3.5 horseboxes, please educate me!

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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OK. So am needing educating.

Am pro'ing and con'ing, and as I don't have a vehicle which would tow a trailer, am looking at 3.5's.........

Saw a nice little lorry, Ford Transit base with an Ifor Williams frame on top; unfortunately this morning they've told me its sold:(

So peeps, you in the know about these things.

Would a lorry like this have been OK to travel two horses in? When I say horses, I mean a 15hh cob & 14.2 lightly built Welsh D?

Or am I pushing limits?

If so, is there a 3.5 box which would suit?

I like the look of the smaller ones, like the Vauxhall & Renaullt ones, BUT wouldn't be sure that you could travel two in them??

Please be gentle with me...... am a newbie to the lorry malarky!
 
Might no help as I don't personally own one but I love the look of the Renault ones best bet is to go and have a look at one in person to see weather or not your horses would fit in I would presume they would :) hope this has helped a little bit :)
 
The main issue with 3.5 ton lorry is the payload. On really modern ones the best payload appears to be around 1100-1200 kgs. The payload would have to include both horses/ponies, fuel, water, tack, hay, driver & passenger. Most people believe that it may be possible to carry 2 small ponies & all the equipment, driver & poassenger but it would be overloaded with 2 horses on board.

Only you know the weight of your horses, your weight & passenger weight. Once you've added that up then consider the weight of all the other stuff as I've mentioned earlier. To be honest they may be stalled for 2 but it reality most cannot carry the weight.

Previous poster says take a look at one & see if your horses fit? It doesn't matter if they fit, it's the overall weight that's the problem.

You may see somepeople at shows carrying 2 horses in them, they will be either well over weight (brakes will only stop up to 3.5 ton) or what you think is a 3.5 ton may well have been uprated to a 4.5 ton or more. Onviously if that has been done you need a different licence.

Once I saw a transit with an Ifor box pull in at a show with a horse on board. I was worried it would tip over on cornering. It tilted over so much it was frightening! :(
 
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Two horses in a 3.5 is very unlikely to work out legally weight wise

To travel two horses you will need either a B+E for a 2 horse trailer or a LGV C1 for a vehicle between 3.5 and 7.5

Everything that goes into a 3.5 adds to the allowable payload so that includes people sarnies tack flask fuel etc etc


I think there are some specially made lightweight 3.5s but thy are really expensive
 
Personally I detest the transits with Ifor containers on top - the centre of gravity looks too high for the weight and I know they have been known to tip.

I had a Renault van conversion until recently which I loved - low centre of gravity, lovely stable ride for the ponies, but I could only ever take one horse unless in an absolute emergency. Genie (15hh welsh cob) weighs 550kg fully fit and I had just under 1.2t payload. There are some such as Boss which say they have a 1.4t payload, but they do cost an arm and a leg.

Most companies will advise you on the payload of their boxes, although beware of one dealer that actually says on their website not to worry about being overweight! I wouldn't buy from a company with that attitude.

Your average payload is, as T_Z said, about 1.1 - 1.2t. However I have known people with boxes that had a payload of only 600kg, and they would take two horses out!!
 
I really hate the ifor 3.5T boxes as the ones I have seen wobble horrendously!! May not be all of them but it certainly puts me off. I have a 3.5T conversion based on a citroen relay and I love it. I have 1200kg payload and although I have carried another smaller pony with me I have decided not to do it anymore as I really feel the difference and it started to make me feel uncomfortable just in case something would have happened.

If you want to carry two horses then I suggest you either get a 4T+ box or trailer.
 
I had a ford transit with Ifor back, horse had previously traveled well in a trailer, he loaded straight in but on first very short and very very slow journey I heard a bang, checked and nothing amiss but he would not load back in after our lesson. I tried for ages even leaving him overnight and trying again in the morning but eventually had to ride him home and sell lorry. The centre of gravity is way too high, I was warned by a good friend and should have listened. I now have a Renault master van conversion which he is great in.
 
Just to add you can easily fit 2 16h in van conversions, size isn't the issue, you may get away with one average and one light horse and only one passenger, no kit but you need a weighbridge to make sure of the weights. As people have said the ones with higher payload are normally dearer.
 
Only you can answer that question! You HAVE to be legal, so no point anyone else guessing what your horses weigh! :) You need to weigh them accurately............NOT a weigh tape! Also, you need to weigh whatever bits and pieces you intend to transport and have an idea if you are going to be carrying a passenger or not........bit of difference probably between taking a rugby playing husband along for support as opposed to your ten year old child! :)

I have a 2.4 ton payload on a 6.5 ton vehicle; this is to cover two 700kg hunters, water carriers, diesel, tack, rugs, hay, first aid, grooming, bandages, passengers, buckets and a fair bit spare as I don't like pushing brakes/vehicle to the max.
 
You may get away with 1300, assuming 550 for cob and 500 for other then 150 for 2 people and bit for fuel etc. You need to weighbridge to check though unless you know exact weight of people, animals and lorry.
 
I have spent forever on this question! At the moment I have a 511 and discovery, but the discovery is the family car as well justifiable with 3 kids and all the stuff that comes with them. If I had no kids I would have a little car and go for a 7.5 ton because although I only have 1biggie and 2 smalls I like to go out with friends etc. The 5.5-6 tons are nice but then I think if you're having a lorry you may as well have at least a day living as well! So I have managed to talk myself into a 7.5 ton but not for a long time or unless I win the lottery in the meantime.
 
Agree the box type look wobbly. I have also hired an Iveco that felt wobbly too. I have a renault master and legally travel a 14.2 lightweight D and a 15hh connie x both have been weighed on horse scales and weigh 465 and 485 respectively

I wouldnt want anything heavier though. I would weigh the horses yourselves and all your gear and then decide. A full tank of fuel weighs around 90kg dont forget that. A box worked out cheaper than towing for me
 
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buddylove said:
I have spent forever on this question! At the moment I have a 511 and discovery, but the discovery is the family car as well justifiable with 3 kids and all the stuff that comes with them. If I had no kids I would have a little car and go for a 7.5 ton because although I only have 1biggie and 2 smalls I like to go out with friends etc. The 5.5-6 tons are nice but then I think if you're having a lorry you may as well have at least a day living as well! So I have managed to talk myself into a 7.5 ton but not for a long time or unless I win the lottery in the meantime.
Click to expand...

5 tonner towing a caravan is another option
 
I have a ford transit with a back on - not an ifor back as I hate how they look. Its a really smart little box.

I carry my 14.2 welsh in it but personally wouldn't feel happy taking another. The lady I bought it from apparently took a 16.2 and a 14.2! I don't think the payload allows for it.. The worst I had was I loaded it full of hay, didn't ever think it would be overweight but it was horrid to drive!

Wobbly wise, I don't find it a problem. Everyone says that they have been known to tip etc but that's only if you go racing around corners! Like a trailer, of you drive safely its fine. Mine is also fitted with anti-roll bars just for extra safety.

I have taken it on 200+ mile journeys and its fab!
 
I have a box your on about. I can put a 13.3 and a 15.1 in with tack and two passengers probably just about okay, It's not wobbly at all so don't know where that is coming from but they only carry up to 16hh so it's not helpful.

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Plus, OP, you need to factor that you live in Devon!

You need something with power as well as stability for the switchback lanes :).

I'd rather have an older big 4x4 and a trailer (assuming that you have a B+E licence). My W reg 2.8L LWB Shogun and Ifor 510 can carry my bigger two (630 kg and 530kg), and all their stuff, with ease.

(From a Devonian in exile.)
 
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