[khall]

So road trip to see the equi trek north of me today. Much closer inspection and it’s been sitting out in the weather for 6/8 months. Decided that type of trailer is not for me. Had already contacted Hawk and back looking at GN. Still light trailer. Now to figure out if 3/4 ton is what I want to have or half ton. Not in a rush. Have serviceable rig now so want to make the right choice. Rather than full LQs thinking more weekender package. Still researching.

So if any have GN trailer brands they like let me know.

[StraightForward]

I love my Hawk! It's the only GN I've ever owned, so I don't have much to compare it to, but five years on, I'm very happy with it. I don't think I would want to tow it with a half ton, but then we have Mountains here, and the freeway speed limit is 80 (not that I go that fast when hauling, but 65 is about the minimum to be safe with other traffic).

[heddylamar]

I've got the Hawk 2H bumper pull + tack. Like SF, I'm not sure I'd haul it with a half-ton. But, as you all know, I've spent a ton of miles on interstates. Hilly fast-moving interstates that are a challenge with a gas 3/4 ton engine. With the equalizer weight distribution hitch, it's like hauling the 2H goosenecks I grew up with (and still haul when we're in mom's rig).

And, my mom, a die-hard gooseneck person, really likes my "handy" little rig.

[exvet]

If I had the option, I'd go back to a goose neck hands down, even a 2 horse. I've been hauling (again) with bumper pull trailers for almost 10 years now. While I've hauled trailers literally before I had my license (obtained at age 15) there is nothing easier, safer and more manageable than a goose neck. Unfortunately my SO just can't bring himself to let me put a ball hitch in the bed of the truck.

[Fzybtfrm]

You can put one in that can be removed...thats what we have. There is a pin you pull out to remove near left rear tire, when I am hauling hay or whatever, I flip it upside down so no protrusions into truck bed. It work great. Just a thought.

[khall]

I did decide to hold off on trailer purchase. I pulled the trigger on the covered arena instead. Was afraid cost of building supplies would go up after the two hurricanes here in the SE. some major damage in widespread areas felt it makes sense to build it now. Plus it works well with Hay fields. One more cutting in just a couple of weeks. So the trusses are in production now:)

I did decide on a trailer though. A shadow pro eventer 3 h SL. Big dressing room or even weekender (found a slightly used 2023 I would have jumped on) that I can sleep in. Comes with AC and electrical outlets. Nice trailer.

Holding definitely off on the truck. Mine is fine but instead looking to buy a new zero turn 72” cut. DH is researching now.

Anyway wanted to update!

[Flight]

That's exciting about the arena!! You'll have to show us the progress

[StraightForward]

Wow, it will be amazing to have an indoor arena!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Very cool to build a covered arena!! What a dream to have!

[Chisamba]

I am currently in a timber covered indoor. Positives, so much temperature inversion than steel ones, by which I mean it's warmer in the winter than steel ans cooler in the summer. Negative, the sun beams kind of streak and gleam and move and provide visual distractions when the sun is low in the sky and shines through the walls.

I put the sand in myself and invested in a good quality arena rake and leveler. The best leveler hasbits own axle so it doesn't lift and lower with the natural swales from horse tracks.

I have a Brenderup 2 horse bumper pull. I like that the brakes are self activated and despite looking small gifts my 17hh horses with no problem. My silverado 1500 pulls it easily but in Europe they pull them with cars.

[khall]

Chisamba can you share which arena rake you have? I’ve only used a flexible drag. Can it be pulled by a side by side or need pto?

Well the arena I’m building is just a cover only. No sides. Here we really don’t full indoor. More shade for heat and cover in case of rain especially since I host so many clinics and weather is always a concern. Not now! Though still wouldn’t ride in it during t storm.

I seriously thought about a euro trailer and had researched the equi treks for a couple of years. Thought they were what I definitely wanted. Then saw one that had been sitting out in the weather for several months. It was not holding up well. The other euro trailers just don’t have much dressing/tack area. Equi trek did. Wasn’t sure how I would like going back to BP after pulling a GN for 30 years. If I had liked the Equi trek I would have taken the plunge but new trailer showing that much degradation out in the elements. Nope not spending that kind of money on one. Heck my 20+ yr old Exiss has been out in the elements since I bought it. It has held up well.

I did look at an Equi spirit made same as Hawk. Just did not like it. A friend has a shadow so went to see it. All aluminum trailer. Liked it. I know there are better quality trailers out there but I just can’t see paying $45-50,000 and still not getting quite what I want. The shadow fits my bill. Though my horses will need to learn to haul and load in a SL.

I’m excited! Another big hit here in Georgia I found out that supports my decision to go ahead with the arena build. Georgia lumber took a huge hit from Helene. So get it built before prices go up!

[blob]

Khall, I will say that one of the reasons i chose a bockman instead of a equi-trek is that when i looked at reviews in europe, equi-trek seemed to have a pretty mixed reputation, it kind of spooked me even though i did like them on paper a lot.

My bockeman is out in the elements and still looks brand new. Granted it is fairly new, but still.

[khall]

Blob I agree the boeckmann looks like a very well made trailer. I just want a bit more trailer. One I can sleep in comfortably if needed. The shadow I’m looking at is a GN with large dressing room and AC/ heater. So I can sleep in it if I want to. 3H too. Mine now is only a 2H.

But will wait until next year for trailer purchase.

Anyway I’ll post pics as the covered gets started. Exciting!!

[Chisamba]

I bought the ABI arena rascal pro because I did not want to use a PTO. it's quite heavy and if your firing is compact it takes a bit of power to pull. It takes a bit of getting used to. It has a changeable blade or teeth and a rake all of which are depth adjustable. My arena had so many swales and ridges from horses and bumper pull drags that it took at least 3 hours first time out, to break up, level and smooth the footing. It's not perfect but it's been s good investment for me.

[Moutaineer]

My friend who has covered in her arena (top and half height long sides) says she appreciates it for the shade in summer as much as for the shelter in winter.

[khall]

Mountaineer here is sweltering Ga the covered is much more for shade in the summer than anything else. Well rain too. But I’d rather ride in rain than our July heat.

Should get started on the pad this week or next week. Trusses supposed to be ready mid November. Possible could have it up by my December Cedar clinic. First weekend

[khall]

It’s begun!

https://www.facebook.com/share/GrRa7ydS ... tid=WC7FNe