Lakota, new horse trailer company and their Tip Out Living Quarters.
Lakota Horse Trailer Company: My first say is the new Lakota HUT (horse utility trailer) at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio last Oct. The beautiful horse graphics covering the trailer, caught my eye. What was different from other bumper pull Living Quarter trailers that I’ve seen over the years, was a mechanical tip out room. The tip out panels open by hand with the help of hydraulic struts. This allows for the coach to fold out into a bed. The coach doubles as seating for the dinette.
Surprising amount of room and all the necessities like a bathroom with toilet and shower. Stove, refrigerator and sink, what else would you need. A trail riders dream. Some of the national forests and back country make a large LQ trailer impractical. Until now the other solution was a truck camper and trailer. Lakota’s compact 2 horse slant with a folding rear tack room, is well laid out and very similar to a large LQ. It even has the rear LQ access door to the first stall.
It’s not a stripped down trailer either but a well equipped enclosed, lined and insulated aluminum rear ramp model. The slant dividers are padded, the aluminum floor is covered with rubber mats. It comes with a 2000# electric tongue jack, two 5200# torsion axles with 16″ wheels. The lights are LED, it has drop down feed doors, Sun Chaser awning, outside water spigot, outside speaker, light for the hitch and porch.
Inside the LQ are hardwood cabinets, linoleum floors, 2 burner range, 3.0 cubic ft. refrigerator and microwave. A comfortable retreat after a hard days ride with AC, heat and hot water. 45 gallon water fresh water tank, grey and black tanks, deep cycle battery and two propane tanks.
I towed the Lakota with the all new 2007 Toyota Tundra. They looked good together, booth in silver. Living Quarter horse trailers as well as toy haulers, are tongue heavy. When loaded with horses or ATV’s, they balance out. But because of the empty tongue weight I’d suggest a weight distributing hitch for a 1/2 ton truck. A 3/4 ton truck or SUV would be ideal. I used a Hell-Ya hitch helper since I couldn’t add a wdh to a new trailer I didn’t own.
The Toyota’s 5.7L V-8 had no problems handling the Lakota. The Tundra was a double cab LTD model with the 6.5″ bed and a factory tow package. This truck is rated to tow 10,300 lbs with it’s 4.30 axle ratio and 6-speed automatic. With electronic stability control, traction control and electronic brake force distribution, and the largest disc brakes on a pickup, the Tundra does all the work. Gives me time to play with the heated seats and JBL sound system.
In the last 2 years, 1/2 ton truck tow ratings have increased to 10,000 to 11,000 lbs properly equipped, which allows more trailer choices like the Lakota Hut bumper pull horse trailer. Excellent value in the mid 20’s for a well equipped 2 horse slant load aluminum Living Quarter trailer. The amount of room will surprise you too.
Special thanks to Triple T Sales of Franktown ph. 800-829-8643 for providing the Lakota trailer. Horse model, Fire Starter is an Arabian provided by Chuck Mangan and Castlewood Equestrian Center, 303-660-9509 Franktown.
