Any views on Bateson trailers?

[LouisaCSV]

I am trading down from my Wessex Treble trailer and have been offered a Bateson in exchange. I've never used one, nor anyone I know, so I don't have a view on them. Anyone care to share?

 

[asmp]

check the sides aren’t rotting. I had one once and had the floor and ramp replaced but when the sides looked as though they were going too, I got a new trailer.

 

[COldNag]

I really rate them, been very happy with mine - bought second hand and have had it a few years. Horses seem to like it.

 

[scruffyponies]

I just bought a Deauville. TBH I'm astonished by how light it tows compared to how large it seems inside. Very pleased with it so far.
This one is quite old, and has had floor and sides replaced. The floor is a relatively easy job, and Bateson supply plastic floor kits.

Parts are still available, unlike Rice etc, but if your suspension goes, you need to replace the whole £££axle

 

[Orangehorse]

Bateson are a big firm sell loads of different trailers, not just horseboxes, so spares should always be available. Like any trailer, secondhand it depends on how the first owner looked after it. Did they clean it out after every trip and was it stored undercover? You need to check the obvious like the floor, underneath, brakes, suspension, lights.

I bought a Bateson as a young friend got one and his father is an engineer, so I thought if it was good enough for them, it should be good enough for me.

 

[fatponee]

I had a Bateson Deauville and loved it. The horses travelled well, it was easy to tow and had plastic, no rot floor. Would buy again over an Ifor.

 

[risky business]

I had a bateson, very very nice trailer, nice and easy to tow. Didn't cause me a single issue in the time I had it and even horses that weren't great loaders went in because it's nice and light in there.

 

[LittleBlackMule]

A friend of mine has one and I really like it, it’s much quieter being towed and the fittings less clunky than the Ifors I’ve experienced.

 

[ihatework]

I’ve got one and it’s a superb trailer. Will be on the market in a couple of months time ?

 

[scruffyponies]

I just had a play with my bad loader in the yard this evening. Involved hitching up and unhitching, opening everything and moving all the partitions about to walk Mr Fussy through it and feed him a lot. Everything is so very easy. Don't have to be exactly over the towball to hitch up (I have done years with a Rice Beaufort, so I'm used to having to be spot on).
I especially like the adjustable breech and breast bars- although much below 12hh you'd still have a problem.

Only gripe so far is that on mine you can't drop a breast bar if you have a horse stuck over it. I think they have fixed that on later models.

 

[Sprig]

I love them. Much nicer than Ifor Williams. I had a Deauville in the past and have an Ascot now. I love my tack locker and barn doors.

 

[Kat]

I have a pretty elderly Bateson Deauville and I really like it. I especially like the fact that it is lighter than an Ifor, that is really valuable if you ever need to move it by hand (which I did often when I first had it).

I also like that the front ramp is on the left, this means if you stop by the road you are unloading kerb side. Plus it gives more room for unloading to the horse behind the driver, and that should be where the bigger horse is.

You can also remove the partition and use a full length bar if you prefer.

It is well made, quiet, has good headroom, and the horses seem to travel well in it. I haven't had anything else to compare it with but have travelled my horse in a friend's ifor and despite the ifor being newer there was nothing I liked better about it.

 

[alexomahony]

I have one and adore it as do the horses!

Worth noting that Bateson customer service is spot on as well

 

[Kat]

Worth noting that Bateson customer service is spot on as well

Oh yes! I take mine to Bateson HQ for servicing. It is a bit further but they are great and very reasonable too.

 

[Renvers]

I have one, I love it. So much nicer to tow than an Ifor or a Rice.

I have the Ascot with barn doors, took ages to find one as they don't come on the market very often. Mine was a few years old when I bought it so I had it refurbished by Bateson. They were fantastic, nothing was to much trouble and gave great advice.

 

[scruffyponies]

I have a question for those of you with the 'boston' doors. Mine has what looks like broken fittings on the outer edge of the doors which might have had something to do with holding the doors open (I have bungees to do this). Is there supposed to be a fitting that holds them open, and if so, what does it look like, and can I get spares from Bateson?

