# What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of a single horse trailer?



## Potato! (24 January 2011)

Question in Title.

Any help would be appreciated as i have a Haflinger mare that has been known to rear in a trailer and get stuck over a partition. Also im looking into what towing vehicle i can afford to buy as im on a limited budget as far as buying a car and trailer is concerned. I would only be traveling one horse at a time.


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## hudsonw (24 January 2011)

Well I have a single and love it. I can have a smaller 4x4 (Honda CRV) and I used to have a Sabb 95 estate that pulled it well. So this is a big advantage esp if you have to run your car as an everyday car rather than a towing only car?!!?
You can see down the sides when towing so no need for larger wing mirrors or shutting your eyes when a car comes towards you on a narrow lane!!!
Easy to move on your own (push or pull) if your like me an sometimes rather push it in to a parking space at the yard?
They are great if you have a chunky monkey like mine. He doesn't fit in a double with the partition and it's too big without one so a single if great for him. He can adjust his weight without feeling cramped.
Downsides are obviously you can only take one horse so a bugger if you want to go to a show or a hack in one trailer. You haven't got any space for storage so everything has to go in to the car...otherwise they are fab.


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## RuthnMeg (24 January 2011)

hudsonw said:



			Well I have a single and love it. I can have a smaller 4x4 (Honda CRV) and I used to have a Sabb 95 estate that pulled it well. So this is a big advantage esp if you have to run your car as an everyday car rather than a towing only car?!!?
You can see down the sides when towing so no need for larger wing mirrors or shutting your eyes when a car comes towards you on a narrow lane!!!
Easy to move on your own (push or pull) if your like me an sometimes rather push it in to a parking space at the yard?
They are great if you have a chunky monkey like mine. He doesn't fit in a double with the partition and it's too big without one so a single if great for him. He can adjust his weight without feeling cramped.
Downsides are obviously you can only take one horse so a bugger if you want to go to a show or a hack in one trailer. You haven't got any space for storage so everything has to go in to the car...otherwise they are fab.
		
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Agree 100%. ^^


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## Double_choc_lab (24 January 2011)

The only disadvantage I can thhink - they're like hens teeth to get hold of unless you buy brand new.

Had one years ago and loved it for all the above reasons.


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## Smitty (24 January 2011)

hudsonw said:



			Well I have a single and love it. I can have a smaller 4x4 (Honda CRV) and I used to have a Sabb 95 estate that pulled it well. So this is a big advantage esp if you have to run your car as an everyday car rather than a towing only car?!!?
You can see down the sides when towing so no need for larger wing mirrors or shutting your eyes when a car comes towards you on a narrow lane!!!
Easy to move on your own (push or pull) if your like me an sometimes rather push it in to a parking space at the yard?
They are great if you have a chunky monkey like mine. He doesn't fit in a double with the partition and it's too big without one so a single if great for him. He can adjust his weight without feeling cramped.
Downsides are obviously you can only take one horse so a bugger if you want to go to a show or a hack in one trailer. You haven't got any space for storage so everything has to go in to the car...otherwise they are fab.
		
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Another agree with the above!  Use a Subaru Forester for towing my Ifor 401 and my everyday car (heavy on petrol tho!).


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## TED2010 (24 January 2011)

Can you carry a 16.2+ I.D type in a single trailer, if so which one? Also are they sturdy? I had always thought they would be more likely to tip over because the weight wouldn't be so widely distributed but from above post they sound good!


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## Double_choc_lab (24 January 2011)

Generally the single is wider than half a double trailer.  The Ifor is meant as a mare and foal trailer so there is a fair bit of room.  As for weight and height dimensions you'd probably need to google for it.


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## hudsonw (24 January 2011)

I know my Ifor 401 can take up to a 16.2hh.
I've found my manual and...
Max gross weight is 1600kg, unladen 770kg
dimentions in inches
overall width 5'9"
overall hight 8'7"
overall length 14'1"
internal length 9'10"
internal height 7'
internal width 4'

mine is 2 years old so best checking the year and specs of the ones you look at in case they differ.


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## mhorses (24 January 2011)

just generally terrible!!


