I’ve been getting a ton of questions about my horse trailer, and I guess it’s kind of unique, so here’s a blog tour/review of my 2014 Gore 2+1 Horse Trailer!
First of all, if you’re not familiar with a 2+1 horse trailer, it’s typically a gooseneck, and in the back of the trailer there is a 2 horse straight load configuration and the “plus one” comes in the form of a box stall in front of the two-horse area.
Additionally, the 2 horse straight load dividers can be removed, essentially making this a trailer consisting of two box stalls. In fact, you can go further by taking out the middle divider and using it like a fully opened stock trailer inside. Basically, with a two plus one trailer, you have a LOT of options.
Why Did I Want a 2+1 Trailer
At the time, we had three horses, and a small two-horse slant bumper pull. Facing a cross-country move, it was time to move up to a bigger rig. I looked a three horse slants, but honestly, my horses didn’t love the slant I owned. They were always kind of luke warm at best about getting in. They would do it, but I could tell they just didn’t love the trailer.
Also, one of my horses is a senior Morgan gelding who has a little bit of arthritis. While he trailers fine in a straight load or slant load, I had a lot of anxiety and concern about what long days on the road were going to look like for him. Would he be too stiff to move after being cramped in for hours at a time? Would he go lame? Would he be in pain.
It is ABSOLUTELY critical for horses with arthritis to be able to move around. Standing still is about one of the most painful things you can ask an old arthritic horse to do, and while dealing with the motion of a trailer, that could be doubly painful.
This is when I started looking at 2+1 trailers. I knew I could put my two younger horses in the straight load compartments and then let Bamboozal have the box stall, so he could move around and get comfortable.
Box Stall Options for Long Hauls
Now that we only have two horses, I like to use the box stalls for both horses on long trips. I bed the stalls generously and we let them each loose in a stall. I do have hay bags tied up, and when we stop, I hang up buckets of water for each of them.
When we’re traveling like this, we don’t worry about delays on the road. If you’re stopped for gas, they can move around. No need to unload. It can be very tricky finding places to unload when you’re on the road, and we just don’t have to worry about that anymore.
Also, when they have a box stall, they can choose how they want to travel. Often times, it seems like they like to face backwards. Your horse isn’t confined to a small space, and they can get in the position they find most comfortable for the ride.
Gore Trailers Are LITERALLY Cool!
I looked at several 2+1 trailers, and ultimately settled on a Gore, because it is literally COOL, temperature wise. Most of the trailers I looked at were all aluminum, which I wasn’t crazy about. I had serious concerns about an aluminum floor heating up during 8, 10 or 12 hours on a road in the middle of June.
Gore trailers are steel framed, with aluminum skin, wood floors and a fiberglass roof. I know a lot of people don’t like wood floors, because they can rot, but aluminum floors can go bad too if they’re not taken care of. I’m very meticulous about taking care of my trailer, and when boards need to be replaced in 10 or 15 years, I’m totally comfortable with that. I keep my trailer clean and check floorboards a few times a year. As long as you do that, you’ll be okay. Finally, I personally think boards are cooler and also more comfortable for horses to ride on.
Another reason this trailer is so cool is that the roof is fiberglass! These trailers are designed and manufactured in North Carolina, which is a hot and humid place in the summertime. The folks at Gore know that hot trailers are dangerous trailers, so they’ve designed theirs to keep temperatures as cool as possible.
Finally, these trailers have a TON of ventilation! There are four roof vents and a TON of windows with screens, and several that drop down for added ventilation. During our cross-country trip from North Carolina to Idaho two summers ago, our horses did INCREDIBLY well, even on the hottest days.
At most during stops at the hottest times of day, they might have some sweat behind their arm pits and maybe a little on their necks, but never more than that. Nobody was ever drenched or puffing, ever. We had several days that were 8, 10+ hours on the road, in the SUN, in JUNE, through places like Tennessee, Missouri, Nebraska, etc, etc. HOT PLACES.
Comfy Tack Room / Sleeping Area
This is not a fancy living quarters trailer, but it does have a spacious tack room. Actually, the tack room was one foot longer than other similar trailers of other brands that I looked at. We did have a professional RV company insulate and wire the tack room, so it has electric and is now very comfortable in cold and hot weather. We’re out west, so we don’t need an AC/heater yet, but we plan to get one when we go back out east, and we’re wired for it now.
We did take the saddle rack out. It was bolted on. Instead of that, we use a tack cart on wheels or “rolling saddle rack.” It’s super easy to use and portable, so you can move it into the horse area when you’re living in the “living quarters” and you can roll it right to the hitching post when it’s time to tack up.
Loading and Unloading is a Breeze
One of the BEST features about this trailer is how easy it is to load and unload horses. Whether you’re using the straight load shoots in the back or box stalls, horses seem much more willing to get into this trailer than others I’ve used.
If you’re by yourself, and you’re only hauling one horse, you could easily just put the side ramp down, and load your horse in that way. Then just shut your horse in the rear box stall! Voila, no need to put down butt bars or self load or shut dividers on worried horse. Just walk your horse in like you would walk it into a stall in a barn.
