Right!? More info please…
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Well she said the one axel snapped in half. And the place she brought it too to get it fix checked the other one it had cracks in it. She only hauls two horses so the trailer isn’t carrying it max load either.
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Is this a Hawk or Equispirit? When I bought my trailer from Risa at least 10 years ago she said at that time Double D was manufacturing the Equispirit, and not Hawk.
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I mean, I guess there’s lemons in every brand. So probably not something to worry about unless we hear of recurring issues.
Mine is a 4 horse head to tail without the middle box. So it is only a foot or two longer than my current 4 horse slant. I’m pretty excited to pick it up in a few weeks.
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Wait, what brand had the axels fail?
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I’m not sure a one-off among many thousands of trailers produced is a statistical indicator. There is no knowing what anomalous factors were at work that don’t apply to other trailers. Unless there is a trend of this happening – might be worth an internet search on brand quality.
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Wait, what brand had the axels fail?
the farm I worked at while in college they had a 36 foot gooseneck that the axles became bent when jack knifing the trailer into tight parking spots at shows, the axles had to be replaced
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Word nerd here.
“Axels” are the jumps and turns that figure skaters do.
“Axles” are the rods or spindles that wheels rotate around.
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Not to mention that trailer manufacturers do not make their own axles, in fact my guess is a lot of trailer brands are using one of a handful of trailers axle brands.
Now it would be nice if the manufacturer of both stood by the warranty on the axle, but while not cheap it’s not terribly expensive to fix.
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Double D made Equispirit for a very short time, and the quality was just not good. They went back to Hawk pretty fast.
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Bought the book and felt the same. 99.9% of the information could be gathered from some critical thinking and review of threads like these. IMO not worth the read or all the rave reviews it gets here.
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I swapped my Brenderup for an EquiTrek last year and love it. My horse travels so calmly backwards, and I love that if I haul in for a show, I can take out the center divider and use the trailer as a day stall rather than tying him.
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What’s your opinion on the quality/workmanship? And have you recently handled a higher-end American style trailer?
I’m very interested in rear-facing trailers, but would have to upgrade my truck for towing capacity if I went with even a bumper pull BR version (they’re heavy, with the extra space and double ramps). I’d also have to upgrade for any gooseneck, so it would actually be significantly cheaper to trade for an EquiTrek since I could keep my F150!
Anecdotally I’ve heard the quality is mid, so I’m interested in a current owner’s opinion
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I just bought a rear facing trailer. The balanced ride 2 horse BP. My towing vehicle is my F150. My horse had a traumatic ride in my old Equispirit trailer on the highway and after years of safe travels every trip would be like this. …… if you turned a corner.
IMG_4333
I called Risa and had a long chat. Ordered. The BR. My horse now trailers like a champ. Truck hauls it fine.
From today.
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My horse doesn’t scramble like that but he is very nervous in the trailer and I think facing backwards helps his balance. He’s constantly trying to turn around and face the back.
Anyways, the smallest BR BP is still pushing it on weight, with two horses and hay/water/gear for a weekend. I use a WD hitch and I just feel like I’d rather be farther under the towing capacity if possible. Hence the idea of a euro style trailer!
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Understood! This new trailer is definitely heavier and taller than my 2006 Equispirit. I had to get a step ladder to slide the windows and open the roof vents lol. My longest shows are 2 days. An hour away. In flat Florida. I’ve got a heavy duty hitch. & An upgraded tow package on the f150.
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Ah yep - I have upgraded towing and all that but I’m in NC and we have hills. My Exiss is MASSIVE, and with everything and the AC unit, I’m comfortable but maxed out!
If I was upgrading to a bigger truck I’d be getting a gooseneck balanced ride. The price and weight is almost the same as the BP.
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Quality and workmanship are excellent. Mine is a 2022 so it’s not very old yet - it seems that many of the complaints are with the older models, and I know they changed their materials in the last couple of years.
I have handled American trailers, and have owned them, too. But I wanted something more lightweight that anyone in my barn with an SUV could tow in the case of an emergency.
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I would love a GN but I adore my F150 and had no interest in upgrading my tow vehicle. Best wishes in your trailer search !
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This is great info! Thanks!
