Lesser known trailer makes

[Annagain]

I'm tentatively thinking of changing my trailer, a 2005 IW510. I'm familiar with the more popular brands (IW, Equitrek, Bateson) and their pros and cons but wondered if people could help me out with reviews of the lesser known (in the UK at least) brands like Cheval, Bockmann, Fautras, Nugent and any others I don't know about!

I need something for two big horses. Weight not an issue as I have a Defender. I don't need living but would quite like some sort of tack storage if possible as I have a Defender. I'm fed up of having to drop the jockey wheel every time I want to get anything out of the car. It's not a deal breaker if not though. If I can't have both front unload (or a side loader) and tack storage, I'd rather front unload.

I'm not convinced by the herringbone trailers, I just can't see how they'd have enough room for two big, long horses but I'm happy to be shown otherwise.

I love the design of the Equitreks but not the build quality or the after-sales reputation.

Let's assume for now that budget isn't an issue. It is, but I'd rather buy a more expensive one second hand (provided it's been looked after) than a cheaper one new so want to hear about them all. I'm in no rush so could keep an eye out for a less common trailer and be ready to pounce when I see it if I decide what I want.

 

[Casey76]

Bockmann are excellent. Build quality is excellent, and last for years, despite not being overly heavy. Common in Europe, where IW are not so well known, and are considered a step up from the Cheval Liberté May be a bit on the light side on the bells and whistles front, but for a big sound trailer they are great.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Are Böckmann trailers rear unload only?

Their website is not the best laid out.

 

[Annagain]

Are Böckmann trailers rear unload only?

Their website is not the best laid out.

From what I can see, there are one or two front unload options and about 20 rear unload. Their website isn't great but 20 times better than Fautras. I can't make head nor tail of what they have available. UK manufacturers definitely seem to have the upper hand when it comes to marketing!

 

[DirectorFury]

There's a Nugent dealer just west of Carmarthen - iirc they have 2 bases in Llandovery and Llandysul - I used to see their demo trailers out and about quite a lot. They seem well made and nice for the horses but were out of my budget. They also have a nifty feature that allows you to put the rear bar into place while standing at the front with the horse . They also have a folding jockey wheel which removes the Defender rear door annoyance (I'm trying to persuade OH to buy a 110 CSW for exactly this reason).

 

[Annagain]

There's a Nugent dealer just west of Carmarthen - iirc they have 2 bases in Llandovery and Llandysul - I used to see their demo trailers out and about quite a lot. They seem well made and nice for the horses but were out of my budget. They also have a nifty feature that allows you to put the rear bar into place while standing at the front with the horse . They also have a folding jockey wheel which removes the Defender rear door annoyance (I'm trying to persuade OH to buy a 110 CSW for exactly this reason).

Both of mine are a bit prone to following me out backwards when I go to do the breaching bar up (how did I end up with two such similar horses? Both have done it since day one so definitely not me!) so I love this feature on the Nugent. Sadly the dimensions on even the largest one they do seem quite small, unless I've read them wrongly. In fact, everything seems quite small compared to the 510.

OH drives through Llandovery quite a lot, I might get him to call in with a tape measure and have a proper look.

There used to be a system you could buy called a TUI bar that you could fit inside any trailer. It was a very wide U shape that sat along the wall of the trailer so when you lifted the breast bar into place it also brought the breaching bar up. I nearly bought one for Archie but it was quite expensive so I ummed and ahhed and in that time they went out of business. My heath robinson solution of one of those over door buckets with a bit of feed in it keeps them both there long enough, for me to sneak round the back if I'm on my own and cost me £10 instead of £300!

ETA - I tell a lie, having looked again, it's a very good size (even bigger than the 510 in some dimensions) it was the lack of tack room option that put me off the first time I looked but if the jockey wheel isn't an issue, they're definitely worth a look.

 

[JGC]

I had a Cheval Liberte 3-horse trailer for my massive 17.3 warmblood who had a very, very long back. We had two 17.3s in there on a number of occasion, but you wouldn't have fitted three. It was over ten years ago now though, so the models have changed. If I was going to get a trailer again, I'd definitely get a CL as every horse I had in there travelled so well - I am a massive fan of the Pullman suspension.

Fautras are considered much higher range over here. My old YO had a Fautras and the build quality was fab, although it would have been too heavy for our car. It was a herringbone for two. It was smaller spaces inside than my CL. They don't have ramps, the horse has to step in which is meant to be better, and to be fair, everything loaded well into the YOs.

My friend bought a second-hand forward-facing Bockmann a few years ago. The build is lovely and it is absolutely huge inside. Lots and lots of space, which is why she got it as her horse was over 18hh. Again a smooth ride.

 

[hellspells]

I purchased the cheval duomax last year (it’s now had a name change). Due to my location I got it unseen which was the biggest gamble ever, but I am thrilled. Even my total diva of a warmblood travels like a dream In it, much better than she ever did in my lorry.

The tack area is very roomy and the door is big enough to get anything through (always my issue with equitrek as tack door so small).

I don’t think you’d comfortably get 2 large horses in the 2 horse, I would want the 3. My big horse is pretty large and she fits with the pony fine but there’s no way I would get 2 of her in.

over the years I’ve had a variety of the popular makes of trailers and this is by far my favourite and everyone who has seen it has been incredibly impressed.

 

[JGC]

Oh and just to say how "long" my mare was - she once got stuck in a Theault 3.5t and the firefighters had to lift her out manually (as in lots of them actually lifting her with their arms ...)

