What's in my horse trailer?

Before I talk about what’s in my horse trailer, I should warn you that I’ve got a relatively primitive set-up. I use the old Featherlite my mom bought in the early 1990s to haul broodmares and foals around. It’s a three-horse slantload gooseneck with a small dressing room. I love it, because it’s lightweight and relatively short. I can turn around almost anywhere, and I did not get stuck on the horrible little road up to Lovers Camp in the Marble Mountains. (Read about my trip with Jazz to the Marbles here: Riding in the Marble Mountains.) It’s a great trailer–but it’s a far cry from those Living Quarter monster trailers many people bring to endurance rides.

Above: I pull an old Featherlite 3-horse slant-load trailer with a small dressing room that I’ve organized with self-assembled furniture and fancied up with a mirror. Jazz is tied to it in the Marble Mountains.

I’ve been using the trailer since my second endurance ride with Fantazia, in February 2021. (I took my boyfriend’s truck and stock trailer to our first ride. It worked, but was even more barebones and longer!) At first, I just threw everything in plastic tubs, ice chests, and travel bags. I hung things from bridle hooks. Used feedbags served as garbage and hay bags. Then I got Jazz and started taking two horses to rides. Suddenly space became tight and organization more important. When I started planning my trip with Jazz to the northern regions of California (read about it here), I realize something needed to be done.

Organizing the dressing room with furniture

I decided to purchase self-assembled furniture to fit the dimensions of the dressing room in my trailer. Because of the limited space, I had very precise requirements.

First, I wanted low cabinet with sliding doors to put in the goose neck alongside my bed. The sliding doors were necessary so I could open it when the futon was extended.

Second, I wanted a tall narrow wardrobe to hang things in. I planned to put it right beside the door, and bought it with those dimensions in mind. However, I hadn’t noticed tha there is a steel protuberance that serves aas a base for the saddle rack, should one desire to put it there instead of in the back of the trailer. Since the wardrobe has ddrawers on thebottom, I had to put it on the wall across from the door instead.

Finally, I wanted a low cabinet that would double as a narrow table.

After an exhaustive google search, I ended up purchasing the following units on amazon.

(Note that if you click on the links and purchase something, I will sometimes receive a small commission! This is true for the sites with affiliate programs such as amazon.)

Sliding door cabinet

It’s on sale now on Amazon! Click here.

This little cabinet was exactly what I was looking for. It is just the right height. (I left the legs off so it would be more stable, and that gave me a bit more room on top.) It was also a pain in the neck to assmble. I started it on the ground, but had to do most of the assembly in the trailer. It would have been too heavy for me to lift alone, and unyieldy for tow people. In the video below you can see the ieces right out of the box.

It turns out to be perfect! I did not bolt it to the wall, but just used a thin strip of duct tape on the floor to keep it from sliding back. The only issue is that it will fall over if I go around long curves too fast. This is not a problem when I have horses in the trailer, because I go slowly anyway. But the first time I drove the trailer empty, I tipped the cabinet over. The bottoms of the sliding doors also pop out on curves… that’s because I have books on the bottom and they push out. If I put the futons and a heavy box in front of them, it solves the problem.

Above: The sliding door cabinet is perfect for the gooseneck. I keep clothes, blankets. pillows, books, and a flashlight in it.

Tall thin wardrobe

I paid the most for this one (amazon link). There are not a lot of options for tall thin wardrobes. (There are others, but they are very expensive!) It’s well-made, with heavy wood. It was not easy to assemble.

I bolted it to the steel frame of the trailer, but unfortunately, the washer popped out of the cable on a rough road. The whole thing fell, and the door broke. My son helped me switch the hinges to the other side, so it’s mainly fixed. I now strap it in.

Above: On the left (top), you can see the wardrobe as I was building it. In the final picture, you can see how I strap it in for travel, having learned the hard way that it will fall if yoiu go over a big bump.

