Living Quarters Horse Trailer Essentials: Top 8 Suggestions
Written by Rachael Kraft, Last Updated August 14, 2024
Enjoying all the living quarters horse trailer essentials you can opt for feels like a true blessing. Picture this: instead of putting up with a hard-mattress motel bed or spending the night inside a tent, you could sleep in a nice warm, dry bed. This would feel extra special when a sudden spring storm decides to drop thousands of gallons of water in the middle of the night. If you had a long day on the trail, your derriere needs a nice soft couch to give it back its original shape. Most equestrians would relate to such a situation in a heartbeat.
No matter what the other horse fanciers say, if you travel with your horse – either very long distances or just a few nights - even minimal living quarters are a necessity. Hotels and motels, though extremely comfortable and convenient sometimes, are not an option when traveling with horses. A bundle of living quarters horse trailer essentials is always the better option.
As an extension of the RV (recreational vehicle), a horse trailer with living quarters is a purpose-built vehicle incorporating safe conditions to transport your horse, and a variety of levels of comfort for you and your family or friends.
Living quarters horse trailer essentials comprise the must-have options, features, and widgets that provide extra comfort, convenience, and safety, among other perks. You should consider them when ordering your custom-built horse trailer or when you’re remodeling your old one.
There are many amenities that can be incorporated into a horse trailer with living quarters. We’ll suggest our top eight essentials, and we’ll throw in four “nice-to-haves” as a bonus!
Eight Essentials for a Horse Trailer with Living Quarters
Just like with any custom-built vehicle, there is a lot to choose from when it comes to the absolute living quarters horse trailer essentials. What’s important to a person could be easily neglected by another. But we’ve come up with a short list of amenities and features that we think are hard to beat and would serve everyone equally well. From our clients’ experiences, these are the things you should consider, too. Here is our list of the eight essentials a horse trailer with living quarters requires:
1. A Toilet (or Full Washroom if Possible)
When you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go. Although toilets require a little extra work (finding dumping stations and emptying tanks can be problematic), it’s more than worth it to avoid questionable porta-potties and limited campground bathrooms.
Anyone who has ever traveled in any recreational vehicle knows how happy they are to have their own washroom - or at least a toilet - within a few feet of them. In fact, the absence of a toilet – or the difficulty in finding one when it’s needed – is very often the main reason why certain people don’t travel. Some people have serious medical problems, and this often prevents them from leaving the house, let alone traveling long distances. Don’t even think twice about any living quarters horse trailers that list a toilet as an option.
2. Climate Control
For most people, this is going to mean both heating and air conditioning, but that will largely depend on where your travels take you. After a long day in the heat, there is nothing better – or more refreshing – than being able to sleep in a cool, dry bed.
For those hot or cold nights, a propane furnace – or heat from the AC unit - is also recommended. That cozy feeling is a luxury when you’re on the road, and it is surprisingly fast how your living quarters heat up.
There is no danger to using a propane furnace either…but make sure you have the proper detectors installed, or verify if they come standard with the trailer, which is usually the case.
There’s nothing like air conditioning to suck the humid air right out of your living quarters, and heating with anything besides a central furnace can be dangerous in tight spaces.
3. Storage
The more, the merrier when it comes to places to stash your necessary supplies and gear. You will probably be traveling with the bare minimum you need, but it certainly helps to have room for your things, plus extra space for food and beverages.
Look for living quarters that utilize all the available wall space possible for cabinetry -- if the seating has hidden storage under the cushions, so much the better. You can really compromise on floor space in horse trailers with living quarters if there are plenty of spots to tuck everything.
4. Multiple Power Sources
If you plan on camping at a campground facility or another type of organized grouping of trailers, you may be able to find a place to plug in your trailer using the power cord and an adapter, if required.
But if you travel a lot, the chances are good that you’re going to find yourself without power one of these days. If you have the funds, a built-in inverter/generator can provide all the power you’ll need for any length of visit. It is possible to have a separate generator as well, but generally, they are very noisy. Neither you nor your horse will probably get much sleep, but it is reassuring to have some source of electricity. Solar panels are also a great option but need to be properly installed and maintained. Plus, you’ll need sunshine or at least bright daylight to charge them.
