Another lorry v trailer post

[Kahlua]

Sorry, I can see this has been done to death but would really love opinions!

I have recently moved to the UK so am starting from scratch. In Australia we didn’t really have the 3.5T lorries so know nothing of maintaining, yearly registrations etc etc.

I have looked at all options, but am still feeling overwhelmed ? I LOVE the idea of a smaller lorry, but I really want living and these seem to run in the £30k plus region. We will be buying 2 new cars for daily running around, and have decided we want one bigger car, so I can’t use the “have two smaller cars and spend more on the lorry” rationale. I’m also concerned if I get a lorry a bit older to fit within my budget, I will not only be servicing 3 vehicles every year, I might end up having to replace big parts or whatnot as they would mostly be out of warranty. I will be carrying two dressage horses up to 17hh.

So! My question to the brains trust is if you had £20k to spend what would you do? And any links / recommendations to respected brands or builds would be very much appreciated also.


1. New trailer with living
2. New lorry with no living
3. Older lorry with living
4. Something else?

Thank you!!

 

[milliepops]

what will you be using it for (mainly day trips or staying away often)? and how frequently?

 

[Kahlua]

what will you be using it for (mainly day trips or staying away often)? and how frequently?

Thanks for responding! I’d say I’d only be staying away for major competitions, so only a couple of times a year. However I will be traveling regularly for lessons (at least once a week). Normal day competitions likely once a month, or every second month. It’s biggest use would be lessons for sure.

 

[HeyMich]

You need to be careful with the 3.5t lorries and the payload isn't great and you'll not have enough to take 2 horses, plus driver, fuel, tack etc.

If one of your vehicles is going to be bigger, will it be a towing vehicle? If so, why not look at a trailer with living? I have an Equitrek Space Treka, which is plenty big enough for 2 horses, and it has a tack room attached. The larger models have living accommodation (I know of a nice Show Treka for sale at the moment, if you're interested). EquiTreks sometimes get bad rep for their build quality, but I'm really happy with mine, and would definitely buy one again. Ifor Williams do a larger trailer with living too, but I've not seen one up close.
.

 

[milliepops]

personally having recently gone from a basic 3.5t to a 7.5t with living, I would not particularly want to give it up now. To get living in a 3.5t box you'd be seriously pushing the payload even just with one horse on board. having somewhere to get changed, hide from the rain etc is important to me

it's also convenient having loads of space to store things, I was out in my box 4 times last week and just left all the kit stowed away on it.

Mine is an older box but it's low mileage and really good for its age. I think you can get more for your money with the 7.5t boxes because more and more people need to do a test to drive them.

Can't speak for trailers, I don't particularly like them so never wanted to own one. There aren't that many with living and it is fairly cramped compared to a lorry, for the ones I have looked into at shows etc.

 

[Kahlua]

You need to be careful with the 3.5t lorries and the payload isn't great and you'll not have enough to take 2 horses, plus driver, fuel, tack etc.

If one of your vehicles is going to be bigger, will it be a towing vehicle? If so, why not look at a trailer with living? I have an Equitrek Space Treka, which is plenty big enough for 2 horses, and it has a tack room attached. The larger models have living accommodation (I know of a nice Show Treka for sale at the moment, if you're interested). EquiTreks sometimes get bad rep for their build quality, but I'm really happy with mine, and would definitely buy one again. Ifor Williams do a larger trailer with living too, but I've not seen one up close.
.

The bigger car will be able to tow 3.5T so was strongly considering an Equitrek but then saw everyone bagging them so got concerned about build quality! Then moved on to the iFor and then everyone was saying big horses wouldn’t fit ?

I wasn’t aware of that regarding the lorry payload, so thank you for pointing that out!

 

[milliepops]

i think the IW eventa is a pretty heavy trailer and personally I wouldn't want the version with the tack lockers built into the horse bit... and then I'd be a bit worried about where I'd put my tack the living is very compact.

