# Eclipse Horse Trailers - What's your opinion?



## equineeventer3390

I have never heard of them before but I just looked them up and they look pretty good. Not too expensive. However, unless you already have a deal on this exact trailer, I would look in to Cherokee trailers! We have a 3 horse custom straight load trailer with rear and side ramp and dressing room. I love it! It was cheaper than all the sundowner, featherlite, sooner, etc and IMO just as nice if not better in some aspects. 
Cherokee - RV
Another good brand that is comparable but not as expensive as sundowners is Merhow. 
Merhow Industries - quality horse trailers for over 53 years.


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## JumpersRule

Thanks for the advice, but I'm pretty set on these trailers. I love their style! 
I'm also going to dry and buy one already made.


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## kitten_Val

Jumpers, I don't know anyone who owns one, but I checked them out and I'm little concerned about the price - too cheap for aluminum (comparable to those high-rank companies). I'm NOT arguing or trying to change your opinion on it :wink: , just wondering why there is such a difference.

Edit: I was talking about $6695 model. Others seem to be more expensive, so I wonder what's so different here...


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## kitten_Val

JumpersRule said:


> Thanks for the advice, but I'm pretty set on these trailers. I love their style!
> I'm also going to dry and buy one already made.


Decided to bring this one up... 

I've seen these trailers at the Expo last Fri and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw. In fact I liked Eclipse 2-horse slant they had there over all other slants I looked at. After that I did some search on those trailers and all feedback I could find was very positive.


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## JumpersRule

kitten_Val said:


> Decided to bring this one up...
> 
> I've seen these trailers at the Expo last Fri and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw. In fact I liked Eclipse 2-horse slant they had there over all other slants I looked at. After that I did some search on those trailers and all feedback I could find was very positive.


Thanks for letting me know! I, too, have heard very good things about Eclipse. That does it: my trailer will be an Eclipse!


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## MyBoyPuck

I know somebody who sells Eclipse along with Featherlite. He describes Eclipse as the aluminum generic. Looks okay but bottom of the line everything. Very little in terms of safety features and things like springs and bearings aren't as high quality as better trailers. For shorter trips, I'm not sure any of that matters. That being said, I chose to buy a used Featherlite over a new Eclipse.


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## showclothes

Have you checked the BBB rating of Eclipse? It's an F. I checked on them because I'm having no luck resolving 2 quality issues with this company and wanted to see if there were others having issues as well. I don't want to discourage people from buying an Eclipse, I'm just saying, do your research.


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## cbsh9898

*Eclipse Trailers*

I just went to their factory in Somerset Ohio. Talked to the owner and looked at several models. Still need to research, but for the money, I like what I see. I also checked the BBB and they have an A- rating. Not the F someone else mentioned.


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## Joe4d

you should search on this forum. Several bad customer service and ignored warranty claims reported.


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## cbsh9898

*Eclipse*

Thanks. I have been looking at the posts here and elsewhere. It seems to be a mixed bag for sure. I actually ended up there after looking at a used Lakota trailer (which was in outstanding shape) for about the same cost. So......any thoughts on Lakota trailers? I'm actually leaning toward the Lakota after reading a lot of the content on-line.


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## showclothes

cbsh9898, at the time I filed my complaint against them (which, contrary to their apparent input to the BBB, is still not resolved) their rating was at an F. If complaints are closed they are still on the books but do not lower the rating. What can't be ignored is that all of the complaints are due to quality of some sort and that is cause for concern. As Joe4d said, and I would suggest as well, forums can provide insight.


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## cbsh9898

*Eclipse*

Thanks showclothes, and I hope I didn't sound rude. That wasn't my intent. When you mentioned the rating, I hadn't even thought of that, so I decided to look as well. That's when I saw the A-. I checked a few other sights and saw the same thing. However, this has been a good forum and given me lots of great input to think about. Thanks again.


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## showclothes

cbsh9898, no, you didn't sound rude at all. These forums are good when they prompt people to do some research. Education is the key to making good decisions.


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## livestoride

I have owned a 2 horse straight load for a year now and love it. It is plenty big for the horses with nice windows and vents. We use it almost every weekend and have never had a problem. The only thing I wish it had a is larger tack area. We have 2 saddle racks and room for a tote but really nothing else which makes us load up the bed of the truck leaving no room to sleep in it when we camp. Other than that I would buy another one in a heartbeat.


