How Many Horses Can Be Hauled in a 24-Foot Stock Trailer?

Safety is the most important factor when hauling horses. Traditional stock trailers provide a safe, effective method of horse transportation. Before loading any animals into your trailer, find out the hauling weight rate.

  1. Trailer Features

    • A stock trailer ceiling 10 inches taller than the horse's normal head resting position provides optimum head room. The trailer should permit 3 inches of lateral movement on both sides of each horse.

    Loading Horses

    • Stock trailers provide space to tie horses head to tail, head to head or on the slant sides of the trailer. The number of horses that can comfortably ride in a 24-foot-long stock trailer depends on the trailer width and the loading method employed. Horses 17-2 hands high or less require 10 to 11 feet of length, 7 feet 6 inches to 7 feet 8 inches of height, and a minimum of 6 feet of width. In general, a 24-foot-long stock trailer can safely haul two to four horses.

    Load Distribution

    • Load distribution ensures proper tongue weight. Heavier horses should ride at the front of the trailer to maintain a tongue weight over 10 percent of the total load weight on bumper pulls or 25 percent for goosenecks. Be aware of the trailer's capacity prior to loading.