Are you looking for a horse trailer and overwhelmed by all the ‘industry lingo’? Here’s a glossary of common horse trailer terms that may help you out. As always, if you have any questions, just contact us – we’re here to help!
Rear tack area with an inner wall that can be collapsed as needed, making the rear opening wider. A horse trailer specially built to your specifications. Adds significantly to cost, and may affect resale negatively. Usually refers to partitions between horses in a slant load horse trailer, but can be any partition between horses. A dressing room is a compartment at the front of a horse trailer that is walled off from the horse area and may be used for changing clothes, as well as for storage. It may or may not have saddle racks. The side of the horse trailer that is on the same side as the driver of the towing vehicle. Also referred to as “street side” of the trailer, meaning the traffic side. Tack storage in the front room (usually called dressing room) of a horse trailer.
A bumper pull horse trailer is designed to be attached to a hitched mounted behind vehicle. Also called tagalong, tag-along, pull behind, or tow behind. The hitch is actually attached to the frame of the towing vehicle with the ball of the hitch placed at about bumper level.
The receptacle on the horse trailer for the hitch, or ball, on the towing vehicle. The coupler widens to accept the ball, then is tightened around the neck of the ball. The coupler must allow the ball to rotate freely in order to make turns, but must not be able to slip out of the coupler. More on this later. Keep an eye out for our article on hooking up and towing!
Dutch doors are split in half horizontally so that upper and lower sections swing independently of each other. In horse trailers, dutch doors are usually found above ramps that are integrated into an opening.
An enclosed horse trailer has a horse area with solid sides and some type of window at head and rump.
