3.5t lorry help

L

lucindakay

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 November 2012
Messages
309
Location
SUFFARKKKK (Suffolk to non locals)
Visit site
i am looking into buying one as i am doing my driving test soon and i sadly lost my horsey support in my family, so now i have decided to get on my feet and do it all myself, including buying a lorry, though i have many questions as i have read all sorts about them.

1. i have a 16hh tb so i am assuming that will be fine for weight?but with all the tack, water, hay, fuel and two light(i like to think) ladies, what will all this come to?
2. concerning fuel, i've read somewhere that someone to avoid going over weight they only fill their tank of fuel up to half at a time, is this crazy or quite intelligent?
3. are they safe as my boy has been in a 3.5t as he is an ex-racehorse and i contacted all his old owners/cares of which he has had 3 so he is fine in them but are there any catches that even the safest horse has been caught out on?
4. are there any dealers to stay away from, or any makes?
5. also as a new driver i understand that i will need to practice without the horse and i will get use to the roads before i even look for one ect ect, but will my horse(16hh) tilt this sort or box, i have read that one person had another partition put in so the horse was in the middle, would this effect me?

sorry for all the questions,
please be honest and brutal as you like, though don't say i'm too young as i do have to start somewhere and its hard having ridden and evented all my life and then having it all taken away from me so brutally, i am just a ambitious young rider who has to support myself. i just want to make sure i am making the right decision.(sorry i have just had a lot of people saying i am being ignorant, but did they not start somewhere?)
 
Hi Lucinda

You're not too young - I was towing at 17 and think that's more difficult than driving a 3.5, it's about being good and responsible not being a certain age. I'd recommend getting some lessons - even informal ones with someone used to driving bigger vans or lorries if you know someone - because it is different from driving a car and you need safety to be top priority, for you, horse and other road users.

I have a 3.5 and carry my 16.2 warmblood very happily and on the right hand side as normal with no issues re balance. I have a racemaster which are well balanced, well built boxes, so can't speak for all makes in that sense. Weightwise, if you buy one of the decent makes, you should be absolutely fine with one horse, two people and associated stuff. You should ask for a weighbridge certificate to prove payload. I always start out with a full tank - I think if you're having to part fill in order to hit the payload I wouldn't want to be working to those margins!!!

Can you have someone knowledgeable with you when you buy?
 
Firstly, may I wish you good luck with your test.
I have a Renault master with a BOSS built onto the chassis. This has a payload of 1300 kg my ramp is behind the driver and horses travel facing backwards. I have a small day living at the back with a grooms door. And a full width collapsible b bar. The grooms area is partitioned off so no horse can jump over. This is important cos I've seen some terrible things go wrong when there is only a breast bar separating the day living.
If you travel one horse it should travel behind the driver, to aid balance due to the road camber. A partition, movable one is best as the horse can lean against it when cornering. I only put £25 of diesel in at a time this gives me more payload and will get me 90 miles. I have a 5 gallon water drum in the back. If water is on site I empty it and fill up when on site. I carry 2 buckets, grooming kit that doubles as a step, a skip and brush. And first aid kit for horse and humans. Mine is all fibreglass for less weight, with Eva rubber matting. Ramp is lightweight too and easy to lift, it's on the side of the driver. I got mine from new for twenty grand, but a decent six or seven year old would be half that. Good luck.
 
thank, i really do hope i pass, practicing like crazy!
yes i will have someone with me and we have looked at all sorts and found some dealers but i just don't feel happy, the first thinks we've been told to check is flooring as some people are cutting corners and putting just wooden flooring down ontop of the crossbars(can't remember the fancy word) and i've seen horses go through flooring and i have been petrified of putting any of my horses in a trailer since.
i think finding the right lorry and making sure its safe is the least of my worrys i think i'm just worried of being so responsible for my horse, i am a confident driver but it will be completely different, i have had lessons in an airfield in my friends and we put a basket of eggs in the back to see how many came out and broke, its very hard, but i'm getting there slowly but surely.
deffinetily saving up for a well known brand, or may even buy my own chassis and get it made to my spec so i can see how its made and have it how i would like.(i sound very spoilt but i have sold all of my horses(which i bought myself) and bought one off the meat wagon just to fund riding, just if anyone is wondering how i am funding this)
 
Of course you will. It's just about practice and getting some good quality guidance from someone who's used to driving them. You probably felt a bit freaked out the very first time you drove a car but you got used to it.

lucindakay said:
that came out wrong, i meant to say that i will be able to find the right lorry but its just will i be confident to drive it, with my horse and other people in danger:eek::p
Click to expand...
 
These vans tend to weigh about 2.1 tons unloaded which gives you a payload of 1.4 tons (although do check). This is for the ones that are van shaped; the ones with a box built on the back tend to be more.

Horse: 500kg
Water: maybe 30kg
Two light ladies: maybe up to 120kg?!
Tack and all that: (I am guessing here) 50kg
Diesel: not sure on this one - maybe allow up to 100kg for a tank

You should be fine with one lightly built 16hh horse. I used to get my 16.2 ISH in my Movano conversion and he was always fine to load and travel.

Do be careful about accumulating stuff in the van (I tended to use mine as storage often as we don't have a lot of space at the yard) as all the rugs, spare leatherwork, etc, will add up.

Carry a basic toolkit with you (hammer, screwdriver, spanner) - useful in emergencies whether of horse or van. And a first aid kit. I always have sedalin these days after my friend's horse jumped ito the groom's area ad there wasn't room to get him out the door - the sedalin kept him quiet until he was cut out. This is the reason that many people now have anti-weave V grilles fitted, or something to stop horses trying to escape backwards. I also prefer the van shape as if this does happen, the back doors open wide and you could take the horse out this way, assuming it was in one piece still.

You are not too young and sound very responsible. What a shame, yet again, to have to pre-empt the criticism you might get. Best of luck.
 
I've travelled both my ex-racers in my Movano van conversion absolutely fine (not at the same time, obviously!). It's easy to drive, more economical than my car, tax £135 per year and I like it - I would like a bigger box, but I'm reluctant to sell the Movano as it's been so good and I've had a lot of work done to it to make it great that I don't want to sell it, just to get myself a heap of poo that will cost me a fortune when I already know that the Movano is just fine! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top