 

[Kahlua]

personally having recently gone from a basic 3.5t to a 7.5t with living, I would not particularly want to give it up now. To get living in a 3.5t box you'd be seriously pushing the payload even just with one horse on board. having somewhere to get changed, hide from the rain etc is important to me

it's also convenient having loads of space to store things, I was out in my box 4 times last week and just left all the kit stowed away on it.

Mine is an older box but it's low mileage and really good for its age. I think you can get more for your money with the 7.5t boxes because more and more people need to do a test to drive them.

Can't speak for trailers, I don't particularly like them so never wanted to own one. There aren't that many with living and it is fairly cramped compared to a lorry, for the ones I have looked into at shows etc.

The space was my concern with a trailer too ? I don’t mind doing a test but then thought maybe I was going overkill looking at 7.5T when I’m not eventing, and also was concerned that I’d be looking at one that was 10+ years old to fit in my budget. I guess I should just take my time searching.

 

[Kahlua]

i think the IW eventa is a pretty heavy trailer and personally I wouldn't want the version with the tack lockers built into the horse bit... and then I'd be a bit worried about where I'd put my tack the living is very compact.

To be honest I wasn’t quite sure how you could turn a 17hh in that space, so I had pretty much written it off as it looked very cramped!

 

[Asha]

with £20k you can get a new/newish trailer with living, and a half decent pick up.

With £20k for a 7.5t you may end up with a fair bit of ongoing costs to keep it on the road. plus the pick up would be very useful arounf the yard as well.

 

[milliepops]

interesting, when I was looking before 20k was a good budget if you looked carefully. Mine was, urm, a lot less than that and has had an easy life and been very well looked after. I guess it comes down to personal preference. it's definitely not as economical to run a big lorry but I also feel safer on the roads with my horses on board now than I did in the little one or with borrowed trailers.

 

[Asha]

interesting, when I was looking before 20k was a good budget if you looked carefully. Mine was, urm, a lot less than that and has had an easy life and been very well looked after. I guess it comes down to personal preference. it's definitely not as economical to run a big lorry but I also feel safer on the roads with my horses on board now than I did in the little one or with borrowed trailers.

It is a good budget, with plenty around to choose from. But it will still be of a decent age, and when things go wrong they do tend to cost a bit. I sold mine just before lockdown, he was getting on in years and decided to move him on before he started to cost too much.
if you are only staying away every now and then i think its more cost effective to get a trailer, especially if you are used to towing one. Plus the trailer will be new, and a pick up has so many other uses. I loved my truck, but dont miss the upkeep.

 

[Kahlua]

with £20k you can get a new/newish trailer with living, and a half decent pick up.

With £20k for a 7.5t you may end up with a fair bit of ongoing costs to keep it on the road. plus the pick up would be very useful arounf the yard as well.

Sorry I should be clear, the £20k is just for the trailer / lorry, car purchase is separate
Yes the ongoing costs for a lorry were my concern ? Honestly I was pretty sold on an Equitrek until I saw all the bad reviews, and then I loved the idea of a small truck (as a safety and ease thing) so confused myself ? I only ever had a trailer in Australia and it did the job without any problems, including long trips to Sydney and back to Melbourne, but after seeing the small lorries here I really like the idea of them. I do have to be able to legally carry two big horses, gear etc so I think they are probably not what I need ?

 

[eggs]

A 3.5 ton lorry certainly will not have the payload to take two 17 hh horses. You don't have to go the whole hog up to 7.5 ton as you may get the payload you require in say a 4.5 ton lorry but do check the weights carefully whatever size you may decide to buy if you go down the lorry route as there are plenty of 7.5 ton lorries out there with a pretty low payload.

Depending on when you passed your driving test you may well have to take another test to either tow a trailer or drive a lorry over 3.5 ton. If you need to take a test to drive a lorry you might as well do the HGV (I know it isn't called that anymore) test as then you could consider a larger lorry as they are often better value.

I personally prefer lorries to trailers but am probably biased as one of my horses (17.2) starts to stamp around when he knows he is nearly home and it is quite disconcerting.

