|
|
  
Location: midwest mama | I'm looking at a 2 horse trailer that does not have a hay rack on top so I would have to just keep hay in the back of my truck.
Are hay racks a must have? Pros and cons please. |
|
| |
|
 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| If you have a tractor to get the bales up there, a roof mounted hay pod is nice to have. If not buy a rolling hay bag that holds a bale, easy to get in and out of your truck and can withstand a little rain. |
|
| |
|
Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
 
| We plan to add a rack (not a pod) in the spring. We have a 3H trailer (had I had/known I would have a dually now instead of the 3/4t when I bought the trailer it’d be a 4H.) but we like it and don’t want to look for a different one. We want the space up top to haul hay and panels when we take 3 horses, which is becoming more and more frequently.
We want to put our generator up there not only to free up space in our tack room but also because it’s a heavy bugger and it’s easier for me to climb a ladder and haul a gas can up with a rope then wrestle with unloading the generator.
The generator will stay up there but if we’re only hauling 1 or 2 we’ll still use the front stall with the stud wall for a lot of stuff. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 499
Location: ARKANSAS | i have a hay rack on top of my trailer and to be honest I HAVE NEVER USED IT....i just throw everything behind the stud wall and i dont have to climb up and down the ladder...i use the ladder sometimes for dirty bells and boots....lol |
|
| |
|
Location: down south | I'm so glad that you posted this forum as I've also been thinking about the pros and cons of a hay pod. We use the stud stall but would now like to use it to haul another horse. Please keep opinions coming ?? |
|
| |
|
Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Had one, used it once. Way easier to put hay in the front stall. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 762
Location: NC | Mine came with one on my 4h. Used it once when we were moving from Ny- NC for house stuff. Havent used it since....... Currently only hauling 2 horses so its easier to put hay in front stall. Besides i see it being pretty hard to get hay up there |
|
| |
|
Nut Case Expert
Posts: 9305
Location: Tulsa, Ok | We only use ours if we are going to be gone for an extended period and need more than a couple of bales of hay or are hauling lots of bedding. Otherwise it is just too big a pia to put it up there and toss it off. |
|
| |
|
 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I know a few people that have them, they used the racks a few times but to hard to get the items up like feed and hay bales. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1695
Location: Willows, CA | rodeomom3 - 2018-01-13 7:21 PM
If you have a tractor to get the bales up there, a roof mounted hay pod is nice to have. If not buy a rolling hay bag that holds a bale, easy to get in and out of your truck and can withstand a little rain.
This, if you have a Tractor with a loader to put hay up there, and haul full of horses they are great. If you haul one horse short of a full trailer and have a stud wall and escape door on the front stall, putting hay there is easier. |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| Handy for when you're on the road for a long period of time, but just a weekend overnight trip doesn't seem worth the work of loading it all up there IMO
Edited by IowaCanChaser 2018-01-14 7:27 PM
|
|
| |
|
 I Sell Dreams
Posts: 1654
Location: Freestone TX | My LQ has a hay pod and my runabout has a hay rack. I LOVE the hay pod....I keep lots of stuff up there and because it's enclosed, it can stay up there a long time and I never worry about the weather. I never use the hay rack. Anything that is up there is going to get blown by the wind. I never could figure out what I'd do with a busted hay bale. It would probably all blow away going down the highway. I keep all my stuff in the front stall on the trailer with the hay rack. And if you get a cloud burst going down the road, everything will get wet with the rack. The only use I've found for the rack is it gives the trailer a cooler look. Kinda like a spoiler on a car!
The only negative to the hay pod is I have been injured by mine. The wind was blowing really strong and I was parked on an incline. The things that keep the lid up didn't hold and it came down on me and split my head open.
|
|
| |
|
"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
Location: Kansas | Bought a three-horse with a hay rack only because it just happened to be there. Sold it for $750 dollars. It was just bolted on. Glad to have the money....never would have used the rack.
|
|
| |
|
 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Used my hay rack once, and the bales busted and flew everywhere. That was fun...... Granted I obviously didn't tie them down enough but now I'm nervous use it. Plus it's a pain hoisting things up there if you don't have a tractor with a bucket or something. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1302
Location: California | I have one. Have only used it when hauling from California to Texas. I had to load it by myself and that was only possible because they were light weight, two strand, grass bales. I loaded them in the back of my truck, drove the truck up next to the ladder, put them on the side of my bed long ways leaning up against the trailer, climbed up into the hay pod and pulled them up - 1 at a time. Feed stores all refused to load it with their tractors due to liability. So unless you have a tractor to do it yourself.... |
|
| |
|
"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
Location: Kansas | SmokinGirlie - 2018-01-15 8:45 AM Used my hay rack once, and the bales busted and flew everywhere. That was fun...... Granted I obviously didn't tie them down enough but now I'm nervous use it. Plus it's a pain hoisting things up there if you don't have a tractor with a bucket or something.
I watched my husband climb that ladder and hang in the air trying to get a bale in place once......that's when I decided it had to go.
 |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 276
| We ordered and added one to our trailer, but we never use it for hay. We keep our generator and water tank up there, which I love. They are not that expensive to add, so I wouldn't ever let that be a deal-breaker on a trailer you really like.
I would add an extra stall to what you are looking for, to store your hay. It's much easier to load and unload, and it is out of the elements. |
|
| |
|
Duct Tape Bikini Girl
Posts: 2554
| I would say a hay rack is a must have. It is the number one thing I wish I had thought of when I bought mine. As far as the loading goes, just go to your feed store and buy the hay on your way! Let them put it up there! Save yourself the risk of getting hurt! |
|
| |
|
Duct Tape Bikini Girl
Posts: 2554
| I will add though that one thing I'm thankful I do have on my trailer is an extra stall with a stud divider. If I need to take hay, that is a great place to store it. |
|
| |
|
Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| luckyjo - 2018-01-15 9:30 AM
I would say a hay rack is a must have. It is the number one thing I wish I had thought of when I bought mine. As far as the loading goes, just go to your feed store and buy the hay on your way! Let them put it up there! Save yourself the risk of getting hurt!
Not sure where you’re at but that’s not the way it works around here...folks buy hay out of the field or from a farmer storing it and store their feeding needs at home, not the feed store....so most hay is being loaded onto hay racks at the farm...
Our solution to all the broken bales and wet bales folks are talking about was to get bale bags. I don’t even plan to take the bags down when I get where I’m going unless the weather is just plain awful, just go up and put what I need in our hay bags and drop them down.
All in all, still cheaper than buying a bigger trailer when all our stalls are full.
|
|
| |
Folks on-line