2 horse box

debsflo

debsflo

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anyone have a transit 2 horse box for approx size length and width. trying to convince oh will fit on drive at front of house. dont want trailer as got small car for work and need to transport daughters pony and occasionally mine.
 
Hi there

Not meaning to dampen any spirits, but I would avoid transit boxes like the plague. I used to have one, reasonably new build also! - was fine for tiny ponies but anything bigger than 13.2hh I would steer clear.

Unless it is very differently made from the norm, they have a very high centre of gravity and are well known for losing their conversion section or simply falling over. They lean like anything EVEN WITH the dampers adjusted, hardened etc...

Like you say if for pony then fine, anything bigger, I'd really avoid if you can, I have heard many true stories from a friend who was police copper doing RTA's. They can be lethal.

And unless you have a long drive, they are longer than a standard transit van obviously but take up a fair bit of space, although width wise, YES it will fit lol!!
 
I can take my 15.1 and 14.00 in it herringbone although I am pushing it with the weight limit. I've never had problems with it tipping although I must admit as its not coachbuilt it looks high.

Think there are horror stories about every van - I was warned not to touch Renaults with a bargepole which would have been my choice!
 
As said before. Fine for ponies but otherwise avoid them. Had nasty experience with the Fat Man in one
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What happened?

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Not enough room for him to spread his legs with the patition in and he flipped out and put his leg through the partition. Then fell over.

Took me 6 months to get him travelling again - in a 7.5ton lorry and he's still crap, 2 years on
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He particularly hated facing forwards and the lorry never felt very sturdy.

I would recommned getting a 7.5ton if you can make the stretch to buying one
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Or something like a 5 ton renault
 
But surely that could have happened in any lorry, not just the transit? I don't normally travel more than one and he's a compact 15.1 so fits sideways or I can herringbone it slightly to give him more room. He used to be a sticky traveller but is fine now.

Would love a 7.5T but can't afford to re-do my test and don't see that running that for 1 horse is worth it!!
 
the Renault Master is essentially a converted van. It a 3.5 ton though. I looked into things very carefully when I bought mine and went for this because I didn't want a trailer or a large lorry and the 3.5 ton traditional types do have a high centre of gravity and as others have said, is vulnerable to sway etc.

The RM has a low centre of gravity, so it gives a nice stable ride. The payload is 1200kg. However, I like to keep it to under 1000kg. My mare is 630kg, so I only travel her alone. The horses travel backwards in them and she is very happy with this (apparantly its easier for them).

You could put one of these on a drive fine. I think it would look very decorative
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I have my 16.2 in a transit. It is herringbone and he has loads of room, infact more room than he had in a Bedfor 7.5t. I think it would very much depend on the layout.

Sorry to hear about you bad experience, must have been very frightening for both you and your poor horse
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The wheelbase on a transit van is narrower than on a truck and this is one of the reasons why they are not as stable as a truck.

No vehicle are designed for loads that move within them while they are moving especially when you are close to their upper loading limit and this is when problem occur. Both the steering and breaking systems are seriously compromised by a moving load and this is why transits are not safe for anything over 12.2 hands high.
 
Friends of ours swapped an old Bedford for a transit 2 horse to carry a sec D and sec C x D and never left the yard. It was forward facing and they werent happy about the stability. It rocked side to side with them moving about stationary so they sold it to a bloke who shown small ponies and it was fine. Parked next to it at a show once and he said he loved it.
 
I have a Renault Master conversion after owning a Bedford TK for 13 years. The TK wasn't difficult but the Renault is fab, gives the horses a super ride and as they have a low floor and a wheel on each corner very stable. When the Master was parked next to the TK until the TK was sold my friend pointed out that the wheelbase on the Renault was actually longer than that on the TK!
 
We looked at 3.5t boxes recently because I didn't want to drive anything huge. Went to see a nice Renault Master but then it was pointed out to me that as the ramp is on the side if something horrific went wrong and the box flipped over on its side you'd never be able to get the horses out. With a rear ramp you don't have that problem. So we ended up with a small 7.5t wagon that still drives like a car and isn't as wide as some of the bigger 7.5tonners. It's fab and feels much more stable than the 3.5t we tried. I also know a few horse transporters who wouldn't touch a 3.5t box... one from bitter experience when a horse went mad in one and the box turned over. Scary stuff
 
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