 

[Annagain]

I purchased the cheval duomax last year (it’s now had a name change). Due to my location I got it unseen which was the biggest gamble ever, but I am thrilled. Even my total diva of a warmblood travels like a dream In it, much better than she ever did in my lorry.

The tack area is very roomy and the door is big enough to get anything through (always my issue with equitrek as tack door so small).

I don’t think you’d comfortably get 2 large horses in the 2 horse, I would want the 3. My big horse is pretty large and she fits with the pony fine but there’s no way I would get 2 of her in.

over the years I’ve had a variety of the popular makes of trailers and this is by far my favourite and everyone who has seen it has been incredibly impressed.

Thanks, my two are 16.3 and 17hh and in 6'9" rugs to give you an idea of size. The Cheval Touring Country (the forward facing one) is roughly the same length overall but considerably narrower than the 510 (although the website doesn't give the stall width and length which is what I really want to know) which is a worry as my two are chunks. With the Maxi 2 (new name for the Duomax) my little brain can't compute how the internal dimensions translate into how much room they'd have by standing diagonally - half the reason it puts me off! The other half is that in all the photos I've seen, the horses have nearly their whole necks out of the windows and it worries me they haven't got a photo of them entirely in the stall area. Of course they may have stepped forawards to put their necks out of the window but the photos look like they need to do that to be comfy.

 

[hellspells]

Mine is 17hand ish and 6ft9/7ft in rugs. Randomly I took a picture over the back of the ramp this morning so happy to message it across to you. I’ll see if I’ve got any others that might be helpful, also happy if you’d like anything specific to take some more?

The partition is totally moveable which is helpful - but there is no way you’d get 2 big ones in the 2 horse I don’t think.

 

[Annagain]

Mine is 17hand ish and 6ft9/7ft in rugs. Randomly I took a picture over the back of the ramp this morning so happy to message it across to you. I’ll see if I’ve got any others that might be helpful, also happy if you’d like anything specific to take some more?

The partition is totally moveable which is helpful - but there is no way you’d get 2 big ones in the 2 horse I don’t think.

Great thanks. If you could pm me with it and anything else you have, that would be great, there’s no need to take any photos especially though. I don’t take Archie places that often any more as he’s retired, just to the vet and physio so lot of the time it would just be Charlie but friends and I often go places together and I’d like to carry on doing that. Their horses are slightly smaller but still 16hh+

 

[Annagain]

Oh and just to say how "long" my mare was - she once got stuck in a Theault 3.5t and the firefighters had to lift her out manually (as in lots of them actually lifting her with their arms ...)

 

[spacefaer]

We owned a 3 horse Fautras briefly before selling it to a very good friend. The build quality was excellent and it towed beautifully. Plenty of room inside for big horses - we have 17.2hh+ and they travelled brilliantly in it.
Friend goes all over the country with it -she has a 17hh and a chunky 16.2
My OH still regrets selling it as he loved it from a mechanical point of view too.

 

[AngelaWB]

Did you eventually buy a trailer? I've been researching for ages. From what I can see Bockmann and Fautras are really good premium brands. I like the Fautras Proven which seems to be a forward facing front/rear unload without a ramp. I liked the look of the CL but when I went to the factory to view I saw there were no top doors over the ramp so that put me off. I've had IWT the 505 was good, I then bought a 403 as didn't need a double or so I thought, too small for my Warmblood to exit comfortably. I'm looking again now and seriously considering a Bateson Ascot which seems to have very good reviews.

 

[Renvers]

@AngelaWB I have a Bateson but looked for a long time for a Fautras Oblique, they are like hen's teeth around here but the ones I have seen both at dealers and at shows are fantastic, great build quality and really well laid out.

They rarely come up for sale and the Bateson Ascot is the best I found for my budget and I am really happy with that

 

[AngelaWB]

@AngelaWB I have a Bateson but looked for a long time for a Fautras Oblique, they are like hen's teeth around here but the ones I have seen both at dealers and at shows are fantastic, great build quality and really well laid out.

They rarely come up for sale and the Bateson Ascot is the best I found for my budget and I am really happy with that

Thanks, there is a Fautras Oblique 2nd hand for sale at the moment on Ebay I think I saw it. I preferred the standard front facing though. Glad you're happy with your Bateson, I'm probably going to order one, there's a 6 month waiting list I believe!

 

[Annagain]

Did you eventually buy a trailer? I've been researching for ages. From what I can see Bockmann and Fautras are really good premium brands. I like the Fautras Proven which seems to be a forward facing front/rear unload without a ramp. I liked the look of the CL but when I went to the factory to view I saw there were no top doors over the ramp so that put me off. I've had IWT the 505 was good, I then bought a 403 as didn't need a double or so I thought, too small for my Warmblood to exit comfortably. I'm looking again now and seriously considering a Bateson Ascot which seems to have very good reviews.

No, I haven’t yet. Our shower started leaking into the kitchen, it cost £3k to sort so my trailer budget has been swallowed up a bit. It’s next on the list though as the 510 is getting to the stage where it’s going to need new panels at the back in the next year or two so I’d rather change it before I have to spend money on it. I think I’m erring towards a Nugent, although I’d like to see one in the flesh first.

 

[Nudibranch]

I have a Hotra which is Dutch and shares parts with Bockmann. It's a lovely trailer, light and airy and very quiet to tow. It's typically continental and rear unload but in all honesty this makes zero difference. Mine took to it like ducks to water. One in particular will sweat to high heaven in a box or an Ifor but I travelled her 200 miles in 30 degree heat a couple of weeks ago with barely a patch. It also has a tack locker, which I wasn't bothered about but I'd never go back. I hope/like to think that being unusual makes them less tempting to thieves as well. Continental all the way!