I usually reckon it costing about £1,000 per annum to keep the lorry on the road which is considerably more than a trailer. I know some people love their Equitrek trailers and I do think the concept is good but the build quality has always looked pretty shocking when I've looked at them.

 

[milliepops]

maybe you need to go and look at some equitreks to see how you would get on with them? getting a good dealer seems to be part of the puzzle with those, some people have had terrible customer service and others have been looked after really well.

 

[Kahlua]

A 3.5 ton lorry certainly will not have the payload to take two 17 hh horses. You don't have to go the whole hog up to 7.5 ton as you may get the payload you require in say a 4.5 ton lorry but do check the weights carefully whatever size you may decide to buy if you go down the lorry route as there are plenty of 7.5 ton lorries out there with a pretty low payload.

Depending on when you passed your driving test you may well have to take another test to either tow a trailer or drive a lorry over 3.5 ton. If you need to take a test to drive a lorry you might as well do the HGV (I know it isn't called that anymore) test as then you could consider a larger lorry as they are often better value.

I personally prefer lorries to trailers but am probably biased as one of my horses (17.2) starts to stamp around when he knows he is nearly home and it is quite disconcerting.

I usually reckon it costing about £1,000 per annum to keep the lorry on the road which is considerably more than a trailer. I know some people love their Equitrek trailers and I do think the concept is good but the build quality has always looked pretty shocking when I've looked at them.

I will have to do a test for sure. Ah great, thank you for that number, good for me to have an estimate for upkeep! I also really like the concept of the Equitrek but it’s the build quality that people kept questioning, so so did I ?

 

[Kahlua]

maybe you need to go and look at some equitreks to see how you would get on with them? getting a good dealer seems to be part of the puzzle with those, some people have had terrible customer service and others have been looked after really well.

I think you are right, hopefully with everything starting to open up again I can do that.

 

[Bernster]

Equitrek lorries def don’t have a good rep. I think but am not 100% that trailers are the same, they do seem quite flimsy from the ones I’ve seen.

if you’re good with a trailer and would be getting a car that can tow, I’d say trailer is your best bet. More limited with the living but you’d get more for your money and way cheaper to run plus you tend to be able to pull more if you have the vehicle for it.

I've never driven trailers so I’m a lorry person myself. 3.5t are great but expensive and have more limited payloads. 4.5t addresses payload and has living but they’re fairly rare and very expensive on the whole. 7.5t you’ll get more for your money generally in living and payload, and cheaper ones are available, but more expensive to run. I’ve had all 3 and currently have a 4.5t I don’t use the living that often but I like having the option - if the heavens would align to actually be able to go out in it ?

 

[crazyandme]

Be very careful with which version you get of equitreks! Some are great, others are awful. The smaller ones tend to be better, but then no living! The bigger ones don't tend to be very well designed in regards to wheel placement so they break easily... they are also very heavy! And very expensive to repair, 2k for the axles. The jockey wheel is also incredibly low, and ours was broken by speed humps, so we ended up having to use a jack just to be able to un/hitch.

That is the video my sister took when we had all 6 wheels go in the space of 500m on a dual carriageway. Suspect the axles had gone again, which caused the wheels to blow! The trimming was lost as a result of that and having to keep going another 4km until we could reach somewhere safe! Left lovely deep lines on the road and all over the Tesco carpark in the process (Also, second set of axles in less than 5 years)

In comparison, family friends have a smaller version, with a small living area (but nowhere to sleep), and have had a much better time of it! Still not great, but certainly much better than the trailer we had

 

[Kahlua]

Equitrek lorries def don’t have a good rep. I think but am not 100% that trailers are the same, they do seem quite flimsy from the ones I’ve seen.

if you’re good with a trailer and would be getting a car that can tow, I’d say trailer is your best bet. More limited with the living but you’d get more for your money and way cheaper to run plus you tend to be able to pull more if you have the vehicle for it.

