July 23, 2008 - Brenderup Prestige HB owner

Hi Kay,

     I cannot thank you and Brian enough for all that you have done in helping me to purchase my new Brenderup! It was a blessing in disguise after attempting to contact 2 other dealers closer to me and having no response from them, that Chris with Brenderup suggested that I deal with Lucas and Liebe. It was well worth the trip from GA. You were great in working with the factory, making sure that the trailer would be ready for me to pick up on time and working with my finance company as well as having the trailer ready for me to head back to GA, in tow, on a Sunday afternoon. I could not have asked more personalized service!
    As far as the trailer goes, I continue to be amazed at the handling of the Prestige HB. I will admit that I was a bit concerned, hoping I was not making a mistake in thinking that my little Volvo S60 could REALLY haul (and stop) my 16h horse and my daughter's pony. I've towed a wide array of trailers, pulling with an assortment of tow vehicles over the last 25 years and I must say that towing the Brenderup surpasses them all! I am amazed at the braking system especially, I have had to make a few quick stops and have not felt the horses jerk at all, what a soft and comfortable ride they have now. Add my name to the list of Brenderup fans....
And thank you, Kay and Brian for such wonderful service!
My Best,  Tina

July 22, 2008 - Barnmaster Barn owner and Woody Pet fan

June 29, 2007 - Brenderup Prestige HB owner

I'm just loving the trailer.  I feel a little sorry for anyone whose first trailer is a Brenderup - you can't truly appreciate its advantages if you haven't tried to haul other trailers first!  The main thing I love about it is the comfort for my horse.  He fits in there well, with plenty of head room, and I am a big fan of the chest bar.   He looks safe to me, and he acts quiet and looks like he feels safe, too.   He is a big baby who still has a mental block about getting into the trailer, the from-outside-to-inside phase, but once inside he is calm.  When we go to return, he gets into the trailer a lot quicker.   Then if weeks pass and we don't go anywhere, he has to get a little worked up about initially going in again.  He used to weave and nervously sweat in other trailers I've had, so he is not the calmest hauler to start with.  This is the first trailer I've had where we get to the destination and he's not in a lather.   He's dry, calm and looking out the window.

You may recall my hesitation at purchasing the Prestige over the Solo...I  think now it was my innate feeling that the stalls in the Prestige might be too small, too narrow.  This was partly because I had already purchased used trailers that were supposedly roomy enough, and weren't.   Since the horse's main bulk is from shoulder to hip, I assumed that's where the most room was needed.   I see that's not the case.   That space can safely be compact, as long as there is adequate (protected, partly by the chest bar) head and neck room.    And I think the horse is happier without as much room for his body to sort of bang around in.  I remember thinking:  why don't they pad the sides, like in other trailers?  The answer I've found is that it's not needed.  His feet have plenty of room to support his weight, the trailer's suspension is excellent, and he can gently lean on the outer wall or divider wall as needed, instead of being bumped several inches sideways through thin air. 

I can understand people's hesitation - you look at a Brenderup and the logic of its high center of gravity looks counter-intuitive.  No, no, you think (due to the prevalence of other types of trailers): it should be wider and heavier at the bottom.  All you have to do is pull one to know that is not true.  Also, the large wide top of the trailer tricks your eye into thinking it's big and heavy, whereas it's actually high and light. 

That is my close-second favorite thing about it, "the proof (that's) in the pulling"!   You really have the feeling that the trailer is driving itself.  The tow vehicle has to provide the momentum and steering, of course, but it feels like you're driving a truck-and-trailer unit; not a truck that is hauling dead 'loose cannon' weight that weaves, sways, and pushes back there.  The lack of rattling or banging metal is another big reason a nervous hauler stays calm. 
 
