Would you buy a trailer without a dressing room?

[fergusnc]

I am guessing the answers are no, or that you have done this and have wished you had the extra room, but wanted to confirm. Saw a good deal on a nice trailer, but no dressing room...and even with very limited trailering, that seems like it might be something I'd regret. Plan is to get one trailer and keep it forever.

[Josette]

Yes - but I only used for local trail rides and loaded the truck up with tack, buckets, etc. (I was thrilled to have my own trailer finally.) I really liked looking out the truck rear view mirror to see their faces through the trailer windows eating hay. Of course, there are all computer monitoring cameras for that feature.

note: My new truck now is a 4 door so it would be even easier to store tack items in the back and lock up. I don't mind basic.

[Flight]

What's a trailer dressing room???

[M&M]

What would you be using it for?

[DJR]

I have a 2-horse bumper-pull without a dressing room, and I LOVE it. I've considered upgrading to one with a dr, but I've chosen to stay with mine. Here's why:

• my horses are big, well over 17h and with long necks, so having the extra nose room in the nose of the trailer is wonderful for them.
• I've gone on longer trips with one horse and two horses, and have managed to use ingenuity to pack hay into the nose (under the hanging mangers and )protected from them by a tarp). The rest of the stuff including tack & supplies fit nicely into the back of my Ford Excursion with room still for 4 passengers (although I typically only have one, maybe two people with me).
• it's not that long so very, very easy to maneuver. When I was driving home from a Jane Savoie clinic in New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy hit, I had to do a lot of creative driving through ripped up neighbourhoods looking for a safe way to get to the interstate. It was so easy with my shorter rig to back up in residential driveways as I wound my way around downed power lines, etc.
• I also love being able to look in the rear view mirror and see their faces through the front windows.

If I had all the money in the world, I'd convert to a gooseneck balanced ride trailer to allow me to haul 3 full-size horses plus have a dressing room. Or get a straight-load 4-horse gooseneck. But as long as I'm in the bumper-pull world and I have humungous horses, my little 2-horse Hawk without a dressing room is doing the trick nicely.

[dasher]

I bought a Cotner trailer with an extended nose. I built a box in the front for my saddles and put hangers in the nose for bridles and halters. I put padding on the top of the box so I have a nice seat and a place to lay down. I can put my trailer in the equipment shed for storage. I did not want a big honking trailer!

[Kyra's Mom]

My Brenderup technically has a dressing room...the tack room wall will move back but I don't use it. I didn't order that feature it was just what was on the trailer that was in stock and it had been on the lot a while so I basically didn't pay for it. I use a head divider and that obstructs the space needed to push the wall back. I wouldn't use it anyway. I use the horse compartment for my dressing room. With the high tail gate and solid walls...it works great. I just put a mat down on the floor (I am pretty particular about keeping the floor clean).
You could also put a couple chairs back there. I have a pick-up and plenty of room to put extras. If it is just my horse, I can put a bale of hay next to my horse. If two...I have a bale bag and it goes in the back of the truck.

I had one trailer with a dressing room. Just a space to put more crap. I didn't miss it when I went to the Brenderup.

Susan

[fergusnc]

Very interesting…not what I expected! I thought I'd hear that more room is better and resale would be worse and everyone traded in their no dressing room trailers ASAP and never looked back. I remember a previous trainer buying what she could afford…2 horse BP with no dressing room…and always worrying about lack of room when going to shows…so that is my only experience with ppl having a trailer without a dressing room.

I plan to buy a trailer and keep it until i die…don't see my needs changing that much. That said, I am one of those "what if" people and always consider prepping for bigger or different things. At this point in my life, I do not see any travel for my current boy due to how stressed he gets and his history of EPM relapses/trying to keep stress low. But I don't like the idea of having horses at home without a trailer in case of an emergency. I will get him a buddy…if I can get away with only 1 buddy I will, for the benefits of economics, but may end up with 3 or a companion species or two. I like the idea that I can take the future buddy to lesson for shows or trail rides or beach rides or pretty much whatever we feel like…assuming i can find a buddy that is mentally up for that kind of relationship and experiences. So…right now, 911 trailering only, but the future is unclear. To give you insight into my brain, I went down the rabbit hole last night into consideration of adding a 5th wheel to my truck, getting a GN, and then what about a 3 horse GN or a 2/3 horse conversion type GN "just in case there is ever a need to evacuate so I can pack everyone into nooks and crannies". At that point I had to pull DH in as a voice of reason perspective. Not forest fire, flood, coastal, or nuclear reactor location….so all we could come up with for evacuation was war.

