3.5t Horsebox Configuration

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Jellymoon

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Those of you with these, and a large horse, what do you find to be the most easy/convenient layout which gives the horse plenty of room and a comfortable journey? Stallion stalls? Or breast bar with head over the external tack lockers? Or something else?
Also, do we like external lockers or do we prefer the tack in the changing area at the back?
And lastly, barn doors above ramp or the flip up lid thing?
Thank you!! Xx
 
For a big horse the biggest issue with 3.5 t is payload.

Stallion layout is heavier - but if you've seen horses get stuck over breast bars then well worth it. I had a very reputable builder tell me he doesn't recommend use of a breast bar without the horse wearing a harness to hold them down! (see link below)
People seem to dislike the haynets over the tack area from a mess perspective - which I fully understand - if you are 100% sure your horse won't go over a bar

A big changing area at the back is more weight than tack locker (anything with fridge / cooker etc. to be avoided as too heavy), but small space probably lighter than external locker.

www.equitravelsafe.co.uk

Equi Travel Safe- For Safer Equine Travel

Equi Travel Safe- Helping prevent horses from rearing or jumping onto the breast bar or lockers in horse boxes and trailers.
www.equitravelsafe.co.uk www.equitravelsafe.co.uk

barn doors are a pain as when open you can't open the passenger side door, but the lid thing I think is off putting for loading and if they mess about is a sharp pointy corner thing at rearing eye level ! I went for band door - both are not ideal.
 
I have breast wall (plus have a climb board which is currently living in a stable).
Outside locker? Yes, just the one, but I use it for water container, buckets, wash down gear and grooming kit. Tack travels in the groom section if not on the Fuzzy.
I have a Racemaster, this has one barn door which hinges at the back, so no blocking passenger door. Only need to ensure its fully clipped back or shut if v windy. An added anti theft device at my yard, as box is reversed in beside end stable, nobody can open the side up unless they move the box 1st.
 
I’ve had the flip up ramp type in 3 of these boxes and never had a problem although appreciate it only takes a rear in the wrong direction.

Personally - I’ve said this before and been disagreed with - I would never have another stallion type box unless there was an additional breast bar. Had a nasty accident to the front of my horse’s face, probably from him losing balance and falling forwards. I think they need the support of a bar. Of course there have been accidents with horses going over breast bars and this can be addressed with V grills or a closed area for the head. My current box has V grills, set high, our largest horse at 18hh would struggle to get high enough to climb over and they are off putting.

For large horses I’ve never actually seen a 3.5 tonne too small. The space for each horse is generally as big as in a 7.5 lorry. Of course with the payload you can only carry one.

I think the external/internal locker thing is down to personal preference, if built in they won’t be very different weight wise. I prefer an internal built in locker to keep things hay free.
 
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I have a flip up door, was advised against barn doors because if they slip then don’t meet it’s difficult to secure them. The flip down ones tend to do just that although if you leave them flipped up and it rains a lot you’ll probably get wet unless you stand clear when pulling down 😀
 
I don't like the way that the front wheel arches intrude into the horse area in 3.5t vehicles. If you are only travelling one I guess you could partition it so that the horse was central with partitions either side, but that obviously adds to weight.
 
gunnergundog said:
I don't like the way that the front wheel arches intrude into the horse area in 3.5t vehicles. If you are only travelling one I guess you could partition it so that the horse was central with partitions either side, but that obviously adds to weight.
Click to expand...
No wheel arches protrude into the horse area in my coachbuilt 3.5, do you mean the van type perhaps?
 
gunnergundog said:
I don't like the way that the front wheel arches intrude into the horse area in 3.5t vehicles. If you are only travelling one I guess you could partition it so that the horse was central with partitions either side, but that obviously adds to weight.
Click to expand...

Do you mean the rear arches? They sometimes protrude in the stallion type box but not in those with a breast bar, they tend to be built into the tack area.
 
Would agree about split barn doors - they are a pita for getting in and out of the cab. I like TFF’s one barn door that opens to the back.
Don’t mind the flippy up top ramp door bit, it adds a bit more shelter in British weather, just have to remember to stand back if you pull it down when it’s been raining so you don’t get water all down you.
I like easy access from horse area to grooms area for tacking up, none of these silly little tiny doors to crawl through, I don’t want to be crawling around a horses front legs in a box but it’s a pita having to go in and out via the ramp and back doors.
Emergency door/s at the back are ideal but if it’s not possible for whatever reason, a back door wide enough to fry through with a saddle is a must. Wiggling saddles in and out through narrow doorways when there’s a step up/down is horrid!
 
Another vote for a stallion build. We prioritised a newer vehicle and a strong, safe horse area over anything else and chose a stallion build with a sliding partition and removable breast guards (like the guards you can put on a stable door if leaving it open). it has a single top door that opens up but goes very high. The tack area at the back is basic - just a saddle and bridle rack. It’s travelled a 17h mare and foal, adult horses from 16h to 17h plus and a yearling (loose with partition against the wall). All have travelled very happily and it’s just so easy to use.
 
Br careful in payload with a 3.5t box as Polo's Mum said.

