Ifor Williams or Bateson trailers??

Batesons, ifor williams are just too common
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Personally I would go for the Bateson as I had one myself. The Deauville is a good lightweight trailer that gives a good ride and is light and inviting. I know that the Ifor Williams are very popular but my vote is for Bateson.
 
The Bateson certainly looks nice, light and airy - my instructor has one and really likes it. However, she has a 16.2hh ID that only fits in without the partition, and she has the largest model that they do (the Deauville - I think).
That put me off them when I was looking as i want to transport a 17.1hh and a 16hh together. So I bought an IW 510 which I love!
 
Well i think they are both fa
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I think the bateson is very light and airy but the ifor williams is bigger and more sturdy. I have an ifor william 505 which is great and very durable. But i think its personal preferences and what suits your horses best
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The Bateson Ascot is the largest model.

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You are right! Sorry - I thought it was the Deauville - but I stand corrected
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We have always had an IW505 and been happy with them (on number 3 now) but I saw a thread on another DG tonight about the new 506 and it has been absolutely rubbish so be careful if you are thinking of a new one.
 
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The Batesons can suffer from poor build quality. The Ifor will hold its money better

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What a load of bunkum, a Bateson will hold its value far better than an IW, it's better engineered, better ride quality, much smoother & it doesn't rattle like an IW. The Deauville & the Ascot models will carry up to 17h horses & both have saddle racks in the front. Customer service given by Bateson is fantastic as well.
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Definitely a Bateson, having towed both. Also the Bateson ramp doesn't open into the traffic should you have to unbox your horse on the side of the road in an emergency/at an event with insufficient offroad parking. (That's the front ramp, obviously!!)
 
I'd forgotten that! That was the major reason for me getting one in the end, as I have had to unload my horse by the side of the road before (car broke down on a hill...). WHY on earth Ifor would think a ramp on the right is a good idea
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I really do not like the metal on the lower part of the walls on the Batesons. We love our Ifor, although some people don't like the fact the front ramp is on the offside. It can be a pain if you have a large horse to unload.
 
Afraid I'm going to buck the trend! I'd go for IW over Bateson. Borrowed a Bateson Ascot for a few vet trips before I had my own (IW) trailer and after a couple of trips, my mare started being very bad to load.
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She loaded first time into my IW trailer when I bought it and has done so every time since. I think it was the ramp/floor she didn't like?

IW trailers (the "older" style certainly, I've no experience with the new style) seem much sturdier and seem to retain their value and sell on the best.
 
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The Batesons can suffer from poor build quality. The Ifor will hold its money better

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What a load of bunkum, a Bateson will hold its value far better than an IW, it's better engineered, better ride quality, much smoother & it doesn't rattle like an IW. The Deauville & the Ascot models will carry up to 17h horses & both have saddle racks in the front. Customer service given by Bateson is fantastic as well.
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Have a look at adverts for 2nd hand trailers. The IW will hold its value far better than the Bateson. Sorry if you think that's 'bunkum', but the figures speak for themselves. As for the build quality, again, it is a fact that the IW is far more robust than the Bateson.

Buying a trailer is a very individual thing, and I would always suggest that people try as many as possible before making a decision. This is what we did, and is also why we would never buy a Bateson. At the end of the day, what suits one person may not suit another, hence why I would say "try it for yourself".

In regard to the unloading ramp on an IW, you can actually specify which side you want it. I don't really understand why people get so anti having an off ramp on the right hand side, but in any case you can now choose.
 
Also, meant to add, the whole "ramp on the left side being better for unloading in traffic" is a bit of nonsense really. If you were in an accident and had to unload the horses, apparently the police will close the road while you unload and reload them for obvious safety reasons.

Also, what if you were pulled up at the side of the road where there was a wall/ditch/embankment right next to the edge of the carriageway? Your front ramp being on the left hand side would mean you couldn't actually unload them off the front anyway!
 
Maybe you live in a more built up area, but where I'm from, I'd rather have my horse out than have to sit around waiting for the police to turn up!

But you do make a good point. Either way, I've had IWs, and I've had an Ascot, and my Ascot was just amazing. Beautifully cool and airy, the 'unloadable' horse happily went in as it has a big window in the front for him to look out of, and generally has less of a 'tin can' feel. The hitch lock device was very clever, and when I had it everyone was very jealous
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The thing is, when I got my Ascot, my friend bought a brand new IW for same priceish. Mine had brand new suspension (hers had the old spring leaf one), it had integrated tck loacker - she spent extra to buy one, which had to be wheeled in and out to get the horse in/out, and was also at risk of coming loose in transit. They had to buy extra hitch lock security to bring it upto the ascot security standard. In the end they admitted to only buying the IW because that's what everyone else did....
 
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We did look st 2nd hand adverts, as the IWs are more available, more people have them and are selling them, so therefore there is more competition, and they are going for much cheaper than a second hand Ascot. I bought mine for £4300(ish) and sold it 2 1/2 years later for £3950.
 
Bateson . have just sold mine within half an hour of placing an advert, have had over 100 calls and they are still ringing.

Feedback am getting from everyone is that are they so good you cant get hold of a second hand 1.
 
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Maybe you live in a more built up area, but where I'm from, I'd rather have my horse out than have to sit around waiting for the police to turn up!


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Ermm, no.
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I'd say that rural country roads with stone walls and banks/ditches are likely to be far more of a problem in that the front ramp would be unusable on the left hand side, than in a "built up area" where there would at least be pavements?
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Even a lot of the main roads with hard shoulders etc often have steep bankings right next to the hard shoulder, or drops down to drainage ditches.

And surely it would be safer to keep the horse inside the trailer until assistance arrived? That would certainly be my first choice, keep her contained!

OP- It really is personal preference (like most things to do with horses!), so the best thing to do would be try and see one of each type in real life and have a poke around to see what you think. Even better if you know of someone with one and can take it for a wee "test drive" or test load to see what your horse thinks of it.
 
Thanks for all replies.
Looks like bateson comes up tops if you can find one.
Always had lorry before
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as crap at towing so will have to practice
 
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I'd forgotten that! That was the major reason for me getting one in the end, as I have had to unload my horse by the side of the road before (car broke down on a hill...). WHY on earth Ifor would think a ramp on the right is a good idea
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You can always back a horse out in an emergency.
 
My Derby is perfect - can park it by hand in the very tight spot we have on the yard, light and airy, cleans up well and is well made. Stinky has grown so much that the partition is now out and Bateson sent me the rear straight bar which arrived within 48 hours of the call - very good service.

If I buy a larger trailer in order to carry Farra, the Ascot is top of my list to look at first.
 
We have a 9 year old Bateson still going strong and we have had no major problems with it at all (apart from the usual new tyres etc)

I would definately recommend one, easy to tow. My horse is pushing 17hh and fits in the Deauville with another horse
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They definately hold their value well too
 
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