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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 11:01:10 AM
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Has anybody got one of these and what do you think of them, i know when they first came out they had a few problems but they seem to be getting better, my OH has been looking at the small basic one think its called the sonic, any thoughts or advice welcome.
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Centaur
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
237 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 11:32:47 AM
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I looked at the equitrek range last year when downsizing from 7.5T to 3.5T box. IMO they have several drawbacks;
the ramp is on the drivers side so if you need to unload on a road you unload into traffic.It's a full height ramp so can't just open top doors to let horse look out at a show.
the price quoted in the adverts looks very attractive but it is for the very very basic shell - everything seemed to be extra money. I estimated that I would have to spend another 2.5 - 3k to have what I wanted and then cover VAT which is also not included.
I didn't think that the interior esp the breastbar looked very robust & I really wanted a full partition between the horse and grooms area for safety.
I eventually got mine from Equimark horseboxes. Very helpful. Will build to your spec on whatever chassis you can afford. I'm really enjoying mine & horse loves it - the gas assisted ramp is "heaven"!!
PM me if you want any more info
Angela |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 11:52:59 AM
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Thanks Angela i have just been and had a look. do they have a big wide door at the back to get your horse out in an emergency ?We have one already but were thinking of getting a new one, i can manage with the ramp being on different side but need either full wall in front of the horse or a large exit door at the back, having seen the damage on here that somebody had trying to get their horse out. My mare is a bad traveler so must be quite strong, she also paws so think it would help if we only have a breast bar like in a trailer then theres less for her to kick  I agree the price they print is not the price you pay, there is also a 3 month wait list although there is one coming up next week , we will go and have a look as i have not seen them close up, i do know the dealer only gets them in white as the sprayers equitrek use do an awful spray job so he gets white and then people can get their own spray job done. |
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Centaur
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
237 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 1:00:02 PM
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Not sure if they have a wide exit door as I insisted on a full wall. The breast bar worried me a bit if the horse tried to get under it but it works in trailers so shouldn't really be a problem. The solid breast partition in the Equimark allows me to loosley cross tie which works well. Weaving grills were suggested to me as a cheaper alternative to a full wall between horse & grooms area but I wanted my boy to have freedom to move his head more freely. In the end I just had to decide on what I felt was safest - I'm such a worrier & travelling horses will never be hazard free whatever the design.
Hope you get what you want. |
Edited by - Centaur on 16 Jul 2011 1:03:20 PM |
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garnet
Platinum Member
2382 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 1:17:51 PM
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We had the all-singing, all-dancing model in 2004 and it was an absolute shocker. Red was badly injured in it and we had a full out of court settlement after the independent assessor found enough faults to produce a document rivalling War and Peace in length. One of the things we were warned about on the day Red was injured, and we had lots of help at the show, was that the narrow rear door was potentially very dangerous as a horse could panic, try to get through it, and get stuck.
I believe Equitrek have smartened up their act since then, and I do know of people who are happy with them, but if you do go ahead please examine it very carefully and be sure it is what you want.
We now have a 4 horse Fautras which takes the horse herringbone and the carriage and it is very well made and easy to tow. A smaller version of that might suit if you don't want living - it has a tack area at the front in which you can fit a Portaloo as well as your tack, buckets etc. |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 1:19:54 PM
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We have a small box, side ramp, horses rear facing with breast bars - no problems at all - in fact I feel they are safer because at least you can duck under them easily if you have to get out of the way in a hurry as the horse comes in. As far as I can remember from looking at the Sonic in the flesh, they have full human size doors in the back - would be an issue if you have a horse that decides he can get out that way. I don't know if you have the option of having a full size horse escape door fitted, you would have to ask Equitrek.
ETA Our box has a small jockey door (trailer size) on the same side as the ramp - so horses can't really see it to think of getting out through it - much safer I think - horses are just looking at the back wall of the truck. |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
Edited by - Callisto on 16 Jul 2011 1:23:30 PM |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 1:40:10 PM
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I believe the early ones had terrible trouble, and i am hoping they have learnt there lessons from this, i like the idea of just the breast bar and as far as i can see it moves and in front of this is a solid wall with door in so even if they try to duck under they seem to have nowhere to go, please correct me if i am wrong. I do not want to part with my present box to find i have got a problem box, the only reason we are doing this is to improve things. I know they are not as high as my present one but my horses are not too big so that should not be an issue. Dose anybody know if the breastbar comes out, as i sometimes move the sheep in the horsebox  , although they would probably just walk under.I need to do a checklist to take with me so i can tick things off, anybody thinks of anything to look at on it please let me know. |
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Kharidian
Platinum Member
England
4297 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 2:03:20 PM
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Sorry, I don't know anything about Equi Trek but I just have to say that I think it is essential that a breastbar is removable; what happens otherwise if a horse rears over it and gets stuck? I'd insist on a breastbar that's removable from the outside of the lorry/trailer, such as with the Ifor Williams for which one is supplied with an Allen Key (sp) so the fittings can be removed and the breastbar dropped, even with a horse on it.
