Buying a used horse trailer: floor, ramps and partitions

The checks on this page are the British Horse Society's, from three pages of its advice on transporting horses, as they stood on 10 October 2026. Those pages are listed at the foot. The Society says its checks "are not exhaustive" and tells owners to refer to the manufacturer's handbook. This is general information. The rules on what you may tow are outside this guide, so check official guidance before you buy.

Before you look at any trailer

The Society's advice starts before the viewing: "Before buying a horsebox or trailer there are lots of factors to consider" (British Horse Society: Transporting your horse). Among those it lists are:

• whether to buy from a manufacturer or a dealer
• the size you need for your horses and their equipment
• whether you need a living or grooms section
• what the trailer will cost to maintain

The floor

The floor is the check the Society spells out in most detail (British Horse Society: Checks before you travel):

• "Lift the rubber matting or floor covering to check the floor for any signs of rot, corrosion or damage."
• "Look from underneath the transport too."

Ask the seller to lift the mats with you. A service record does not settle it. The Society warns owners not to assume a service covered the floor: "always double-check this will be examined".

How the trailer was cleaned matters as well. The Society tells owners to remove droppings, urine and soiled bedding after each use and let the floor dry, because this "helps prevent rot or corrosion to the floor", and to be careful washing out, because water "can enter side panels or affect wooden flooring stability" (British Horse Society: Loading and unloading). So ask how it was cleaned out and whether the mats were lifted to dry.

The body

From the same list of checks:

• "Check the outside and inside for any obvious signs of damage." The Society counts "rust, damp patches and any sign of rotting".
• "Look for water damage around any seals."
• Stand the trailer on level ground. If it "leans to one side, seek professional advice".

Ramps and doors

The Society's loading advice names the parts to try: the ramps, with a front ramp on some trailers, the jockey door, which the handler leaves by, and the front top door.

• Lower and raise each ramp. The Society's instruction to owners is "Oil the hinges and springs frequently to prevent rust or damage", so look at both for rust.
• Open the jockey door and check that its lock works.
• Shut the front top door. The Society does not recommend travelling with it hinged open, "due to the risk of injury to your horse from external objects entering the trailer", so it has to close properly.

Partitions and bars

The Society's check is to make sure "all pins are in place and there are no sharp edges or rips in the partition". Its loading advice adds two things a buyer can try at a viewing:

• the breast bars should be "secure and at the correct height for your horse", so check that they adjust and lock
• the partition is opened from the rear to give room when loading, so check that it swings and fastens

Service history

"We recommend getting your trailer or horsebox professionally serviced at least once a year," the Society says. Ask the seller for the records, and ask whether the floor was looked at each time.

If you find damage, the Society's rule is plain: it "should be looked at by a professional before travelling your horse".

What this guide leaves out

The Society's checks go on to the parts of a trailer that towing rules apply to. This guide stops short of those. Its three pages are the place to read them.