Please Help! Which trailer? Ifor510/505, Bateson or Richardson??

warmbloodcrazy

warmbloodcrazy

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Hi all!

I would really love any advice on this peeps.

I have two horses, one 16.3hh and one 15.3hh, both warmobloods, up to weight but not heavy heavy horses. I have recently sold our horsebox and wanted to get a trailer as my larger horse can be a pain to load and was much better in the trailer we had before...(which was a rice with one bracing bar across). I am now wondering which trailer to get?? I know i want an alloy floor as wood deteriorates too much. Alot of people say ifor williams are good but then im wondering do i need a 505 or a 510?? I have also heard Batesons are good and lighter to tow?? But what model would i need?

Id be so grateful for any advice on what you think i would need and your own experiences with the different makes.

Thank you in advance everyone! :)

Cassie
 
I've got an IFOR 510 and love it! It's nice and roomy and incredibly well built and feels really stable underfoot which leads me to my comparison....

My friend has a Richardson Rice rear facing trailer - only a couple of years old and I honesly haven't stood on a flimsier feeling trailer!! It moved under my weight so you can imagine what it did under the weight of my 17hh CB!! I have never heard him travel so badly in the two years I have had him. He hated it!!

Just my opinion based on experience. go view some and do your own comparison. Maybe hire some over the summer to transport to shows before you buy?
 
I'm looking for a trailer - kind of window shopping at the moment...

I wouldn't go for a 505, I think that you should go for the larger trailers, given that your 16.3 can sometimes be a bit tricky. He would probably be better with a bit more space.

The Batesons are great trailers and I would go for an Ascot over an IW510, but the one that I would love above all others is the Richardson Supreme Excel, which is a rear facing trailer.

http://www.phhb.co.uk/pdf/rich_supreme_excel.pdf

Have fun trailer shopping!
 
I'm biased as I have one but you asked for an opinion...

Ifor 505/510 are the business. You want one from about 2005 as they have alloy floors and are very stable - I reckon you could get one for about £2-3k.

Bateson are also sturdy but I don't like the fibreglass. Rice, well, I'd say it'll do but for towing two horses... hmmm.
 
I had this dilemma a few years back when I bought a trailer and one of mine at the time was 16'3, I tried him in a few and the Ifor 510 was my choice - it was so spacious for them and was easy to put them on and off and they had room in front and behind them when travelling. If I ever bought another trailer that would be my first choice again.
 
CBFan said:
My friend has a Richardson Rice rear facing trailer - only a couple of years old and I honesly haven't stood on a flimsier feeling trailer!! It moved under my weight so you can imagine what it did under the weight of my 17hh CB!! I have never heard him travel so badly in the two years I have had him. He hated it!!
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I'm really suprised at this! I'm going to have to go and find one to have a good jump around in! Good to have some feedback about them though. I thought that they were sturdier and a better build than the Equi-trek's...
 
tallyho! said:
I'm biased as I have one but you asked for an opinion...

Ifor 505/510 are the business. You want one from about 2005 as they have alloy floors and are very stable - I reckon you could get one for about £2-3k.

Bateson are also sturdy but I don't like the fibreglass. Rice, well, I'd say it'll do but for towing two horses... hmmm.
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I totally agree - I travelled my big horse on a friends rice and it was fine going on and travelling but was cramped getting him to turn and come off the front ramp and so when we went to reload on the way home he was reluctant to go back on and he is an easy loader, I never had this issue with the Ifor 510.
 
Well weve used both a 505 & a 510, ive a 16.2hh gelding & have to admit there wasnt much head room for him in the 505 so i would probably go for the 510. The other thing that we have found is the 510 is a lot easier to reverse for some reason, the 505 tends to snap round quite quickly.
 
We used to have a 505, our 16.2hh thoroughbred did fit in there although he didnt have much room.
We've recently sold that one and got a 510, I love it!
So much bigger, and easily fits our 17.2hh in.

Just had it serviced, after buying it, and the engineer said that the 510s where his favourite. They're really well made aparently, last a long time and much better than Ifor William's new version (the 511).

I'd recommend the 510!
 
Vetwrap said:
I'm looking for a trailer - kind of window shopping at the moment...

but the one that I would love above all others is the Richardson Supreme Excel, which is a rear facing trailer.

http://www.phhb.co.uk/pdf/rich_supreme_excel.pdf

!
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This is the one that my horse travelled horrendously in. PLEASE compare build quality between this and the Ifor 510 which I think is far superior (and no, not just because I have one. I'm the sort of person that would happily swap trailers if my horse travelled better in a different one)

Ifors go on for years and years and years... I know someone that has a 30 year old 505 and it is still going strong!! (with a replacement ally floor of course ;) ) My 510 has ample room front, back, width and height for my 17hh and still growing boy!
 
We have a rice richardson - my 16.3 travels brilliantly in it.
I much prefer the richardsons to the ifor williams and batesons.

I'm surprised someone said they felt a richardson move - I find them more stable than ifor williams.

my friend has a 510 and keeps wanting to swap, I keep telling her no!
 
have you considered looking at the wessex trailers the olympian is suitable for 2 horses up to 17.2hh and is slightly bigger than the ifor 510 my horse travels like a saint in it i also like the leather padding on the sides and the partition :P he's 17.1 at the moment and still growing, and has plenty of head room, and lots of room behind him

http://www.wessex-trailers.co.uk/product_details.asp?ProductID=73
 
I have the cheval trailer - fantastic trailer and gives a really good tow :) Lightweight and fits my boy (17h) well, he has lots of space! :D
 
i've got an IW510 and love it, it's great. i've travelled horses in a rice trailer and also an equitrek and they weren't overly keen on them the second time around. not sure why though.
however i've never had a problem loading any horse i transport into a 510, they are roomy and seem to give a better journey. but i am a bit biased!
 