Additionally, if you’re not using the front box stall, you can put a ton of stuff in there. I’m sure you could get a horse cart in there (taken apart), a four-wheeler, bicycles, all kinds of stuff, a golf cart for the show people!
Taking Care of Horses on The Road
Obviously, the well thought out and cool design of the Gore 2+1 trailer makes it comfortable for horses, which is the first component to taking care of horses on the road. A comfortable horse is a happy horse on the road. A comfortable horse eats hay and drinks water.
We always have hay bags for horses in the trailer, but only hang water buckets when we stop. The Gore is super easy to get in and out of from either the tack room into the front box stall or the escape door on the left side of the trailer. You can move easily between the box stalls once you’re in there too. Also, drop down windows make feeding carrots at rest stops quick and easy!
If you have a slant, GOOD LUCK, getting in there to check on your horse, especially if it’s loaded in the front with two other horses behind it. Going into the trailer with your horse is very easy. You can monitor vitals and make sure your horse is doing well throughout the journey.
Again, this may not be an issue for people who only trailer around town or short distances, but I can’t stress enough how nice this is for long hauls.
The Gore 2+1 Horse Trailer Tows Smoothly
Finally, the Gore 2+1 Horse Trailer tows REALLY smoothly. Maybe, it’s because I came from a half ton truck with a bumper pull two horse, but wow, the difference a gooseneck and 3/4 ton diesel makes is incredible! The truck doesn’t feel taxed, brakes are smooth and powerful, and you SO confident that your horses are in such a safe, secure and smooth ride.
If you’ve never pulled or parked a gooseneck, there is definitely a learning curve. It’s COMPLETELY different than a bumper pull, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. I am fully confident hooking up, pulling and parking this rig by myself. As always, practicing in an empty field (preferably with no audience in the beginning) is a great way to get comfortable.
Listed below are some specs and info from Gore’s website.
White Aluminum Deluxe Thoroughbred Two + 1 Horse Gooseneck Trailer with Side Ramp and Dressing Room
79″ Wide w/ Aerodynamic Front (24′ Box)
Details on The Gore 2+1 Trailer
(Steel Chassis for Added Strength)
Outside Width: 102″ Total Length: 32′
7′ For Horses to Stand 3′ Head Room, 9′ Box Stall, 5′ Dressing Room, 8′ Over Gooseneck
(Nov. 2011) Approx. Weight: 6360 lbs. Hooked to Truck: 4600 lbs. Hitch Weight: 1760 lbs.
Gore 2+1 Trailer Specs
- 7′ 6″ Height, 10′ Back Stall w/9′ Front Box Stall
- LED Tail Lights, Marker and Runner Lights
- White Fiberglass Top (Cooler Inside) w/4 Top Air Scoop
- Axles – Tandem – 6000 lbs. Ea. – Electric Brakes w/ DOT Approved Break Away under Gooseneck
- LT235/85R16, 10-Ply Radial Tires w/ 65″ Wheels w/ Hub Caps with Spare Tire and Wheel and Cover mounted under Gooseneck
- 51″ Tall Ramp w/ Dutch Doors & Cam Latch w/ (15″ x 22″) Sliding Window w/ Bars In each Door
- Side Ramp on Right Side (55″ Wide x 51″ Tall) w/ (22″ x 30″) Sliding Window w/ Bars in Door Above Ramp (Open Width: 53″)
- Chain Across Front Ramp
- Drop Foot Landing Gear
- Adjustable Gooseneck Coupler
- Two Stud Doors 10′ from Back *Removable
- No Head Divider
- One (28″ x 70″) Walk-Out Escape Door on Left Side & 25″ x 25″drop feed window next to DR wall
- Door Hold Backs on All Doors
- (28″ x 70″) Dressing Room Door w/ Screen on Right Side
- Shield under Dressing Room Floor
- Carpet on Gooseneck Floor & Dressing Room Floor
- Dressing Room Walls Insulated and Aluminum Lines up to Gooseneck
- In Dressing Room: Clothes Rod, Blanket Rack, Ten Bridle Hooks
- Lunadome in Dressing Room
- Wall in Horse Stall Insulated and Aluminum Lined
- Treated Wood Floor
- Rubber Kick Plates on Side Walls
- Floor mats
- Padded Breast Bars, Padded Butt Bars, Padded Stalls
- Padded Removable 16″ Aluminum Middle Divider
- Light in Dressing Room, 2 Lights in Horse Stall, Light in Gooseneck Area & Two Outside Lights
- Bus Window (14″ x 59″) in each Horse Stall w/ Bars over Windows
- Two Saddle Racks in Dressing Room on Outside Wall (1st starts 3′ off floor)
- Bus Window (14″ x 48″) in Gooseneck Sides (No Windows in Aerodynamic Front)
- Outside Tie Under Center of each Horse Window, Two Inside Ties at each Horse Head
- 16″ Diamond Plate Gravel Guard on Fenders
- Three 2″ Tape Stripes (1″ Available in Some Colors)
- Three Drop Down Feed Window
- Walk Thru Door in Dressing Room Wall
In Conclusion
There are so many reasons why I love the Gore 2+1 Horse Trailer. Above all, my number one reason for loving this trailer is that my horses like it. If they’re happy, I’m happy.
Until next time, Happy Trails!