Check with "Gard", I think I remember him saying that he toured the facility where they are built. He seen first hand on how they are welded/assembled. He had a pretty good review himself.

I have a 2008 Blue Ribbon 3H bumper pull, drops on the head and stock on the butt.  Overall, it appears structurally sound and quite well made in all the places that really matter.  The rear door (single) is one of the heaviest that I've seen and the trailer rides quite well.   

I did notice some of the smaller horse details were lacking but we were able to fix them at minimal cost.  I also have a very handy hubby!  It's almost like whoever was building the trailer at that time didn't own horses.  For example, the trailer came with one tie ring on each side of a 3 horse.  Got the structural plans from Blue Ribbon and then added 2 additional tie rings on each side.  ($20.00)  The slant load dividers rattled ALOT and made A LOT of noise so we ran the metal piece located in the divider that closes the divider into the wall through rubber grommets and fixed that problem.  ($25.00)  Very snug and secure now with no noise.  The horse head tie rings were directly over the middle of the windows instead of having them off to one side or the other.  Moved them off to the side so that the horses could stick their heads out unobstructed without a tie rope hanging down in the middle of their face and I can hang a hay bag without a problem.  (FREE). Last thing was the back door.  While it is strong, it is heavy and when we went down the road it would really make a racket (sounded like a shot gun going off).  (Yes, I rode in the back of the trailer :))  So, my hubby added flat rubber stoppers underneath the door and "tweaked" (too much detail too describe) the round metal bar that locks the trailer door shut and now the back door is pretty darn quiet but still able to flex appropriately.  The only other thing that I need to fix is to add some caulking at the bottom of the dressing room wall and front stall.  I noticed that when I hose out the trailer, the water leaks into the dressing room at one spot.  Oh, and the breast strap at the front escape door?  Piece of crap.  I will take the trailer to a trailer dealership and have a real breast bar welded on if possible.  The breast strap was simply attached to just the sheet metal.  One of my horses leaned against it, the strap holder came right out of the sheet metal and the horse walked right out the escape door.   Ah, the little things. 

Anyway, I would consider another if they have fixed the things that I described.  Hope this helps. 

Last year I toured the Blue Ribbon facilities, and had a meeting with the owner Clint, and the heads of the marketing, construction and R&D departments. I was impressed with their desire to produce a quality product, and the efforts they have made to do so.

They do not offer a large volume of trailers. They specialise in custom built trailers of many types, automotive, specific stock, almost anything built from aluminum. If you want a door moved four inches, a drop window fitted to an escape door on a 2H GN, they'll build it for you. ( many companies do not offer this). If you want wider, longer stalls in a slant load, they'll custom build the whole frame and wall supports to accommodate the new sizes.

As far as who's the best builder, everyone has his personal choice. I personally prefer a plank flooring system, over the sheet flooring used in the 4 Star construction. Having said that, 4 Star is a brand I hold in high esteem, and have considered owning. Blue Ribbom uses the plank style flooring in 5XXX t-6 series aluminum. Their joists are closer together than some builders, and the result is a very strong, durable, and corrosion resistant flooring system. Their wall studs are rectangular tubes, again hardened to T-6 which is among the strongest aluminum available. Some other manufacturers use an open "C" or even a "hat" extruded stud, which is far less rigid. Many only use the less expensive T-3 heat treatment. 

Clint has high standards, is a horse owner, and frequently loads one into his production  to test his products. The doors and windows are fully framed, and fit into reinforced, weather sealed body frames, unlike some other builders. The rear door hinges have no grease fittings. Instead they have a stainless pin that is pressed into nylon bushings, that are pressed into a cast aluminum housing. There is no metal to metal contact, they need no lubrication, and are rated for over 30,000 cycles. If they do wear out, they can be rebushed on the trailer.

The rear bumper is not rubber, it is a Rumber extrusion. When a horse steps on it, it will not collapse on its profile and cause the horse to slip. I agree that the nylon strap is not  strong enough for a butt or chest restraint. BR will fabricate a rigid bar or most any other accessory you may need. When purchasing a trailer, some people are unwilling to spend a penny more than necessary, and won't recognise the benefits of purchasing a long term investiment, over a short term savings.

One things you should notice about BR is the quality of the construction. His welders are top notch, and include many extra doublers along with mitered joints. The rear door fame is a combination of a seperate frame attached to the end of the wall studding. Many builders combine this, leaving out the extra stud, which can lead to the box racking when the doors are left open.

I'm sure that the BR owner with the noise issues could have resolved the problems with Clint. He is zealous of his products, and works hard to have satisified customers.

One thing that I brought up to the guys in marketing, was their lack of "bling". When compared to other top of the line trailers, BR is very refigeratorish in appearance. They do offer graphic packages and appearance options that aren't readily illustrated in their advertising.

No I don't work for BR and receive nothing for my reviews. Obviously I do like their ethics and products. If I were to purchase a new trailer, they would be the first builder I would visit. 

Cutter, if you are serious about purchasing the best custom trailer for your needs, I would make it a point of actually touring the factory(ies) of what ever trailer you are considering. I'm not knocking dealers, but they certainly do not know as much about the trailers they are selling, as the manufacturers that build them. I've been to several facilities, and learned a great deal in the process. My mind has been changed both for the better of a product, and learning of what to avoid.

Speaking with the actual person setting up the CAD program for your personal trailer is enlightening. He can show you what fits well, what works the best and with what options etc. You can see the quality of the structural build, the individual components used, the environment in which it is fabricated, and the skills of the assembly workers. By actually visiting the manufacturers, YOU can determine which trailer is the best for you, and not take the word of someone who's agenda isn't the same as yours.

Eby is close to you, Blue Ribbon is about 5- 5 1/2 hours from you, just the other side, West of Youngstown. Very easy to get to. I realize that a trip to OK is not realistic, but the first two facilities would be worth the trip.

Just my 2 cents