I've never driven trailers so I’m a lorry person myself. 3.5t are great but expensive and have more limited payloads. 4.5t addresses payload and has living but they’re fairly rare and very expensive on the whole. 7.5t you’ll get more for your money generally in living and payload, and cheaper ones are available, but more expensive to run. I’ve had all 3 and currently have a 4.5t I don’t use the living that often but I like having the option - if the heavens would align to actually be able to go out in it ?

Great points thank you, I am the same and just like the living as an option. I might have to look deeper in to the trailers and see what I can really get.

 

[Kahlua]

Be very careful with which version you get of equitreks! Some are great, others are awful. The smaller ones tend to be better, but then no living! The bigger ones don't tend to be very well designed in regards to wheel placement so they break easily... they are also very heavy! And very expensive to repair, 2k for the axles. The jockey wheel is also incredibly low, and ours was broken by speed humps, so we ended up having to use a jack just to be able to un/hitch.

That is the video my sister took when we had all 6 wheels go in the space of 500m on a dual carriageway. Suspect the axles had gone again, which caused the wheels to blow! The trimming was lost as a result of that and having to keep going another 4km until we could reach somewhere safe! Left lovely deep lines on the road and all over the Tesco carpark in the process (Also, second set of axles in less than 5 years)

In comparison, family friends have a smaller version, with a small living area (but nowhere to sleep), and have had a much better time of it! Still not great, but certainly much better than the trailer we had

Omfg that video is terrifying!!! I hope everyone was ok. Maybe my best bet is to get something with no living, then keep saving and buy next year with more ££ ?

 

[crazyandme]

We did eventually get home thankfully, and both horses were fantastic with it all (1 of who very rarely did any travelling!). That trailer has been scrapped now as it just wasn't worth repairing.

If you aren't hugely fussed about creature comforts etc, would you be happy with a tent inside of a trailer or smaller box? A lot of endurance people do that as it is cheap and easy! Gas cooker if you need to make food, cool boxes etc

 

[Kahlua]

We did eventually get home thankfully, and both horses were fantastic with it all (1 of who very rarely did any travelling!). That trailer has been scrapped now as it just wasn't worth repairing.

If you aren't hugely fussed about creature comforts etc, would you be happy with a tent inside of a trailer or smaller box? A lot of endurance people do that as it is cheap and easy! Gas cooker if you need to make food, cool boxes etc

Very glad to hear that, but what a stressful situation!!
Hmm I haven’t actually thought about that! Side note - do Bockmann’s have a good reputation here? I have been quoted for one that is within my budget with living, however their trailer was a front facing, rear load, and I quite like side loading.

 

[Britestar]

I will stick up for the Equitrek. Had a Showtreka L for 15 years, did near on 100,000 mile with it. yes, it had repairs along the way, but I had it regularly serviced, adn it was well looked after. Traded it in for the new Night treka last year and still delighted with it. Put a 16.3 and a 15.2hh cobby in it. Tows no problem at all, and the horses love it. If you are getting a new one make sure you have the 3000kg axel on it for big horses.

Neighbour has an IW Eventa, and whilst she loves it, there is no way way that either of the 2 horses I travel would fit in it. She has ponies, so no problems at all.

Other neighbour has a 5 star equitrek and that also is excellent.
All these trailers have done 1000 mile plus journeys, without so much as a squeak.

 

[Kahlua]

I will stick up for the Equitrek. Had a Showtreka L for 15 years, did near on 100,000 mile with it. yes, it had repairs along the way, but I had it regularly serviced, adn it was well looked after. Traded it in for the new Night treka last year and still delighted with it. Put a 16.3 and a 15.2hh cobby in it. Tows no problem at all, and the horses love it. If you are getting a new one make sure you have the 3000kg axel on it for big horses.

Neighbour has an IW Eventa, and whilst she loves it, there is no way way that either of the 2 horses I travel would fit in it. She has ponies, so no problems at all.

Other neighbour has a 5 star equitrek and that also is excellent.
All these trailers have done 1000 mile plus journeys, without so much as a squeak.