Usually the available payload can be around 1t. If the horse weighs 650kg you only have 350kg left for the driver, a friend, fuel, tack, water and hay. You can very quickly use most of that payload with one horse. If you want to travel two horses they either need to be small (under 400kg) with tack and supplies in another vehicle, or you need something with more payload.

Watch the internal height as well. The only guidance I can find is that the internal height should be 75cm more than the height of the horse at the withers. On some van conversions it can be as little as 2m which wouldn't fit my 16.2hh. I checked an Equitrek trailer and 2m 30cm seems to be a comfortable height for an 18hh so make sure you check you have enough height for the horse to lift its head without banging it on the roof.

Another advantage of extra headroom for the horse is better ventilation for the horse.
 
gunnergundog said:
I don't like the way that the front wheel arches intrude into the horse area in 3.5t vehicles. If you are only travelling one I guess you could partition it so that the horse was central with partitions either side, but that obviously adds to weight.
Click to expand...


It's the back wheel arches, but they aren't any issue in mine, the horse's feet are further back. Why do you dislike them?
.
 
ycbm said:
It's the back wheel arches, but they aren't any issue in mine, the horse's feet are further back. Why do you dislike them?
.
Click to expand...

I dislike mine as several horses have enjoyed stomping on them. The newer Bloomfields have a shaped metal cover that goes high enough and tapers so this doesn't happen. One day, I will get mine updated. Meanwhile, it isn't that much of an inconvenience and has only really happened when the horse is tense, such as setting off or arriving, so I just worked on them not being tense!

Even when they did it, they only lift a foot or so, and the headroom is 8' so still plenty of room. It is just annoying as the finish gets scratched.

Mine is configured with one big partition behind the driver (where the ramp also is) and the other side has a huge tack locker (accessed from outside) and toilet area (accessed from the small living). It would pretty much fit any size of horse. I uprated it to 4T though.
 
If it is a short wheel based vehicle, the rear arches will be in the horse area.
Long well based vehicles they will be under/in the tack locker and bench seat etc.
Renault masters can come in both short and long, so completely dependent on the dinar vehicle.

I love the configuration in mine, and prefer it to any others I have driven, but it really is a very personal thing.
 
How
mavandkaz said:
If it is a short wheel based vehicle, the rear arches will be in the horse area.
Long well based vehicles they will be under/in the tack locker and bench seat etc.
Renault masters can come in both short and long, so completely dependent on the dinar vehicle.

I love the configuration in mine, and prefer it to any others I have driven, but it really is a very personal thing.
Click to expand...
How is yours configured? Forgive me if you have already said.
 
mavandkaz said:
If it is a short wheel based vehicle, the rear arches will be in the horse area.
Long well based vehicles they will be under/in the tack locker and bench seat etc.
Renault masters can come in both short and long, so completely dependent on the dinar vehicle.

I love the configuration in mine, and prefer it to any others I have driven, but it really is a very personal thing.
Click to expand...


I have a long wheel base Fiat but the back wheel arches are still into the horse area.
 
ycbm said:
I have a long wheel base Fiat but the back wheel arches are still into the horse area.
Click to expand...
Suppose it depends where your breast bar/wall is. I viewed a short wheel base fiat where the wheel arches weren't in the horse area.....because the horse area was only 6ft long. Advertised as taking her 16hh horse comfortably, waste of a journey 🙈
 
Jellymoon said:
How

How is yours configured? Forgive me if you have already said.
Click to expand...

Barn style top doors - yes it means you can't open the passenger door if they are open, but it's very rare to need to. Mine are very good loaders/travellers but not keen on the 'top up' door - feels quite claustrophobic when loading.
External tack locker fits two saddles, bridles and a bit more. My friends external locker isn't actually wide enough to take a saddle. Have used ones where tack is in the groom's area and it takes up too much space or gets covered in hay.
I then have storage space in the groom's area above the tack locker for grooming kit etc.
Wardrobe/cupboard to keep show gear nice and clean.
I do have a bench seat, but never actually sit on it. Would love to turn it into storage locker with a lift up lid.
Over Luton storage with a flip up door on it so nothing can fall out. Full of first aid kit, spare rugs etc. All the stuff you might need, but not needed often.
I have a breast bar with solid wall underneath. Alot of people don't like that due to the possibility of them rearing up on it. I like the fact they can put they're heads over. It's very high, so quite a deterrent for them. Little door in it so can go from horse area to groom's area without going outside.
 
We have a full length ramp because the barn doors are a PITA due to blocking the passenger door, and I've seen a horse rear and injure itself on the flip top ones. The ramp is less steep too.
And stallion configuration only, as far as I'm concerned.
 
I've got a Renault Master van type and the wheel arches are in the tack area/under bench seat, I guess it's a long wheel base. Also mine has the flippy doors and I have definitely been caught out pulling them down in the rain :D
I only ever travel my one 14hh in there and he has plenty of space, the breast bar comes quite high up on him and he travels well so I don't have a stallion partition. I like having the tack area in the back as I often sit in there and talk to him whilst we're waiting between classes. Hay does get everywhere though!
 
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