3.5t Horseboxes - builders, designs, materials.

[martlin]

I know that this subject gets periodically done to death, but forum searches are proving tiresome, so I thought I ask you lot my own questions
I am planning to have a little lorry built, and have been driving all over the country looking at various builders - they all make the best, safest, prettiest and most perfect box, or so they say
I have a list of manufacturers I would like your opinions on:
Boss
JM Horseboxes
Staffordshire Horseboxes/Horses on the move
Wilkinsons Horseboxes
Foxy Twin
Racemaster

Then there is the materials: GRP or lightweight panels, or maybe aluminium? Loading gates or no loading gates?
Argh, just tell me all you know about little horseboxes.

Ta muchly, I'm on a diet, so no treats on offer

 

[lara b]

Following!

 

[martlin]

Following!

Have you done any research of your own? I'm happy to share my findings in return

 

[ROMANY 1959]

I have a boss lorry, it is on a Renault master 57 chassis, long wheel base, has fibreglass built horse area, rubber and re enforced bulk head to protect cab, side ramp behind driver and horses travel backwards. It has full collapsible breast bar, movable partition that is padded, rubber mat Eva flooring , a door to grooms area where there is a bench and a sink and single gas hob. Large tack locker, and two other smaller lockers for buckets, hay, and water containers. The cab can be three or five seats, the five seat one has two in front and a bench seat with seat belts behind two main seats.
I have a payload of about 1300 kg with £20 of fuel on board, in the horse area it is light and airy, with several windows and a roof vent, above the cab is the spare wheel, and small people have slept there on a blow up bed. You can also sleep in horse area on camp beds. Horses travel we'll in it, the side ramp is low level, and has rubber on it. There are two tie rings inside per each horse. I can not fault my lorry, I love it. I happily transport two light weight 15.2 TB to Polocrosse tournaments, and I also tow a small caravan for living .

 

[martlin]

Thanks for that Romany I actually went to see them on Tuesday, they were on my long list, but the jury is still out when it comes to going on the short list. They are lovely and lightweight, but I'm not sure they are robust enough for my, ahem, enthusiastic traveller and they are a bit pricey.

 

[Red-1]

HI,

I have an enthusiastic traveller, search for threads on Bloomfields. Very robust, good payload, not the cheapest but well engineered.

 

[martlin]

HI,

I have an enthusiastic traveller, search for threads on Bloomfields. Very robust, good payload, not the cheapest but well engineered.

Bloomfields are super, but unfortunately cannot build a box till February/March next year

 

[lara b]

Have you done any research of your own? I'm happy to share my findings in return

I like racemaster, from what I understand they are well reinforced and simple but good builds with decent payload. Bloomfields also rate well for safety and features. i.d. horseboxes seemed to know their stuff, it's a full ramp on theirs but apparently light. I would happily have any of them but all generally above my 15k Inc vat budget new. So I'm probably looking at second hand.

Features wise I am asking about strength of build, want a strong floor and steel reinforced bulkhead. Min 7'6 height, and 6'6 tail to breast bar, barn doors and some tack storage. 1.1 min payload.

Hope this helps, please feel free to pm me any findings you have good or bad.

 

[martlin]

I like racemaster, from what I understand they are well reinforced and simple but good builds with decent payload. Bloomfields also rate well for safety and features. i.d. horseboxes seemed to know their stuff, it's a full ramp on theirs but apparently light. I would happily have any of them but all generally above my 15k Inc vat budget new. So I'm probably looking at second hand.

Features wise I am asking about strength of build, want a strong floor and steel reinforced bulkhead. Min 7'6 height, and 6'6 tail to breast bar, barn doors and some tack storage. 1.1 min payload.

Hope this helps, please feel free to pm me any findings you have good or bad.

I'm looking for one with no breast bar at all or with full climb board at least. My budget is a bit bigger than yours, but whilst I could just about stretch to a Boss, I'm not that convinced that I should.
I liked the Staffordshire horseboxes, but again, not quite convinced yet, although they are on the shortlist.
I have Harris horseboxes to add to the mix on a personal recommendation, so will try to visit them this weekend.

 

[lara b]

I'm looking for one with no breast bar at all or with full climb board at least. My budget is a bit bigger than yours, but whilst I could just about stretch to a Boss, I'm not that convinced that I should.
I liked the Staffordshire horseboxes, but again, not quite convinced yet, although they are on the shortlist.
I have Harris horseboxes to add to the mix on a personal recommendation, so will try to visit them this weekend.

Thanks. Sorry if I'm being thick but if there is no breast bar what stops them going forward if they lose their balance? think I saw a build without one on select horseboxes website, was second hand though.

 

[vallin]

My horse transporter used a staffs horse box and it was lovely, horse travelled really well in it. Hers, however, only had half partition at the back if that makes sense, not full climb boards.