Anyway,  Kay, I'm loving the trailer like you promised, and I hope you are doing well.  You are more than welcome to use any of my rambling testimony that you want.   You know that I felt very nervous and not a
little guilty spending this much money on my horse trailer, I'm a solid middle-class gal, but it is so absolutely worth it.   The peace of mind and ease for me and Caddo both are worth it.  There are many material things that don't tempt me, but when it comes to my horse.....well....like you say: they deserve the best, if you can
possibly give it to them! 

yours very truly,

SS

From R. A. S. DVM  about her BRENDERUP BARON ONE

Hello,
I've had my Baron One for over one year now, and it's easily the best trailer I've ever owned. I have years of experience hauling horses, from driving tractor trailers to bumper pulls all up and down the East coast and Midwest. I've owned several trailers myself, my last trailer being a 3 horse slant with full LQ that I pulled with a dually. My husband made me sell that trailer when I got into vet school, but he offered to buy me another trailer later. While I was away at vet school he went down to a local dealer and saw some Brenderups, and he was sold! I thought he was nuts, and like most other horse folks firmly stated that I would never put my horse on one of those things. But my husband was not a horse person, so perhaps he was more open minded, and when he test hauled the Baron with the Nissan Xterra we'd recently purchased he was convinced. Well, I've since hauled all of my horses on it, and I absolutely love it. I still compete in the Mid-Atlantic region, so I drive long distances on major interstates, and that trailer pulls like silk. It's so easy to use, and I can fit everything I need for a several day show into it. As a veterinarian, I think it makes an ideal trailer for hauling sick/injured horses in, since the long ramp is not steep or difficult for a horse to negotiate, and the smooth quiet ride does not add any stress. I may some day decide to purchase another LQ GN trailer, but I will NOT be selling my Brenderup. I can haul my horse and get 23+ miles per gallon...how many people can say that?

Thanks for a great product; I'm a true believer."
(contact # available on request)

From a happy BRENDERUP SOLO Owner

"I just want you to know that the Solo was like a dream. We drove our 2 year old mare from Gainesville to Rotan (300 miles) yesterday. For a young horse, it was amazing. She rode like it was her very own feather bed. Thanks again and I am very grateful for your after-sale, generous assistance."

Hi all,
Today we "christened" the new trailer. I was concerned about whether the larger horse would feel crowded as she is part draft and big. Both loaded with a little coaxing ( & yummy treats), and I was so surprised at how much room the horses had once they were in the trailer. Both horses were fascinated with the side windows. The Morgan spent the whole trip with both eyes glued to the window - with little peeks out the other two windows. After the first 3 or 4 minutes, the three-year-old draft-cross just rested her head, flopped her ears sideways, and relaxed. We left the top-back open and opened up the off-side vent & vent window as we are having a "Heat Wave" here. The last two weeks have been in the 50's and low 60's - today it was 75 degrees and the horses still haven't shed out their winter coats.

When we arrived at the barn, we undid heads, dropped the ramp and both butt bars, and off-loaded the Morgan first. The big three-year old decided she wanted to stay on the trailer. It took all three of us to coax her off. I guess she just didn't know where her feet were going as she kept trying to look between her forelegs as she was backing off. Thank heavens for a long, non-slip, gently-sloped ramp.

Thank you all for building and providing such a great trailer. We will be picking up the "mini-horse conversion kit" :-) soon. Then we can try it out with the little guys. Hopefully we can put the cart in one side, the a mini on the other, and still have room for all his tack in the front.

We will let you know how that turns out.
Best for now,
D & D

I am now on my second Brenderup trailer, having upgraded from the earlier model (purchased twenty years ago) to a Baron HB about six years ago. (Thanks for the great trade-in and easy delivery, by the way!) I don't trailer often, which is one of the reasons I really like my Brenderup. I bought it so that I could transport my own horses when changing barns and, more important here in Southern California, so that I could evacuate them myself when wildfires threaten. So far we have been through two fire-related evacuations over the past eight years, plus one false alarm just last week. I love the fact that I can hitch up the trailer, by myself, in only FIVE MINUTES (I timed myself this last occasion), even when I am under stress, and I've never yet found a horse who wouldn't load in it. Mine walk in by themselves, but the extra space in front means that it is also perfectly safe for someone to lead a horse in, stand comfortably on the other side of the chest bar, tie up the horse, and exit easily. The easy-to-remove central partition was a great help when we needed to load my friend's mare and foal; the mare was an old trooper, but it was the first time for the baby, and with the open, light interior and nice shallow ramp, he went right in after the mother. My anxious old Thoroughbred was much calmer with this trailer than conventional ones because he could back out onto the ramp and stand on it a moment, checking out his surroundings, before backing the rest of the way off--most trailer ramps aren't long enough for the horse to stand on and are really too steep for a horse to pause on this way. The rubber ramp matting provides great footing in any weather, too. My friend had also borrowed the trailer to take a sick youngster to the vet hospital, and she really appreciated the fact that she could easily see through the big front window of the trailer that the horse was still on his feet and traveling well. Thanks for adding to my peace of mind; this is a great trailer for those of use who don't trailer often, because it is so simple to use, and I'm sure all these features are also appealing to those who are off to a horse show every weekend.

