Reviews of Fautras Oblic +2

[McFluff]

Hi
I'm thinking about possibly changing my trailer, and hoping I can get some honest reviews and thoughts on here. Early stages of my research just now.

I have a 15hh welsh cob and to date have always travelled him alone. Wouldn't discount giving a lift to a friend (similar size/weight of horse).
Have tow vehicles rated to 2.4T (mine) and 3.5T (OH, which I usually use to tow).j
I am ancient, so can tow up to 3.5T.
I currently have a Show Treka - been a good trailer for me, but getting a bit long in the tooth (it is regularly serviced, and I have had bits replaced and upgraded), and my current horse has never really liked the steep ramp (he will go up it, but really not happy - travels well once on board). It is good to tow, and smooth for horse to travel in. I really like being able to keep tack, grooming kit, rugs, buckets in the trailer, so any replacement needs to do this. I also want something I can tack up inside of, and get changed in.

My dream would be a wee box, but I really can't justify, particularly as my OH car is with us for life and it is brilliant at towing (it's a defender). And I have expensive tastes, so mega £££.

I recently saw the Cheval Touring with the tack room and really liked it. However, I'm not sure about forward travel and I don't like the mesh back cover (I have to keep it outside).
I then went on an internet search, and the trailer that seems to tick all my boxes is the Fautras Oblic +2. I don't know how my boy will cope with a step up, but there is a small ramp if he doesn't like it (but he sort of leaps up my current ramp, so should be fine). I think he'd like the herringbone (to my knowledge he's done herringbone and rear travel only). And I think he'd really like the windows to look out of - he's really nosy and loves just watching when out and about. The orientation of this trailer is also much better suited to where I keep my trailer, as I could just hitch, load and go, whereas currently I have to repark the trailer to load up. There is nowhere near (even vaguely near) me to go and see one in the flesh, so I'd need to buy new and unseen. Hence asking here for reviews.
How easy it is to use?
How well do horses travel and load?
Is the tack area big enough for saddles (I got my equitrek locker widened a bit as not fitting was annoying!)?
Is there enough room for buckets etc? (looks like it from pics)
How well does it tow?
Is it as safe as a trailer can be (appreciating that all of them have an element of risk when travelling)?

Anything else to consider?

Thanks

 

[JGC]

I haven't seen the model you mention, but the Fautras are absolutely top spec and with Bockmann's would be my first choice if I was going to get a trailer, money no object. My old YO had a Fautras Oblic and the horses travelled very well in it. Just to note that with that one, the horses were herringbone, but with the head the furthest back, if you see what I mean, so I feel like she used to load through the front door, but I could be making that up? There must be videos on Youtube of them.

I had a CL oblique trailer and really liked that there was no breast bar for them to get over.

 

[McFluff]

I haven't seen the model you mention, but the Fautras are absolutely top spec and with Bockmann's would be my first choice if I was going to get a trailer, money no object. My old YO had a Fautras Oblic and the horses travelled very well in it. Just to note that with that one, the horses were herringbone, but with the head the furthest back, if you see what I mean, so I feel like she used to load through the front door, but I could be making that up? There must be videos on Youtube of them.

I had a CL oblique trailer and really liked that there was no breast bar for them to get over.

That's helpful thank you. Good to know that the spec is good. I did notice on some of the videos that I have found that some can go forward herringbone and some rear herringbone - there were even some that did that with the two horses (so they were nose to tail) - a lot of the videos are older though. I suspect my weirdo would prefer forward herringbone so he can gaze out the window.

 

[spacefaer]

We had a +3 and it was absolutely brilliant. Extremely well made, so stable towing - can't fault them. Ours was a front unload and step up to load - they travelled forward facing herringbone but you can move the partitions so I guess you could have it rear facing if you wanted.
Sold it to a friend who still has it and also loves it.

 

[Steerpike]

We have just recently brought a cheval at the moment it's kept outside, we've had rain and can't say much cheaper water got in the back but I'm pretty sure you can get solid back doors for them.

 

[Tiddlypom]

We have just recently brought a cheval at the moment it's kept outside, we've had rain and can't say much cheaper water got in the back but I'm pretty sure you can get solid back doors for them.

You can't - I asked the main Cheval dealer in N.Wales whether solid top doors are an option. Rain will blow right in to the trailer through that mesh curtain if the wind blows it in.

 

[Steerpike]

You can't - I asked the main Cheval dealer in N.Wales whether solid top doors are an option. Rain will blow right in to the trailer through that mesh curtain if the wind blows it in.

I've got the catalogue and in it there is optional extras for solid rear door, I know the north wales dealer wasn't getting any in until next week.

 

[Steerpike]

And I must be lucky with not having rain blow into mine ?

 

[Tiddlypom]

It's about time there was a solid top door option, so if that is finally available that is a plus.

The dealer tried to make out that no one asked about fitting top doors instead of the roll down mesh curtain. That was in 2019. We have to park our trailer here with its bum facing into the prevailing westerly wind, so top doors are vital.

 

[McFluff]

Thanks Steerpike and Tiddlypom - I definitely think it is a miss, and would be good if a solid top door was an option. It is rare where I am for rain to fall straight down, so I would be concerned about a mesh curtain (and I have no option about where I park it).

 

[Steerpike]

Yes we only brought ours a couple of weeks ago, I'm not sure how long it would take to get the top doors as they are an optional extra, once my OH workshop is completed we are putting a lean too on the side to put the trailer under, so far we've only had a few days of rain but I will be glad to get it under cover!

 

[dixie]

My mother has a Fautras and it’s a seriously nice trailer.

I don’t know the model but the horses stand straight and there’s a step up and a step out the front.
Mums horse is very spooky but he has no problem at all doing this.
I like the step up but prefer a ramp to come out especially if you’re unloading onto concrete. My horse jumped out but he probably would’ve got used to stepping down if he went in it more than once.
The back barn doors are really nice idea too.

 

[LittleVet]

I love my oblic 2 (although is an older version) my pony and my friends pony travel really well in it too (mine particularly isn’t a fan of travelling forwards But very chilled herringbone)

 

[McFluff]

Thank you for the feedback. All sounding positive.