The best feature of the Equibalance system is:
1. The travelling position is so much better for the horse when braking suddenly.
2. Once the horse has learnt to load automatically (which is what happens), unloading is safe, straight forward and hassle free Having used this system for over thirty years I would find it very difficult to go back to a conventional horsefloat.

Elizabeth Smale, ( Super Trecker & Endurance Rider) New Plymouth
 
 
Congratulations on the rebirth of the Kiwi Safety trailer, now Equi Balance. I have owned mine for 20 years and I am still using it. My interest is in Carriage driving trials, this involves travelling throughout the North Island to the different venues so it is very important to me that my ponies travel well. This they certainly do, we have no problem travelling 5 or more hours, ponies walk off as fresh as when they went on. It is so easy to load, our family has had thoroughbreds, Arabs, and Welsh, and never have we had a problem either loading, unloading or travelling them. Today's traffic is particularly scary, people tend to want to get out in front of horse floats. Not so long ago this happened to me, I had no alternative than to hit the brakes, we had a real sudden stop, I immediately checked inside, and there were the ponies with their bums against the solid back wall, looking at me like, what's the hold-up. Had this been a conventional float I'm sure the outcome would have been different, the chest-bar would not have prevented the forward lurch. I have also travelled inside different floats, everyone should do this. Interestingly when I travelled with my mare and foal in a conventional float (the foal was loose), he travelled backwards of his own choosing, so will any horse given the opportunity. I would definitely not consider a front facing float ever again - neither would my Equine friends. We are looking forward to a new Equi balance trailer at last.

Irene Terrill.
 
 
I have owned my Kiwi Horse Float since 1975 (18 July) and have used it regularly since that date. I have always found it easy to handle and load the horses once they have learned what is required. This has been great because on many occasions I have been on my own. The horses travel very well. Some years ago I travelled a lot with racehorses, but now I use the float for recreational purposes. I do some Trekking, a little Dressage, Hunting, and this year Pony Club related days. My granddaughter who is with me this year travels her pony backwards which seems to work. My float has had a new floor, ramp and repaint. I am really pleased that the Kiwi floats will be available again so I have the option of another one if I so choose to replace my old faithful.

Mary Glasgow, New Plymouth
 
 
I was interested to see your advert in Horse & Pony with the rear-facing Equibalance floats. You will hardly believe this, but I think I had the very first prototype of David Holmes's revolutionary floats. My father worked for an engineering firm in the 70's and one day visited an engineering firm in New Plymouth where he saw this float. They said it was for sale and at that time I had trouble with my main horse who one day flatly refused to go on a single that we had. So, my laterally thinking father bought the float and being pretty naive in those days as a teenager, just put a rope on the back door hinges and walked the horses into it with their chests and pulled, and they magically backed in!! I didn't use the rocker leg on the back door - ever. Just backed into a bit of higher ground initially but after that the horses loaded themselves, even if the ramp was at its normal angle. They were probably just pleased to be going home! that float didn't have the chest-high internal doors as I see yours now do; in fact it had nothing - my father cut up the stair bannister at home and made it into chest bars!! Can you imagine that? I used to tow, with a Landrover, two horses regularly over the Rimutakas north of Wellington from our home in Tawa, to hunts and other events I competed at in the Wairarapa. I never ever had any trouble with that float - it didn't have any overlap on the roof but the horses didn't seem to get wet or covered in dust. It was a very light float and easy for me to handle on my own. It also had the lovely spring loaded back door you could shut with one hand! And air brakes; we had to get the Landrover 'wired up' and I worked the brakes off a lever on the steering column. The only thing about my horses (two geldings) travelling rear facing in the float was the embarrassment when I passed the hunt one day on the road and my boys whinnied their lungs out to them all! It certainly was the way to travel horses and I never used bandages or boots; they never scrambled, kicked or refused to load; I have always raved on about that float and the principles of rear travelling and think it's wonderful you have brought them back on the market again.

Lynn Hyde
 
 
I have had my Kiwi Safety Trailer since 1978. It was built by Stratford Motor bodies (Taranaki) in 1977 (designed by your Dad, D.J. Holmes). I had a horse who was very reluctant to load conventionally. Your Dad actually visited our place and showed us the rear-loading and rear-facing idea and the rest is history. I have travelled a number of horses over the years (including mares and foals) without any trouble. Never any fishtailing - this float trails and tows really well. All my horses have loaded well and have even loaded themselves! Much to my amazement one day, I had the float parked on my driveway. My mare was grazing nearby. When I later looked up I could not see her, but the float was rocking slightly. I was amazed to see her looking out from inside the float. That horse sure was a character! Just goes to show how relaxed she was about the float. I used to play Polocrosse, and these days I compete at Western Riding, including Pleasure, Trail, Halter and Showmanship classes. My quarterhorse mare backs up the ramp without a fuss, and handles long trips with ease. I travel to shows and events regularly throughout the lower North Island. On many occasions I have camped in my float. I would rather not travel my horses conventionally. My Kiwi trailer is still going strong and I love it.

Best wishes J. Russell, Levin
 
 
I have owned a Kiwi Safety Trailer for 20 years and during that time I also introduced a number of other horse owners to them and they have gone out and secured one for themselves. The concept of rear facing travel is a marvellous system that allows the horse to be loaded and transported with the minimum of stress and danger. They back into the float and at journeys walk out sanely forward. No more kicking out or rushing backwards during the process of loading and unloading. I have not experienced any injuries to my horses or to myself during the loading, travel or unloading, all of which needs only one person. No more does one need another person to quickly put up the back chain or bar before the horses rush backwards. It is a one adult or child operation. Believe me! Go try one out , you will be truly amazed.

Barry Simpson, Barrysplace Saddlery Plimmerton.