The adventures of Gilly the rescue horse and his side kick and partner in crime, Pokey the donkey.

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Being with a horse is a journey that never ends. What they have to teach us is amazing; but we must quiet our mind to hear them. ~ jca

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Friday, April 17, 2009

Horse Trailers

Gilly and I need a horse trailer so I've been looking on the internet about different brands. This one, Brenderup, I have seen many ads for them over the years and have wondered about them. They say you can pull them with a car!!! Really???
It was on the DVD..........


This is one I have been looking at. Called the Prestige, a two horse model. First I thought of the one horse but then if I need to take Pokey with me guess I'd better be thinking two horse or horse and a half!

I sent for information about these trailers and received a DVD to watch. Watched it last night and I have to tell you I was impressed! Here is some information I got from a web site:


Brenderup has years (more than 50) of experience in the design and manufacture of horse trailers in close cooperation with specialists in the field. Their overriding concern is the safety of the horses -- before, during, and after transport. By choosing a Brenderup horse trailer you are investing in the safety of your horse. From 14-18+ hands, you have the luxury of towing with any vehicle, having a wheelbase over 93 inches and an engine developing at least 120 horsepower. Brenderup makes 4 distinct one- and two-horse models, differing in size, empty weight, and carrying capacity. Brenderup horse trailers are different for all the right reasons, including your horse's safety. The white, one-piece molded fiberglass roof helps create a light interior. The Solid Phenolic Core resin walls are literally kick-proof. Neither the fiberglass roof nor the SPC walls are conductive, keeping the inside cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Under the ribbed, rubber mats is an extremely strong but giving floor made of a one-piece, 17-layer Baltic birch laminate. The entire shell sits on a low-maintenance, galvanized steel frame. The horse's weight is centered over the dual rubber torsion axles with shock absorbers to create the most comfortable ride possible. With a full drop-down ramp, solid, yet adjustable chest and butt bars for security, and forward-facing, adjustable, vented windows, horses like to ride in this trailer. They arrive at their destination refreshed.

Side groom door, it looks like in the DVD that it is a pretty large opening watching the man climb in and out of it. Not a dressing room but I don't really need one of those just a place to store my tack.


Here is a picture of how the back works. It does not seal tight around the drop down so that air can move out of the trailer when the vents are open. Nice! You can leave the back down and it is above the horses backs, then there is the ramp a five foot one and it's very stable, long enough for the horse to stand all four feet on it. Very easy up and down too, easy door locking system.

This is the inside of a one horse trailer, very large and roomy. I really liked what I saw in the DVD they even showed you the under carriage of the trailer and how it's made. I WANT one!!! Now just have to convince my husband that I really need one. Gilly and I need to travel and get out and see the world.

What kind of trailers do you all have? Does anyone have a Brenderup? Please do tell!!!

18 comments:

allhorsestuff said...

I too have looked into these with the DVD and all...I think the idea is great and in Europe..they only use these kinds as I believe there is wieght restrictions on the motorways.
I think..if I were really going to get one, I would ask the dealer for a referal to someone that has one. Or look around to find someone. Speak to them about them first.
They seem very well thought out... I am jsut in love with the slant riding trailers myself.
kac

Gail H. Ragsdale said...

trailer really looks nice Jane! Years ago we had a Merhow, now we use polo rigs from 4 star that are slant. I really loved the Merhow.

jane augenstein said...

Kacy, I don't like the slant load trailers and Gilly HATES them! Yes, they are easy to get into but when you close the divider on him, he kicks. Last one he was in he was squashed like a sardine in a can and couldn't move. So that is one reason I am looking at straight loads.

Desert Rose said...

Horses are sooooo funny! Jesse hates straight loads and i can hardly get him in one. Getting him out is worse.
A boarder at my PNW stables had a Brenderup and loved it!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

That's a nifty trailer. Never heard of one with resin or fiberglass. I think my only worry would be what would happen if it rolled over. Could it hold up? Or would it crumble?

We bought our front load, bumper pull trailer with a ramp used, so I'm not even sure the brand.
But I like it because it's longer than some. My mare has a stretchy long neck, so with the feeder area, she has more room to stretch out.

