Horse Trailer as Enclosed Trailer?

This is probably a stupid idea but I've been noticing horse trailers are cheap in my area $1000 a $1500 range. 

Both of my race cars are pretty narrow; the Datsun is 5ft wide 12.6 ft long and the F500 is 55" wide by 10ft long.

My current trailer is also narrow, the Datsun just fits on it so I don't have the option of towing bigger cars right now so that's not a limiting factor. 

So my though is that's on trailers that have the opening towards the top it would be easy enough to enclose that and it would also allow my to have some storage that I don't have now.

I know nothing about horse trailers, for all I know they are heavy and poorly built. 

As long as you do not plan on sleeping in it !

And what about tongue weight ?

Is the axle at the right place ?

And how will you get out of the Datsun if you drove it in ?

Hey that's all I got :)

The floors tend to rot out from horse pee.

Take measurements of any trailer you look at, remember that even if the car will physically fit inside you still have to be able to get out of it once it's loaded.

I already planned on winching it in. The coupe I have seen actually had a side door. 

I was also wondering what the horses bathroom did to the trailer as well.

Having owned three horse trailers, they're too narrow for a car.

They will be in the worst shape you've ever seen. Horse people don't generally spend money on anything except the horse, even then, they're so cheap they squeak.

I'd stay away from cheap horse trailers.  Good ones worth owning aren't cheap and hold value well.  Cheap ones are usually old, rusty and generally neglected and beat.  

You'll never get the hose piss smell out of it. The hotter the day, the more the smell. 

In reply to Tom1200 :

I used to use an old horse trailor to tow a motorcycle behind my RV - it was great for that, but I wouldn't trust a car to it, both size-wise and build-quality-wise, holding as much weight as a car.  

If you do go that route, I'd try to thoroughly inspect the trailer before purchase, paying attention to rust, floor, suspension, etc.  

I have trailered horses many thousands of miles, and while I currently want a trailer for my miata, I wouldn't even consider this. The smell of horse urine is only one reason, but consider the floor rot that goes with being urine soaked. 

whalenut_precision said:

In reply to Tom1200 :

I used to use an old horse trailor to tow a motorcycle behind my RV - it was great for that, but I wouldn't trust a car to it, both size-wise and build-quality-wise, holding as much weight as a car.  

If you do go that route, I'd try to thoroughly inspect the trailer before purchase, paying attention to rust, floor, suspension, etc.  

 

 

Holding as much weight as a Datsun 1200? Two horses are much heavier.

I've seen it done, inquired about it, and was told that the owner used to be into horses but started racing cars because it was much cheaper.

It's the wrong tool for the job, unless you already have one knocking around.  

In reply to Tom1200 :

Where are you? I'm near Frederick Md with a 16' box trailer that needs to go away. 4-wheel, electric brakes, solid floor. E-tracks on the walls, it was used to demo equipment & currently has a Porsche replica living in it. I think the tires hold air but they're old. The doberman needs a knee operation so I'd want $1800 but I'm a notoriously bad negotiator.

I used my horse trailers for everything so I kept them up especially cleaning the floors.

Mine were always Draft size so they are wider than a standard horse trailer. I always had one with a tack room in front so the wheelbase was longer and had lockable storage in front.

Look at the metal under the floor even if there is new wood. Piss will rot metal faster than a salt bath.

Back in the 90s a local dirt late model team used this livestock trailer for years. Currently there is a local sprint car team using a similar trailer.

You'll need to crawl out the winda like them Duke boys...

Transporting animals has always been a difficult task. There is no exact answer. In your place, you built something cheap, it will creak and will not last long, but it will be better than you spend huge money and the trailer will break or you will have to constantly repair it.

My 1200 with an over built cage comes in a 1622lb.

My 1200 is only 60" wide and that's on a car that has been made 3" wider than stock. The sidewall bulge at the front is the widest part of the car.

@purplepeopleeater, I'm in Vegas so while your trailer is a good deal it's just to far.

I do not love the smell of horse urine in the morning so as mentioned in my initial post this is a stupid idea..........unless I find a new one for stupid cheap "Stupid Cheap" makes everything a good idea......................

Tom1200 said:

"Stupid Cheap" makes everything a good idea......................

 

Nominating for "say what?"

As car guys we resemble SpongeBob and "look the new spatulas are here!!"

                                       OR

"Wait, wait you mean I can stick my $%$$ in a vice and it's only $3.00, sign me up!" 

Free cars, performance parts that make our cars faster and even more fragile for mere pennies on the dollar.............we're powerless to resist.

Again "stupid cheap" makes everything a good  idea even when something is a really bad idea.....it's just how the universe works.

purplepeopleeater said:

In reply to Tom1200 :

Where are you? I'm near Frederick Md with a 16' box trailer that needs to go away. 4-wheel, electric brakes, solid floor. E-tracks on the walls, it was used to demo equipment & currently has a Porsche replica living in it. I think the tires hold air but they're old. The doberman needs a knee operation so I'd want $1800 but I'm a notoriously bad negotiator.

 

I’d like to learn more about this trailer. Is there a listing anywhere?

PM sent.