Trailer Recommendations - Cheval vs iFor

[SilentHowls147]

Hello wonderful people on the Internet, I am hoping that I can get some opinions/recommendations on trailers. Apologies in advance for the long ramblings.

I have recently sold my ifor 510, I had it for nearly 4 years and it was one of the much older models, so it was getting increasingly difficult to get parts for. However it was a solid trailer and it did me really well, despite being old and a bit rattly.

Before I purchased my own I was very kindly allowed to borrow my friend's 505, however as my horse has a big backside (he's a 16.1 Welsh D, so chunky but not absolutely massive), I think he struggled with there not being as much space to balance. I travel with 2 horses about 75% of the time so singles/taking the partition out isn't an option either.

So that brings me to my current situation, I am currently in the market for a new trailer however I'm really struggling to decide what path to go down. In my dreamworld, I would LOVE something like the Cheval Liberte maxi 3/4, herringbone with a tack locker, however I have to live in the real world and I don't have that sort of money...

I have obviously looked at the ifor 511s, does the job - however I would really like to have a trailer with a tack locker so my husband stops moaning at me for getting horse hair and mud in the car and just because it would be a really nice thing to have. I don't like the tack packs much as they seem to take up a lot of space at the front and when I've borrowed one, they don't really fit two big saddles in.

So then I have looked at the CL touring with the tack locker, however I've seen reviews that they don't have much space - I know they do the XL version but due to budget, they're a bit out of reach.

Then for some reason, I just can't seem to get myself to like the Batesons, they always just seem really flimsy and dirty to me, really not sure why and my husband (who pretends to know a lot about mechanics ) agrees.

So I guess this is my question- in your opinion, which avenue would you go down? Ifor 511 and just deal with the rattly suspension and no tack locker, the CL but potentially not enough space for a chunky boy to get out, or something else?

My budget is ideally about £5k, in my dream world I could theoretically stretch that to £7.5k but that's in the danger zone of not being able to afford holidays or vet bills for a couple of years appreciate that's not masses to work with but I'm just trying to be realistic.

Thanks for reading this far and look forward to reading any replies!

 

[Traks]

Hello wonderful people on the Internet, I am hoping that I can get some opinions/recommendations on trailers. Apologies in advance for the long ramblings.

I have recently sold my ifor 510, I had it for nearly 4 years and it was one of the much older models, so it was getting increasingly difficult to get parts for. However it was a solid trailer and it did me really well, despite being old and a bit rattly.

Before I purchased my own I was very kindly allowed to borrow my friend's 505, however as my horse has a big backside (he's a 16.1 Welsh D, so chunky but not absolutely massive), I think he struggled with there not being as much space to balance. I travel with 2 horses about 75% of the time so singles/taking the partition out isn't an option either.

So that brings me to my current situation, I am currently in the market for a new trailer however I'm really struggling to decide what path to go down. In my dreamworld, I would LOVE something like the Cheval Liberte maxi 3/4, herringbone with a tack locker, however I have to live in the real world and I don't have that sort of money...

I have obviously looked at the ifor 511s, does the job - however I would really like to have a trailer with a tack locker so my husband stops moaning at me for getting horse hair and mud in the car and just because it would be a really nice thing to have. I don't like the tack packs much as they seem to take up a lot of space at the front and when I've borrowed one, they don't really fit two big saddles in.

So then I have looked at the CL touring with the tack locker, however I've seen reviews that they don't have much space - I know they do the XL version but due to budget, they're a bit out of reach.

Then for some reason, I just can't seem to get myself to like the Batesons, they always just seem really flimsy and dirty to me, really not sure why and my husband (who pretends to know a lot about mechanics ) agrees.

So I guess this is my question- in your opinion, which avenue would you go down? Ifor 511 and just deal with the rattly suspension and no tack locker, the CL but potentially not enough space for a chunky boy to get out, or something else?

My budget is ideally about £5k, in my dream world I could theoretically stretch that to £7.5k but that's in the danger zone of not being able to afford holidays or vet bills for a couple of years appreciate that's not masses to work with but I'm just trying to be realistic.

Thanks for reading this far and look forward to reading any replies!

Cheval 100%! If you search the page you’ll find lots of threads.

We have a CL tourer, the standard one not the XL. It’s absolutely fine for a horse up to about 16hh, our Welsh D travels well in it (14.2) and I had my 16hh TB in it too no problems. The issue with it is that the tack locker takes up a bit of room at the front, so it’s a bit tight for a horse on the left of the trailer if you were travelling 2. If you just have one in there it’s absolutely fine.