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## flyingfeet (24 January 2011)

Advantages
They are light and you can use a towing vehicle with lower towing capacity

Disadvantages
They are light and more unstable due to being tall and narrow
Towing car less suitable for job being asked
No spare space for putting stuff
No ability to ever take a second horse

Personally I'd rather get a double and a heavy towing vehicle as the heavier they are the better they do the job due to basic physics. 

Then again I wouldn't travel my horse in a 3.5t converted transit either!!


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## Spit That Out (24 January 2011)

I have one and bought it new from Ifor. It's great for towing as HudsonW said you can see down the sides.
I don't find it unstable or any less quality build than a double. I don't know much about psychics as someone mentioned earlier but i don't know how having one horse putting all it's weight on one side of a double is any less stable than a single with one horse spreading the weight across the whole thing? 
In fact i had a double and found it a pain in the bum to tow. It was harder to park, i couldn't move it on my own, felt very wide on the back of my car and why do you need that extra space when you only have the one horse?
Also if you mare doesn't like the partition then a single is a great idea that solves your problem.
They are more aerodynamic which means you'll use less fuel pulling it.
I have a BMW 5 series estate which is more than enough to pull it. Just check your cars laden weight.
You have to put everything in you car which can be a pain if you have a couple of friends with you and a dog but apart from that i can recommend getting one.


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## kezimac (24 January 2011)

Jen_Cots said:



			Advantages
They are light and you can use a towing vehicle with lower towing capacity

Disadvantages
They are light and more unstable due to being tall and narrow
Towing car less suitable for job being asked
No spare space for putting stuff
No ability to ever take a second horse

Personally I'd rather get a double and a heavy towing vehicle as the heavier they are the better they do the job due to basic physics. 

Then again I wouldn't travel my horse in a 3.5t converted transit either!!
		
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they arent less stable - the ifor is 3/4 the width of a double and it tows beautifully - had one 3 yrs and its out every week - never ever had an issue even on motorways


Depends what you tow with - i use a landrover freelander and never had issue. 
love mine!


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## Spit That Out (24 January 2011)

Oh, sorry forgot to say that they really hold their price. I sold an older version of the 401 so i could get the new shape and i got £500 less than i paid for it 3 years before. 

If that makes sense?!!?


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## horsegirl (24 January 2011)

I have one and it is great lighter and narrower than a double. My horse was very difficult to load into a double trailer last time took 3hours but as the single is wider than the partition bit in a double he walks straight in.


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## dumpling (24 January 2011)

Before I got my own trailer, I used to borrow one off a friend. We went for it purely because it was lighter and we'd only ever tow one pony. It towed really well and it was about 10years old, so not the newer type. The only thing I'd say is after it my pony decided he wasn't too keen on loading, we're not sure if that was because he was on his own though, he used to travel with a friend. We now have a double that weighs the same as the single, and we can use the unused side for storage, instead of putting everything in the boot which was awkward, as to open the boot it would interfere with the trailer!


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## dieseldog (24 January 2011)

They seem to be the norm in France.


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## hackedoff (24 January 2011)

Hi

Can I ask a few queries?

What size horse /pony do you put in your single trailer?

What are they like to tow  on bends and roundabouts?

Is there anyone with a single trailer near to me (4talybridge) who would be willing to come over so I can try my pony in one? I am happy to pay fuel costs to get to me and back. Mine loaded fine in a Richardson Rosette (160 cm wide) with no partions, I am considering either the ifor williams or cheval iberte mare and foal trailer.


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## Yorkshire dumpling (25 January 2011)

the only thing bad about a one horse trailer is you cant come home from sales with more than one "accidental purchase" lol 

would say some horses prefer to have company when they travel so it may be a disadvantage 
could you maybe stretch to a 2 horse trailer 
then maybe if you go to shows split petrol costs or whatever with anyone else from the yard that wants to go also you can offer box hire my YO used to do  it and charged £30 for a day plus petrol if she drove it so normally about £50 a day.


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## Potato! (25 January 2011)

Im thinking of the cost of a 4x4 as i would be running it as an everyday car, and i wont travel more tthan obne horse as she rears in the trailer and if she got stuck on a partiton again with another horse in there then i would be a major problem. I dont keep my horse on a yard and my friend cant travel wiith anybody as her horse  doesnt like the partition so travels him without one.


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## Chunkie (25 January 2011)

I've had my 401 for about 3.5 years now, and love it for all the reasons already mentioned.