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## Saddlebag

Last fall I sold my 1977 steel WW two horse straight load. It was still holding up well altho some of the lumber lining the back doors was replaced. I now have a vintage stock trailer to accommodate larger horses. It too is solid. A friend bot a new mini stock and before a year was up the tip of the fenders were rusting. And noisy.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand

I love my Eclipse!!  Although I must say, I started out with the basic 2H slant load and it was TOO small for my 14.1h large pony!! Her butt was SMASHED against the wall and she couldn't hold her head straight unless it was out the window! I was not happy. BUT the customer service couldn't have been better with the Somerset, OH location! I told them my concerns on this brand new trailer that I had custom ordered, and they not only let me trade it in for an upgrade - a 2H straight load with dressing room (I just paid the difference in price, which was $2k), but they had one of their sales people actually haul it up 2 1/2 hrs to my barn and switch it out for me! 

I was VERY pleased with the customer service I received through them, that's for sure. Having said that, they ARE inexpensive for aluminum (mine was $8,995 brand new!) BUT I've had mine for a year now and absolutely couldn't be happier with it. They're a little heavier than most aluminums, but in speaking with one of the owners in Somerset, (who started out working with Schooner and another big name company before he started Eclipse), they use airplane grade aluminum, which is apparently sturdier. It makes for a heavier trailer, but a SAFER one which I personally care more about.

I haul mine with my F150 5.4L and it hauls like a dream, very nicely! I would definitely recommend these trailers to anyone, and they are becoming more and more popular, in my area at least!

Here are some photos I took of the day the new trailer was delivered to me and traded out for the smaller slant load...that's my 14.1h large pony in it.  You can't tell from the photo but she's got about a foot of space between her butt and the butt bar.



















Dressing room:









Window in between the dressing room and the stalls  Thought this was a neat touch! 









So spacious 









Side view


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## JumpersRule

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> I love my Eclipse!!  Although I must say, I started out with the basic 2H slant load and it was TOO small for my 14.1h large pony!! Her butt was SMASHED against the wall and she couldn't hold her head straight unless it was out the window! I was not happy. BUT the customer service couldn't have been better with the Somerset, OH location! I told them my concerns on this brand new trailer that I had custom ordered, and they not only let me trade it in for an upgrade - a 2H straight load with dressing room (I just paid the difference in price, which was $2k), but they had one of their sales people actually haul it up 2 1/2 hrs to my barn and switch it out for me!
> 
> I was VERY pleased with the customer service I received through them, that's for sure. Having said that, they ARE inexpensive for aluminum (mine was $8,995 brand new!) BUT I've had mine for a year now and absolutely couldn't be happier with it. They're a little heavier than most aluminums, but in speaking with one of the owners in Somerset, (who started out working with Schooner and another big name company before he started Eclipse), they use airplane grade aluminum, which is apparently sturdier. It makes for a heavier trailer, but a SAFER one which I personally care more about.
> 
> I haul mine with my F150 5.4L and it hauls like a dream, very nicely! I would definitely recommend these trailers to anyone, and they are becoming more and more popular, in my area at least!


Thanks for your thoroughness! I was looking at their straight load trailers, too. I really like their design with this trailer compared to models from Sundowner and Featherlite. I'll be checking out one of their trailers within the next week just to see if I like them just as good in person!


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## kitten_Val

JR, be careful about size vs price. I've seen the Eclipse trailer other day (when I took my trailer for the maintenance) and it was TINY. So those cheap ones they have won't be comfy for the horse. And the bigger ones are more expensive (of course).

I was thinking about Eclipse last year when I was switching my trailer, and ended up with slant by Adam instead.


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## CLaPorte432

Have you seen any titan trailers? We purchased one in december and i couldnt be happier with it. I cant even tell im hauling it! 

I got a 3h slant w/ tack up front. Its very nice. It was just under 9000 brand new (2012) and with brand new trailers where we went theough, we got financed for 84 months! We paid like 11,000 total after taxes, freight from kansas, and title fees. Our payment is just over 100 bucks a month and no early payoff fees.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Hoofprints in the Sand

kitten_Val said:


> JR, be careful about size vs price. I've seen the Eclipse trailer other day (when I took my trailer for the maintenance) and it was TINY. So those cheap ones they have won't be comfy for the horse. And the bigger ones are more expensive (of course).
> 
> I was thinking about Eclipse last year when I was switching my trailer, and ended up with slant by Adam instead.


