Bockmann Trailers?

[MegBackInSaddle]

Does anyone own or have experience/knowledge to share about Bockmann trailers? They’re imported from Germany, light, with very low tongue weight. My horse sort of fell out of the sky unexpectedly late last summer (I’d had no plans to own a horse in the foreseeable future), and now that I’m fully outfitted with tack, looks like this spring is the time to buy a trailer, probably necessitating a vehicle sale and purchase (SUV for a truck). However, I’ve run across these Bockmann trailers. Relatively affordable new, and I’ve found a couple of them used. We could probably tow it with our SUV for the time being, saving us the upfront money of a vehicle upgrade at the same time as the trailer purchase.

Any thoughts or opinions?

[Manni01]

I have one and I love it. I haul it with a Volkswagen Tuareg

[MegBackInSaddle]

Thanks, Manni01! The more I read about them, the more I think I like them.

[2tempe]

not quite the same but I had a Brenderup for years, and really loved it. They are similar to the Boekkman. I dont personally haul long distances, but it was great for area shows and a couple trips 2.5 hours to Ohio State Vet School. I towed with a full size SUV. Had only a small tack compartment but I tend to travel light. Easy maintenance, loved the braking system.

[Gardenhorse]

I love mine as well. It is a Big Champion and I tow it with a Toyota Tacoma. The only downside is that the tack compartment is a little small when you’re hauling two horses (especially if you’re an eventer so each horse has two sets of tack).

[MegBackInSaddle]

Thanks 2tempe and Gardenhorse!! I’ve yet to read of anyone who actually owned one disliking them, though they seem to be rather polarizing in general for some reason.

They are so hard to find used. The new ones are well outside of my planned budget, but might be worth it for the long-term flexibility it would give us for the tow vehicle. We generally have a small car that gets good fuel economy (currently my Elantra), and an SUV (currently hubby’s Sante Fe). That combo works well for us.

Hubby (the poor guy) is NOT a horse person (he’s ridden 4 times in his life, all with me) is willing to sell his SUV and buy a truck, even though that’s his primary vehicle and he has no need or desire for a truck (I have to drive something agile that gets good gas mileage for work), but a Böckmann would make that unnessecary.

One minor concern is longer distances. I don’t imagine we’ll haul regularly more that 2 hours from home…but hubby’s military. A move across the continent is quite possible in the next 2 years. I really like the idea of a 2+1 and a truck for a long haul, having a box stall to make her comfortable for breaks. But that’d be a once every few years thing.

[soloudinhere]

I had a Portax K. Great trailer. Too small to bring 2 horses to a show where you also needed to bring hay/bedding/feed/etc for more than one day. I traded up to a 2+1, but I had an F250 to pull it. I did pull the Portax with my husband’s tacoma and it was just fine.

They are not very common and I don’t think the American importer brought any in last year due to the tariff situation with aluminum. You would have to buy from Maple Lane in Canada, which is probably to your advantage pricewise.

[Gardenhorse]

I follow the Maple Lane Trailers Facebook page, and they seem to have people towing them good distances across Canada regularly. But I have only used mine locally. Honestly, if I was moving across the continent, I would probably pay to have my horse hauled rather than have the stress of doing it myself. But, I’m not really a fan of long road trips with or without a horse trailer.

[Jim_in_PA]

Böckmann has excellent quality combined with more modest tow vehicle requirements. Aside from the potential space issues that my friend soloudinhere mentions, they are very worthy. Not inexpensive, but…

[MegBackInSaddle]

Hubby is open to a major budget increase, lol. He’s been such a sport about my horse habit!

Soloudinhere, a 2+1 with dressing room is my dream trailer But honestly, it’d be major overkill for me at this point. I should be fine when it comes to space. I only have one horse for the foreseeable future. One concern is that choosing to keep our SUV and go with a European 2 horse is that trailer, tack, and my one horse will be about all that I can haul. Don’t think I could offer a friend and horse à lift with me anywhere, just due to the low towing capacity of the SUV.

Gardenhorse, I’m a road warrior, lol! I do a lot of long drives. However, I’ve only hauled short distances. Decisions around a long haul are off in the unknown future (as a military wife, I’ve had to learn how to lightly consider many future possibilities without getting too invested in any of them), so that’s only one small consideration among many.

