By Gail Marsh
OK, cowpokes and buckaroos, it’s time to get a wiggle on (cowpoke jargon for “hurry up”)! Hold onto your hats, now, as we check out horse owners with horse trailers: the other RVers.
Recent neighbors
We recently met some great neighbors at our campground. For a week, Dee and Jim stayed in their brand-new fifth wheel next to ours. Home for the couple is Michigan, but they spend a lot of their retired time on the road.
Horse people with horse trailers
Jim and Dee are horse people. That’s how they introduced themselves upon arrival. This was their first extended stay in a typical RV park.
“We usually have the horses with us, so we take our LQ horse trailer,” Dee explained. (LQ = living quarters.)
Jim continued, “This is our first go-round with a regular RV, and, well, we’re a little disappointed. Our horse trailer had much tighter living quarters, of course, but it was built so much better! Every time we stop to set up in this new RV, I find screws on the floor inside. I can’t figure out where they’re coming from, so I don’t know what’s coming loose! I had to retrofit the TV wiring myself because it extended into the living space. It was a trip hazard! You’d think quality control would notice wires hanging out of the bottom of the television, right into the living room, but they didn’t.”
“It’s really disheartening,” Dee agreed. “We thought we’d give this traditional RV a try, but for the price, we expected a much higher quality in both materials and installation.”
“It’s no wonder horse people stick with horse trailers,” Jim shook his head. “They’d never put up with shoddy RV workmanship!”
LQ horse trailers
An LQ horse trailer is quite similar to an RV. LQs are self-contained units with as many comfort amenities as a “horse person” wants. Depending on how much you choose to spend, you can get air conditioning, a full bathroom, a well-appointed kitchen with space for dining, on-board laundry, a bed and more. In some cases, you can design your own floor plan.
LQ horse trailer or RV?
The biggest difference between an LQ horse trailer and an RV is the size of the available living space. An LQ trailer tends to be smaller, as are its holding tanks. Ceiling heights are lower in an LQ—especially in the main sleeping quarters above the gooseneck. Of course, the horse stalls are unique to an LQ trailer, yet the space is similar to a toy hauler in a traditional RV.
“Many LQ trailers have smaller living quarters than a travel RV because folks only use them for weekend rodeos, stock competitions, or trail riding,” Jim explained. “When we camp with our horses, we’re on trails most of the time. We don’t spend a lot of time inside the trailer except to sleep. So, we don’t require much space.”
Take a peek inside a horse trailer RV
Our conversations with Dee and Jim made me curious. So, I checked out some horse trailer videos. Wow! Was I surprised! Watch the video below. It almost makes me want to buy a horse! How about you?
Have you owned LQ horse trailers and typical RVs? Do you see a difference in the quality of build or materials between the two? Tell me about it in the comments below.
##RVT1148
The LQ horse trailers are absolutely built much better than the typical RV/travel trailer. They are very nice on the inside, but to get a larger living space you end up with a fairly long trailer. I’ve been camping with my horse for years and put a cot in my bumper pull trailer and sleep or my friend brings her travel trailer that we sleep in. My husband recently told me we could purchase a LQ horse trailer, but we ended up purchasing a Airstream instead because some campgrounds will not allow a LQ horse trailer, even when there’s not a horse in there. There are full timers who travel with their horses and live in their LQ full time and it’s a wonderful option for them.
I camp host at Lee State Park in Bishopville, SC. They have an equestrian campground that I host in. I have seen some of these camper/horse trailers. They are very nice.
Really nice LQ, but rather large.
Just like regular RVs, horse trailers come in all kinds of sizes.
While I have never owned one I know people that do and have walked through them at state fairs where dealers are set up.
You cannot even begin to compare quality of the build…the “regular RV industry” builders get a “horse whoppin'” from the builders of horse trailers! 😁
Should money ever not be a consideration, not likely, I would have one of the horse trailer manufacturers build us a fifth wheel rv. Much better frame and construction than any trailer rv made today.
Huge difference in build quality compared to regular 5th wheel RVs today. I’ll bet their frames don’t flex like the rest of the so called normal RVs out there.
Thank you, Gail! 🙂 No, we have never owned an LQ horse trailer. I did see a vignette of a couple looking for an LQ horse trailer on one of the “buying an RV” shows that were originally aired about 10 years ago. It may have been the series that Lazy Days RV produced and aired (before they began buying out dealers and expanding). As I recall there were stalls for 3 or 4 horses and the LQ were very nice, but condensed. The couple bought the trailer and the truck offered (but not required) with it. Thanks again, Gail, and safe, sunny travels! 🙂
I have owned 8 RVs and HT with living quarters. I currently have one of each. HTs are much better quality. I have never had a warranty item on a HT. My traditional RVs having 8 to 15 warranty items is not unusual (8 to 10 months in the shop as well). The reason we have both is the maneuverability of the 25 ft Class C, and fuel economy exceeds the HT. The horse trailer I have is the Merhow Next Generation 8316, similar to the one in the video below. BTW, if you order it with a stock area instead of horse dividers, it makes it a true toy hauler.
https://youtu.be/j-KJFOhbSpA?si=4tI5MfJ9gspxZEfR