How to Calculate the Value of a Used Horse Trailer
Buying a used horse trailer is a major investment. Buying the wrong trailer for your horse can be devastating. Although finding the best deal is important, your horse's welfare must be paramount. You must find a trailer that fits your biggest horse while still being safe for your smallest horse. Most horse trailers are 6 feet 6 inches tall and 5 feet 6 inches wide. This will comfortably fit a 15-2-hand horse. For taller horses you must add an additional 6 inches to the height of the trailer for every hand. The floor of the trailer, the hitch assembly and the brakes are the most important parts for the safety of your horse and the parts that experience the most wear. For horses that don't haul well or aren't hauled often, a stock trailer might be the best choice. As a general rule, stock trailers are less expensive that trailers with stalls, aluminum trailers are more expensive than steel trailers and the more stalls a trailer has, the more expensive it will be.
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Things You'll Need
- Pocketknife
- Notepad
- Stepladder
- Measuring tape
- Flashlight
- Knee pads
- Camera or video recorder
Instructions
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Before you Inspect the Used Horse Trailer
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Write down what kind of trailer you want: size (height and width), year made, two-horse up to six-horse trailer or stock trailer, slant load or straight load, aluminum or steel, gooseneck or frame hitch and color.
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2
Write down what amenities you want in the trailer such as sleeping quarters, tack room and feed room.
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Set a budget for your trailer. Remember to leave some leeway in your budget in case the trailer you select needs repair.
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Spend some time on the Internet looking at ads for trailers that meet your requirements. If you know what brand you want, check the manufacturer's website for additional information on the trailer.
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Find the average price of the trailers that meet your requirements. Use this number to set a base price for the trailers you look at.
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Get estimates for the most common repairs, such as replacing the floor, brakes, tires and wiring; repainting; and repairing rust spots.
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Amenities are anything that add value to a trailer. Estimate how much value the most common amenities add to the trailer. The most common amenities are aluminum exterior, tack room, hay racks, chrome wheels, saddle racks, ramps, double walls, padded dividers, matted walls, roof vents, interior lights, slant stalls, gooseneck hitch and immaculate condition. Low mileage also adds additional value.
Evaluating Used Horse Trailers
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Inspect the used horse trailer using your pocketknife, ladder, flashlight, measuring tape and knee pads. Check the exterior, roof, the tongue, the hitch assembly, the undercarriage, the tires, the wiring, the brakes, the wheel bearings, the floor, the interior and any accessories. Write down any repairs the trailer needs, as these will be deducted from the price. Take photos or video the trailers you inspect to compare them at home.
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Write down any extra amenities the horse trailer has. For example, if you researched three horse slant-load steel trailers without a tack room, and the trailer you inspect has a tack room, write down the tack room as an amenity.
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Total the cost of all repairs.
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Total the added value of amenities.
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Subtract the cost of repairs from the average price and add the total cost of the amenities. This will give you the price of your used horse trailer.
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Tips & Warnings
States have different requirements for trailers. Check with your local highway patrol to make sure your trailer meets all requirements.
Ask to see any mileage or repair logs the seller might have kept.
Test-drive the trailer before you buy it. If you can, load and unload and trailer your horse before buying.
Look for trailers that are white or silver, as they are easier to resell.
Some repairs are cost prohibitive. Walk away from any trailer that shows any signs of structural damage, extensive rust and rotten floorboards.
Find out if your state's lemon laws cover horse trailers.
Avoid trailers painted green, blue or red, as these are the least popular trailer colors.
You don't want to spend more on repairs than the resale value of the trailer.
