Thoughts on equi-trek trailers

[little-mis]

what are your experiences with the equi-trek trailer? I am looking at swapping and have always had an IFor Williams but like the looks of the equi-trek.

 

[Equi]

What model are you looking at?

 

[LovesCobs]

I have a show trekka and love it, no issues with the build or with towing, horses load and travel well. It's hot even with the windows open so I want to add more ventilation. No different to a 3 1/2t van though I'd have thought.

 

[meesha]

Loved my equitrek space trekka, it was the m and all horses tried in there travelled well,the small area at the front was fab to keep everything in so you could just hitch and go. I would have as many windows as possible and choose carefully as some are better built than others. Tack locker was too small for saddle but brilliant for bucket with muck in if had to pick up after self in carpark.

 

[nikkiw21]

not having great experience with mine. be aware that the equitrek sales team will not tell you this, but customer service will reluctantly admit that....your trailer ramp life is anything from 2.5 year to 5 years....if its lasts longer you are seriously lucky. Despite having ours serviced every year by Equi-trek, my 4.5 year old space trekka's ramp failed, with my 16.2hh putting his foot down onto the ramp as he unloaded and the ramp cracked underneath him. Terrifying. Equitrek dealer trying to wriggle out....Equitrek head office saying yes it happens, but no they don't tell customers. Essentially you have to wait to see if you are one of the lucky ones and your ramp is lasts...or one of the unlucky ones and the ramp fails. Really can't recommend them....such a pity as had loved it up until now, but you start digging and talking to other owners, repair garages and it seems to be a significant problem. Please take care.

 

[Annagain]

not having great experience with mine. be aware that the equitrek sales team will not tell you this, but customer service will reluctantly admit that....your trailer ramp life is anything from 2.5 year to 5 years....if its lasts longer you are seriously lucky. Despite having ours serviced every year by Equi-trek, my 4.5 year old space trekka's ramp failed, with my 16.2hh putting his foot down onto the ramp as he unloaded and the ramp cracked underneath him. Terrifying. Equitrek dealer trying to wriggle out....Equitrek head office saying yes it happens, but no they don't tell customers. Essentially you have to wait to see if you are one of the lucky ones and your ramp is lasts...or one of the unlucky ones and the ramp fails. Really can't recommend them....such a pity as had loved it up until now, but you start digging and talking to other owners, repair garages and it seems to be a significant problem. Please take care.

When you say the ramp failed do you mean the whole ramp or the wooden top section, just under the rubber? My friend's horese cracked the wooden section of the ramp (or crumbled it rather as it was rotten) but the ramp itself was fine. She had the wooden section replaced but it happened again fairly soon after. Apparently where the ramp closes onto the trailer it can leak and the water drips down between the rubber top and the wood, hence the wood rotting. After it happened the second time, the garage that fixed it the first time replaced it free of charge and made sure they sealed between the rubber and the wood really well. It's not happened again in 3 or 4 years.

Apart from this, I really like Equitreks. I've towed my friend's big one with living (can't remember the name!) which is heavy but you barely notice you're towing it even with 2 big horses on board. My horse who can stumble now and again on my IWT doesn't move on it and loads much better onto it as well. The storage is really useful.

The only thing that would annoy me in terms of managing it on a daily basis is the tyre pressures are really high (on the big one anyway, not sure about the space/show trekas, and most garages' air machines don't go that high. I had to take it to a tyre place and put a few quid in their tips pot for them to pump them up for me. I suppose you could get your own compressor but I imagine it would need to be a pretty hefty one to get the pressures you need.

I still want to replace my 510 with a Space Trekka though....when I have the money.

 

[annjw]

Really interesting. I hope you don't mind me piggy backing off this thread. I saw the trail treks at Badminton this year and thought the configuration looked really good with rewards to storage and also with the side ramp it gives a lot more room inside for tacking up etc. I currently have a Ifor Williams 506 and was thinking about trading it in but the reviews on customer service and quality aren't great, plus I am slightly concerned about the ride/towing with the wheels being underneath rather than on the sides. My other option I'm considering is taking the partition out, and getting the tack locker and rug rack for my Ifor Williams. What are people's thoughts, thanks?

 

[Rmoir50]

I bought a Super Sonic 4 months ago it's already been in garage twice for a faulty warning light and a problem with the ignition system both faults have been fixed however my biggest gripe is the walls are paper thin, my horse leant on the breast bar pulling the bolt through the wall which is only made with a few mills of plywood and the bolt has a tiny head so offered no resistance to a horse, Equ-Trek say its not a warranty issue and offered to fix it by supply some body colour plates I've done less than a 1,000 miles paid £33,000 for this vehicle and wish I hadn't bothered the Equ-Trek after sales is shocking, I won't be buying another. Not sure if the trailers are built of more substantial material but think carefully is it substantial, will it standup to the weight, size and unpredictability of a horse in transit ?

 

[Merlod]

I wanted a space trekka originally, after copious reading of reviews and problems with the trailers and the customer service I bought a cheval liberte and I am so happy I did, have it serviced anually by the local cheval stockist who is more than helpful

 

[Hannahgb]

I have the space treka. All horses travel brilliantly, I can put two 17.2 horses in with room to spare. My difficult loader flies up the ramp into it. Always had good experiences with customer service etc.

 

[MissJessica]

Apparently the ramps aren't wooden anymore & are metal panels.
I am looking at Trail Trekas as I like the side loading. X

 

[mega spoilt ponies]

My space trekka has sorted my shy loader. No probs

 

[Annie B.]

Having owned a large vehicle by Equi Trek I can honestly say you may get a good one you, may get a bad one but you WILL deal with a company that don't give two hoots about it either way, fact.

 

[eggs]

I like the idea of them and believe they tow very well but the build 'quality' frightens me.

 

[Annagain]

The one I've used, towed brilliantly. As I said before, the only issue was the ramp rotting.

 

[LovesCobs]

I wanted a space trekka originally, after copious reading of reviews and problems with the trailers and the customer service I bought a cheval liberte and I am so happy I did, have it serviced anually by the local cheval stockist who is more than helpful

I had more problems with a cheval. Had to emergency stop (only doing 20mph) both the breadt bar and the rear bar snapped at the welding points. My equitrek is far better built in my opinion. I did love the lightest of the cheval but I wouldn't say the service was better or the build in my experience

 

[Carlosmum]

If you are changing from an Ifor to an Equitrek assuming its sideloading & rear facing, check your horse is happy about it first.
I changed my Ifor for an Equitrek only to fail entirely to load one horse for 18 months & the other became more & more unhappy travelling.
I did have to renew the ramp but it was an 'old one' so I guess I could have expected that.

Having said that it towed beautifully, & I loved all the space for bits & pieces!

 

[nikanita]

I have an equitrek star treka. Bought it from new 2.5 year ago and absolutely love it. Tows beautifully, great for weekends competing, horses travel well. The only thing I would Change it for is a lorry, but think this is the most economical for me, especially as we do very little weekends away in the winter and it means I have a 4x4 for travelling rest of the time. No complaints at all, would highly recommend them

 

[kzb]

We bought our Equi trek (space treka) brand new about 4 years ago (I think! Maybe less..) as my horse hates travelling forwards. She is now a perfect traveller, loads well every time etc. she used to throw herself around in our old Ifor, ripped boots, injured herself a lot. Not any more!

We haven't had any issues apart from the odd small repair. We are really pleased with the build and quality etc. it is a very nice trailer!