Was there a particular stage in which the Equitrek’s were deemed “no good” - I notice the newest Night Treka seems to have aluminum etc so it does seem like they’ve upgraded the build? What I’m trying to get at, is if I brought new, do you think I’d have more assured safety than say if I brought one that was 2 years old? I don’t think the iFor’s are going to work for the size of my horses. I think if I go a trailer it looks like it will have to be an Equitrek or Böckmann ?

 

[crazyandme]

The one in the video was bought 5 years ago, think it was a Star-Treka. Mum did love towing it, but the build quality did let it down for us.
As I said, I think the smaller equitreks are better than the larger ones (so 4 wheels as opposed to 6). The people I know with the smaller ones like them, and they do the job well!

 

[McFluff]

I have a 2008 showtrekka.
Good points
Somewhere to sit, eat, change (sleep if you’re keen!) while you are out and about
Horses travel well in it
It’s nice to tow (assuming you have 3.5t capacity in your vehicle and the right licence of course)
Good storage, so I leave things like grooming kit, spare boots etc in it and just need to add horse hay and tack when we go out

Bad points
You need to service it regularly, find someone good who is happy to work on them.
I’ve found a great horsebox specialist who keeps it nice and safe - but need to be prepared to do some work (to be fair you’d have loads from your budget to get a good place to do a total refurb).
It’s heavy so no good for people with restricted licences or less powerful tow cars.

In summary
Mine is probably better now than the day it left the factory. Replaced whole side (now all properly sealed), new ramp, added ventilation and overhauled brakes and new tyres etc. When it was stripped back the floor, chassis and axles were all checked and deemed excellent. Not bad for a 12 year old trailer that’s had lots of use.
My Horsebox guy says that basically design is good, but they miss simple things in execution such as sealing the edges of the body. But if you know someone who can check that for you, you’ll have a cracking trailer with the payload you need.

 

[Kahlua]

I have a 2008 showtrekka.
Good points
Somewhere to sit, eat, change (sleep if you’re keen!) while you are out and about
Horses travel well in it
It’s nice to tow (assuming you have 3.5t capacity in your vehicle and the right licence of course)
Good storage, so I leave things like grooming kit, spare boots etc in it and just need to add horse hay and tack when we go out

Bad points
You need to service it regularly, find someone good who is happy to work on them.
I’ve found a great horsebox specialist who keeps it nice and safe - but need to be prepared to do some work (to be fair you’d have loads from your budget to get a good place to do a total refurb).
It’s heavy so no good for people with restricted licences or less powerful tow cars.

In summary
Mine is probably better now than the day it left the factory. Replaced whole side (now all properly sealed), new ramp, added ventilation and overhauled brakes and new tyres etc. When it was stripped back the floor, chassis and axles were all checked and deemed excellent. Not bad for a 12 year old trailer that’s had lots of use.
My Horsebox guy says that basically design is good, but they miss simple things in execution such as sealing the edges of the body. But if you know someone who can check that for you, you’ll have a cracking trailer with the payload you need.

Great information thank you, it does open my options up if I got something and did some refurbs which I hadn’t thought about!

 

[neddy man]

You will need minimum 4.5 ton to carry your 2 horses at the same time, make sure you see a weight certificate of the empty lorry before buying so you can work out its payload, be cautious some sellers take out rubber flooring, partitions and spare wheel and weigh them with nearly zero fuel in, the total allowed weight includes everything,fuel people tack hay water rugs etc. and horses, it's amazing how the weight adds up.

 

[Kahlua]

You will need minimum 4.5 ton to carry your 2 horses at the same time, make sure you see a weight certificate of the empty lorry before buying so you can work out its payload, be cautious some sellers take out rubber flooring, partitions and spare wheel and weigh them with nearly zero fuel in, the total allowed weight includes everything,fuel people tack hay water rugs etc. and horses, it's amazing how the weight adds up.

Ok great thank you! Definitely didn’t realise this could happen, so very glad to have the heads up.