Jim_in_PA, thanks for the input. The lower tow requirements are the main draw. And if I go this route, I’ll be buying a new or much newer trailer than I’d previously considers, which offers its own peace of mind.

Thanks again to all of you for your feedback! I have no idea why these trailers seem so polarizing.

[Lusoluv]

I have a 2012 St Georges Imara - sister trailer to the Fautras. They are significantly less expensive than the Boeckmann, tho I don’t think they have an importer any longer. I must be the OPs twin as I drive a new Elantra and my husband has a Santa Fe. I love this trailer and I typically show/clinic anywhere from 1-3 hours from where my horse is boarded. If I were to move cross-country, I’d hire a commercial hauler. Not necessarily to get a box stall for the trip, but those big rigs have air ride suspension for a comfortable ride. Even a huge gooseneck trailer a private person has doesn’t have that feature, so in this case, size doesn’t matter.

[MegBackInSaddle]

I can’t even find any Fautras or St Georges to look at anywhere around me. There’s a Böckmann dealer not too far away. Good to know your Sante Fe does the job!

Will definitely consider commercial. We could be posted an hour from where we are now, or to Alaska or Europe! No way of knowing.

[Gardenhorse]

I think they are polarizing just because they are so different from what people in US/Canada are used to. If you end up in Europe, a Bockmann will fit right in!

[Mouse_amp_Bay]

I got mine from Maple Lane. Love it. I have hauled two substantial WBs with no concerns up to 5 hours. Great trailers that tow very well.

The braking system is amazing - compared to the $$$$ brake control 4 horse head to head trailers I have been in, the brakes work amazing. Almost no push on the vehicle and Maple Lane could explain it much better than I. Beautiful well designed trailer - I love it and everyone who has tried it with my SUV also loves it. I have had professional truck drivers comment on how fabulously it handles.

[MegBackInSaddle]

Well, if we go to Europe (I know it makes me sound like a stick in the mud, but I hope we don’t!), I won’t be taking my mare or trailer. It would likely be a relatively short posting (2 years), and that’s just too much expense, especially with how the Euro stacks up against the Canadian dollar currently. Fingers crossed we’re in continental NA somewhere!

Good to hear, Mouse&Bay, thank you! I’ve found one used listing, but haven’t received a response. Maple Lane would be my next best option. Thanks for sharing your experience with them!

[Jim_in_PA]

The Fautras/St Georges, while nice, were a lot more cramped inside than the Böckmann Portax when I was looking at them a few years ago. Narrower, for example, and the stall length would have been tight for the 16-1 and 16-2 horses I had at the time. I like the fact that front-unload is available with the Böckmann Portax series…the only reason I didn’t buy one is that I stumbled on a nearly pristine used and light-weightTrailersUSA Minuteman Sport locally. (my tow vehicle was a MY12 Grand Cherokee Hemi with factory tow and a loaded weight of about 5K with both horses. (WDH required of course) Pulled beautifully. But had I not got that deal…it’s likely I would have bought the Böckmann despite the three times higher cost from the used one I did get.

[MegBackInSaddle]

Not looking at a Portax. There’s almost NO used inventory of any sort, and the Portax is well above what I can afford new. The used trailer I’ve seen listed is a Champion R, but I think if I had to buy new, even the Duo would meet my needs. I know things can change down the road, getting a new horse or even my Winnie changing over time, but as it stands, she’s a dream to haul and load, so no special considerations there.

What’s WDH?

[Gardenhorse]

WDH = Weight distribution hitch.

[MegBackInSaddle]

Ah, thank you! (My cluelessness is showing!) I’ve never owned a trailer. Always had my horse(s) at mom’s/sister’s place, and they have a trailer. I’m going to feel SO grown up (lol, I’m 38!) when I haul my mare by myself somewhere for the first time.

[Jim_in_PA]

Well, since you’re in Ontario, you’re pretty much at “ground zero” for North America relative to Böckmann since Maple Lane is the NA importer. They seem to get used inventory from time to time as folks upgrade, etc., so just stay on top of things.