Cheval Liberte trailer...?

joolie

joolie

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I'm looking to upgrade my old Bahill and have seen one of these for sale locally for a reasonable price. It's just over 4 years old (built 2009) which I believe is after the problems with the floor - this one has a aluminium floor incidentally? It's a Gold Series 2000 with the Pullman suspension, takes 2 x 16.2 with both front/rear ramps.

Has anyone had experiences of these - good/bad? It'll be mainly for towing a 15.1 ned to fairly local dressage comps etc. Or am I best saving some more pennies and buying an Ifor? Thanks :)
 
I have one. Dad says it's fantastic to tow- he put a coin on the chassis for the tow bar & it was still on their when we got to the venue!
My girl loves it aswell :)
 
Thanks for your reply - I've read positive things about how they tow especially with the Pullman suspension! Are they built fairly well? My lad is a good traveller and has been towed about in various makes of trailer without a fuss so am sure he'll be fine!
 
I have one, great to tow but if horse bangs around a bit I find the partition moves about and I've had to clip it better underneath as it kept coming Unclipped. I did an emergency stop with a 16hh Fresian mare (doing 20mph thank fully) and both the front breast bar and back bar snapped, (I've now had them welded properly) Parts are terrible to get (I've never managed it yet from them direct!) so my trailer guy makes things I need.if I bought again and I didn't need something so lightweight (which I don't now) I'd get a different make. Having said that I'm not desperate to get rid if it, and the aluminium floor is not a problem. I'm just aware of its short comings :)
 
joolie said:
I'm looking to upgrade my old Bahill and have seen one of these for sale locally for a reasonable price. It's just over 4 years old (built 2009) which I believe is after the problems with the floor - this one has a aluminium floor incidentally? It's a Gold Series 2000 with the Pullman suspension, takes 2 x 16.2 with both front/rear ramps.

Has anyone had experiences of these - good/bad? It'll be mainly for towing a 15.1 ned to fairly local dressage comps etc. Or am I best saving some more pennies and buying an Ifor? Thanks :)
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I have one. The guy who services it says he is incredibly impressed with the floor construction, the way the supports cross underneath make it very safe. I have also loaned it a few times to a friend who is a professional haulier and part time farmer, and he says it is the nicest trailer to tow he's ever worked with. It also has the advantage of being very light, so even I can manoeuvre it in awkward hitching situations. Horse who is a uncomfortable traveller due to SI problems travels well in it. He's 17hh too (he was 16.2 when we bought it ;) and still fits nicely on his own, but with full length bars).
The rear ramp vs door option is also very useful if you transport anything other than a horse (or if you transport a horse used to a step up rather than a ramp).
Only downside so far is that the gas struts for the ramp (which by the way is another plus - very light to lift and easy to lower) have failed on mine. It happened during the awful winter of 2010 when it was parked in quite an exposed position and we think the extreme cold damaged them. They were expensive to replace and have never worked as well since.
 
Had one for my first pony (13hh Welshie, so not particularly strong) whose travel boot slipped down and she kicked out, cracked the side which when she leant on it around a corner it split.

I think they're lightweight and good to tow but I find them flimsy and wouldn't trust them since then. We upgraded to a Richardsons which are lighter than an Ifor but feel much sturdier than Cheval Liberte. Also its side ramp was useful as it's on the pavement side when we had to unload once in a hurry!
 
joolie said:
I'm looking to upgrade my old Bahill and have seen one of these for sale locally for a reasonable price. It's just over 4 years old (built 2009) which I believe is after the problems with the floor - this one has a aluminium floor incidentally? It's a Gold Series 2000 with the Pullman suspension, takes 2 x 16.2 with both front/rear ramps.

Has anyone had experiences of these - good/bad? It'll be mainly for towing a 15.1 ned to fairly local dressage comps etc. Or am I best saving some more pennies and buying an Ifor? Thanks :)
Click to expand...

I can't remember the exact model of mine but it has 2003 on the front of the trailer (it also has the wooden floor) so it's older than the model you're looking at I'm guessing and I've heard about the problems some of the older models have had so although you're looking at the newer models, my experience is with the older versions but I have to say I love mine. Its nice and lightweight to pull and I can easily hitch it up myself and move about, the suspension on it is brilliant and tows fab with my 4x4, my extremely bad TB loader now walks himself on the trailer and is a diamond to travel now since having this.

I had mine thoroughly checked over before I purchased it second hand and even asked a specialist trailer refurbisher about replacing the floor with aluminim and he said it would be a waste of money as the floor was in extremely good condition and has obviously been well looked after. I would agree with Charmin in that they are quite flimsy and they're not as strong as an Ifor for example but I've driven some decent distances with it with 2 x 16.2hh's on board and its been fab - I also like ther ramp being on kerb side!

They're really light and airy on board and I think that makes them very good for bad loaders.
 
The other girl on my yard has one as it's a good trailer. I'd consider one if I was going back to a trailer. She was travelling a friends horse who had a paddy and slipped half under the front breast bar, (notoriously bad traveller) and because the front ramp opens onto the verge they were able to safely unload him without having to go into the flow of traffic.
 
Thanks all for your replies - very helpful! I don't know anyone who owns one so it's good to get advice from people who are using them day to day. I'll bear the tip about parts in mind - I think the a UK branch of the company is based in North Wales not a million miles from home so if needs be I'll pop over and harass them! I appreciate it won't perhaps be as robust as other makes - my lad is a good traveller (but always expect the unexpected). If I can negotiate a good price I will probably go for it :)
 
joolie said:
Thanks all for your replies - very helpful! I don't know anyone who owns one so it's good to get advice from people who are using them day to day. I'll bear the tip about parts in mind - I think the a UK branch of the company is based in North Wales not a million miles from home so if needs be I'll pop over and harass them! I appreciate it won't perhaps be as robust as other makes - my lad is a good traveller (but always expect the unexpected). If I can negotiate a good price I will probably go for it :)
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i live 10 miles from wreXham, it didnt help me :D
 
I loved mine, dream to tow and everything loaded and travelled beautifully in it. I only sold it as could no longer run a 4x4 as my commute increased significantly. If I was in the market for another trailer, I'd get another.
 
Loved mine, my bad loader happily loaded and traveled in it. Only sold it as we sold our 4x4 so nothing to tow it with. Still gutted that we had to sell it.
 
love mine, i have the diagonal XL and travel 1 x 13hh pony in it.

i clip the partition back when we arrive and he can move around a bit and look out the windows and LOADS of room to groom, faff, tack up. hes actually small enough he can turn around to walk out down the back ramp!

tows really nicely, and the tack locker is roomy.
 
Thanks Hallo2012, I'm starting to read some pretty good reviews on them. I was just a bit concerned they might be not as sturdy as an IWT, my mare is 16hh Oldenburg/Fresian, so quite a chunky girl.
 
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