Ifor 403 or cheval liberte single/ mare and foal?????? Helllppp!

R

roscipoo

Active Member
Joined
21 October 2008
Messages
40
Location
Yorkshire
Visit site
I'm getting mixed veiws about both of these and am really torn!!

Ifor's seem to get the vote for rigidity and stability etc but cheval's seem to get better reviews about suspension?

They are both light enough for me to be able to tow without doing my additional licence category (just) so its down to safety and horse comfort. May mare is about 16.2hh so big ish but travels well.

Also if anybody has either for sale and would like to PM me that would be fantastic :)

Thankyou in advance :)
 
I used to have the Cheval Liberte mare and foal trailer. I sold it and really, really regret it! It was the only trailer my horse traveled well in. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

Pilib x
 
Thanks ROG- The batesons do look great but I just wish they had a front unload :(

Thanks Pilib- Did your cheval seem flimsy at all or substantial. My mare only ever kicks off a little bit when its stationary and she can see other horses. Did yours ever "test" its stability??!!

Thanks again x
 
Interested to read this, my mare 13.2 mare travels very well in a 510 but at the moment I only have an estate car, so was thinking about a smaller but wider trailer so I could get her out and about. I was recommended the Cheval but OH is keener to get an Ifor as it’s a known brand.

I’d like to hear from people that actually use them!

Are either of them readily available second hand?
 
They both seem to be a bit like gold dust second hand!! They do crop up occasionally but seem to be miles away and sell very quickly. Deals very very rarely get second hand 403's in as people seem to sell them privately so quickly :(
 
Having looked at the price of a new 403 it’s actually within budget for next summer, so that might be a real goer, will have to discuss it with the boss of course ;-)
 
roscipoo said:
Thanks ROG- The batesons do look great but I just wish they had a front unload :(

Thanks Pilib- Did your cheval seem flimsy at all or substantial. My mare only ever kicks off a little bit when its stationary and she can see other horses. Did yours ever "test" its stability??!!


Thanks again x
Click to expand...

He is a big 16.2 TB who really did not enjoy traveling! He would stamp about when stationary but never kicked as far as I know. It felt quite substantial, perhaps not the same level of finish as the ifor but had some nice touches like the back doors could be opened like a door as well as a ramp so you could easily load with a forklift if you needed to transport bedding or hay. It towed well, I towed it with a small Volvo estate and a 4x4 and hardly knew it was there.
 
Thanks bex1984 and you are absolutely correct. I spoke ti ifor and they are very dubious about doing it now as some people were doing it for the wrong reasons. I explained my situation though and they said they would be happy to do it. You have to be so careful dont you!!

What do you travel in yours?
 
i have a cheval L, I once did pretty much an emergency stop. I was only doing about 20mph and someone pulled out from being parked and did a u turn right in my path! I braked as gently as I could but then had to put my foot full down (or plough into him). I had a 16hh cob mare in trailer. when I peeped in she was sat down with her back feet in front of her front feet. the breast bar and the back bar had both broken. she managed to stand up after a few tries and then started throwing herself around. the back looked like it was going to buckle and open (as the internal bar had broken her weight was directly on the door). I prayed hard (was on a busy road). stopped the traffic, turned around and drove back very slowly! (it happened less than a mile from the yard). I have since had the welded sections of the bars re-welded and they are now very strong, if they were strong enough in the fist place she wouldn't have sat down and been at risk of getting free on a main road.
I do still have the trailer as I have fixed the issue, but I only travel my 2 in it who I know are good travellers.
On the positive the trailer itself took the emergency stop very well. but watching the bulging sides and back, I will never forget. I was less than a year old at the time and not over used. personally if I bought from scratch again I wouldn't buy one
 
Love my 403 ifor. travel my 16.2hh ISH in it. I was very, very lucky and managed to pick it up from a dealer not to far from me, it was 6 months old and had hardly been used, still had the plastic over the lights and on the front ramp. I hadn't been looking long either. But as others have said they are normally like gold dust to find. With the new rules in regards to towing licensing etc they do hold their value well.

My boy travels well in it. He prefers to be loaded with the front ramp down as he isn't to keen in walking into the dead end. He also tends to stand himself diagonally in it whilst moving. I have one of those trailer cameras in there so can see what he gets up to and he just generally falls asleep / looks out the window or eats his hay. he always seems relatively happy in there. The camera is a god send though as the 403 does not have a window at the front of it as the bigger versions do, so without the camera you have no way of seeing the horse.

Before buying it I was a little worried about the height inside for a 16.2hh, but others had said theirs had plenty of room and they were correct.

I looked at the other makes also, but went mainly for the ifor as it was a 'known' brand that has a good name for itself. Which hopefully will reflect if i ever decide to sell it.
 
Crikey Lovescobs- that sounds very scary indeed and thats my only concern. I'm sure all these trailers are fine when thinks are hunky dorey but my mare can sometimes be a tad irrational (chestnut WB mare!!) I guess its good to hear stories of when they do have these episodes and how they fair up. The ifors do look more substantial generally in terms of the materials etc. Sounds like you had a lucky escape :)

Thanks Neptune- You were very lucky indeed. I've been looking daily for ages with no joy! Thinking I may have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. As you say they hold their value so well so not too bad. Do you mind telling me how much your camera cost please and how easy it was to fit?
 
The camera was already fitted into the trailer by the previous owner. So not sure how easy it was to fit. But i received all the paperwork/instrucions etc with it which i read through and to fit it from scratch didn't read as difficult. But if buying from new sure it could be done as a dealer fit. It shows on the ifor williams website the cost for fitted extras on their price list.
 
bex1984 said:
I live my 401 :)

Just check if you're looking at a brand new403 on a b licence - I think the rules might hsvr changed so you csbt down plate a new one?
Click to expand...

The newer made trailers from all manufacturers have to be stated as to what plated MAMs they can have so if a trailer is made without listing other possible MAMs then it cannot be down plated

I think IW plate the 403 at 1600 but list other options such as 1500 1400 1300 - not certain though

The reason lightweights are rare is because of B licence towing
 
Neptune said:
The camera was already fitted into the trailer by the previous owner. So not sure how easy it was to fit. But i received all the paperwork/instrucions etc with it which i read through and to fit it from scratch didn't read as difficult. But if buying from new sure it could be done as a dealer fit. It shows on the ifor williams website the cost for fitted extras on their price list.
Click to expand...
Legal note for info -
It is illegal for the driver to be able to see the output from the camera whilst driving
 
All very interesting stuff thankyou everybody.

ROG do I interpret that as meaning that if buying new you can choose the MAM out of those options that they prvide however if you buy used you would have to contact ifor to provide a new plate?
 
roscipoo said:
Thanks bex1984 and you are absolutely correct. I spoke ti ifor and they are very dubious about doing it now as some people were doing it for the wrong reasons. I explained my situation though and they said they would be happy to do it. You have to be so careful dont you!!

What do you travel in yours?
Click to expand...

I have a 14.hh chunky cob, he's a good traveller anyway but travels well in it and it feels pretty sturdy. It doesn't feel like too much of a compromise if that makes sense - it's got front unload and a fairly wide wheel base. I've had mine downplated to 1400kg and I two it with a LR Freelander TD4.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top