CS

It's too bad more people can't experience the Brenderup. The hardest part for me was spending so much money on a non-traditional trailer and not knowing how it would handle or how my horses would like it. This might be true for other potential customers. After I purchased it, I received rude comments from my horse friends about the trailer (regarding safety, tipping over) but I knew they hadn't researched the trailer. I could just smile at them and list all the safety features. I always mention how much I love it. I did practice driving it without my horse several times, and then like I mentioned in my earlier e-mail, finally took my horse in it a couple of weeks ago. It was like night and day from my previous hauling experiences. It handles so much better than my old trailer. We have many hills where I live and it just takes care of itself when we are descending. With my old trailer, I would have had to think about braking far in advance to get stopped at the bottom of a hill. With the Brenderup, I touch my brake and it stops smoothly. I'm sure it was much easier on my horse as well. I know it says it in the advertising but everything about the trailer has been easy. I like not having to be perfect when I backup my truck to get hitched up. I can be close to it and that's good enough. I'm glad I finally took the chance and bought it. I feel like it has opened up opportunities for me because I don't dread trailering any longer. It more than lives up to the advertising. Thanks again!

D.

I just bought a '99 Royal Brenderup, and a '96 Toyota Tacoma, V-6, 3.4L engine, to tow it with, despite the hysterical admonitions of the anti-Brenderup people across the (internet) board. I've never hauled horses in my life, and I had to move my two average size beasties (15.3 and 16.1 TBs) about 45 miles through New Jersey highway traffic and back rural roads. High speeds and hills. I started out Sunday morning with my heart in my throat and ended up at the barn with the greatest elation I've felt in years.

Frankly, I can't tell you that the Brenderup handles better than other trailer because I've never towed another trailer. And never will. I CAN tell you that you forget it's back there, that the dreaded semis buzzing you at 80 MPH on the highway might as well not be there, for all the effect they have on the truck and trailer (my truck WILL get buffeted WITHOUT the trailer, so I consider the Brenderup an added safety device in windy situations). Certainly the trailer NEVER pushed me downhill, even on a very steep and muddy, rutted slope we had to negotiate as we left the first barn. I did try to remember to allow more braking distance before stops and turns, as I'd been cautioned to, but the difference was minimal. My husband, following behind me in his SUV, said the horses spent their journey looking out the window and nuzzling each other

...So, we are off to the races

Z.E.

I bought a Royal last December and have had plenty of experiences with it and wanted to give you some feedback. I had never pulled a trailer, but have no problem hitching, loading, or unhitching the Royal. Horse ownership has become very liberating.

My Isuzu Rodeo pulls the trailer effortlessly, in fact, it is undetectable when empty. The trailer never pulls, tugs, weaves, or rattles. ... My notorious bad loaders have gotten very fond of traveling and need only to be lead to the ramp and released. They load up on their own. ...

T.T.

We have our Brenderup Prestige for about five years. It sounds a little crazy to be in love with a horse trailer, but we are. It is a dream to pull and the horses love all the room inside. We have had the big trucks and big trailers in the past. After having our Brenderup, we'll never go back to those heavy, loud old fashioned horse trailers!

A.L.

Prior to purchasing my Brenderup, I left trailering to everyone else. To tell you the truth, it terrified me! Not so much the actual driving issues, but more the safety/comfort issues for the horses. I'll now trailer almost anyone, anywhere!

L

I tow with a Grand Cherokee Jeep V-8. I have a new Brenderup trailer that weighs 1900 lbs. I have had no problems what so ever. I have trailered in wind, rain and on hills. My Brenderup doesn't require sway bars, and I don't even know the trailer is back there. I always keep an eye on RPMS, and it has never gone above 3000, usually under 2000. I have towed with two horses, although usually just one and have not had any problems. The Grand Cherokee says the limit is 5000 lbs., which I always obey. I realize this is not the ideal tow vehicle, due to its short wheelbase...that is why I bought the Brenderup. It has inertia brakes that never push your vehicle.