In hindsight I'd rather have a stock trailer, though, as horses seem to load easier in them, and then I'd have more room for my llamas and other animals if I need to load in an emergency...

~Lisa

Angie @ thejunkranch said...

I've always been curious about those trailors. Hard to believe you can safely pull them with a car isn't it. They are so sleek and stylish. Keep us posted.

Paint Girl said...

Personally I have never been interested in this trailer. But have only seen ads on them.
I have a Circle J 3-horse slant. There is plenty of room for the horses. If you have a really big horse a slant probably won't work. Plus mine is set up to install a rear tack which I won't ever do so that leaves even more room for the 3rd horse to move if they feel uncomfortable. When I was young our family had a 2-horse straight load, my horse loaded fine in it but my sister's horse had an issue going into the straight load but would haul fine in a slant.
I think it all just depends on your preference and your horses.
Good luck! And happy horse trailer shopping!

jane augenstein said...

Gail, I have never heard of the trailer you mention, but my friend has. Still don't know when of if I will get one and what? LOL Maybe I can just get Gilly to sit in the Subaru Outback, think???

Desert Rose, you are so right, horses do have a mind of their own about how they are transported!

Lisa, at first I wanted a stock trailer too but this one seems so easy to maneuver around that I really like it, still checking though. About the rollover, are any of them safe in that situation? Don't know.

Angie, a car can pull them because of how the weight is distributed overall. The horse is standing over the tire axle area and things are more balanced is my understanding. In the DVD the guy pulls the trailer by a handle on the side up to the car and hooks it up! He was moving it on blacktop but still, how easy is that???

Paint Girl, Gilly is a big boy and is squashed in a slant load and it makes him mad. Gilly also doesn't like to step out of a trailer backward he wants to turn around. Not good, but I am wondering if he would walk down the ramp better. He doesn't know it yet but he is going to learn to come out backward and step down. My neighbor has a straight load that's a step up and he has been in it once but more practice. If in an emergency he needs to get in a step up he has to learn to do it. More schooling, he won't be happy.....too bad, mom says you have to!!! :-)

Tracey said...

Steve Holt! and Jet are both big, and my Silverlite slant works fine. Of course I've got the 3 horse and took the first divider out, making it a 2 horse. The back spot is plenty large enough for Steve Holt! at this point, but I know others have said they don't like slants for larger horses.

I'm a bit dubious on the Brenderup. I don't think you'll find it any roomier, to be honest. I've seen one on the road in this area a few times and it looks small to me. And the fiberglass scares me :>

jane augenstein said...

Tracey, I don't want a big trailer one reason I am looking at straight loads; and because Gilly is a big horse. The room in a two horse Brenderup is 32 inches wide per stall. the single is 51 inches wide, don't remember the length.
I haven't heard of Silverlite, what is it made of? Is it anything like the Featherlite?
Thanks for your input! :-)

Paint Girl said...

My Arab had never backed out of a trailer before, when I bought my 3-horse slant the first time I tried to back her out she figured it out pretty quickly, my Arab is quite scared of things especially new things. All the horses in my trailer can turn around and walk out forwards because I don't have the rear tack room, if you get a slant with a rear tack than you either have to back them out or if they won't you unload everything out of the rear tack and collapse it. Pain in the butt! That is why I would rather not install the rear tack. I have plenty of room in the front tack!
Alot of people (and horses!) also have preferences about ramps. Some horses like it and some don't.
Do what is best for you and Gilly! I suggest looking at ALL kinds of trailers. There are alot of light weight trailers out there (aluminum) although more expensive. I looked at approx. 15-20 trailers before I decided.
Again, good luck when you do go out shopping!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

I just don't know either, Jane, but after seeing fiberglass cars being tested for safety and seeing how they crumble in an accident, it would just scare me having my horse in one. If someone rear ends it or the trailer rolls,the trailer will most likely crack up, unlike a steel or aluminum trailer.
Fiberglass is basically glass 'wool' or fiber. And if you've seen how easy it can be for a horse to kick through wood, you just know that a horse could kick or fall into fiberglass and puncture a hole into it....and because it's made of glass, the horse will get lots of small glass injuries, too. (Ever have fiberglass insulation get into your skin? yowch!)