5. Appliances
You’ve already sprung for the living quarters! Don’t skimp on the basics when it comes to your appliances. A mini refrigerator, a smooth gas-fired cooking surface, and a microwave will make it easier to eat healthy meals while you’re away from home. A gas-fired cooking stove (using propane) is convenient, but you may want to have the option of being able to hook it up outside as well to avoid cooking smells that linger. Did anyone say fried onions?
6. A Shower
You really, really want a shower if you’re going to be gone for more than a weekend. A “full bathroom” - even a small one - complete with a shower is a level of luxury that you will appreciate on the road. It’s one of the living quarters horse trailer essentials that make all the difference you need.
It doesn’t have to be a fancy setup - and it doesn’t even have to be indoors. A cowboy/cowgirl shower will work in a pinch - but by the third or fourth day without a shower, you’ll be begging for heavy rain and a bar of soap. A shower in a horse trailer with living quarters is a great feature, made only better by it being a corner mounting, which gives you extra room.
7. An Extra-Large Propane Tank
If you opted for gas-operated appliances and possibly a gas furnace, it’s a good idea to get an extra-large propane tank. Adding this little luxury will spare you the hassle of trying to refill your tank while on the road.
Most refill places are for RVs and are sometimes difficult to access because they are often near RV parks. This may make it tricky to get in and out of – there are often lineups – so it’s better to have the largest tank that you can safely carry. Plan for your fill-ups or look up online apps to find the nearest one when you need propane. Also, don’t forget that if you ever have to take a ferry with your horse trailer with living quarters, make sure you close all valves to your propane tank.
8. 110-Volt Outlets
Yes, outlets can be optional equipment in living quarters horse trailers – so make sure you ask, especially if you’re building a custom horse trailer. You might not need very many, depending on the size of your living quarters, but better too many than too few. With all our devices – tablets, cell phones, and Bluetooth speakers – a dedicated jack with your chargers can be a time-saver.
The Ones That Got Away
There are a few items that didn’t make the essentials list for horse trailers with living quarters, but we thought we’d mention them all the same. Everyone has their thing – that “one” thing that they know will just make their lives easier while out on the road. Not all such perks should be something physical, too.
Proper Lighting
It’s important to have good lighting for tasks such as preparing food and working on or fixing a piece of tack or gear in the evening. But it’s also nice to have some reading lights to provide a nice ambiance, and to relax after a long day in the hot sun.
Flooring
Easy-clean vinyl flooring inside your living area is a time-saver, and comfy on the feet. A cozy carpet for the bedroom area is a great idea – it’s always nice to get out of bed and touch a comfortable floor, even if it’s hot outside. In addition, Rumber flooring is one of the best options to go for when deciding on flooring for the horse area.
A Sound System
What’s better than listening to your horse? Listening to your favorite (dare I say?) cowboy songs! Just kidding… Go ahead, you can play ANY kind of music. While you’re at it, ask your horse what kind of music they prefer.
A Great Guarantee
Nothing is more satisfying than a great warranty or guarantee on an exceptional product. It just brings you peace of mind knowing that the manufacturer is dependable and responsible for their product, no matter how well-built it is.
A Roadside Safety Kit
The Double D Trailers team surveyed 300+ horse trailer owners asking for their opinions and preferences on roadside emergency tools. The consensus included twine, emergency foldable traffic cones, jumper cables, automotive lubricant, flares, wheel chocks, portable tire pumps, lug wrenches, and multi-purpose pliers, among others. The results of this survey inspired us to come up with a convenient kit to address a common need: the SafeRide Kit.
Order Your Own SafeRide Horse Trailer Roadside Safety Kit
Living Quarters Horse Trailer Essentials: Which Ones Matter the Most to YOU?
What are the essential options and perks you’d like to have in your horse trailer with living quarters? Do you agree with our suggestions? Do you have any of your own? Over the years, we’ve been asked to provide some challenging features in some of our customer’s horse trailers. We’ve never backed down from a good challenge! Impossible means nothing.
No matter what essentials you choose, it goes without saying that the most important aspects of designing a custom-built horse trailer are durability and safety. Keep your family and your horses in mind when choosing your new rig, no matter what other bells and whistles you’re thinking of adding. You’re welcome to share your ideas with us, and we’ll help you turn them into a beautiful reality.
