Horse trailer as wood hauler?

[Oww My Back Hurts]

Has anyone ever tried to use a horse trailer for hauling wood?

Here's my dilemma: Where I live, I'm having a heck of a time finding wood to scrounge, but I see lots of scrounging opportunities closer to the metro area (maybe 45 miles away). My f250 truck gets bad gas mileage (10 mpg) so it doesn't make a lot of financial sense to drive that far for wood, but I was thinking that if I had a trailer, then it might. But trailers are expensive and if I spend a grand or more on a trailer, I'd have to haul an awful lot of wood before it would pay for itself.

However, we have plans to get a horse in a few years and when we do, we'll end up getting a horse trailer too. So, I am wondering if it'd make sense to buy a horse trailer now so I can use it to haul wood.

Has anyone ever tried that? I am not sure if the side walls would be strong enough to hold wood, plus if I ever came across a tree service with logs they wanted to get rid of, they'd have a heck of a time loading them into a trailer since they'd have to be loaded from the back.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

If it makes sense to you, and, most importantly your wife, then it make sense. I'm not a jockey and I don't play one on T.V. but I have hauled split firewood, rounds and 8 foot logs in my brother-in-law's horse trailer then hauled the horse just after unloading the wood. We hauled the stuff over some curvy, hilly roads, even dirt, roads, in Up-state New York with no problems. The logs were loaded, one at a time, by a Bobcat with forks on it. The guy scooted the logs right to the door, raised the front of the log and placed a few inches of it on the floor then went back to the other end and picked it up and pushed it into the trailer. only took him about a minute per log. This cat was gooood with a Bobcat, I believe if there was an attachment he could brush your teeth with that machine!

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Has anyone ever tried to use a horse trailer for hauling wood?

Here's my dilemma: Where I live, I'm having a heck of a time finding wood to scrounge, but I see lots of scrounging opportunities closer to the metro area (maybe 45 miles away). My f250 truck gets bad gas mileage (10 mpg) so it doesn't make a lot of financial sense to drive that far for wood, but I was thinking that if I had a trailer, then it might. But trailers are expensive and if I spend a grand or more on a trailer, I'd have to haul an awful lot of wood before it would pay for itself.

However, we have plans to get a horse in a few years and when we do, we'll end up getting a horse trailer too. So, I am wondering if it'd make sense to buy a horse trailer now so I can use it to haul wood.

Has anyone ever tried that? I am not sure if the side walls would be strong enough to hold wood, plus if I ever came across a tree service with logs they wanted to get rid of, they'd have a heck of a time loading them into a trailer since they'd have to be loaded from the back.

Horse/livestock trailers are perfect work/utility trailers - they are over built, lockable, many have separate tack rooms (perfect for hauling tools). . .

 

[ClintonH]

I have hauled ~3 cord of green wood on a 16-foot bumper-mount, double-axle stock trailer with a 3/4 ton truck. It was a bit too heavy for the trailer i suspect, but pulled without problems. It is nice to not worry about securing round, etc since you have walls and a top. We just tossed most of the load rather than stack to keep from overloading as well.

 

[bigbarf48]

I think a horse trailer would make a great wood hauler. Theyre usually pretty low too, so loading would be easy

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I think a horse trailer would make a great wood hauler. Theyre usually pretty low too, so loading would be easy

In addition to being low lots of them have ramps

 

[bigbarf48]

In addition to being low lots of them have ramps

Even better!

Now you've got me wanting a horse trailer for scrounging OP

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Even better!

Now you've got me wanting a horse trailer for scrounging OP

And the ramps are very heavy duty - meant to be trodden buy horses and all

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Only down side is that it would be a heavier trailer but one for double duty makes sense.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

I have hauled ~3 cord of green wood on a 16-foot bumper-mount, double-axle stock trailer with a 3/4 ton truck. It was a bit too heavy for the trailer i suspect, but pulled without problems. It is nice to not worry about securing round, etc since you have walls and a top. We just tossed most of the load rather than stack to keep from overloading as well.

Wow, you realize that 3 cord of red oak green is 17,100#s.

I can't imagine that trailer is made for even close to that kind of weight.

http://www.csgnetwork.com/logweight.html

 

[bigbarf48]

That calculator seems high compared to others I've used. Usually I see red oak coming in at 4500-5000# green

Still a heavy load, but I dont know what kind of trailer you were running

 

[Firewood Bandit]

That calculator seems high compared to others I've used. Usually I see red oak coming in at 4500-5000# green

Still a heavy load, but I dont know what kind of trailer you were running

You are right, that calculator does seem high, even still, 13,500-15,000 is still way too much weight for the set up on a horse trailer.

 

[ClintonH]

Mixed species, ash, cherry, oak. Some were green, others were cut and dried some already. It was a bit overloaded (tires having puppies) but we did OK. It does have brakes but you can believe we nursed it on the way home!

 

[larry3228]

I actually did it the other way around, we sold our horses and I kept the trailer. I've hauled wood and a lot of other stuff in it, it works great for that. It's a steel trailer so it's heavy but bullet proof. The downside of buying a horse trailer now is that they are much more expensive than a regular utility trailer.

 

[jillybeansisme]

Too bad my Sister's horse trailer is with her horse in Hawaii -- that being said, I totally believe in repurposing things. It seems like a great idea and other's have said it works, so why not! Maybe you can get a used one on Craig's List or see if a local stable has one for sale.

 

[Oww My Back Hurts]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Since it sounds like this could work, I am going to give it a shot if I can find a good price on one!

 

[ArsenalDon]

I love the idea! Can stack it to the gills without worrying about securing the wood, low to the ground for easy loading of wood.

 

[smokedragon]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Since it sounds like this could work, I am going to give it a shot if I can find a good price on one!

The only drawback I see, is that most horse trailers could only be loaded from the back. As a fellow scrounger myself, I love the fact that when I pull my trailer beside of a pile, I can throw it right over the side.

But your case of needing a trailer that pulls double duty, I think it is a great idea.

BTW, I drive that same F250, and I agree. A bed full of firewood has to be pretty close to the house, or you are filling the truck up so much it's not worth getting the wood any more.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

The only drawback I see, is that most horse trailers could only be loaded from the back. As a fellow scrounger myself, I love the fact that when I pull my trailer beside of a pile, I can throw it right over the side

I don't see this as much of a drawback. I load my truck from the back only - I'd be surprised if most people didn't.

 

[smokedragon]

I know lots of folks that put their trailer as close to the pile as they can get.....if that is a side, then so be it.

Of course, my trailer is 16 feet long. If I can pick it up, it is a lot easier to set it over the side of a low trailer than to take it all the way to the front.

Truck is a different story. Side of the truck bed is a wee bit tall to throw the big hunks over.

 

[firefighterjake]

I know lots of folks that put their trailer as close to the pile as they can get.....if that is a side, then so be it.

Of course, my trailer is 16 feet long. If I can pick it up, it is a lot easier to set it over the side of a low trailer than to take it all the way to the front.

Truck is a different story. Side of the truck bed is a wee bit tall to throw the big hunks over.

Learned the bit about the side of the truck being a bit tall about a year ago ... put a nice dent in the side of the truck bed.

 

[smokedragon]

Learned the bit about the side of the truck being a bit tall about a year ago ... put a nice dent in the side of the truck bed.

Just one.......I must learn slower than you

 

[Applesister]

I dont know guys, it seems to me you are opening a very expensive can of worms here. lol.
Fair warning.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I say yes...,, I can fit 1/3 cord in the back of my ram, how much can you put in the horse trailer? Will you then use your 250 and get an additional 1/3 cord?