Horse ownership comes with a variety of social, physical, and even mental benefits to take advantage of, but it also comes with plenty of responsibility. Providing safe transportation for your new horses is a crucial aspect of being a reliable owner, so you should have a trustworthy trailer to utilize as time goes on. Here are six features to look for when shopping for a new horse trailer that will help ensure that you make the right decision for the long-term needs of you and your horses:

Shock-Absorbent Flooring

If your horse trailer's flooring isn't padded in some way, horses will absorb most of the shock impact that occurs during transportation. This can damage the horses' joints, increase stress levels, and ultimately even injure them before all is said and done. Look for a horse trailer to invest in that features rubber flooring designed to absorb the impact of shocks and provide your horses with a smoother, more comfortable ride overall. The rubber should be permanently secured to the floor instead of simply laid on top to prevent curling of the edges, which can cause your horses to trip and fall.

Lockable Dividers

If you plan to transport more than one horse at a time, it's important to make sure that the new trailer you decide to invest in comes equipped with dividers that can be locked with a padlock for security and safety. This will allow you to separate two or more horses without having to worry about the dividers opening up when you turn a corner or navigate a curvy hill. The dividers should also be padded with reinforced foam or rubber to protect the horses from injury in case they bump into them. Make sure the dividers are removable so you can create more space in the trailer if you're only transporting one horse.

Low-Noise Construction

Another feature to look for when shopping for horse trailers is low-noise construction. The moving parts of the trailer should be reinforced with squeak and clank proof connective parts so there isn't a lot of noise for the horses to endure during transportation. Look for a trailer that features rubber-coated tie rings and a silent braking system. And the trailer walls and roof should be welded and padded instead of bolted together to minimize carriage noise.

Adequate Ventilation

Your horses will need more ventilation than just a few holes in the back door, especially if you'll be traveling for more than an hour or two at a time. Choose a new horse trailer that features vents down the center of the roof that will draw fresh air into the carriage so it can be pulled out the back-door vents. This will help ensure a continual breeze and make it easy for the horses to breathe even when it's hot outside and you're stuck in traffic.

A Feed Station

You'll likely need to feed and water your horses while on the road, and without a feed station located in the trailer, you will have to pull over to take care of this business, which can cost extra time you don't want to spend. Look for a trailer to invest in that has a built-in feeding station that spans the length of it and is compatible with the use of your dividers so you can fill it with food and water before hitting the road and meet the needs of multiple horses at once.

Neutral Colors

Your new trailer should be a neutral color inside and out so it doesn't overwhelm your horses and it's easy to keep looking new. If your trailer is white, black, or beige, it should be a cinch to find a matching paint color for touch-ups as time goes on, and your horses should stay calm when interacting with it. It's a good idea to make sure you can find matching paint for the trailer you're interested in before buying it to ensure that long-term maintenance will be convenient and you won't have to wait for custom paint to be made.

By making sure that your new horse trailer has these features, you'll ensure many years of comfort for your horses and peace of mind for yourself.