Advice for first-time trailer purchase please!

tashcat

tashcat

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Hi all!

I posted a while back asking for advice about trailers - and after reading some really helpful responses, doing a bit more research and saving a little longer, we've finally decided to take the plunge and go for a new for williams 511!

(As a sidenote, I've begun collecting quotes, but if anybody can recommend reliable and reasonably priced ifor williams stockists please get in touch! :) )

I'm basically after any advice and recommendations people have time to offer please.. would you get a hitch lock or wheel lock? Or both? What do you tie your horses to inside the trailer? I've seen such a range! What's in your trailer essentials kit? What do you travel inside the trailer (such as poopick, water etc) and what goes in the car? Any life saving bits of kit? And tips for a newbie, or anything else you can think of?

Thanks all in advance! :)
 
Both wheel locks and hitch locks are only there to satisfy the requirements of trailer insurers and to deter the casual thief.
Faced with a wheel lock, the professional thief will hitch up and tow, and the wheel lock will usually snap off.
Faced with a hitch lock, the professional thief will bring a ramped-trailer or transporter, winch the horse trailer onto it.
Or there's bolt cutters or there's nitrogen gas to freeze the metal brittle and then smash it with a heavy hammer.
So see what your trailer insurer requires you to have. Bulldog hitches are the commonest hitch lock. Hitch locks and wheel locks with the "sold secure" tag should satisfy your insurer. Wheel lock goes onto one of the rearmost trailer wheels (if u put it on front wheel, trailer can be hitched to high lowball so locked wheel doesn't touch ground.
Trailer should have tie rings inside high up on sides. Quick release elasticated tie cords of adjustable length are really easy to use, if not ordinary lead rope clipped to loop of thin baler twine.
Trailer essentials kit: nothing goes in my trailer except horses and hay, and at front on floor an empty folded feed sack and pair of rubber gloves for poopicking, with a short thick plank of wood on top (stops the bag and gloves wandering) - that plank is my cost-free TrailerAid - a type of jack for wheels).
Car essentials kit for trailer: the allen key type fitting used to quick-release the bolts on side of trailer to release breast bars in emergency; hi viz tabards, spare lead rope, some baler twine.

Locking wheel nuts (4) and put one on each wheel of trailer. Stops wheels being nicked. Keep locknut socket in car toolkit.

If I'm towing, then I usually take a 20 litre water container in the car (may only be half-full if there's water at venue).

As I live in a theft hotspot, my trailer's spare wheel doesn't live on trailer but gets put in my car if I'm towing trailer. And at the venue I usually remove breast and breech bars and lock them inside my car while I'm riding.

Enjoy you trailer, it really opens up your world of adventure, fun and exploring with your horse!
 
If you’re buying new get them to put in hay eye bolts. I bought new and it’s frustrating that there’s nowhere to tie up the hay nets. Have now bought one bolt but yet to install it
 
I have Datatagged mine (as well as hitch and wheel locked). According to their own info, only one Datatagged trailer has ever been stolen and it was quickly recovered. It's all about visual deterrents. Yes, professionals will always have a way round physical locks but you want to make it as difficult and unappealing as possible.
In my tack locker I carry water and a trug, sawn off broom and trug for poo collection, spare headcollar, leadrope and cable ties, adjustable spanner and a claw hammer (you never know). Oh and a bag of wood pellets. Show kit, etc, goes in the pickup. Don't use elasticated ties, they're dangerous. I have an idolo and cable ties. You should have tie points but definitely worth adding hay ties too.
 
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Having had a trailer stolen my main advice is make sure it is insured with a good company (I.e not the cheap cheap ones). A hitch and/or wheel lock is probably a requirement of your insurance however as others have said, they take seconds to take off for a thief so I wouldn’t go spending hundreds unless your insurance policy states they must be of a certain brand or type.

I use elastic quick release clips on twine in my trailer. Makes loading a lot easier as clip the horse on and then in clip the lead rope and clip that up at the front. They also release under pressure if needs be.
 
Firstly, we bought a Fautras trailer as their aren't as many around in this country so they tend to stand out.

Our local police gave me a DNA/smart water kit. I've used it to mark literally everything I own! But especially the trailer. And I've put a sticker on the trailer alerting would-be thieves to its presence.

I've also put postcode decals in the interior and on the roof, as well as personalising the exterior with some smart horsey decals. The more your trailer stands out in a crowd, the less attractive it will be to thieves.

We have 2 wheel clamps on and the trailer is behind 2 locked gates. 🙂
 
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