3.5T van hints and tips

[Walrus]

I've bitten the bullet and put a deposit down on a 3.5T van. I'm fluctuating between terrified (about the amount of money I'm spending) and ridiculously excited that pony will be able to go to parties!

The van in question is a van style conversion, not a box van. Current layout is a cupboard in front of the horses (so they are stood with their heads over the top of the cupboard). This provides a really great storage space but I'm also thinking about exactly how to utilise the space best.

I just wondered what storage hints and tips anyone had or any nifty space saving ideas that work in your horseboxes. Plus anything to bear in mind about travelling them in a van conversion.

Having spent the last few months searching the internet for horseboxes I now have a week before we go and collect it where I need something else to research on the internet!!

Thanks



x-posted with CR as meant to post in here originally - whoops!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I've got a Renault Master conversion van, known fondly as VANessa. Horses travel backwards with their heads over the grooms area at the back.Works a treat and I've had some pretty damn huge horses in there for friends! Engine barely alters whether full or empty. Ace fuel consumption. I mostly travel my miniature show shetlands, loose with straw down and the the partition removed. In the grooms area at the back I have a selection of big white rectangular plastic boxes that Tesco had on offer recently. One is for last minute grooming, one for small made up feed, another holds all my stuff including arm number thingy, water bucket and water container. Loads of shelving in there and a padded seat for resting aching legs. Mine already has a bridle hook on the inside of the back door and a double saddle rack on the partition wall. Masses of room over the cab for rugs, coats, rubbish. Nobody can believe that a little 3.5 ton van can carry big horses but I recently carried a 17hh rescued chestnut mare whose head we had to push round to face over the grooms area before we could close the door, plus a rescued TB foal. No problems at all! Is yours backwards or forwards facing? Some horses like one, some the other. Shetland ponies travel brilliantly in it but that may be because their centre of gravity is so low to the ground! My 20yr old 14.1hh mare isn't a brilliant traveller and was used to forward facing so she crashed about a lot on the outward journey to the vets recently but had it sussed by the time we came back and hardly moved You're going to have SOOOOOOOO much fun in your new pony-mobile! Enjoy!!!!

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Before thinking about cupboards, check the structure.

The partition between humans at the front and horses compartment must be heavily reinforced, thin sheet of metal often used is no way enough. Otherwise in an accident, even at fairly low speed, you would be killed by the half ton of horse ending up in your lap.

This will add some extra weight if done properly, but it must be done if it isnt to be a death trap. Check your van very carefully.

 

[laura7981]

Yes please check the bulkhead between cab and horse area... I bought my van privately and took there word that there was steel between the two bits of ply at the bulk head... Got it home and took it apart to see if it was strong enough and low and behold there was no steel, just two flimsy bits of ply preventing horse coming through and killing me!! Luckily for me my hubby can weld so we've installed lots of steel bars so horse will stay put if I were to suddenly stop! I've also put a wall up between horses head and grooms area, she's not the best traveller and you hear lots of stories of horses jumping over the breastbar so I took away that risk, it didn't cost much to do and the piece of mind it gives me is priceless. Sorry for rambling lol, I don't have any special storage solutions, everything just get hauled in

 

[Holly Hocks]

Yes please check the bulkhead between cab and horse area... I bought my van privately and took there word that there was steel between the two bits of ply at the bulk head... Got it home and took it apart to see if it was strong enough and low and behold there was no steel, just two flimsy bits of ply preventing horse coming through and killing me!! Luckily for me my hubby can weld so we've installed lots of steel bars so horse will stay put if I were to suddenly stop! I've also put a wall up between horses head and grooms area, she's not the best traveller and you hear lots of stories of horses jumping over the breastbar so I took away that risk, it didn't cost much to do and the piece of mind it gives me is priceless. Sorry for rambling lol, I don't have any special storage solutions, everything just get hauled in

This exactly - I bought mine and it only had a thin sheet of steel and ply - no way enough. I went to a steel fabricator who installed steel bars and I now feel much safer.

One thing to bear in mind is that you WILL hear the horses moving about in there. When they move round it can be quite disconcerting at first.