Which trailer for a first time tower?

webble

webble

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I have had my 3.5t box for a few years but have finally decided that I am not using it enough to make the cost worth while and I could also do with changing car so a tow car makes sense now. I will be looking at a 4WD something like a Kuga, VW Tiguan, Hyudai LX35

I havent towed before, I did the course about 10 years ago but went to pieces on the test and failed. I am planning on redoing the course and doing lots of practice and will be fine in a non pressure situation. My question is do I go for a single or double? I am unlikely to need to travel 2 but does a double offer more stability or a better ride? Do I look at the Ifors which everyone seems to have or the Cheval which seem to have good reviews? I have heard not so good things about equitrek and they seem quite heavy so likely not those. Trailer budget will be approx 4k so will be looking at second hand but not ancient - please help a trailer novice chose the easiest option for reversing and getting through narrow lanes!
 
My friend has a single box and while she likes towing it she never has room for a friend to hack and her horse (a 15.2 cob) just about squeezes her arse in. It really limits the horses she can have in the future and she’s had to hire boxes to travel a bigger loan horse for a while.

If you’re doing the course I’d say just go for a double. That way you get used to it from the off and as it’s a bit wider it can actually be more helpful to see out of the mirrors.
 
Personally, I had an Ifor Williams HB505 Classic which was great. I sold it a couple of years ago for the same I bought it new in something like 2008! It had always been kept on hard standing, and regularly serviced.

The thing though with that series of IWT trailer is that the panels eventually take on damp, so you'd need to factor in their replacement at some point if they've not already been replaced.

Like you, I made the move away from a 3.5t lorry - which had been great whilst I'd used it regularly, but wasn't so reliable once I wasn't using it so much.

Check on whether you still need to take a test to tow - I have a feeling you don't need to now? However, a couple of sessions with an hgv instructor will really help you with your towing confidence! 😊
 
Definitely get a few lessons in, makes you so much more confident, I took my test too just before they scrapped it (bitter me noooo 😜), but I am glad I had the lessons.

I started off with an Indespension Monique, which was pretty much the same as the Ifor 505, which definitely are easier as far as size and country lanes go. However, my youngster outgrew it and my other started to refuse to come out of the front ramp, 🙄 she's quite claustrophobic... Ended up with an Equitrek as that had the same backwards facing+ side ramp as my old box and so all ponies were happy again!

Had no bother with the Equitrek, like stated up thread, any older trailer with wooden panels will eventually need replacing. I have now upgraded to a new style version that doesn't have any wood, so hopefully should be easy to keep.

All my horses travel better backwards, and even my most seasoned traveller didn't travel as well in the standard front facing trailer, so something to consider if your horse is as fussy as mine... I decided against the Cheval, which was initially my first choice as they hadn't brought out the XL and it looked a bit tight at the front with the tack locker, so I figured Skylla would hate that too.

To be honest if the trailer is the same or narrower than the car country lanes are no bother, and I would just keep practising reversing without the horses in it, with enough practise it does get so much easier (though the lessons did help!).
 
I had a single Ifor before I bought my 3.5t. It was great, they are only slightly smaller than a double trailer so plenty of room internally for a horse (more room than in a partition) it was easy enough for me to wiggle it onto the tow ball if not lined up exactly, and narrower than the car so if your car fits through the gap, the trailer will.
 
webble said:
Horse is 15 hands standie so I hoping space wont be too much of an issue! I will definitely be getting lessons. @HufflyPuffly was that the only reason for not getting the cheval?
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Yes it was really, Skylla is quite precious about life and I was fairly adamant I wanted something with a separate tack locker bit after years of hay over everything! The Cheval dealership is only up the road and I hear nothing but praise for them currently, and apparently horses travel very well in them due to their suspension, but with one youngster refusing to get in line with 15.2hh tops 🤨 idea and Skylla being so sensitive, I gave in and went with a giant Equitrek 😂🙈.
 
I would always get a double, they're more stable and extremely useful as you can carry stuff on the other side (I keep buckets/mounting block etc.). Im onto my second Bateson Ascot, love them. Lightweight, every horse seems to like them, great build quality. They can be hard to get hold of though! Bateson fans rarely sell!
 
Hi Webble
I have an Ifor 505, full aluminium floor but wooden sides. As mentioned above, the sides are starting to show signs of needing replacing soon 🫣💸 So definitely be very aware if you look at one with the same.
There is much more flexibility with a double box, I have full width breast bars, so when travelling singles, they are cross tied & they have much more freedom on how they feel comfortable standing.
It's a quick 5 min job to pop in/take out partitions.
It's probably actually easier to reverse a double too, as visibility will be better, and a more stable ride to.
Good Luck with your search!
 
I was in the process of booking my test when the rules changed, luckily I am married to a man who is AMAZING at towing (and he did the course about 7 years ago) and he helps me with the tricky parking (no where is ever as difficult as our driveway to get onto) and has shown me the "text book" way to hitch up safely.