 

[Red-1]

Thanks. Sorry if I'm being thick but if there is no breast bar what stops them going forward if they lose their balance? think I saw a build without one on select horseboxes website, was second hand though.

Hi, the Bloomfields Professional has no breast bar, but they travel backwards, so if you have an emergency stop they rest on their bottoms. It seems safer to me that the large lorries that also have no breast bar, but the horses travel Herringbone, as the horse is more stable front to back as they have a longer frame, than side to side where they have a short frame.

I have seen too many horses learn to climb and get stuck on breast bars. Also the lockers in a lorry, not as often but some horses learn to climb up, and once they do it they will likely do it again!

 

[martlin]

Hi, the Bloomfields Professional has no breast bar, but they travel backwards, so if you have an emergency stop they rest on their bottoms. It seems safer to me that the large lorries that also have no breast bar, but the horses travel Herringbone, as the horse is more stable front to back as they have a longer frame, than side to side where they have a short frame.

I have seen too many horses learn to climb and get stuck on breast bars. Also the lockers in a lorry, not as often but some horses learn to climb up, and once they do it they will likely do it again!

Have you been talking to my horse? lol

Vallin, the Staffordshire horseboxes do a version with no breast bar, too - tbh, they were very accommodating and flexible with their design

 

[foraday]

http://www.gazeleycoachbuilders.co.uk/

Having seen these out and about, they are far more superior than anything else on the road! Plus owner is ex oakley! So you will be technically getting an oakley at a fraction of the price!

 

[martlin]

http://www.gazeleycoachbuilders.co.uk/

Having seen these out and about, they are far more superior than anything else on the road! Plus owner is ex oakley! So you will be technically getting an oakley at a fraction of the price!

Thanks, any idea on prices? Their website doesn't tell you much at all :/

 

[marioforever]

I did a lot of research when I bought my latest one. I have owned a Chaigley before, but this time I went for an Equihunter. I had collapsible breast bars put in it. It has a separate grooms area, which means the hay dosent go everywhere and it is robust and lightweight and very well made. It looks so smart too. After sales service has been excellent as well. Whatever you decide, good luck with your decision

 

[Sprig]

I don't know anything about Bloomfields but you say that you like them and if they are booked up so far in advance then obviously there are other people who are keen to have one of their boxes too. Why not keep an eye out for one of theirs second hand or even think about delaying getting one built until they can do it? You could hire in the mean time (maybe they could even rent you one? I have no idea if this is the kind of thing they would be able to do. I would relate this to the experiences we had of finding good quality (house) builders. If you found someone who could start immediately they were invariably not the best. You might find anyway that if you had another 9 months to wait and maybe even rented a variety of brands of boxes while you were waiting it would enable you to test those items/criteria you have specified and you might find they need changing/refining anyway. 9 months is not really that long, if you end up with your perfect box at the end of it.

 

[martlin]

Hi Sprig, Bloomfields Pro was what I wanted, as at the time, that was last November, I didn't know any other builder to make the same, breast bar free design. As it turns out, there are several on the market, some cheaper, some more expensive, that do.
9 months isn't that long in the great scheme of things, but it is long enough for me to dismiss a manufacturer Especially it wouldn't be 9 months as I enquired about the box and availability in November 2013.
Hiring is not an option as it would just cost me way too much money, so the only solution is to look to other brands.

 

[Borderreiver]

These people will build what you want. They are adapting the design to take pony plus carriage for me. http://www.kphorseboxes.co.uk/

 

[martlin]

These people will build what you want. They are adapting the design to take pony plus carriage for me. http://www.kphorseboxes.co.uk/

Thanks for that, unfortunately, they are very far away, and with not much information to go on from the website, I'm not sure it is feasible for me to go with them.

 

[Hen]

Thanks for that Romany I actually went to see them on Tuesday, they were on my long list, but the jury is still out when it comes to going on the short list. They are lovely and lightweight, but I'm not sure they are robust enough for my, ahem, enthusiastic traveller and they are a bit pricey.

I can comment on the robustness: I have a BOSS pretty similar to Romany's; when travelling another horse with my mare, she got shall we say rather agitated - many miles of horse kicking and leaping about which was not my ideal drive!! But in spite of that, no damage at all to either horse, no destabilising of the truck and I was relieved to find that my BOSS had all of its strength in all the right places. Pretty impressive especially when said horse was doing a good version of a capriole. Little monkey!!

 

[Goldenstar]

I took my 7.5 ton lorry away to be sold yesterday .
The company who are selling make 3.5 toners etc .
It's the first time I have a good look at a range of them I much admit I was very impressed with them .
I am seriously considering going this route but would go for a heavier one for the bigger payload .