6 Reasons why a Single Horse Trailer is Perfect for You!

A single horse trailer for sale is becoming more and more popular, explains Brad Heath, owner, and head designer at Double D Trailers. Single-horse owners are looking for ways to cut down on costs and pare down possessions. Just like the popular ‘tiny house’ movement, a single-horse trailer can be a great way to use your horse trailer space more efficiently.

Sometimes ‘one’ is the perfect number.  Are you one of those lucky horse owners who have found their soulmate in one horse? Lucky you! You may be looking for a trailer to attend horse shows or to meet up with friends for trail rides. You’ve come to the right place to find out everything you need to know about a single-horse trailer to transport your horse. 

You probably have lots of questions, like, “A single-horse trailer seems small - is it safe?” Or you might be asking, “How big is a single-horse trailer?” because you’d like to transport your gear as well. 

On the other hand, you may already have a two horse trailer and are wondering if a single-horse trailer might be a better fit. The two of you go on many adventures but you’re realizing that the second stall in your current trailer is wasted space. It is rarely used, and costs you gas money to haul along the highway.  

Your first question might be, “How big a horse can you tow in a single-horse trailer?”. The standard size SafeTack single-horse trailer can accommodate a 15.2-hand horse in the 

1100-lb range and is available as an option for horses measuring 17.2 hands and larger.

Here are six reasons why a Double D Trailers single-horse SafeTack trailer is perfect for you! 

1.  A single horse trailer is easier and safer to tow.

A two-horse SafeTack trailer from Double D Trailers typically is 14 feet in length.  By removing the unused stall, the overall length can be reduced by 3.5 feet, resulting in 11.5 feet.  

An 11.5-foot length is easier to maneuver and tow on the road and will provide more stability and safety than a longer trailer. If you’re driving in congested cities or on highways, hauling a shorter trailer will undoubtedly be less stressful for you as well.

But you also might be wondering if the 11.5-foot length is sufficient for your needs. You can see a typical layout here. 

You’ll have more than enough space for your horse and your gear due to the ergonomic design of the SafeTack trailer.

2.  You will have more tow-vehicle options.

A shorter trailer base also means a lighter hauling load.  Brad explains, “It’s a weight savings of over 500 lb, but more importantly, it significantly reduces the tongue weight.”  The tongue weight is the vertical weight of your trailer’s front end if you were to walk up and lift it by the trailer coupler.

You can measure your bumper pull’s tongue weight here: Tongue Weight Calculator

An overly heavy tongue weight is often a culprit in unsafe towing situations where the tow vehicle, hitch, and trailer are improperly matched.  You won’t need to worry about this if you have a smaller trailer with a lighter tongue weight. This makes for a safer driving experience.

A lighter tongue weight and overall towing load will allow you more options when you choose your tow vehicle.  Fully loaded, your single-horse trailer will only weight about 4,100 lb.  This will allow you to buy a smaller, less powerful – and less expensive- truck or SUV.

3.  Save on gas expenses and trailer costs.

The initial price on a single-horse trailer is slightly less than a two-horse trailer. You save money by purchasing exactly what you need.

Furthermore, a smaller vehicle means lower gas consumption.  Brad said, “Lower weights and smaller vehicles tend to equal reduced gas consumption.”  

So, there are three ways a single-horse trailer can save you money: 

1) Less money on gas, 

2) Less initial cost on the trailer, and 

3) Less cost for a tow vehicle.

4.  Avoid the liability of towing other people's horses.

Yes, you may be asking, “But what if I want to haul a friend’s horse one day?” Does it really make sense to pay extra money permanently on the off chance that you can help a friend in the future? 

It may be worth thinking about this from another perspective: There are some serious considerations when hauling another person’s horse.  Is your friend’s horse a calm loader and traveler?  What happens if you’re in an accident and their horse is injured?  What happens if their horse damages your trailer somehow?  Who is liable for these damages?

In addition, taking a friend’s horse to an event can be more of an inconvenience than anything else.  Be honest.  Having a single-horse trailer means that you won’t need to walk this delicate line of being a good friend while avoiding awkward liability issues.

Your answer will be easy: “Sorry, I can’t help because I only have a single-horse trailer!”

5.  The Safetack horse trailer allows for safer loading and unloading.

There are many single-horse trailer designs available from other manufacturers but only Double D Trailers has the SafeTack design.  

With this slant load configuration, the rear tack storage compartment has been mounted on hinges, so it swings out like a second door.  Designing this trailer was easy for Brad.  “Since we already offer two- to six-horse trailers in the SafeTack design, it made sense to remove a stall from the two-horse and make it into a single-horse trailer.”

This new design allows for a wide-open entry point for your horse while he is loading onto the trailer. The horse is on an angle in the trailer, thereby optimizing the floor space. 

In contrast, many other single-horse trailer designs have a long and narrow hallway that can be intimidating for claustrophobic animals. Other single-horse slant load designs have a stationary rear tack storage area that creates a dangerously narrow door for both horse and handler to pass through.

The benefits of a SafeTack trailer are also apparent when unloading.  Other designs force your horse to back out of the trailer.  Brad explains, “With the SafeTack single-horse, your horse can walk in - and walk out.”  Simply swing the SafeTack storage compartment open, turn your horse’s head and lead him out and off the back of the trailer.

This is a much less stressful way for many horses to exit a trailer. Plus, it’s safer - and easier - for you too.

6.  Enjoy a customizable personal dressing room!

Have a look at our floorplan, and you’ll see exactly how the single-horse trailer is laid out. 

The front of your new SafeTack single-horse trailer has a great dressing area that is perfect to store your food, coolers, and extra equipment. Even many two horse trailer designs don’t have the luxury of a dressing room in their trailer. Now you can enjoy this feature on a single-horse trailer that is only 11.5 feet long! 

Plus, every trailer from Double D Trailers is fully customizable. Talk to Brad if you have a specific wish-list for this front dressing area. It can be customized to give you a place to put a mattress so you can save money on hotel costs. Another way to save!

Putting it All Together

A single-horse trailer can be a really smart option for single-horse owners. It provides safety features that will protect your horse while saving you money in the following ways:

• A smaller vehicle is required, saving money on vehicle purchase price

• Better fuel consumption with a smaller vehicle

• A single-horse trailer has a lower purchase price

• Save on accommodations with a customizable bunk area, and

• Lower your potential exposure to liability by not allowing other horses to travel in your trailer.

With all these advantages, it is worth your while to check out a one horse trailer. Start customizing yours now with our bumper pull SafeTack: Single Horse Trailer for Sale 

If you’re looking for a horse trailer with living quarters, our available model is the SafeTack One Horse Bumper Pull With Living Quarters. 

FAQs

What size is a single-horse trailer?

Double D Trailers’ single-horse bumper pull trailer has an overall box length of 11 feet 8 inches. Check out our standard features here: Single Horse Trailer for Sale 

For our single-horse trailer with living quarters, the overall box length is 15 feet 8 inches plus a 50-inch tongue. The living quarter size is 8 feet x 12 feet. See more details here: SafeTack One Horse Bumper Pull With Living Quarters

How much does a single-horse trailer weigh?

Double D Trailers’ single-horse bumper pull trailer weighs 2700 lbs without added options while the single-horse trailer with living quarters weighs 5100 lbs.

How much is a single-horse trailer?

Double D Trailers’ single horse trailer for sale starts at $27,343. If you’re interested in a single-horse trailer with living quarters, our SafeTack one horse bumper pull with living quarters model starts at $54,509.