Hay Rak's trailer-roof hay rack

After-market gadgets for your trailer and tow vehicle can save time and energy, enhance comfort and convenience, and give you peace of mind. Here are 11 gadgets I’ve personally tested with the traveling trail rider in mind.

Trailer-Roof Hay Rack. After-market hay racks are typically heavy, and difficult to ship and install. Enter the Hay Rak from Spirit Industries. This trailer-roof hay rack is made from lightweight, powder-coated aluminum, can be shipped via UPS, and bolts together for easy installation. Plus, the frame bolts to your trailer’s walls and posts (rather than the trailer roof), putting the hay weight on your trailer’s strongest areas. The Hay Rak can also be installed on fiberglass roofs; no drilling necessary. Contact: (866) 926-1117; www.hayrak.com.

Slide-Out Ladder. The Step Above, an aluminum slide-out ladder, makes it safe and easy to get to your trailer-roof hay rack. Pull it out 30 degrees, and it’s like stepping up a staircase; you can even carry things up with you. The ladder locks closely to your trailer wall or rear door, and pulls out quickly. Contact: (432) 524-2097; http://stepaboveladder.com.

Gooseneck Hitch Cushion. The glued-together cabinets and mirrors in your living-quarters gooseneck trailer take a beating on the road, especially when your tow vehicle hits potholes and highway expansion joints. The Cody Cushion from Quick Hitch Inc. is an air bag that fits on your tow vehicle’s gooseneck ball. (It fits most common hitch systems.) You’ll notice a softer ride, softer take-offs and stops, and less trailer movement. Contact: http://pullwithcody.com; www.codyhitch.com.

Motion Detector. The Tattle Trail trailer-monitoring system senses abnormal trailer motion, such as tire separation, broken couplers, loose cargo, and, of course, "horses gone wild." It won’t tell you exactly what’s wrong, but it will tell you it’s time to pull over and check your trailer. It’ll even indicate when you’ve hit rumble strips on long road trips. During overnight stops, take the wireless receiver into your hotel, and monitor your trailer while you sleep. Contact: (727) 230-0363; www.tattle-trail.com.
 
Hydraulic Trailer Jack. I couldn’t do without a power trailer jack, especially with today’s heavy trailers. The Big Foot hydraulic trailer jack from Quadra Manufacturing eases lifting. Use the remote switch to lift your trailer as you back under it. You can get by with Big Foot’s electric jack, but the hydraulic system is more durable. Contact: (800) 752-9815; www.bigfootleveler.com/trailerjacks.

Trailer Alarm. You’ve invested thousands of dollars in your trailer. Why not have security? The Horse Guard alarm from SuperVision Security Inc. comes with a solar panel for power and a remote control. If there’s an intrusion, a pager alerts you, trailer lights flash, internal and external sirens go off, and the trailer brakes lockup. Contact: (866) 95-GUARD [48273]; http://supervisionsecurity.com/horseguard.html.

Bale Bucker's hay-bale loader

Hay-Bale Loader. The Bale Bucker is a show-stopper at horse expos. Under power, a hay-bale cradle rides up a ladder, then dumps the bales onto your trailer-roof hay rack. It’s easy to use and doubles as a ladder. Contact: (800) 458-3555; www.balebucker.com.

Short-Bed Coupler. If you have a short-bed truck and a gooseneck trailer, you know how difficult it is to turn corners. Enter PopUp Industries’ SB couplers. PopUp’s SB1 gives you an extra nine inches of room between truck and trailer; SB116 gives you an extra 16 inches. Now, you can perform those tight turns into gas stations, fairgrounds, and trailheads. Contact: (800) 837-8578; http://popup hitch.com.

Portable Corral. Portable corrals allow you to contain your horse safely on the road. Travel N Corrals offers lightweight, durable corral panels. Each panel is four-by-seven feet and weighs only 15 pounds. Six panels will contain a single horse; I can get eight panels on my trailer fender. Contact: (925) 980-0235; http://traveln corrals.com.

Tire Balancers. I know of only two horse-trailer manufacturers that balance trailer tires at the factory. I guess it’s because horses don’t complain much. Centramatic balancing rings bolt behind your trailer tires with lug nuts for longer tire life, and less vibration and tire cupping. Contact: (800) 523-8473; www.centramatic.com.

Heavy-Duty Mud Flaps. ENKAY Rock Tamers from Cruiser Accessories protect your trailer from debris kicked out by your tow vehicle. Protecting from mud doesn’t take much, but BB-size rocks at 70 miles per hour can take paint off. I use a camera on mud flaps to see if they worked at highway speeds, when you need them. Rock Tamers point down at highway speeds for optimal protection. Contact: (800) 545-1894; http://mudflaps.com.