Show Trailer!

[Margali]

So we bought a trailer! I've been keeping an eye on FB marketplace and this popped up today. We went over and got it for a really great price.

 

[Margali]

Specs that I know of:
Chad..... Trailers
7/1983 It's younger than I am barely!
GVWR lbs 6000
Single axle
6'w x ~9.5'l, 12' total length
Empty weight 2190lbs
Floor area is 6'w x 6'5"x 44"h front wall.
Escape door on each side that is 21"w x 42" tall.
Rounded tack / horse nose area is 36" deep.

 

[Margali]

Since sheep are short, I'm considering installing air vents or fan into the escape doors to help give them air flow.


I'm definitely going to make a divider down to the floor so there are 2 pens 3'x6'. I don't think 3'x3' is enough...

 

[SageHill]

So we bought a trailer! I've been keeping an eye on FB marketplace and this popped up today. We went over and got it for a really great price.

View attachment 108484

Congrats!! Let the fun begin

 

[Ridgetop]

Exciting!

Consider converting the upper horse feed area to storage for shows. Or if it is large enough to hold a dog crate, use tie downs and carry the smaller lambs that she will show in a crate up there. That way you can carry more large sheep without trampling the lambs. If you install air vents you need to be able to close them off in the winter because rain will come in on the sheep. If you go to a 2 day show you will need to carry feed and bedding. If the trailer has a saddle rack in it (which this stye horse trailer often does) it is easily removed by unbolting the base. Then it will lift out and give you the entire storage compartment for your show equipment.

You can use cattle panels attached to the bottom of the divider for now to separate the sides. As long as she is only showing ewes, I would leave it one larger space. More air flow and more space for the ewes to move around. You won't need separate compartments until she is showing rams and ewes.

 

[Margali]

The top feed area is same dimensions except the divider. I'm planning on making a web nets to go across horse feed areas to keep hay and feeds in place. It's not quite deep enough for a full hay bale. There is no saddle rack anymore so bottom area is open half circle 3' radius. We can put show kit, chairs, and such in there. I also plan a small battery and such for 12V lights and fan.

I like your idea for a large dog crate for the lambs. I have a couple that I can put in trailer to contain the lambs. I'll do that for now before worrying about divider.

Any vents I put in will have louvers to keep rain from entering. Metal frame so I can slap a magnet vent cover over if needed.

 

[farmerjan]

Good for you to be able to find something that will be very functional for the foreseeable future. The 2 horse Stidham trailer I had, had the full nose underneath the top feed sections like yours, and I could cram alot of stuff in there. Used it for years and years with the horse and then with hauling calves. Mine had a solid divider that went to about 4-6 inches off the floor, and it was attached with the "pins" like a gate is, so could be lifted out, to make one open trailer. Used it to haul pigs and sheep and calves and whatever else, for many years after that. It was a bumper tow and very well balanced and not real far off the ground for step up and just very convenient.
CONGRATS....

 

[Weldman]

Since sheep are short, I'm considering installing air vents or fan into the escape doors to help give them air flow.
View attachment 108490View attachment 108491

I'm definitely going to make a divider down to the floor so there are 2 pens 3'x6'. I don't think 3'x3' is enough...

Get some butyl tape, steel closed end rivets that meet the thickness of the roof, butyl tape and a RV fan , drill bit for 3/16" rivets, rivet popper from Wally world, RV vent fan Maxxair is best with 4 speed, and wire your vehicle up for 6 way plug for some trailer brakes and accessory wire to run that vent fan.
Install this

This goes over it for more rain protection.

 

[Margali]

@Weldman I definitely could install a max air on the roof. I've done so on our bare bone rv cargo conversion.

My concern with roof mount is air flow would be from dutch door seam to roof not pulling from down low. That is why I was considering the exhaust fan flipped to it was forced air into lower 48" of trailer.

 

[Weldman]

So seal the dutch door seam better or not, but put two openings one in each compartment that equal to the RV vent opening down low or in the floor to act as a drain too and it will suck air from the least resistant path which is those two holes.
Trying to force air down is basically hair drying your animals as heat rises.