It gives the horse such a smooth ride with it’s suspension, I absolutely love it and was horrified the other week when my friend took her new ifor HBX out with her horse and it bounced around like crazy compared to my CL!

 

[Steerpike]

Definitely a Cheval, a dream to tow, fits my big 15.3 chunky Arab in, plus all my other size Arabs! The tack locker is great as I only really take one out at a time I've taken one of the saddle racks out which gives me more room in there. All my horses travel really well in it and I travel big distances up and down the country.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Look over the Chevals very carefully with build quality in mind. They are smart looking but flimsy. I wouldn't travel my horse in one.

That whole shiny black front is made from thin plastic which not even strong enough to screw a small cctc camera to. Was told that by the main dealer in Corwen when we went intending to buy new. Left disappointed and empty handed.

I’ve looked at them again when on display at Badminton etc and not changed my mind re the flimsy build.

 

[Traks]

Look over the Chevals very carefully with build quality in mind. They are smart looking but flimsy. I wouldn't travel my horse in one.

That whole shiny black front is made from thin plastic which not even strong enough to screw a small cctc camera to. Was told that by the main dealer in Corwen when we went intending to buy new. Left disappointed and empty handed.

I’ve looked at them again when on display at Badminton etc and not changed my mind re the flimsy build.

Ours has the cctv camera screwed onto the tack locker so you can definitely still have a camera inside if you want one OP!

People say that about them being flimsy but never had an issue with ours and the numbers of them you now see when out competing speaks volumes! Also never heard of anyone having an issue with the build quality, I know several with both tourers and maxis.

I would try towing both and see which you prefer, some places hire them out for the day or even long term hire, a few companies do this now (for both brands)

 

[dottieh]

I recently bought a maxi 3 and love it. I also have an Ifor 510 which is fantastic but I needed something herringbone for travel my young ones having sold my Lorries and the maxi3 has been great. A dream to tow and I love the tack locker- saves getting the car filthy!

 

[OldNag]

Just to say, Bateson definitely not flimsy. I had kne for years the Ascot with tack locker. I loved it, easy to tow. It was quiet and smooth for the occupants, too.

 

[rabatsa]

I found an older CL that is aluminium planks all round, no flimsy anything. Tows well, still lightweight and the ramp opening as a door is so useful for collecting pallets of bedding etc. I could not have afforded new.

 

[sunnyone]

We' vé got 1 of each, both bought in the UK and imported to France by us.

The ifor dates from 2003 we ordered it new so had improved suspension and rear door/ ramp with an aluminium floor. It's been great but now needs the side panels replacing. Cost for each side around €850! We need the 4x4 for towing, especially in the mountains if we go down to Spain. Ifors here are regarded as top quality.

The CL is from 2013 and is a Gold Pullman (better suspension). We've just replaced the tyres and wheels so noticed that some of the wiring needs sorting. As it only has a netting blind above the rear ramp/door we tend to use it only in fine weather. It can be towed by a Citroen C4 or 5, no problem. It does look a lot smarter than the Ifor did at the same age.

One of them is likely to go this year but we still can't decide which so my conclusion: neither is a clear winner, sorry.

 

[Steerpike]

Look over the Chevals very carefully with build quality in mind. They are smart looking but flimsy. I wouldn't travel my horse in one.

That whole shiny black front is made from thin plastic which not even strong enough to screw a small cctc camera to. Was told that by the main dealer in Corwen when we went intending to buy new. Left disappointed and empty handed.

I’ve looked at them again when on display at Badminton etc and not changed my mind re the flimsy build.

I can say my Cheval is definitely not flimsy built, I've put a reversing camera in mine which hasnt moved for the last 4 yrs and the front I would say is not thin plastic.

 

[nutjob]

I've had my cheval minimax (old version of maxi 3) for, I believe, at least 8 years now and it was about a year old when bought. I don't find it flimsy and all my horses are large wb. One is not a good traveller and is inclined to stamp and kick, another is a wobbler who's travelled only rarely but has been OK. It's well used, at least once a week, often twice. The brakes need more than normal attention and you need to buy and fit an additional gadget to reverse up a hill, apart from that no other problems. You can move the partitions to give a longer horse more space.

New price now is pretty horrifying and I don't know that you would get a used one for 7.5k.