DOLLARS AND SENSE
The True Value Of A Horse Trailer
We live in a society that esteems the almighty dollar. We seek out the biggest sales and ardently shop for the
lowest price. And that’s okay. But if you take that approach when shopping for a horse trailer, you’re making
a costly mistake. Money spent on purchasing a horse trailer is not the same as the recurrent indeterminable
money spent on horses (which leaves your wallet never to be seen again). A horse trailer is an investment,
not an expenditure because a sizable amount of the purchase will eventually find its way home when it’s sold or traded.
This is important to grasp because making a higher financial investment into a trailer to procure a safer design, more
durable construction and optimum safety features not only give you a better long term investment; it will dramatically
increase the intrinsic value – a value that is inestimable in the prevention of injuries and saving lives.
FINANCIAL VALUE
“You need what? “
First, let’s look at the “dollars and
cents” value of a horse trailer. Quite often
(but not always), it’s the non-horse
owning spouse or one of the parents
of a horse-loving child that are the
ones that balk when another horse-related
purchase arises. And they often
control the budget. What they see is
another cash outlay in a long line of
interminable expenses that go out and
never come back. That rationale is not
the case for horse trailers. As I stated
previously, a horse trailer is an investment.
It has financial worth when you
purchase it, and will always be worth a
certain amount down the road. Understanding
this should raise your comfort
level when making a trailer purchase,
but most importantly, it should “up”
the amount you are willing to spend. A
higher price, higher quality, safer trailer
is a sounder financial investment than
an “El cheapo” because it will maintain
its investment/equity value far better
than the less expensive ones. (And
we haven’t even gotten to the intrinsic
value yet).
What makes a trailer you buy today
worth more down the road is its demand. Used trailer buyers shop for the
“good stuff,” and the “good stuff” is always a brand that is known for durability
Showing
and safety. Those who buy more expensive brands tend to take
better care of them, whereas the cheaper brands are hard to keep up,
always demanding service and repair. You will often see a lesser brand
used trailer for sale with the slogan “sold as is,” which really means “you
buy it, and it becomes your problem.”
&TRAINING El Cheapo 2Horse Bumper Pull with Tack New $10,495
Same El Cheapo 2Horse Bumper Pull with Tack 3 years old $ 6,500
Devaluation $ 4,445
Quality Brand 2Horse Bumper Pull w/Tack New $21,500
Same Quality Brand 2Horse BumperPull w/Tack 3 years old $19,000
Devaluation $ 2,500
78 www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com
If you get what we’re saying here,
the true purchase price of a horse
trailer is the difference between the
price you pay for it, and what you can
get for it when you trade or sell it.
To improve your investment, you do
need to get the best price on the original
purchase. Since most manufacturers
sell their trailers through dealers,
and dealers compete with price, you
need to shop around. However, a
few higher-end brands sell directly
to the public that state the prices on
their website and published material,
in which the prices don’t vary, so no
shopping necessary.
INTRINSIC VALUE
How much is a trailer worth that
keeps your horses, family, friends,
and yourself out of harm’s way
or having to deal with lost days,
emotional stress, and even loss of
life? That’s what we call the intrinsic
or inherent value of a horse trailer.
It directly relates to the trailer
design, construction, and degree
of standard safety features a trailer
has that reduce injuries of horses
and their handlers. The more safety
features and the better the design and construction, the safer it will be
for everyone working around the trailer. It’s difficult to apply a monetary
value to the savings you realize from veterinarian and medical bills that
don’t happen, but it’s real value all the same. In terms of avoiding the
emotional crises as a result of injured horses (or people), it is incalculable.
Much like insurance, you never realize its true value until you need
to use it.
It is difficult for the new and even experienced horse trailer buyers to
determine the intrinsic value of a horse trailer, so here are a few tips:
Construction: Surrounding interior walls in the stall area should be
strong enough to protect horses from a collision. Steel is preferred.
Aluminum isn’t.
Ventilation: Good airflow throughout the stall is a must.
/www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com