It is not unstable (and I have a horse who messes around a LOT at low speeds, especially whan approaching home), and I don't drive it any differently when approaching roundabouts and sharp bends than I drove my double when I had two horses.

Ditto what someone else said about finding a good second hand one though - they are like hens teeth, but well worth carrying on the search if that's what you've decided you want.


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## hackedoff (25 January 2011)

Hi Burness 21 

I posted above with my quereis regarding a single trailer. I have towed for years with various Mondeo's as we used the company car to tow and they wouldnt run to a 4x4. it is perfectly legal provided the cars kerbweight and max load weight of the trailer = the total train weight of the car. This sounds complicated but it is basically the cars kerbweight plus what ever the max gross weight the trailer is plated for. The fact the tralier might be empty when towed is irrelevant.

Prior to the tow rule changes the same car would have been plated to tow upto 1600kg, however, this would have resulted in it towing something heavier than the physical weight of the car which is clearly not safe. I have always stood to the caravan clubs suggestion that the car should not tow more than 80% of its own weight . 

In my case this means I need a trailer plated for 1600kg or less, and that actually weighs when loaded less than 1236 kg (being 85% of the physical wieght of my trailer). 

This means a trailer of around 750 kg or less, hence I want a single trailer or a mare and foal trailer as my pony weighs 450kg and wont travel with partitions in!

I will add that a landrover discovery may be plated to tow 3 tonnes but in fact depending on the variation of landrover with a trailer weighing 850 kg and two hunters weighing 600kg each means that it may be towing more than 80% of its own weight which is no more safe than using a big 'normal' car to tow one pony!

Meanwhile when not towing and when doing 100's of motorway miles like me you have a car that acheives 50mpg and is pretty nippy, where as with a 4x4 you leave a carbon footrpint a mile wide.

A further consdieration is that unless you can afford a new 4x4, the cost of repairs and maintaince is usually far greater witha  4x4 than a normal car.


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## Potato! (26 January 2011)

Thank you so much for your replies. it certainly gives me something to think about.


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## RuthnMeg (26 January 2011)

I managed to find a second hand one, and am very pleased with it. Here are a few 'odd' photos with the trailer in, may give people who have not seen so many an idea of what they actually look like!






Our trailer behind Meg....






Trailer with Pip, and yes we tow with a mondeo.






Please excuse me! Penny unloading after her VERY first journey, and just left her mum. It gives a smooth ride, Penny wasn't stressed or sweaty and as you can see the ramp is the same dimentions as a double, so plenty of room.

Hope it gives people an idea. They are not bad, nor are they 'unbalanced' in any way.


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## horsegirl (26 January 2011)

That's exactly the same as mine, same colour too!


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## Kokopelli (26 January 2011)

I think if its the weight issue that you are worried about you are better getting a double as they are more sturdy and easier to sell on.
I say this because you can get very light double trailers now, our old one weighed less than the ifor single and our new trailer weighs the same as the ifor single.
We found the lightest and best quality trailers are Bateson and Cheval Liberte, both brilliant, light weight and inviting for the horse.
Best of luck trailer hunting


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## RuthnMeg (26 January 2011)

Doubles are not MORE sturdy than singles. Wish some people would stop suggesting that singles are unsturdy.  If you have one big horse in a double they may even be the unsturdy ones as the big horse is not in the center of the tailer, unlike the single when 'he'd' have to be!


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## gingerthing (26 January 2011)

RuthnMeg said:



			Doubles are not MORE sturdy than singles. Wish some people would stop suggesting that singles are unsturdy.  If you have one big horse in a double they may even be the unsturdy ones as the big horse is not in the center of the tailer, unlike the single when 'he'd' have to be!
		
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I absolutely love my single trailer, its a doddle to use and a dream to tow. Its the same width as the car which makes reversing much easier. And I fully agree with RuthnMeg about the sturdyness (sp?). Not once has it felt unsafe.

All you single trailer owners - What cars do you tow yours with?


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## RuthnMeg (26 January 2011)

gingerthing said:



			I absolutely love my single trailer, its a doddle to use and a dream to tow. Its the same width as the car which makes reversing much easier. And I fully agree with RuthnMeg about the sturdyness (sp?). Not once has it felt unsafe.

All you single trailer owners - What cars do you tow yours with?
		
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Ford Mondeo. Never had a problem.


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