L

I purchased a Brenderup this June and have been very impressed with it. Our first significant haul was 9 hours and our 17hh 1/4 Belgian / Thoroughbred appeared as happy as a horse could be after nine hours on a hot day in a trailer. One of the local old timers commented that is construction would favor the horse in an accident as if it were knocked over the top would probably come off and free the horse. He advised us to use a long trailer to tie to the front rings so the horse would be able to get up after an accident, but still be attached to the trailer. Chris Barr (the owner of Brenderup and the guy in the video) pointed out that it is better that the trailer get damaged than the horse. Fortunately, I haven't been in an accident with the Brenderup, but a friend of ours had their aluminum trailer T-bone by a drunken kid. The horses did OK, just lacerations, but the trailer was totaled. The lesson to me was no matter what kind of accident, the trailer will not probably survive well. The interior construction, however, will make a major difference in how well the horse does in the accident. Brenderup seems to have paid a lot of attention to this issue. I should point out that this is both my first horse and first trailer, so I would be the last person to hold myself out as an expert. I will say that I enjoyed dealing with Chris Barr, believe that I received good value for my money, and my wife (5ft and just slightly over 100 lbs.) is able to manage the trailer in my absence. (BTW if you are importing a trailer into Canada e-mail me and I will share my experience...)

R (known to Atlas and Ginger as "The man who nags horses!)

Dear Real Trailers,
Well, we've had our trailer for a little more than a week now and I can honestly say it was a great buy! It took our horse about four different attempts to finally load with no problem with our 12 year old daughter taking him right in. He actually loads easier now than he did with our trainer's 4 horse trailer where I have to front load him and them back him in to a stall. I've driven him around in it twice, the second time he was much quieter but the car does not feel any of that movement. I had my daughter watch him out the back window and he was fine. Connecting and disconnecting is very easy, it takes all of 3min or less, my daughter can do it.
Pulling the trailer back from the MD shore where we bought it through a windy rain storm was a cinch. I cruised at 60-65mph switching lanes with no sway or worry. I was nervous the first time I took the horse out so I kept the speed at no more than 45mph. The second time out I did 55mph on the Hwy, it took a while longer to get up to speed but I had that same experience with a truck and conventional trailer. On my second trip I took a road with a sharp right turn and a steep incline to see what would happen, it was so easy it gave me great confidence. I was pleasantly surprised With the Lexus RX300 I just need to be sure that overdrive is turned off just as you mentioned. My husband is going to take the Lexus in for routine service next week to see if we should more frequently have the transmission fluid looked at and to see from the mechanics perspective how the car is running, so far I see/feel no problems as I drive the Lexus more than my husband.
At our barn the trailer has been a novelty. The kids love it because of the dressing/tack room, lots of envy. The women (moms) are impressed with the easy of use, no heavy items to lift or work with. The conventional trailer people have all been amazed and it seems to me that they are surprised with how sturdy and how safe they see it is. I've had people rethink that in an accident where their metal trailer might split or rupture with metal shards poking their animal mine will not have that issue. What is amazing is the balance and aerodynamics. Already I would never want a conventional trailer, I love this trailer. As I get older (and I'm no spring chicken), I know that I can handle this trailer on my own with my daughter as my husband is not a horse person.
We are very happy we made this decision and we are very happy with Tavel Lane Trailers. They took lots of time to show us how to use and care for our new trailer and said to call them anytime day or night.
Chris, thank you for your help as well and for sending us the DVD. We'll keep in touch.

C J

I continue to adore my trailer. It has really come through for me. In the past two years I have had to haul my daughter and her horse over all the major highways in NJ and Pennsylvania. This past Labor Day weekend (with tremendous relief) I made one last long haul from Central NJ up Route 287, across the Tappan Zee Bridge and through the maze of highways in Connecticut and Massachusetts, you name it, traffic, congestion, construction, city after city, to her final destination at Mount Holyoke. Where I left them BOTH. (Daughter and horse). Two days later, amidst her strong protests, I took the trailer home. The weather was beastly (driving rain and wind), every truck in creation was on the highways, continually cutting me off from the right, and the only GOOD thing about the drive was the trailer and my little 6-cylinder Toyota Tacoma. Five hours later I pulled wearily and happily into the parking lot of my barn.

The Brenderup is now ALL MINE, and I am off to a jumping lesson this morning with MY mare in it.

Get one if you can. They are GOLDEN.