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Almost from the day Traveled Lane Trailers
opened for business back in 1996, we received calls from people who
owned small vehicles and good-sized horses. Many of these people
were disappointed to find that they couldn't tow conventional horse
trailers or transport more than one horse without exceeding their
vehicle's tow capacity. Their vehicles were too light, too short, too
low powered, etc. As we continued to receive calls from owners
of sport utilities, cars and compact trucks, we realized there was a
need to be met. Rather than tell people to buy a conventional
trailer, install expensive hitch hardware and hope for the best, we
decided to find a trailer designed to be towed safely by a wide range of
vehicles, small and large. We had seen Brenderup ads in magazines
and noticed their claim that you don't need a truck to tow a Brenderup.
We hadn't seen anyone else making this claim, so we called the folks in
Midland, Texas (the U.S. importer and assembly facility) and requested
one of their videos. Another reason we contacted Brenderup is
because their fuel-saving designs have been in production since the
1950s. They’ve also been on sale in the U.S. since the early
1980s, so even though they're advanced designs, they're
also well-proven. Brenderups are Different Because... Brenderups come from Denmark, and in Europe, as
in most of the world where fuel is expensive, vehicles tend to be small.
But many of their horses are large. While the trend toward
smaller vehicles in the U.S. is fairly recent, Brenderup has been
dealing with the small vehicle/large horse situation for decades.
Right from the start, Brenderups were designed to be towed
safely by smaller, fuel-saving vehicles. You won't need a
weight distribution hitch or sway bars or expensive add-on hardware to
tow a Brenderup. This alone is enough to make a Brenderup worth
considering if you don't have a large tow vehicle. But we watched
the video and realized there's a lot more to like about a Brenderup than
just its easy towing characteristics. Light Loaded Tongue Weight. The
Theory. A Brenderup is light, but so are some other
trailers. Now for the difference. A Brenderup is so
well balanced that, when properly loaded, it carries only about 3.8-5%
of its load on the tongue. How does this compare to
a conventionally designed (usually domestic) trailer? A
commonly used rule of thumb is that a conventional trailer carries about
10-15% of its load on the tongue. And the tongue load is
what you'll be carrying on or near your back bumper. Light Loaded Tongue Weight. Some
Numbers. What do all of these percentages mean in real
world terms? It means a Brenderup 2 horse trailer will
have a LOADED tongue weight of about 165-175 pounds.
(Example assumes Royal series with two 1200 pound horses.)
For a conventional 2 horse bumper pull, expect a loaded tongue weight of
400 pounds or more. (Conventional example assumes
trailer weight of 2000 pounds, two 1200 pound horses and 10-15% of
trailer + horse weight on tongue. Be advised: Very few
conventional two horse trailers weigh as little as 2000 pounds. We
gave the conventional trailer folks the benefit of the doubt.) For a dressing room trailer, the Brenderup
difference is even more startling. A properly loaded Brenderup
Baron L series, with dressing room, will have a loaded tongue weight of
about 250 pounds. (Assumes trailer loaded with two 1300 pound
horses and 500 pounds of tack, supplies, etc. Many horses weigh
less than 1100 lbs. and most folks don't take 500 lbs. of "stuff" with
them, so this example assumes a heavier payload than many people will
ever carry. Baron L models are Brenderup's largest models.)
For a conventional bumper pull dressing room trailer, expect a loaded
tongue weight of 700 pounds or more. And remember, that trailer
tongue weight is going to be carried near your back bumper where it will
produce the maximum effect on your vehicle's suspension.
(Conventional example assumes 12% of load on tongue, 3200 pound trailer
weight, two 1100 pound horses and 300 pounds of tack, supplies, etc.
If you're considering other brands, we suggest you ask for specific
DOCUMENTED weights and percentages to calculate actual tongue loadings.
Expect the numbers to be close to our example.) Light, but Strong But wait, there's more. The walls, roof
and floor of a Brenderup form a unitized structure, and when combined
with the galvanized steel chassis, the result is a trailer that's light
and strong. Most of today's automobiles feature unitized body
structures because they're light and strong. Brenderups are
similar to modern autos in other ways, as well. You'll find out in
a couple of paragraphs. How Big is a Brenderup? A Brenderup is very roomy. Many people
assume that because a Brenderup is easy to tow, it must be small.
Not at all. The Prestige series accommodates two horses to about
16 hands, the Royal series to about 17 hands and the Baron L series to
about 18 hands. Brenderup offers several one horse models as well.
The Solo can accommodate one horse of about 16 hands. The Baron
One models can accommodate one horse to about 18 hands. Stability, Loaded or Empty You may be thinking, "with that light weight and
light tongue weight, a Brenderup must be all over the road." That
assumption would be incorrect. Like modern cars, a
Brenderup is aerodynamic. The shape helps stability.
As do the sophisticated chassis design and suspension.
(The Brenderup chassis features camber
and toe-in for stability as on motor vehicles. Brenderups even
have shock absorbers!) Brenderups track great
loaded or EMPTY, even in less than ideal weather conditions. (Ever
hear anyone complain about an empty lightweight conventional trailer
bouncing all over the road or being shoved by wind? We have.)
The shape also reduces the vacuum behind the trailer, which
means you don't need a large-engined vehicle to pull a Brenderup. What's in a Brenderup for Your Horse? Brenderup didn't just concentrate on easy
towability. The environment for your horse was given just as much
thought. The interior is bright and spacious. Comfortable
and quiet. Nothing loose to rattle or clang. Materials with
inherently good sound-deadening and thermal characteristics.
A long ramp so even a large horse doesn't have to decide, "do I walk on
it or jump across it?" Height-adjustable chest and butt bars to
accommodate different horse sizes. The clever engineering just
goes on and on . A Brenderup even has a parking brake so you don't
have to chock the wheels ( we know it's not really a feature for your
horse, but it's so neat we had to mention it somewhere). And They Lived Happily Ever After... By the time we had finished watching the
Brenderup video, we were convinced that the concept was sound. But
we had never seen one on the road (remember, this story started back in
1996). The construction and components looked good in the video,
so we ordered a couple of trailers. We displayed one at a major
show and got lots of positive comments. We also met some long-time
Brenderup owners. They were all very pleased with their trailers.
Those first trailers were gone in no time. And we're happy to
report that the Brenderups have continued to go off our lot in a steady
stream ever since. Brenderups may look different, but people
recognize a good thing when they see it. And better yet, when they
tow it. We've only scratched the surface in describing
Brenderup engineering and features. Want more info?
Feel free to call us at 800-336-7855 or send us an email at
cserv@traveledlanetrailers.com. Want to see
a Brenderup? We keep plenty of Brenderups in stock and we even
offer test drives. We're one of Brenderup’s most
experienced dealerships. We’ve been selling Brenderups since the
mid 1990s, so we know the product very well and can make recommendations
for suitable tow vehicles. We sell several domestic trailer brands
in addition to the Brenderups, so if you haven’t made up your mind
whether you want a Brenderup or a conventional design, we’ll give you
objective advice to help you make an informed decision.
A Little More Fine Print:
While the 10-15% tongue loading we
use for conventional trailers IS a commonly mentioned guideline, we
don't guarantee that it applies to every trailer that isn't a Brenderup.
If you're considering another brand that you want to pull with a
smaller vehicle, ask what percentage of the load they carry on the
tongue. If anyone claims to have a trailer that carries
significantly less than 10-15% on the tongue, ask him or her to show you
official manufacturer literature to prove it. Feel free to give us
a call if you hear numbers that sound too good to be true.
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