I take my horse out to a venue every week that has loads of room so I practice my parking there (it's so big I can actually just swing round to park but I use it as reverse parking practice.

I have an EquiTrek trailer as mine prefers to travel backwards facing, weirdly it's harder to reverse than our Ifor Trailer (not a horse one but double axel and the same size) but my mare is happy to load into it and doesn't break a sweat travelling. To date I only travel one at a time as we are never going to the same venue together. I tow with a 3l Discovery and it makes light work of it.
 
A double will be easier to find and should you want to go away overnight you have the space to put all your clobber.

Definitely have refresher lessons and go out a few times without the horse until you feel more confident.
 
I’ve never towed, only owned and driven a 3.5 and 7.5 tonne lorry, but I’m going to buy a trailer soon. I’ll be booking lessons because I absolutely want to know what to do if things go egg shaped like if the trailer starts to weave.
 
Cheval for me!! I am biased as I have a tourer which I love, not a fan of towing but this one is amazing and gives the horses a fab ride! It only takes up to about 16hh realistically so if yours is bigger go for the new XL tourer. I have internal and a reversing camera which are fantastic.

VW Touareg is a brilliant car for towing, more oopmh than the Tiguan. It’s a bit thirsty though!
 
Another for Cheval, never towed until a couple of years ago, just towed to North Yorkshire from West Wales, I find it gives the horses a smooth ride, lots of ventilation for the horse and the tack locker is an added bonus!
 
I would go for an Ifor 2 horse they are easier to acquire and easier to sell. For your budget you are probably looking at the older 505 but a local dealer lady had a refurbished one in for 4k. Chevals have better suspension but the build quality isn't as solid, imo, as an Ifor.
 
irishdraft said:
I would go for an Ifor 2 horse they are easier to acquire and easier to sell. For your budget you are probably looking at the older 505 but a local dealer lady had a refurbished one in for 4k. Chevals have better suspension but the build quality isn't as solid, imo, as an Ifor.
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No that's where I am torn, build over suspension. I'm not in a rush so finding one shouldn't be too much of an issue, I've seen a few that look worth viewing but I've got to sell my box first
 
I have a Cheval Liberte touring country if you want to come and have a look at the quality. I am happy with it though.
 
I have not much to say really, I have only had now two very old Rice Europas, both are still in use and they must be forty years old, the only thing that needs replacing is anything wooden, mainly the floor. I used a friends Eqitrek which was new, but they are very heavy for what they are, and if you have a poor loader you might end up with one on the 'wrong' side.
I think what you tow with is more important and how you drive is more than the trailer, look not on at the towing weight in the book but how heavy the tow car is, there is nothing worse than the tail wagging the dog. I can not see the point of a single trailer, the Rice gets used for carting hay, 30 bales at least, and moving furniture.

I love the look of the new Chevel, but compared to my old Rice the sides look thin, has anyone seen any damage to the side walls.
 
A well looked after, recently serviced one :)

My firest trailer was a Sinclair and I adored it, but I now have a Bateson and wouldn't sway away from it, but I also like the single trailers as you've got room to tack up etc before getting them out the box, whereas space can be tight with a partition. You could always try a couple of different ones and see what you like best - do you have any friends with trailers you can have a go with?
xx
 
I love my single Ifor because it is narrower than the car so I never have to think of it will fit through because if the car fits the trailer does.
 
The best trailer I've ever towed was an old cheval , the suspension was brilliant , it towed relly well and always felt secure on the road , but the build quality a bit poor imo
 
I switched from a 3.5t to a trailer a couple of years ago. Neither me nor OH had towed before. We chose a Tiguan + Cheval Touring Country (double) and it's been great; were happy and pony is happy. I wanted a double so I had the option of taking a friend.
 
Gloi said:
I love my single Ifor because it is narrower than the car so I never have to think of it will fit through because if the car fits the trailer does.
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I have an Equitrek which is very wide and it’s still much narrower than my car (I had check on Tuesday as next door’s visitor had left a Disco sized gap in our lane!)
 
Make sure you buy one that your horse will load onto!

I went out and purchased a lovely new 506 and horse wouldn’t load. Neither would any of my friends horses. Both with and without partions . Ended up buying an equitrek!! No issues with the 506 but I found it too narrow for my ISH who isn’t that big a girl.

I love my equitrek and won’t have anything else now. I can leave spare stuff in the front dead easy to hitch and tow with. I could very easily fit two 17.2hh in but I only travel my 16hh tb but I can hid in the trailer and tack up when it rains!

Echo what everyone says with make sure you’ve got a good towing vehicle as that makes all the difference. I had an Amarok that you couldn’t feel either trailer on at all but now I’ve gone for a defender 90 so feels everything a lot more but my setup isn’t as long.
 
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