I am intrigued by the easier maneuvering of a BP with no dog room. And I do like the thought of actually seeing what the horses are up to. I had never thought of renovating a trailer w/o a dog room to add a little storage. Thank you for all the new things to consider!

[StraightForward]

No. We have very limited tack room space at the boarding stable, so I rely on the dressing room for space to stow extra tack and equipment. I also change in there when I'm going straight between work and the barn. Love my dressing room and when I order my dream trailer I'm planning to get an extra 2' added to the DR.

[Canyon]

I will be another voice of dissent. I had a two-horse straight-load bumper-pull with tack under the mangers for 30 years. It was a nice trailer, extra tall and wide, pulled great, my big warmblood hauled well in it. When I went to a show, I usually had our camper on the truck and could change and relax in the camper. But, I got tired of climbing in and out of the camper, plus I never felt comfortable with the weight being so high. A friend got out of horses and made me a heck of a deal on a three-horse slant bumper pull. I have to say that I love this trailer. It is almost 20 years old but still in great shape. My young horse prefers the slant to the straight load and rides in the front stall. My warmblood rides in the back with the second partition against the wall and likes all the room. The dressing room is huge; it is so nice to have all my tack and horse clothing (and people clothing) organized and easily accessible. I have room for a trunk, so I can sit down and change shoes easily.

I vote for buy a trailer with a dressing room!

[Quelah]

My first trailer was (is, I still have it) a WB size 2H straight with no dressing room, has tack compartments under mangers. I love that trailer, put over 100K on it, never felt the need for a DR. I was not however, showing at the time. The only thing I ever "wished it had", was rubber torsion axles instead of leaf springs, and I was thinking seriously about having torsion axles put on it…when I got the Shires…

So then I custom ordered the Hawk XXL 2H straight with dressing room.

***Words of advice from me, if you're going to get a dressing room, and by chance you're going to ORDER the trailer, have them put the dressing room door on the driver's side. One of the best things I've ever done.***

When I was showing the dressing room was invaluable. Because the cart goes in the bed of the truck, and because it gives a place for my show trunk to live, and because some shows were stay shows and some shows were show out of trailer shows and it's way, way easier to change into a dress and curl one's hair and whatnot if you have a small clean carpeted space with power and a full length mirror and so on. Dressing room in my case was vary much what it is. Now having retired my driving horse from showing (he's fine, he's sound, we did everything I wanted to do and I want to get back into riding), I think I'll appreciate the dressing room again if we get to the point where Milagro and I go to shows. Just regular hauling? I don't really need it, but it's handy.

[Moutaineer]

I have had both. For me, I'm not sure the benefit outweighs the additional cost and weight of the trailer. I keep thinking that if I had kept my old trailer, I could probably tow it with a slightly lighter vehicle. It's not like I go far, and I know I can pack an entire show's worth of stuff in the truck if I need to. Though it is nice to be able to change into one's show clothes without ending up with your socks full of shavings...

I have to fight my pack rat tendencies hard with the new one to avoid using the dressing room as a rolling landfill. Lots of extra weight to haul around if one isn't careful!

[boots-aregard]

I never wanted the extra weight, but what I got was a 4 horse stock. That gives one lots of flexibility (since I never hauled 4 horses). I could slant load the horses and still fit equipment in. I could (and did, when we evacuated for a fire) load a bunch of other stuff in behind 2 horses loaded straight in the front compartment. Some will immediately think "that's dangerous!" because you can't get the horses out quickly, and you're right, but it *was* an evacuation after all, and you wanted the weight in front not behind.

I had my horses at home, so tack and equipment storage was never part of the trailer equation. Lots of folks who board use their dressing rooms as their tack rooms, so boarding situations may call the tune.

[Chisamba]

Do not like the weight and sway associated with a longer bumper pull so have this far only got two horse without a dressing room. .