 

[DirectorFury]

SP can you post a picture of what you mean? Iirc there’s no fastener to hold the door open, they sort of just stay open on their own.
Edit: no, I am wrong! Just looking at old photos - there’s a black rubber cylinder on the door which plugs into the other thing circled in blue.

 

[Tiddlypom]

This widget, circled in yellow?

Bateson spares are very helpful, it was the spares bod who showed us the new Ascot and Deauville trailers at Bateson HQ. We were impressed. If you contact them, they will sort it for you .


ETA Looks to have a matching widget on the exterior of the barn door.

 

[scruffyponies]

Top fitting is the one I mean. I think the bottom one has also worn or broken from what it should be.

 

[DirectorFury]

Huh, I don’t even have that bracket on mine! I’d second TP’s suggestion to contact Bateson, the spares dept is great!

 

[COldNag]

I just had a play with my bad loader in the yard this evening. Involved hitching up and unhitching, opening everything and moving all the partitions about to walk Mr Fussy through it and feed him a lot. Everything is so very easy. Don't have to be exactly over the towball to hitch up (I have done years with a Rice Beaufort, so I'm used to having to be spot on).
I especially like the adjustable breech and breast bars- although much below 12hh you'd still have a problem.

Only gripe so far is that on mine you can't drop a breast bar if you have a horse stuck over it. I think they have fixed that on later models.

I needed to travel smallies so got extra fittings from Bateson. As the existing fittings were internal-adjustment, I got 2 lots of externally adjustable ones. Mechanic fitted a new set at a lower height and replaced the old ones too.

So my breastbar is now droppable from outside for both lots. The parts were cheap as chips and Bateson are super quick about sending them out.

 

[[59668]]

Make sure it has quick release breast bars! A horse local to us went over the breast bar this week in a bateson and astonishingly they arent quick release like on an ifor and it was a fire brigade and vet job to get him out.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Eek, the modern Bateson trailers must have quick release breast bars, I hope. I’m sure that we’d have checked that when we viewed them, but I don’t remember either way. I’ve had a horse go over the breast bar in my Ifor, and it was easy to drop the bar from the outside and release him.

But it doesn’t say that they are quick release in the online blurb...

Quick release breast bars are, indeed, essential.

ETA I think the new ones do, these are the bolts on the outside of the trailer.

 

[COldNag]

Make sure it has quick release breast bars! A horse local to us went over the breast bar this week in a bateson and astonishingly they arent quick release like on an ifor and it was a fire brigade and vet job to get him out.

New ones are- it is older trailers which aren't (probably same with most makes?).

 

[DirectorFury]

You can retrofit collapsible breast bars to the older versions with v little effort. We bought the bolts that were advertised as for Ifors but they fit fine.

 

[COldNag]

You can retrofit collapsible breast bars to the older versions with v little effort. We bought the bolts that were advertised as for Ifors but they fit fine.

I got my fittings direct from Bateson. I suspect they are a universal type though? Easy fit, as you say.

 

[scruffyponies]

I have had one go over the bar in an old Rice. They have to be dropped from inside, taking the pin out, which is easy, but stressful with a panicking horse in there. He had managed to kick my jockey door clean off it's hinges too.
That particular horse is now OK, but I will be changing the brackets anyway!

 

[teach]

I’ve got one and it’s a superb trailer. Will be on the market in a couple of months time ?

Did you sell your trailer? Looking for a Bateson Ascot

 

[ihatework]

Did you sell your trailer? Looking for a Bateson Ascot

Not yet but I’ll probably hang onto it a bit longer as I’ve still got my tow car (which I was planning to change). Feel a bit naked at the thought of no transport, despite not really needing it ?

 

[MagicMelon]

I have an Ascot (and had one previously), love Batesons. Cant imagine buying anything else in future either. They're lightweight, bright inside (being white) and I feel less rattly / agricultural than an Ifor.