Caryn |
Kharidian (Prince Sadik x Khiri)........ Alkara Cassino (H Tobago x Rose Aboud)
aka "Roger".................................... aka "Chips"
     
The first image is from an original painting by Pat Shorto.
South-East Essex |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 3:11:30 PM
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| I totally agree Kharidian, I find these solid chest partitions quite worrying, for a start they are not adjustable, so you cannot easily travel different sized horses and ponies in them, and heaven forbid something goes wrong you need a team of firemen and a vet to cut the horse out. |
Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 6:03:16 PM
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| Kharidian and Callisto yes i agree i would like a bar that can be taken out , just in case , not sure if the equi trek do or not. |
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Vik1
Platinum Member
1711 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 6:16:23 PM
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Dont know about the 3.5ts but the trailers are horrendous imo so I wouldnt consider the horsebox.
Weve decided to go for an Alexanders 3.5t horsebox next spring. They do trade ins too. Spoke to a few people at shows who have one and they have all said they are great. They even said they are brilliant to deal with and the aftersales is superb. Spoke to the guy at RHS last month and they are very accommodating. They have a website, can make brand new and also have 2nd hand for sale.
The ramp is on the passengers side which is a big plus.
Cant wait to get mine!! |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 6:17:40 PM
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| I have one , a show treker. it is good for the horses they like it its light and airy , and they travel backwards ,the living is basic but funtional, if I find fault with it the suspension isnt all that good , I find I feel every bump we go over. |
   
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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Vik1
Platinum Member
1711 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 6:23:04 PM
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| Oh meant to say they Alexanders have a range and very high safety spec. Either big wide door at back or jockey door on side. Also option of breast bars/weave grills etc. You can still get quite a big horsebox for 3.5t but you would only be allowed to carry one horse in it. Or you can opt for a 3.9t version. |
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cmj
Silver Member
France
383 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 6:26:31 PM
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We thought they were great UNTIL we did some full and thorough research. We went to see some new ones and they looked pretty good, were all set to buy one but, thankfully, checked and checked. We were interested in the high-spec version with living. If you want something safe, and good customer service if something does go wrong, eg like a broken axle  , then it might not be for you. Just my opinion of course. |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 6:34:26 PM
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My pal has just got rid of her Alexander horsebox after only 3 weeks, i also do not like the top door on them as they go up over, not brill for my babies and you also get soaked if its raining.
Lyndilou dose your breastbar drop down ?
I think its like anything there is good and bad in all boxes, i am off to endurance tomorrow so i shall see if anybody has one i can go and quiz |
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Suelin
Platinum Member
England
2514 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2011 : 12:13:08 AM
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| I have a show trekka as well and no the breast bar doesn't move, which does trouble me for all sorts of reasons and also don't like the ramp opening on the drivers side. On the plus side the horses travel very well in them and they make loading very simple especially with youngsters or horses who are unused to loading. We have had no trouble with ours but if I were buying a new trailer I think I would go back to the IW. If I wanted living I would buy a small lorry. |
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galaxy
Bronze Member
66 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2011 : 12:50:15 PM
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I have an Equi-trek Sonic Horsebox and bought it new in 2008, it is just coming up to 3 years old.
I love it to bits! I find it easy to drive and very comfortable. The horses load well with the low ramp. It has inner loading doors so you can leave the ramp down at shows and still leave the horses inside easily.
With regard to the ramp coming down on the drivers side this has not been a problem to me at all. It was pointed out to me that if you needed to unload your horse in a narrower road and were parked against a hedge you wouldn't be able to unload on the nearside in any case, and so I suppose there are pro's and cons with regard to the siting of the side ramp.
The breast bar is removable but you need your spanners etc. We remove ours when collecting round bale haylage, and can get x2 round bales in the Sonic when the breast bar is removed which is quite a bonus.
If you don't use the box frequently you need to put the ramp down and up at least once a week or so to maintain the efficiency of the gas struts which assist the ramp.
The horses travel very well facing backwards and I have been told that it is better if you have to brake suddenly,for their weight to bear down on the rear end and their hocks rather than them being thrown onto the forehand and into the breastbar.
Mine has just sailed through it's first MOT with no problems whatsoever.
I wish you luck in whatever choice you make and many happy miles of horseboxing!!
Julie. |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2011 : 5:19:52 PM
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Galaxy i have been looking at one today at the egb i was at, the lady had a few issues when she got it but i think nothing is perfect with these small boxes, i have had two both different horsebox makes and have had issues with both but nothing we cannot remedy, i think the problems occur because they have to keep them under the weight so every nut and bolt counts. We are going to see a new one this week as soon as it arrives and can have a good prod and poke, both my other two have been a Renault Master van but my OH says the truck on the equi trek is fine, sorry forgotten which one it is.
Thankyou everybody for your help it is a big spend so help and advice is so welcome. |
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debs
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2011 : 10:46:07 PM
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The lady that went to pick Ali up wrote hers off.... thank god on the way! Someone pulled out infront of her and she lost it, said it was because it was so light>
w |
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Equi trek horseboxes