[heddylamar]

Another Hawk owner. I pull a 2H bumper pull extra tall with tack room with a F250 long bed, regular cab. There is no bed cover/shell, nor do I want one, so trailer tack storage of whatever variety (under manger, built in to nose, etc) was a necessity. The model I bought has sturdy, adjustable saddle racks, abundant hooks and a built-in trunk.

I can easily watch the horses from the driver's seat without benefit of electronics. There are two windows in the V of the trailer, and a single wide window in the tack room wall. The windows are tinted, but the horses are quite visible whether in individual stalls or with the trailer set up as a box stall.

My previous hauling experience was 2 horse goosenecks — with (aluminum & fiberglass) and without (steel) tack rooms. The little Hawk bumper pull is lighter and infinitely more maneuverable. The trailer weight, fully loaded, is negligible. Before the weight distribution hitch there was little sway, and absolutely none now. The truck (4wd and jumpy) rides better with the trailer attached.

Before I found the truck, and was considering trading in my car for a Toyota 4Runner/Tacoma, I checked out quite a few small aluminum and fiberglass trailers. The Bockmann with the full wall of tack cubbies in the nose of the trailer was quite tempting. Looking at their USA website, it was most similar to the Portax models. If I'd gone with a straight load w/o tack, I'd have built in cubbies of that variety to store tack, etc.

[silk]

I have had one 2h bumper pull, and a 2h slant bumper pull with separate space up the front (I suppose you would call it a dressing room). I later converted the latter to a 2h straight and took out the wall between the original horse space and person space. The trailer is much more inviting and open without that wall in there. I didn't lose *any* storage space (kept the cupboards, etc) - the only down side is I have to make sure things like hay bales are secure in the front portion, whereas with the wall I could throw them in there and not worry about them being pulled under the horses' feet (I have helpful horses who like to snack along the way...). It's way easier to move things (hay bales etc) with the more open, modified trailer, than it was as a slant load.

Remember: you can *always* sell the trailer and get a different one, if your needs change in the future. Get something that suits now, rather than the hypothetical future scenario - you will have to pay insurance, maintenance, depreciation/finance/interest (whatever) on whatever you get, may as well not spend those $$$$ on a large trailer that you never use!

[Larbear]

I bought a 2-horse bumper pull (Kingston) with no dressingroom. I figured I'd trade it in later for a gooseneck but it's been about 12 years now so I highly doubt that's gonna happen . There are times when I thought a dressing room would be nice but the reality for me is that it'd likely end up a disorganized mess. I put stuff in my truck no problem, I change in the trailer and I store some stuff in my trailer when it's not in use.

[Silverbridge]

No. I board, so, I need that extra space for overflow.

I have boarded in the past at places where we had large tack rooms and room for multiple saddles, even. But currently, and at most recent places, no, we get one saddle rack and one bridle hook and some space for pads and a trunk by our stalls. Having the DR in my trailer, parked on property, gives me all kinds of extra room and hooks and saddle racks, and, I can lock it up. Love having that, would be a mess without it and always running stuff from my house and back.

If I ever live where my horse or horses live, it wouldn't be of the same value. But that's really unlikely.

[Josette]

trivia - last facility I boarded at charged an extra $35/month if you also parked your trailer on their property. Board at that time if I recall was almost $900/month per horse.

[Hoof'n it]

If all you are doing is having a trailer for emergency purposes and around town/local adventures. Go with having the bare essentials in your trailer. It's not worth the money having it sitting around if you go for any extras.

I have a horse truck which has accomodation, kitchenette, bathroom etc. it was great for when I was going long distances a couple of times a month to shows, but now it's just a run about and for emergencies. I would downsize if it didn't come in handy for camping and foal watch duties

[Hoof'n it]

trivia - last facility I boarded at charged an extra $35/month if you also parked your trailer on their property. Board at that time if I recall was almost $900/month per horse.

Completely off the topic, but why would a barn charge to keep a trailer at the barn? I have 3 boarders and one keeps their trailer here for N/C it's essentially a perk. If everyone wanted to keep their floats here, i would say No to everyone as parking is tight as it is.... But I would not charge them anything.

[Josette]

Just like some facilities who charge extra to change blankets or give meds. $

Back to topic.

