Getting trailer for Christmas - please help!

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FinellaGlen

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I am getting a trailer for Christmas but OH and I haven't had time to select one yet because we have both been too busy with work in the run up to Christmas so I thought I would prevail on you good people for some sensible advice!

I've never had my own trailer before and I am not sure which sort to choose. I thought I wanted an Ifor 505 because that is the one with which I am most familiar but a few people have said that, although the Ifors are the most well known they are not necessarily the best trailers around in my price range (up to £4,000).

I have a 13.3 Highland pony (in my signature) who is used to travelling in an Ifor 505 with her previous owner. I may occasionally have to tow my daughter's friend's pony as well as Nelly. We probably won't be going on huge journeys, certainly not to start with. I will be towing with a Discovery. Any help and advice would be most gratefully received so that OH can wield his credit card with confidence in the near future
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I have had 3 trailers so far!
A very old rice 1971 back unload £300. from ebay
A very old Sinclair 1989 front unload £700. from ebay
And now a 2001 Ifor Williams 505 front unload

Out of all of them i would say my 505 is the best!
Its lighter to move around on my own, I can hitch it up on my own (not complicated hitch) like the other two!
And it is just a lot nicer to go into etc.

If you are not going to use it a lot and just want to get used to having a trailer i would start with a cheapy one and move up from there that is what i did.

Hope that helps. x
 
I have had several Ifor trailers (401s and 505s) but the last one I had was a Wessex Clubman. Not the most exciting to look at as they look a bit old fashioned, but I thought I got more for the money than with the Ifor, eg. paddded inside, plastic floor etc. I tried a Cheval Liberte which are cheaper again but found the shaped exit over the front ramp restricted headroom - not a problem with your pony but it could limit your re-sale market.

This is a good site for showing whats available :

http://www.jswhorseboxes.co.uk/horsetrailers.htm

Obviously you can get all the IW info from their own site.

Enjoy your shopping. Nice xmas present !!
 
Thank you everyone. I am still kind of favouring the Ifor 505 but I am going to look at some others. Thanks cobden99 for that link. I have had a look and I am going to go up and see them as they are based in Yorkshire. They don't do Ifors but my local dealer does so I can have a look at a few different ones before making my decison.

p.s. I was hoping that OH would attempt to gift wrap it but since it won't be arriving until after Christmas I can't really insist - lol
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I know loads of people with Ifors - they tow brilliantly and hold their resale value. The only downside is that the front unload is on the offside (other makes are on the nearside), but as your pony is used to travelling in one, I would stick with the Ifor. We have huge horses so have a lorry, but if they were smaller, I would go for an Ifor.
 
Id say go for a Bateson. IMO Ifor's aren't the best, they're just the most common so people assume so! We have a Bateson Ascot and its brilliant. For around your limit, you could get an Ascot brand new, which is the top of the range one. Although, we did pay more than that but they were rather new when we got ours! They are extremely light and easy to pull, are white so stay cool in the sumer, have a very useful tack locker in the front (I cannot live without it now!), rubber matting which can be taken out easily for cleaning etc. Bateson have also been extremely helpful whenever we've needed the odd part, they always offer prompt advice and send stuff out almost next day so brilliant service.

PS. the Batesons front ramp is on the "correct" side (ie. left) whereas Ifors is not...!
 
Ive had in the past an old Rice, 2 IW505 and a Richardson. If my blasted horse would travel in a trailer I would have a new Richardson or Bateson Deaville with Boston doors.
They give far superior rides than the Ifors although the Ifor seemed more durable than my Richardson but then my horse wasnt exactly happy in a trailer and gave the Richardson a bit of a beating! I loved the room in the Richardson with the larger opening above the fron door and the ramp opening on the kerb side made unloading one horse much easier as more room to turn. I think with a pony you wont have problems with any model though.
 
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