3.5t Box recommendations for 17.2hh

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Spangles

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Considering buying a lovely 17.2hh horse but panicking now about transport & whether she’d fit comfortably in a 3.5t lorry.
So, looking for recommendations to give headroom & length and payload. Would rather built on new chassis like Equitrek & would get floor checked.
Can a 21yo drive a 4.5t box?
 
I have just been down this rabbit hole and decided that no, I will stick to my trailer, as much as a big horse can fit in it, there is not much room at all inside especially when they are in. A few recommendations to buy a 7.5t for me on here but I cant warrant buying one as we dont compete or anything and the cost of the upkeep every year would be more than its actually worth.
 
My 17.3 fits in my 3.5 tonne and has as much room as in most 7.5 tonnes. He’s a finely built type, weigh tape says about 580kg. Equitrek don’t have a good reputation for quality. And no, a 21 year old can’t drive more than 3.5 tonnes without a further test (plus they may struggle with insurance even on a 3.5 tonne, mine says over 25s only).
 
Mine is a Bloomfields and has more room than most big wagons. I designed it myself as a 1 horse box. The horse compartment is 8ft headroom, 4 ft wide partition and 8 ft 9 length.

I had the ramp on the driver's side so the small part the other side of the partition is a tack locker (like a big wagon) accessed from the outside and a toilet compartment accessed from the small groom's area. The groom's area has a wardrobe and a couple of seats.

I did it as a 1 horse as 3.5 tonnes isn't enough for 2 horses anyway.
 
Marlborough stud boxes will fit a larger horse comfortably. You can attach the partition to the side so the horse area is double width. It's just as much head room as the average 7.5t.
 
I struggled to get mine in (but I was carrying two )despite having a custom made 9’4” horse length. If you only carry one it should be ok as you can offer a slight diagonal to increase nose-bum length. Was fine in cheap and cheerful equitrek that I had but there were no boxes in horse area. Not as robust as subsequent Bloomfield but one has to go with what the budget allows. Plus point with equitrek is that they are not commercial vehicles pre sale.
 
Red-1 said:
Mine is a Bloomfields and has more room than most big wagons. I designed it myself as a 1 horse box. The horse compartment is 8ft headroom, 4 ft wide partition and 8 ft 9 length.

I had the ramp on the driver's side so the small part the other side of the partition is a tack locker (like a big wagon) accessed from the outside and a toilet compartment accessed from the small groom's area. The groom's area has a wardrobe and a couple of seats.

I did it as a 1 horse as 3.5 tonnes isn't enough for 2 horses anyway.
Click to expand...

Not an answer for the original poster but it always surprises me that more of the lorry manufacturers don’t look at doing a really good one horse 3.5 ton lorry given the weight limitations and a lot of people are only travelling one horse anyway but would like a bit of human luxury at the same time.
 
humblepie said:
Not an answer for the original poster but it always surprises me that more of the lorry manufacturers don’t look at doing a really good one horse 3.5 ton lorry given the weight limitations and a lot of people are only travelling one horse anyway but would like a bit of human luxury at the same time.
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That's what I thought. They said it would have a more limited resale value, but then I don't know about that as it is like a TARDIS to use. So much room. It is a stallion partition, so nothing protruding into the horse area. I much preferred a toilet compartment and tack locker to a spare partition that I wouldn't be able to use anyway.
 
The headroom height will need double checking but it's often ok as standard. But it's the length of the horse compartment that I think you need to be careful with. Some builds are so short for the horse area, so the they can fit in a storage/grooms area at the rear.

When I had my 3.5t lorry built, like @Red-1 above, I had extra length added to the horse area, which made a big difference.
 
I find a good 3.5t much more spacious for a big horse than most bigger lorries.
I had a 'horsebox company' one which was very spacious
The Bloomfields ones are too
Overlander also very nice
 
HBB said:
Something to consider if buying a 3.5t box, especially if you have a large horse or transporting 2. I think the small horse van market is away to implode.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ew8chDPNr/
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That is interesting. I live near a racecourse and they all have 3.5t but I assume 1 horse. I see plenty of leasure owners with 2 big ones.