[VBOpie]

I echo what other posters have said about not wanting to deal with the extra weight. I pull with a Suburban. All my stuff goes in the truck. Like it better that way. I have no desire to have a dressing room.

[khall]

I will say I have had both and prefer my GN trailers with DRs, would never go back to a BP trailer. I have a 2 H straight load right now, I would love to have a 2+1 at some point to have a place to put the hay.

I have traveled long distances and would be gone for several days so need to have hay storage. I can put it in the bed of the truck as long as it is not raining (never had the bale covers you can buy) but have also put hay under my horses noses. My trailer has no mangers just chest bars. Horses love being able to snack on the hay bales as we go down the road. The 2+1 would allow me lots of extra room for storage of hay and a possible horse in there if needed.

[silk]

Oh yeah, the weight. My first trailer was 800kg empty (1765 lb). My next one was 1250kg (2755 lb). Like an extra horse inside, but no horses loaded!!

[Fatcat]

I have a slant load with a large tackroom/dressing room combo. I wouldn't downgrade to less. When horse camping I can change in it and it has a mirror. I also have a portapotty in mine, and it's very handy at remote trail heads or horse camping.

[Fatcat]

I will say I have had both and prefer my GN trailers with DRs, would never go back to a BP trailer. I have a 2 H straight load right now, I would love to have a 2+1 at some point to have a place to put the hay.

I have traveled long distances and would be gone for several days so need to have hay storage. I can put it in the bed of the truck as long as it is not raining (never had the bale covers you can buy) but have also put hay under my horses noses. My trailer has no mangers just chest bars. Horses love being able to snack on the hay bales as we go down the road. The 2+1 would allow me lots of extra room for storage of hay and a possible horse in there if needed.

You should get one of those rolling bale covers, a friend got me one for a gift many years ago, and it was a godsend for transporting heavy bales!

[Saddlebum]

Have a two horse bp basic - no managers so they can drop their heads when need be - very light wt which I love. I love my trailer but have a truck with extended cab which I use for the tack room, bed holds the hay. Don't show much, mainly haul to different areas for trail riding or helping to haul friends horses.

Love the light wt and how easy it is to pull up hills. Probably will never get one 'with' a dressing room. Not needed.

[Jan & PJ]

I have a two horse slant load bumper pull with a dressing room in the front and tack in the back. I would not trade my dressing room for anything! When I was showing it was great to store my stuff and change in. Now that I'm not showing so much and doing more trail riding I put a little porta potty in there which has come in handy numerous times.

[Quelah]

trivia - last facility I boarded at charged an extra $35/month if you also parked your trailer on their property. Board at that time if I recall was almost $900/month per horse.

Completely off the topic, but why would a barn charge to keep a trailer at the barn? I have 3 boarders and one keeps their trailer here for N/C it's essentially a perk. If everyone wanted to keep their floats here, i would say No to everyone as parking is tight as it is.... But I would not charge them anything.

I don't know of a barn that doesn't charge extra for trailer parking, totally standard here (N California). As I to why, I'd guess "because they can"

[Figgy]

Trailers come with dressing rooms?

I've always done the basic trailer for horses, a ramp, dividers and head room.

Gear goes in the vehicle, I get changed in the float(trailer) with the ramp up if I want a bit of privacy and that's it.

[demi]

If you really want this to be your last trailer, here's a thought: Do you want a ramp or not?

I hate to even think about how many years i've had horse trailers (44 years yikes!) but one issue as I got older was the ramp. Even with spring assist, the ramp seemed to get heavier and heavier over the years. The trailer I have now is a 2 horse, slant load , gooseneck, step up. And it has a dressing room.

This is the first trailer I've had with a dressing room and I I almost didn't get it. Now that I have it, though, I like it. A lot. I don't show much anymore but even for just trailering out to a lesson, the DR is so nice. I keep duplicates of a lot of things in the DR so loading the trailer before going out is easy. It isnt a large dressing room but combined with the space over the gooseneck it provides ample space.

So, I vote yes for a DR. Also, every time I close the doors on a horse, I smile because I didn't have to struggle with a (sometimes muddy, wet) ramp.