And how about gusts of wind? Would it hold up? If a person can easily pull it by hand and it's that lightweight, I'd alsp be concerned about a 50-70 mph gust of wind tipping it over.

I don't know. I'd have to know more about the trailer's safety testing. But fiberglass being asked to contain a 1000+ lb animal just scares me.

~Lisa

jane augenstein said...

Paint Girl, yes, there are a lot of trailers out there to be looked at before buying. Wish I could take Gilly along to see what he would pick, probably none, cause he doesn't want to go anywhere to have to work! LOL

Lisa, only the top of the trailer is fiberglass. The bottom is made out of a really tough material that won't bend or dent like aluminum. They demonstrated it on the DVD. They must be doing something right because they have been in business since the early 1950's. But I am still checking trailers out, we will see. :-)

Jacque. said...

Does this mean you're gonna come visit me? I have 2 extra stalls, ya know!

Kritter Keeper at Farm Tails said...

i had an accident with a bumper pull when a huge truck pushed me off the road...i was hauling with a chevy suburban. the trailer fish tailed and the back of the trailer dragged us into the median, the suburban flipped but thankfully the trailer popped off the ball. the horses were semi ok and the humans did not get hurt. after that harrowing experience i researched what trailer to buy. i bought a book (can't remember the name) and it outlined the pro's and cons of what to look for. i spoke in depth with the horse couple who rescued us and took my horse to the vet. they were in the racing industry and have seen and heard a lot. in my opinion the safest and best horse trailer is a gooseneck hauled by a pick up truck. there is no fish tailing anymore and the trucks, when they zoom by, the wind is not so bad. with this type of hauling, you are one, not two different things...for ten years now i have not had a problem (knock on wood) and would not trade my goose neck in for anything. i strongly urge you to reconsider hauling with a car. it might save you money now, but what are the odds if you should get into a wreck...then how much money will you have to spend? my gooseneck is a straightload with a ramp. there are a lot of things to consider for the safety of the horses, please search for the book on amazon.com. if your horses are kicking, be sure to get a warmblood size. there are so many things to watch out for...by the way steel is just not steel, it has gages (thickness and strength levels). good luck and i hope that i could help you in some way.

jane augenstein said...

Jacque, I would have to have Mike drive if I did!

Kritter Keeper, oh, my what a scary thing to have happen!!! So glad you and your horse weren't seriously injured!
Thanks for the input, I will look up the book on Amazon!

Julia said...

If your horse loads perfectly this trailer is great! But if you have any loading issues I would not get this trailer since you can not put a rope through the manger and hold it. A horse could tear the wall apart. I have a Sundowner and love love love it!

Sharon said...

Happened across your blog and had to tell you that we've had a Brenderup Prestige for several years and absolutely LOVE it! Unlike most trailers, the shape of it (the way it slants in at the bottom in back) keeps it from being affected by wind. So when you're pulling it on the interstate it does NOT sway when a semi passes you. In fact, you really can't tell you're pulling anything! And the built-in braking system works wonderfully. It's so good to be able to pull it with whatever you have without worrying about having a braking system installed. We pulled it with a Mazda mini-van originally and now use a Honda Ridgeline (6 cylinder) truck.
It's also very easy to load the horses into it since it's white inside and has plenty of light from the two top windows and the one in the front. We open that front door so they can see out as they load up and it's no problem at all. In fact, I put a hay bag in front and open the ramp, and all of ours will just load THEMSELVES up. But if you needed to, you could lead a horse in and just walk on out that front door. And it's very easy to unload them too since it's got a ramp and not a tall step down.

None of our horses get antsy when loaded, but we HAVE had someone else's horse in there who kicked and it did NOT hurt the wall in the least. And that solid center partition kept him from kicking the other horse.

[Please note that the people who are saying bad things about Brenderups have never actually HAD one. ;=) ]

**Don't know where you live, but if you were anywhere near Baton Rouge we'd by happy to let you try ours. Maybe you could find someone near you who would be willing to do that.

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