3.5ton 2 horses horsebox help required please advice

[Fides]

I can travel two TB horses, both are about 950 kg together, and tack. And I tow a caravan..!!! I look bit like a travellers convoy .. No disrespect to travellers, but it drives so well

That's an awful lot of weight for a 3.9t - just out of interest how does the weight add up? Genuinely interested as I didn't know you could carry 2 horses and pull a caravan too.

 

[jessjc]

Really? Glad I'm not with them any more...

I've found them brilliant! Cheap and I have had to use the rescue service on a Sunday and only had to wait an hour before rescue, where the rescue team were brilliant.

 

[jessjc]

With Anthony Evans - I had a horrible situation where the rear wheel of my lorry came off (negligent garage but that's another story!!). The insurance's recovery jacked up and temporarily replaced and fixed up the wheel so the lorry (with horses in it) could be driven off the main road for me to unload them. They had brought a low loader so that the horsebox could be taken back to my yard. They were quick and efficient and gave me advice on how to tackle the garage (which worked)... Terrible that this isn't always the service given though.

I asked whether it was legal and the recovery company said that as it was a rigid tow, it was. They also said that the towing vehicle could not possibly have been doing 80mph as it was fitted with a speed limiter. I assured them that it was as I was sitting next to the driver and we were overtaking every other vehicle on the motorway at this time and I could see the speedometer. I also reported them to VOSA - not sure what action they took.
When I took out the recovery with Equine Rescue Services, the first question I asked was whether they towed with horses on board and they told me that they never will and will always send a horsebox/trailer to collect the horse. So I do feel reassured that if I break down now, at least I have a decent recovery company to phone!

 

[ROG]

That's an awful lot of weight for a 3.9t - just out of interest how does the weight add up? Genuinely interested as I didn't know you could carry 2 horses and pull a caravan too.

I am guessing that the payload for the 3900 GVW is probably around 1500 so using 1000 for 2 horses leaves 500 for everything else - most cars etc have a 500 payload

I reckon the GTW for that vehicle is about 5000 so towing a caravan which weighs 1000 is easily legal

That would require a C1+E licence

 

[L&M]

I have a side loader with wide back doors and a removeable breast bar - so worst comes to the worst they can unload through the back.

 

[montanna]

You will be able to get insurance, I have been insured on my 3.5t since I was 22. It's (a lot) cheaper than my car insurance. We also sold one of our 3.5t van conversions to for a young girl to drive, think she was 19.

The ones we have built have typically had between 1140-1200kg payload, including spare tyre/partition etc. Please be aware that some that are sold with a weighbridge cert, often don't include the partition/spare tyre!!! If you have tried to lift a partition out of one of these boxes, you will know how heavy they are!!

I love mine, and everything I have had in it seems to travel well. I have taken the partition out of mine now, as I just have the one, and she prefers to stand on a diagonal, cross tied with 2 haynets. I have a full partition between the grooms area/horse area, as my previous gelding reared and I was scared he would go over the bar.

The thought of a rear facing lorry being front suspended makes me shudder, let alone travelling at that speed!

 

[mrswad]

there is a good website called something like travel two - if you google them you will find it, run by an older lady who has a good info section about weights etc. Good luck

 

[Bernster]

Def agree about being careful of the actual weight capacity, 2 decent sized horses plus kit and people will weigh a fair amount and I suspect a lot of 3.5t vehicles are overweight (might only be slight but doesn't the invalidate insurance?) espec those with lots of stick on goodies. The less stuff you have on, the more you can carryy.

I got mine from Foxy Twin horseboxes and it's been great. Has stood up well to being battered by my friend's ID who regularly paws away at the partition. :-(

My friend had hers weighed and she only had 800kgs available - and the previous owner regularly took out 2 big horses, kit and people.

 

[buddylove]

I have been weighing up the pros and cons of going for a 3.5 ton box but I cannot accept only being able to travel one, it is nice to go out with friends. So I will be sticking with my 511 and try and improve my reversing capabilities!!!