Low narrow cabinet

The simplest and cheapest piece of furniture I bought has also been the easiest to use. This little gray cabinet (Amazon link) seemed flimsy to me as I was assembling it, but it’s quite sturdy when strapped to the wall. It’s three drawers slide easily, and you can adjust the shelf behind the door.

What's in my trailer? You can see my little gray cabinet and thin wardrobe here.

Above: On the left you can see the little gray cabinet. It’s very useful as a table too. Since I took this photo, I have put a mirror above it (see below).This picture also shows the stump I use as a step stool, the hanging organizer, the fire extinguisher, and the foldable rolling cart. And other stuff!

Other stuff

I put a cheap Hanging organizer on the rod that’s over my gooseneck area. The trailer came with that rod, and with a bridle rack (I’ve got my hydration pack, folding chairs, a small shovel, spare saddle pads,

A mirror. My parents were remodelling the bathroom, and the old mirror was about to go in the trash bin. I rescued it and glued it on with Liquid Nails. I then made a frame with duct tape. That mirror is never coming off that wall!

Above: The mirror I attached with Liquid Nails and Duct Tape looks quite nice! Of course, I never use a mirror on an enduance ride. But it definitely makes the trailer dressing room look fancier. And it reflects light, making a lamp go further.

Camp fire supplies. Firewood, kindling, fatwood, newspaper, matches…. A shovel (actually I have two in the trailer).

Organizing the back of the trailer

Horse space

It’s a 3-horse trailer. I’ve got two horses. One slot is used for buckets, hay bags, hay, firewood, and plastic bins where I store horse stuff. Generally it’s the first slot (most forward) so I don’t have to take things in and out. But if I go on a long trip, I put the horses in the front and the rest in the back. Heavier closer to the truck is better.

In the summer, I keep the window with no horse behind it open. I’d like to have bars so I could keep them all open. When at ride camps, I open the windows so I can tie horses and hay bags to more hooks. I’ve just now added more tie hooks to the outside of the trailer. (If you do this, use a good drill and the correct bits–drill a small hole first. Drilling into a steel frame isn’t fun.)

The tack area

I have three saddle racks in the back. I usually have a western saddle and two endurance saddles. On bridle hooks I store each horse’s bridle, Fantazia’s bosal hackamore, a lunge rope that I never use, a spare bridle, breast collars, my helmet, girths, and cinches.

I tie spare halters, headstalls, leads, easy boot gloves, twine, and my half chaps to the bars on the window. On the floor goes my 6-gallon water container, my grooming box, a stump that can serve as a mounting block, a soft-sided bucket with sponge, shampoo, etc., and a first aid bucket (Betadine, fake Furazone, DMSO, etc).

Above: I use the bars on my tack compartment window to tie things.

What’s in my trailer for humans

I carry lots of stuff, much of which lives in my trailer so I cannot possibly forget it. Some essentials:

Battery packs. I use Anker, nad have a big one and a small one I can carry in my pack when hiking or riding. The big one lives in the trailer unless it needs charging. I can charge three devices for three nights on it.
Matches.
Lanterns. I have various, including these. I love the big square solar Luminaid ones. My mom gave me this one, though I later lost it in the Marbles. It doesn’t hold a charge for much time, but it illuminates the entire trailer.
Foldable chairs. I have three old ones, but mainly use the cheapest, because that way if I forget it at ride meeting, it doesn’t matter. Of course, I’ll never forget it. That will only happen with the expenisve new one I just bought: LaFuma recliner. I haven’t even had a chance to use it yet!

My bed

I use two tri-folding futons for a bed. My mom bought them years ago and stored them in the trailer. So when I got the trailer, I got the futons, and they are really ideal. They fold up easily, so I have all the space in the gooseneck available if I need to put things in it. They are thick enough to block the cold and give a good cushion. I am fairly certain she didn’t get them at Wayfair, but this product looks similar: Eddins Cot.

Above: I used two tri-folding futons as a bed. They fit perfectly between my sliding door cabinet and a space for bags, batteries, books, phones, etc. I cover the futons with a faux down comforter in winter, and sheets in summer. I’ve pasted the packaging that came with my parents’ Factor 75 meals to the walls for insulation.