Had a look at the shiny 3.5ts at Royal Cheshire and they were keen to tell me it 'fits 2 x 17hh' and then looked quite sheepish when I asked the payload which was 950 kg.
 
HBB said:
Something to consider if buying a 3.5t box, especially if you have a large horse or transporting 2. I think the small horse van market is away to implode.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ew8chDPNr/
Click to expand...
I can’t see it imploding. Most of us have them so we don’t have to do another test and they are MOT rather than plating, this is what makes them so desirable. Most people know you can’t travel 2 in them, and as they’re private vehicles (not hire and reward, they’re not ever going to be tacho’d as someone in that link was suggesting they would be)
 
HBB said:
Something to consider if buying a 3.5t box, especially if you have a large horse or transporting 2. I think the small horse van market is away to implode.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ew8chDPNr/
Click to expand...
Yup, M6 toll is where they have started on it.
Plenty in the (motorbike) race world now aware, they also sail v close to the wind on weights, as do most 3.5 vehicles.
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Yup, M6 toll is where they have started on it.
Plenty in the (motorbike) race world now aware, they also sail v close to the wind on weights, as do most 3.5 vehicles.
Click to expand...
I would add a lot of motorhomes to this, especially the older quite large ones built on a 3.5 tonne chassis. I borrowed one from a neighbour a couple of years ago and was astounded by how much was inside it by way of (wooden) cupboards, a shower room, convertible beds, bunks, fridge, cooker etc. Added to which there was a 'garage' for bikes and a massive water tank. It could sleep 6, and I can only imagine what it would have weighed with 6 people on board and a full load of holiday stuff.
 
Identityincrisis said:
I can’t see it imploding. Most of us have them so we don’t have to do another test and they are MOT rather than plating, this is what makes them so desirable. Most people know you can’t travel 2 in them, and as they’re private vehicles (not hire and reward, they’re not ever going to be tacho’d as someone in that link was suggesting they would be)
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VOSA are now actively targeting 3.5t horse vans and it won't be long before there is a vast amount of them pulled over and fined for being overweight.
Most shows I have been to recently I am still seeing people with 2 horses or ponies loaded, along with stuffed haynets, tack, water, their friends and dogs too, it's madness waiting to happen. I do think the market for 3.5t vans will implode as some are not fit for purpose and barely have 800kgs left to play with, I am already seen vans being heavily reduced in price to get rid quick.
 
Identityincrisis said:
I can’t see it imploding. Most of us have them so we don’t have to do another test and they are MOT rather than plating, this is what makes them so desirable. Most people know you can’t travel 2 in them, and as they’re private vehicles (not hire and reward, they’re not ever going to be tacho’d as someone in that link was suggesting they would be)
Click to expand...
Many if not most people are oblivious of what the payload of their 3.5t boxes are, and even if they do know they ignore the fact that they may be overloading their boxes ‘cos most other people do the same.

Eek to this as posted by a very prominent NH yard on the FB page linked to upthread with a top name new build. What were they thinking of when placing the order and what were Bloomfields doing building it?

“We had a new Bloomfields Raceline weigh in at 2.75t empty with 3/4 tank of fuel last week so dont take it for granted that you have 1000kg to play with. This gives us 750kg for horse, kit and humans. Thats all.”
 
I have a Bloomfields Professional and it has a larger horse area than any trailer and larger than 95% of bigger horseboxes.

My 4yro is 18hh+ and has tonnes of headroom and plenty of length in there.

My other horse is 17hh and I tack up and untack etc. in the back and have loads of room to do everything.

4yro has no partition and older horse has partition slide across so his stall is 3/4 total width of the box.
 
I remember enquiring about a very fancy french branded 3.5t. The horse area was without doubt the best design ive seen. Cost i think was £90K, i asked about the payload and was told 750kg. So couldnt even travel one of my draughts and me in it.
 
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