Very true of their slant loads (like I mentioned above, it wasn't wide enough so the stalls weren't long enough to even fit my 14.1h large pony in!) But their straight loads are pretty roomy in my opinion!


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## kitten_Val

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> Very true of their slant loads (like I mentioned above, it wasn't wide enough so the stalls weren't long enough to even fit my 14.1h large pony in!) But their straight loads are pretty roomy in my opinion!


HS, that was a straight load. And I don't think you can fit anything but smaller pony there comfortable enough. I was very curious what was the price on that trailer: I've never seen such a small one.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand

kitten_Val said:


> HS, that was a straight load. And I don't think you can fit anything but smaller pony there comfortable enough. I was very curious what was the price on that trailer: I've never seen such a small one.


They do have a "pony" size trailer, could that have been the one you saw? Those are pretty cheap, around the $6k mark I believe.


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## kitten_Val

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> They do have a "pony" size trailer, could that have been the one you saw? Those are pretty cheap, around the $6k mark I believe.


Not sure. But if it was then pony gotta be very small!  BTW, I've seen decent size 2H slant by Eclipse (at the Expo), but of course it wasn't very cheap.


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## JumpersRule

kitten_Val said:


> JR, be careful about size vs price. I've seen the Eclipse trailer other day (when I took my trailer for the maintenance) and it was TINY. So those cheap ones they have won't be comfy for the horse. And the bigger ones are more expensive (of course).
> 
> I was thinking about Eclipse last year when I was switching my trailer, and ended up with slant by Adam instead.


Thanks for the warning, Val. They do offer specific straight loads that are taller (and more expensive) than their standard models. They are expensive, but Sundowner and Featherlite IMO have less style than the Eclipse and our $2-3k more expensive than the Eclipse models. I really like both of these models:
2 Horse - Straight Load - Deluxe Trailer with Dressing Room
2 Horse - Straight Load - Deluxe Trailer with Side Unload Ramp and Dressing Room

Horses up to 18h are supposed to be able to fit into these trailers. My biggest one is 17.1h, so I definitely can't get those tiny standard sizes! He takes up an entire 2h slant load 7' tall trailer!!


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## Hoofprints in the Sand

This is mine...
2 Horse - Straight Load Trailer with Dressing Room 

My friend's 17ish hand OTTB fit fine in it with room.


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## garlicbunny

Hoofprints, I see you have 6 of the drop down windows. Ours (2 of them) are defective and are working on getting them replaced.Hubby was just on the phone this afternoon to get it started. They just fall and we have had to bungee them up and use twine to keep them up. 

Just wondering..guess you didn;t have any issues with your windows. If you look around the handle see if it says StarQuest. Those are the ones that they were having a problem with and no longer get their windows from them. If they are not Star Quest what is the brand? thx Hoofprints!


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## CLaPorte432

garlicbunny said:


> Hoofprints, I see you have 6 of the drop down windows. Ours (2 of them) are defective and are working on getting them replaced.Hubby was just on the phone this afternoon to get it started. They just fall and we have had to bungee them up and use twine to keep them up.
> 
> Just wondering..guess you didn;t have any issues with your windows. If you look around the handle see if it says StarQuest. Those are the ones that they were having a problem with and no longer get their windows from them. If they are not Star Quest what is the brand? thx Hoofprints!


My Titan Avalanche had similar window issues. We werent shutting them hard enough to seal them into the latch. My dealer said you need to slam them, and not to worry about breaking them cause we cant. So we started shutting them very hard, and havent had any issues. Was told not to pull down the level then close, just slam them up.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand

Oh mine aren't drop down windows they just slide 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## garlicbunny

Hoofprints, I do remember when you got it you said you didn't get the dropdowns..we just got the two in the front, the back 4 are the sliders. 
Claporte..even when we slam or lock them they won;t stay closed..The co. told us they were defective. We did try slamming and nothing but bungee/twine would keep them up.
Other than that we love our trailer..am concerned with the outside tire wear though.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand

Well glad I didn't spring the extra $ for the dropdowns now!


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