Advice please - horsebox vs trailer

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Tayto

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Hey guys,

I am looking into buying either a horsebox or trailer but I dont really know where to start! I dont have a trailer licence so would need to pass a test if I get a trailer.

My budget is not huge so I am not sure which one would be more cost efficient in the initil outlay and to upkeep.

Can you please tell me what you have and the good/bad points.

I also have a few questions;

1. Can I drive a 7.5t horsebox on a normal licence (I am 26 and passed my test in 2005)

2. What is a realistic budget for each option - bearing in mind that if I get a trailer I will also need to buy something to tow it

3. If I get a trailer - which vehicle would be my best option (I would be towing a 15hh cob and a 16'2hh warmblood. I know of a freelander 2 coming up for sale - would this be suitable?

4. Is a 3.5t horsebox an option for me or can they only take 1 x horse?

Sorry - lots of questions! I just need some advice so that I can set out a realistic plan and budget!

Thanks in advance :)
 
1. You need to have passed your test before 1997 to drive a 7.5 ton.
2. Car and trailer is what you're happy to drive. I have an old trailer and an oldish Shogun, the car was £1600 and the trailer £1k. I like Pajeros and Shoguns and there are plenty around but they are juicy. For a newer combination, you'll more likely be spending £3k on the trailer alone, newer tow vehicles aren't cheap.
3. No, they don't have the towing capacity, minimum would be 2.5 ton with what you want to tow.
4. Only 1 horse in a 3.5 ton.
 
1. No
2. I have bought a 7.5 tonner for £1K, have also paid £20K for one. I have bought cars capable of towing for £500 and parked them next to tow cars costing £50K. I have bought a 2 horse trailer for £350, new ones can be £15K. It all depends on what you want to afford.
3. Probably NOT the Freelander, otherwise your choice of vehicles with a decent towing capacity.
4. Only really an option for one horse.

Current setups: Skoda Octavia Estate and Bahill lightweight, cheap to buy, cheap to run, 50+ mpg when not towing
LandRover Defender 110 and IW TA510: Cheap to buy considering towing capacity, can run up enormous bills, can carry heavy loads, drinks diesel.
George Smith body on Transit 190L: cheap to buy, cheap to run, has been properly done so does not roll badly, ponies travel well in it, not currently on road as my nags are too tall for it and it needs some welding.
Three horse and living body on Leyland Daf: expensive to buy because of quality of fixtures and fittings, very comfortable for horses and passengers, great if you stay away, currently OTT for my requirements, bills can be dramatic.
 
Great - thanks!

ATM I only plan to travel locally so dont need anything too fancy. Maybe in the future I will be able to justify something flashier but right now I will just get what I can afford.

My thoughts are that I can pick up a horsebox cheaper than a trailer and vehicle but my worry is that a horsebox is more upkeep in the long run and may have hefty garage bills however the same could be said if I go for a towing vehicle that is a bit older.

I think the only soultion is for me to win the lottery and buy brand new - haha! I wish!
 
In the short term yes it probably would be cheaper to buy a lorry. BUT imo i wouldn't. I've not long changed back to a trailer as the lorry needs plating every year and servicing. The older it is the more risk you run of having to do repairs. Also if your only going local then i dont think you'll get the usage from a lorry. In winter you can't just leave a lorry standing for weeks if the shows are cancelled due to weather. I'd say save a bit more if you have to and get a car and trailer. You could always ask for an early Xmas pressie and get someone to buy you your trailer test. :)
 
If you passed car test after 1996 then you are limited to a vehicle GVW of 3500 kgs or a combination of vehicle and trailer where the vehicle GVW added to the trailer MAM does not total more than 3500 kgs - those are legally maximum possible weights not actual weights

A 3.5 tonne horsebox will not take the weight you want

To tow 2 horses you will need B+E
To get a horsebox between 3.5 and 7.5 you will need LGV C1
 
You do have B+E provisional so this is an option ......

SUPERVISINGA B+E LEARNER
InApril 2010 new rules were introduced for those supervising certain learnerdrivers but they only affected those supervising VOCATIONAL categories such asC1 C1+E D1 & D1+E where the supervising driver had those categories givento them for free when they passed a pre 1997 car test.
Theydo not affect those with a pre 1997 B+E licence who wish to supervise a B+Elearner.
AllB licence holders have B+E provisional on the paper part of their licence andcan tow an empty or loaded trailer on all roads including motorways.
Theusual rules apply when a learner is driving -
Thesupervising driver must be aged over 21
Thesupervising driver must have held a B+E licence for at least 3 years
Lplates must be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer
Correctinsurance for a B+E learner


More info on posts 999 and 1000 of the TOWING CLINIC thread - link below in my signature
More info on LGV in the LGV CLINIC below
 
Just to say, a 7.5 ton lorry will not need plating every year. Plating is the registration cert; what you need every year is an MOT. A lorry MOT is not the same as a car one though and can only be done at a VOSA testing station or a VOSA ATF station.
 
Following my post, I discussed this with my partner and I think that I need to be realistic.... I need to look at buying a one horse trailer.

I mentioned in my post I need to transport 2 – the other horse is my friends and we go to shows together etc so in an ideal world I would of liked to be able to transport both our horses if/when required (she doesnt have her own transport) but price wise I don’t think I can afford a 2 horse trailer plus the vehicle required to tow it.

I was a little naive and I didn’t realise how much everything would cost. I would rather buy a reliable 1 horse trailer than a cheap 2 horse trailer and cheap vehicle that may break down and need lots of money spent on it. I also think a horse box is out of the question as mentioned above, the cost of fixing one could be extortionate if I buy a cheap one with lots of miles on it.

If I get a 1 horse trailer, my partners vehicle can tow it. My birthday is next month so I can ask my mum and dad to contribute to trailer lessons for my birthday and Christmas.

So basically, I think I just answered my own query haha!

SO - any recommendations on which trailers are best. I hear a lot about ifor williams - are they the best on the market or are there others I should consider?
 
My partner has an Audi A5. It is a 3.0 TDI Quattro. According to the research we have done so far, it can tow 1900kgs....

We wont have to tow on much soft ground as far as I know. All the places I have planned for next year are on pretty sturdy ground but you never know I suppose
 
Tayto said:
My partner has an Audi A5. It is a 3.0 TDI Quattro. According to the research we have done so far, it can tow 1900kgs....

We wont have to tow on much soft ground as far as I know. All the places I have planned for next year are on pretty sturdy ground but you never know I suppose
Click to expand...
I think the Quattro has a high GVW - over 2300 kgs - which makes it a bit too much for B licence towing

There is no reason that something like a ford mondeo cannot be used for towing
 
Ok, that's good to know. So much to learn! I won't be in a position to buy till next year but just want to get all my ducks in a row! Thanks for your advice :)
 
I decided that taking the test and having a trailer would be better in the long run. Two horse trailers are much more stable than single horse trailers, and no more expensive to buy second hand really. Ifors are expensive compared to other trailers, in my opinion are no better than others, plus the two Ifors I have had my ponies in they haven't travelled in as well as they did in an older Rice or the trailer I currently have (a Sinclair). I can highly recommend the Sinclair, I have the Ambassador version, they aren't made any more but are fairly inexpensive to buy second hand.
 
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