Which trailer?

[Happytohack]

Have decided to sell our smallish lorry and buy a trailer - but which one???? Just want something to take our big mare out in to local off road trail ride and some fun rides - she is a Clydesdale x and a 16.1+ big girl. Thought about the Ivor Williams 510, but there seem to be various others on the market. We will be pulling with a Toyota Hi-Lux 4x4 which is capable of pulling 2200kg and will just be travelling her on her own, so probably will take the partition out and just use a breast bar and cross tie her. Defintiely want a front unload. Any advice as to which would be the best trailer to get will be very welcome!

 

[Tia]

Have you looked at Fautras? Wonderful trailers!! And very light but without compromising stability.

 

[Happytohack]

Have seen the Fautras (they look ultra smart) but didn't know anything about them. Will investigate - thanks!

 

[Pasha]

I'm a bit of a traditionalist and love the Rice Beafourt - very solid and sterdy and they last forever if well looked after

 

[sillygillyhorse]

I am another Rice/Richardson fan. I like the fact that the front ramps are wider and on the left. As you should travel a single horse on the right hand side of the trailer it gives more room for them to come out without banging their hips. If the ramp is on the right like the Ifors I have seen loads of horses bang themselves then become worried about loading. Just my opinion and loads of people have Ifors.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I love the Batesons, I've a Deauville and it's great, built well, very stable & has a 7'3" headroom so can carry up to 17h. The front ramp also opens on pavement side of trailer so you can offload onto footpath rather than into traffic....which a Ifor Williams can't. Ifors don't even have any tie rings on the outside...strange. The resale value is very good as well.

 

[Happytohack]

Thanks Mrs. T. - I think that is a good point about the left hand ramp and one I hadn't thought of.

 

[icestationzebra]

Bateson for me. They give a very smooth ride due to the suspension system and nothing rattles even when empty..... recommend highly.

 

[Gingernags]

We have a Cheval Liberte 2003XL which takes 2 x 17.2. My 15hh looks tiny in it! It has a pullman suspension so very smooth to tow, and I tow with a Nissan Navara twin cab pick up truck - they even match in colour (I'm soooooo vain!)

it has the front ramp on the left, a full size grooms door, and the back ramp will also open like a barn door style if you wanted to load say a pallet of shavings to transport.

Love it! Very lightweight and airy inside. We have a neurotic trailer hating TB and she goes in it with no protest AT ALL!

 

[sadowner]

Used to have a bateson, lovely trailer, however the ramps are narrow and my horse wasnt good at bending so always ended walking off the ramp before we got to the end of it.

 

[air78]

I've got a rice sixty, which is fab. When we first got my boy he had never traveled on a trailer, only a lorry, so we got the biggest one we could to try and help him adjust. He goes in and travels no problems in it. It is for 2 BIG horses and he has room to spare.

My friend has just got the Ifor williams (505?) for 2x 16.2's, but my lad is only 16.1 and his ears tuch the roof, and he has to duck to get out down the ramp

- needless to say i have not traveled him in it!
The only problem is that i can't tow a trailer (i only learnt to drive a couple of years ago) so i think we are going to get a 3.5 ton lorry. I HATE having to beg to be taken out to places!

 

[fizzer]

ifor williams great except for ramp at front leading onto road and they are very nickable,batesons look grt

 

[Theresa_F]

I have the smallest Bateson - the Derby which is exactly what I wanted - very light for my car. It is very well made, light and airy inside and tows like a dream.

It is not front load, but is the only one of the range that isn't and I was not bothered by rear load only trailers. The larger ones look to be every bit as good.

One final thing, the Batesons don't seem so attractive to those people who like to "borrow" them were the Ivor Williams seem to be "thief magnets".

 

[Louby]

Ive just got rid of my IW505 as my 16.1hh was just too big and he hated it, even on his own with a single breast bar. Thanks for posting this post as Im also undecided. I really fancy the Fautras Obliq as they travel herringbone but they are pricey. Love the Bateson but think I may have the same problems as the Ifor (not liking being so confined???)

Why hasnt anyone said the Equitrek. In the past lots of people on here really raved about them? Only asking as they seem the airiest trailer apart from the Fautras.

 

[Happytohack]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for posting this post as Im also undecided.
Why hasnt anyone said the Equitrek. In the past lots of people on here really raved about them? Only asking as they seem the airiest trailer apart from the Fautras.

[/ QUOTE ]

Our 4x4 max towing weight is 2500kg and the Equitrek are too heavy. Also, I do know several people with them, but don't know anyone who just travels one big horse in one. I also don't like the fact that the ramp is on the roadside - and I have heard murmurs of instability. Not to mention they are very expensive.

 

[Alibear]

Rice for me all the way nice and sturdy but still light enough for towing and I'd say about middling on the rattle steaks. The ramp is also a bonus.

What's with the recent trend of travelling horses in Ifor's with the top front panel open?

 

[hussar]

I'm one of those who've raved about Equitrek in the past and still do! The model I have has been discontinued but I believe the newest small version is really quite light. I've never found stability to be a problem; I tow mine with a Discovery 2.5. The roadside ramp might be a problem in the wrong circumstances but the trailer has so many advantages and the horses travel so well in it ... no trailer is perfect.

 

[Louby]

I'd be travelling one horse only too and you can adjust the partition to suit, giving more room. Apparantly the smallest one, not height wise is a space treker and it weighs just 1050kg. I have also heard about the stability issues and it did really put me off at first but after seeing a couple of Ifors on Ebay being sold as insurance write offs because they'd gone over I now wonder how much worse the Equitrek is than any other make???
I can see your point about the ramps with the Ifor and the Equitrek being on the roadside. Someone told me this can be an advantage because if you had to offload on a narrow country road then you wouldnt be able to lower the ramp as there wouldnt be any room without parking on the side of the oncoming traffic.
Its really hard choosing isnt it. I just wish I lived local to a dealer who did the lot so I could have a look at them all.

 

[Louby]

I know!!! Can you imagine a fly going in your horses eye at about 40 mph. Was talking to someone the other day who just happened to say 'how cute it was seeing their ponys forelock blowing in the wind and her ears moving arround'

 

[Alibear]

where's the rolling eyes smiley when you need it, at first I thought it was people desperate to keep horses cool in the summer but I see them still going around like this even when it's raining!

 

[Benefice1]

Following on from the weight of trailers, i have just brought an older Rice trailer, rear load/unload, would anyone hazard a guess at what it might weigh?!?!

 

[Louby]

My smileys wont work anymore??? otherwise I would have used the 'crazy' one I think.

 

[Happytohack]

I would guess an older Rice would weight 1100 kgs as they are quite a heavy trailer. Just a guess mind you.

 

[Happytohack]

There is a dealer not too far from us (Bearts nr Kings Lynn) who are agents for Equitrek and Rice/Richardson. I have had a look at them at Burghley and Norfolk Show, but think I might go up there and have a good look and talk to them. My only worry about the Equitrek is that everyone I know who has them are into endurance and tend to have slightly built Arabs. I don't know anyone who travels just one big "heavy" in the lightweight version.

 

[Louby]

Lady who comes to our yard for lessons travels a 17hh warmblood on his own in one. She does use the partition though, she has the Space treker L which is for large horses (hope I got that right) Lessons have been cancelled for a few weeks but she said she'd let me try my boy in it so I cant wait for her to come again. We wont be going anywhere as I was behind her once and she drives like a looney towing it!.