[Flight]

Ok, you people with fancy trailers time to post some photos for us simple Aussies!!!! Pics of these 'dressing rooms'.

I've camped in my float a fair bit for competitions (eventing) and it's very basic. I take out the chest bars and divider and put my swag on the floor and it's like a little cosy room. It has a tack compartment in the nose, which forms a bench so I can put my stuff on, but that's it.
Some friends have the front of their floats with living compartments but I didn't feel I needed that.
Pics please

[fergusnc]

Thanks all. Given me lots to think about. I really like Hawk trailers, and their "big boy options" and have begun comparing/contrasting their options with and without a dressing room. They do have one option with a tiny tack are in the nose of the trailer that you access from the outside, but didn't get to see any photos of the trailer's interior.

Regarding the ramp...good thoughts Demi. I do prefer ramps, and so does my horse...especially as he gets older. I think I felt the ramps when I looked at Hawks several years back, and I THINK I remember that one of the perks was how the ramps lifted...super easy. But I could be misremembering. I do remember lifting my share of heavy ramps, now that you bring it up. Selective memory I guess.

[Josette]

I have the Trail-ET version of this trailer. http://www.hawktrailers.com/details.php?q=1

Spare tire attached to outside leaving tons of space up front and easy for me to walk through. I may be mistaken but I think Hawk and Trailet were once the same company many years ago - then split. Trail-ET is now out of business and Hawk is the company now. Mine still looks almost new so IMO Hawks would be an excellent trailer to consider. Around here you see many Kingstons hauling the WBs.

[viscountessleftfield]

I will buy a trailer without a dressing room this spring. I have a half ton truck and I'm not comfortable with the extra weight and length of a dressing room.

I'm looking for a ten to twelve foot stock trailer with plans to use some metal tubing to create a little area in the nose for food and tack. I'm not showing, rarely trail riding, and just need to haul peeps from her winter home to her summer home, to the vet, to the farrier - just little stuff! I'd also like to be able to use it for moving props around and having a big, enclosed trailer would rock!

[StraightForward]

Ok, you people with fancy trailers time to post some photos for us simple Aussies!!!! Pics of these 'dressing rooms'.

I've camped in my float a fair bit for competitions (eventing) and it's very basic. I take out the chest bars and divider and put my swag on the floor and it's like a little cosy room. It has a tack compartment in the nose, which forms a bench so I can put my stuff on, but that's it.
Some friends have the front of their floats with living compartments but I didn't feel I needed that.
Pics please

This is about the closest I could find to my trailer with a good shot of the dressing room/tack room: http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/t ... ?ID=939892

[exploding pony]

I would never buy a trailer without a dressing room, but I haul a fair amount. I work really long hours, so keep duplicates of everything but saddle/bridle/boots/girth in my rig. Then I only have a very minimal amount of packing to do when I go for lessons, etc. I also like to keep sheets, coolers, buckets, etc. It's exhausting enough going for a lesson or show, last thing I want to do is have to unload everything each time.

I board, so use the tackroom as a bit of extra storage too.

[mld02004]

I have an ancient Kingston 2h without a DR and it works out fine when I'm trailering my one horse. I use a saddle rack on wheels and I bungee it into the empty side. I trailer a lot for lessons and winter indoor riding and find the setup adequate.

If I trailered two horses it would be a pain to haul gear in the truck bed, especially in bad weather.

[heddylamar]

This is what my tack room looks like underneath a million horse blankets, spare buckets, halters, bridles, etc. The spare tire is attached to an outside wall, over the fender -- not taking up space in the tack room. I keep the manure bucket and fork in the bed of the truck. The trunk stores clean bandages, wraps, saddle pads, rags, etc.

[Flight]

Ok, yes a dressing room is a very cool idea! Thanks Straightforward and Heddylamar. I've not seen them quite like that before.

[Figgy]

Flight, I think the issue for Australians is the added weight. We don't have the heavy trucks that the Americans have and the heavier the float (trailer) the more you have to pay for a big assed fuel guzzling truck to haul it.

Our towing vehicles are getting lighter and more expensive every year and that forces down the allowable weight of the trailer. As it is one of the main reasons I'm hesitant to get back into horses is that even on my above average wage, the cost of a decent towing vehicle is prohibitive.