Bateson Ascot. Has a built in tack locker and is so easy to use and handle. Esp if you get the American Boston Doors and then you have no ramp either (and IME horses load better). The rubber mats also lift very easily so you can let the floor air which is so important!!

Personally dislike IW, they are very noisy and don't like the side they unload on.
 
galaxy23 said:
Bateson Ascot. Has a built in tack locker and is so easy to use and handle. Esp if you get the American Boston Doors and then you have no ramp either (and IME horses load better). The rubber mats also lift very easily so you can let the floor air which is so important!!

Personally dislike IW, they are very noisy and don't like the side they unload on.
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Exactly this.
 
I'm on my 3rd Ifor (2 505s before and now a 510) and while I love it and don't have any problems with build quality etc, unfortunately since my horse had a year off with injury he's taken to falling over on it every time he goes on - even on a 2 minute trip to the vet at the farm next door (had to take 2 for vaccs hence the trailer). He's fine on my friend's rear facing but too expensive Equitrek so I was looking at the backward facing Richardson. I've only read good things about them so far so would be interested in any other feedback before I take the plunge.
 
I used to Tow an Ifor 505 with Jeep Cherokee and although it used to seize up occasionally going backwards up a slope, you could push it through and it was excellent. When Mum got her horse we upgraded as although Hattie is 16.2 her ears touched the ceiling and she started to get claustrophobic and refuse to come out.

The Ifor 510 although solid, roomy and nicely built did not tow well at all. The weights and towing capacity of the car were well within the limit but we had all sorts of problems snaking/ jamming up going backwards etc (trailer checked what seemed like a million times but nothing).

I have now changed by car to a long wheel based Isuzu and it is much better, but I wouldnt have another Ifor. My friend has a Bateson (whichever the smaller version is) and it is brilliant. I thought that it would seem small and flimsy but not at all. The positioning of the tieing rings is also better as you can tie the haynet to the front and even my little 15.1 can reach, and the grooms door can be opened from the inside....sounds silly but several times me and my friend have loaded our horses and found us at the front with the grooms door locked (hmmmm :o).
 
Another vote for the Ifor 510... I have towed all shapes and sizes in it and it's definately the better choice for a 16.3 horse and it tows lovely.

I bought mine new 7 years ago and it's still as good now as it was new... in fact when I got it serviced a month or so ago, that chap that serviced it said that if I ever wanted to sell it he'd buy it from me because it's in such good condition!!!! And, they hold their value exceptionally well, so don't be surprised if you have to pay quite a bit for one if you're buying second hand, in fact I'd recommend buying a new one... for a few extra quid you know exactly what your buying with a new one :)
 
LisaJM said:
Another vote for the Ifor 510... I have towed all shapes and sizes in it and it's definately the better choice for a 16.3 horse and it tows lovely.

I bought mine new 7 years ago and it's still as good now as it was new... in fact when I got it serviced a month or so ago, that chap that serviced it said that if I ever wanted to sell it he'd buy it from me because it's in such good condition!!!! And, they hold their value exceptionally well, so don't be surprised if you have to pay quite a bit for one if you're buying second hand, in fact I'd recommend buying a new one... for a few extra quid you know exactly what your buying with a new one :)
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The only problem with that is you can't buy them new any more as they've been superceeded by the 506/511 - which from what I've heard/read are nowhere near as good. For this reason 505/510s are holding their value very well at the moment.
 
I have got a 511 and totally love it..You can now choose which side for the front ramp.You dont get the rattle which you get with the 505/510.I had one of the first batch of 511's out and there was a problem with mould but they have now sorted that problem out.I travel my 17hh Irish draught and a 15.1 cob so both heavy ol beasts and there is still plenty of head room,so much so that there is so much room in the front my two have trouble reaching the haynets.I have always had Ifors and i personally wouldent go for any other make.
 
swapped my 505 for a 506 when my 16.3 hh ears touched roof, travelled 15. and16.3 in it no trouble pulled by x trail, whilst 505 was better built still love 506 and preferit to a lorry for mmy needs, have camera on them and both nearly fall asleep travelling although 6 yr old 16.3 does bang when she thinks nearly home, how can i stop her pawing/banging with front right leg?
 
If I could get my horse to travel in a trailer it would be a 510 or Bateson.
Ive had a 505, he was too long for it and his ears touched the roof, he is 16.2 and Ive had a Richardson Grande?? and although I did think it towed much better than the Ifor, it is flimsier, shame as I loved it for its roominess. My boy bent the ramp, pratting arround on it :eek:, where as all hell broke loose in the Ifor and there was no damage at all.
I wish the Bateson was a bit higher, its 7'3 headroom I think, where as the Ifors are 7' 6.
 
100% an Ifor Williams all the way, if you look at the evoloution they are so much stronger and hold their value so well. You pretty much get back what you paid for it if you were to sell it again 3-4 years down the line. Also with the other makes of trailers the side panels and floor tend to soften but with the ifor they are resin phonolic plywood with layers of aluminium etc on which is all bonded and much thicker. They may be a little bit heavier but are a lot more of a sound structure I promise.
 
One thing to consider is weight and the towing vehicle's limit. IWs are fantastic, sturdy trailers but that comes at a price - weight. Our Richardson is 400kgs lighter than a comparable IW - that roughly equates to a 14.2 pony. Please do the sums as 2 horses + an IW, limits the number of vehicles that can legally tow that much. It's also worth remembering that if you are over-weight and have an accident your insurance company may not cover you - you could effectively be travelling uninsured!!

Good luck with the search.
 
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