Bed clothes

For summer I use a lightweight bag I bought years ago at Decathlon in Spain. It’s perfect for warmer nights.

My beautiful Nemo Women’s Forte bag is wonderful for winter. I bought this one last winter, and I love it. I had been using one of my boyfriend’s bags, and it is a nice bag, but like all mummy bags, it doesn’t ;et me spread my knees apart, and that hurts my hip. The NEMO forte lets me open my knees up and it has vents and a flap that goes over our face. Only problem: It’s for cold weather. Very vold. No good in the summer.

I also have a faux down comforter (also from Decathlon in Spain) that I put on top of the futons when it’s really cold. And a lightweight blanket and sheet for summer… and of course two pillows in pillow cases.

Safety

Flashlights. Lots. These rechargeable ones are great.

I also have this crank/solar radio/flashlight. One should always have a radio and flashlight that do not require battries or electricity.

Fire extinguisher. I keep one in the truck and one in the trailer. (e.g., these from Lowe’s.)

First aid kit. I carry one in my car and one in the horse trailer.

Many more first aid supplies that I added to my life after completing a Stop the Bleed course as part of my training for the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps. Technically I was part of the Large Animal Response Team, but I trained for human emergencies too. So I’ve got tourniquets (I actually ride with that in my backpack), lots of bleeding control options (eg hemostatic bandages), gauze, tape…. You can buy them on the Stop the bleed shop, but most things are cheaper on amazon, just make sure you get the good stuff.

For eating and drinking

Propane gas stove. I use this Coleman propane stove. It has both a grill and a burner, and the lid and two braces which block the wind. It’s great for windy days, and give a lot of heat. I generally only use the burner, because if I can, I make a campfire for grilling. This one does need matches though.

Foldable campfire grill. Great for grilling meat on a campfire if you don’t have a fire pit and built in grill.

Mess kit (very useful thing, plates, utensils, bottle opener). I also have an old plastic plate, a mug, and a package of clear plastic cups.

Tea kettle (I have the smaller version of that one and it was CHEAP at Target, but they don’t seem to be selling them anymore), tea pot, tea from Upton Tea.

Mate gourd and bombilla.

Thermos. Yeti tumbler. A growler from Costco my boyfriend gave me.

Comestibles

Drinks

Besides tea and yerba mate, I carry at least a gallon of human water, plus sparkling water, beer, and juice. And well, usually tequila, Grand Marnier, and limes.

I carry one ice chest (this one from Lowes) for drinks. I put 20-30 lbs of ice in it, and lots of sparling water and beer. For the sparkling water, I like Bubly or Liquid Death or the Smart & Final brand. For beer, well there are too many I like. But it needs to be IPA. I like Session IPAs for the middle of rides, and double IPAs for after riding. I generally have a good supply of the beers I’ve tried and not liked… there’s always someone who wants one! And I keep a few non-IPAs in case I have a guest who doesn’t like IPA (strange as it may seem to me).

I also have lots of juice. I have Tart Cherry Juice because someone said it’s good for sore muscles. It might be. I like it anyway. I like to keep lots of cans of V8 Energy+ Pomegranate and Berry Fusion in the trailer. For a while, I always had a bottle of Roots with Ginger, until Costco stopped carrying it. I love that stuff.

Food

Trail mix. I prefer the Coastal Berry mix from Costco.

Instant Oat meal just in case I get lazy about breakfast.

Dave’s Good Seed bread, Peanut Butter, jam.

TriTip, or something else to grill.

Salad mix, fruit (generally apples, blueberries, raspberries, oranges in winter…)

Brie from Costco.

Something for breakfast I can eat quickly. Maybe Aussie Bites. If I have time, I’ll bake a cake (often ginger) or banana bread. If there’s a potluck at a ride, I might bake a big cake to share and a small cake for me.

For riding

Ariat Terrains–though I am thinking of trying something else. After decades of Ariats, their quality is noticeably declining.

