3.5t Horse Boxes.....Can they carry what they say?

[Toby_Zaphod]

I’ve just seen an advert for a new build Mercedes Sprinter Horse Box, able to be driven on car licence. You know the sort, designed & built with newly qualified drivers in mind. It looks lovely & announces it is a 2 horse & has a payload of 1150kg. I started adding weights up & this is what I found.

2 x 16h1” horses approx 500-520kg each = 1040kg
5 gallon of water = 23kg
2 small riders @ 60kg each = 120
2 saddles, 2 bridles, 2 rugs, boots, hay etc= ?

Payload also includes fuel 50litres = 45kg

Total = 1228kg without the tack & other extra items taking you a minimum of 80kg + the weight of saddles, bridles & rugs over weight.

For builders to advertise these boxes as 2 horse ( without clarification) is beyond me.

I firmly believe that these little horse boxes are either for 2 ponies or 1 horse & there must be loads of people unwittingly driving around being way over their maximum weight.

Police were starting to clamp down on overweight Horseboxes & it's only a matter of time before they realise potentially how much overweight some of these little new builds may be.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[pootler]

I went to a weigh bridge with my 3.5t box and weighed it with me on it and odds and sods in the cupboards. My gross weight in tonnes was 2.52. So just under a tonne left for horses, tack, water etc......

 

[catembi]

I am not very brave at driving our 7.5 ton lorry so last time we were looking, we were considering a 3.5 ton, saw one at a show & spoke to the owners.

They were telling us how wonderful it was...but then said that with 2 horses in it, they have to get up any hills in 1st gear... Their horses weren't *huge* either. Regardless of whether they were technically overweight or not, that still doesn't sound very safe. I would imagine that the engine wouldn't last long if it was under that kind of strain every time it was used.

 

[Lynette]

Please remember that originally these boxes were designed to carry racehorses and nothing else, no tack or equipment or bits and pieces. In that description only can they carry 2 horses.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

So Pootler, if you put two 16h1" horses in yours, water, saddles etc & carry a passenger you will be over weight won't you?....see what I mean?

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Lynette, unfortunately these small boxes are not being advertised as that now, they are advertised with tack lockers etc, & they are targetted at the newly qualified driver to drive their horses to shows. They aren't advertised as pony boxes either

 

[filly190]

I went to have a window shop at Wittakers horse box's and they design them so they are within the correct weight limit. They told me that my Ford Iveco (3 horse) would be over-weight and they were correct when I checked it out.

I have since swopped and gone back to a trailer as I find it much easier for me to manage. I am only little and just can not lift the back ramps of most lorries on my own. I did'nt like this, not being able to manage on my own and havent really looked back since.

 

[clairencappelli]

I own a 3.5 ton lorry. Its a very light box for its size as its a transit with an alloy container ( the old lambourne type ) but it can still only carry one ( my horse has no partition but it place of the weight of the partiton i added thick heavy duty rubber matting for the best footing for her )

She needs the whole box to herself as shes quite paniky if shut into a small space and feels she cant move enough.

I put mine on the first time on a weight bridge last month and was surprised.

The lorry with a full water canister, poo bucket+ dustpan, a haynet hanging up and a spare rug in the back with me sitting on it on the weight bridge with half a tank of fuel it weighted 2610.00kg.

That gives me a pay load 890kg! My horse is only about 500kg ( a 16.2 very fine tb ) but when tack, boots, my gear and first aid kit etc im only in my weight limit by about 200-300kg.

Be very cautious as laws are getting tight!

You would be ok if you could get somebody to follow behind in a car with all the equipment as that would save the weight of the extra passenger if they drove but its lots of hassle to go in 2 vehichles.

 

[Happy Bird]

Must admit I have been toying with the idea of a 3.5 tonne but have decided against it. My mare's quite big and I do usually go to shows with my friend so would be overweight. Like catembi, I still find my 7.5 tonne lorry daunting but I am going to persevere/stick with it.