Riding tights, jeans, windbreaker, scarf, gloves, compression socks, normal socks, t-shirts, sweatshirt, bras, underwear… I have spares of all these things that live permanently in my trailer. Why? A year or so ago I got to a ride and had forgotten to pack my riding gear. Ended up wearing what I had on.

(Read my two most popular blog posts Let’s Talk Underwear! and Best Bras for Riding Horses.)

Hydration pack. I love my Miracol. Since my hydration bladder broke at the La Grange Ditch 50 this summer, I have now added a spare bladder to the trailer.

Fanny pack. I stuff the ride map, a knife, hoof pick, snacks, and twine in this.

Energy gels. I prefer Huma.

Other clothing

Down jacket. My sister-in-law Wendy gave me one years ago that I love.

Cold weather hiking pants (for putting over tights before rides when it’s freezing)

Water shoes (useful for river hiking at the Buck Mountain Boogie ride last summer).

Above: On the left (top), you can see my Thermos, growler, Lowe’s ice chest, a rock I carry n case I need to block the trailer, and a luggable loo. Center, the shelf that comes with the trailer, with soap, shampoo, conditioner, brush, tooth brush, tooth paste, Listerine, Absorbine liniment, sun block, Simple green, Johnson’s baby shampoo (I use that to wash my face, and the only soap if in the wilderness). Above the shelf is a foldable box (used to store a variety of things), crank radio, pepper spray, baby wipes. Right, my small library in my sliding door cabinet.

What’s in my trailer for horses

I use mulch from the high sierra as bedding. The forest service brings it down where anyone can pick it up. It’s free, and it doesn’t fly around like shavings do.

Feed

Whatever their regular feed is… currently it’s Purina’s Equine Active Senior Feed.

A mix of hays (alfalfa, wheat, oat, grass).

Beet pulp (always pellets because they disintegrate faster) and alfalfa/timothy cubes for making mashes.

Supplements: Enduramax, Cal MPK drench, giant syringes

Other horse stuff

Buckets (two big, two five-gallon, several 2-gallon ones for soaking mash). Hay nets (2) hay bags (3), and tub for hay.

All the tack mentioned above. Fantazia wears an old Stonewall saddle (blog post to come). River is wearing my Zaldi, but I will probably need to get her another. I have a McCall western saddle on order, which I thought to ride Jazz in for next year’s Tevis. (Read Saying Good-bye to Jazz for details on why he won’t be my Tevis horse.)

Extra saddle pads, girths, a racing overgirth and foam pad I use to ride “bareback.”

Blankets: Waterproof sheets, liners, heavy blankets, cooler. (I prefer to buy blankets from Schneider’s.)

Stethoscope. Laser thermometer (for checking heat on legs). Thermometer.

For easing tired legs and potential injuries: VetWrap, polo wraps, standing wraps (read my post on How to wrap horse legs), quilted wraps, gauze, fake Furazone for sweating, poultice (and paper bags to wet and wrap around the poultice). DMSO, Banamine, Bute.

What's in my trailer: buckets, firewood...

Above: I carry a variety of things in the extra slot in the back of my trailer. Here you can see buckets, firewood, thin sheet, and foam pad for riding.

Things I carry for horses and humans

Water. I carry many water containers: one 7-gallon, one 6-gallon, one 3-gallon, two collapsible 5-gallon ones, and several 1.3 gallon bags that I freeze and stick in the ice chest.

Ice chest with food and horse ice wraps. I use these ice packs that you fill with water.

Carrots, zinc oxide (yes, Desitin because it’s 40%), rubbing alcohol…

Rake, broom, manure fork, shovel.

Black plastic bags. Empty feedbags (that’s what I use for out-vet checks, after losing a real bag).

What I still need

A table. I really need to get one to carry around.

Possibly panels to make a pen for the horses. Though we’ve got plenty of hot wire (tape) fencing I could use…. (Horseguard fencing.)

What’s in my horse trailer?

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