Essentials V Luxuries for Specing A Horse Box

[Gingerwitch]

Help - I am off to spec my new horse box - lucky me, however I dont want to spend a fortune (hubby buying the "box" bit for me as a wedding prezzie) so what do I need, what do I just want and what will i never use? I just want it for local shows and taking the neds to good places to hack so would be using it 4 to 5 times a week. I will never win the olympics and will only ever get to HOYS's on foot so what do I need...?

My priority's are: the horse area.
1) I travel big horses so want a completley free horse area with a 3 herringbone set up, and loads of windows
2) Hydraulic Ramp
3) Interior lighting
4) Interior cameras
5) A loo
6) A sink
7) A two ring cooker
8) somewhere to sit and maybe a table?

Would likes are:-
A retractable awning to the side
A shower
Reversing Cameras
A fantastic paint job - thinking of the budwisers horses (lol) or black beauty rearing with ginger (could go on for ever)
Horse wash
Hook up

any help would be grand as I can show 'other half and do my annoying "pleassssssssssssssssse"

 

[brighthair]

I think your priorities are pretty spot on
shower - will you ever use it?
reversing cameras - do you need them?
horse wash could be useful esp on a hot/long day
awning - will you get enough use of it?

 

[MrsMozart]

Hook up? If that's the electiricity thingy, put that on the Need List.

Others to add to the Need List

Fridge
Table
Tack lockers
Rug racks
Microwave
TV

It's a lovely wedding pressie

.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Thank you for your input Brighthair. Mrs Mozart - yes I am being spoilt so much its untrue - but then again he is a speed freak and loves his racing which happens to occur most weekends .....!!!!????

Starting to think suspiciously here - am i being duped into him getting away most summer weekends ermmmmmmm!

 

[MrsMozart]

So long as he's happy for you to do your thing and you're happy for him to do his thing, and occasionally you each go to watch the other doing their thing...

We will of course need piccies

 

[Mike007]

top of the list,a tilting cab

 

[DuckToller]

Are you going for a 7.5 tonne rather than an HGV?

If so, then if you are hoping to travel 3 large horses, be careful with all the extras, because you will go overweight.

My lorry has about half the stuff you want, and I can only travel two horses with tack comfortably.

I love having a loo, but keep everything else in the living to a minimum. I've got a fridge but can rarely be bothered to start it up and always use a cool box. The hose is a waste of time too as all mine are terrified of the pump noise and won't go near it so I just use a good old bucket and sponge

Similarly with the cooker - by the time I have stood there and burnt the bacon the whole of the living stinks and I have nearly set fire to the curtains! After one outing I gave up cooking and buy a bacon roll at most events

 

[Gingerwitch]

Got the tilting cab - dad's into his lorries so he wants the mechanics lives to be easy and thats why I have ended up with a quite modern DAF, with minimal miles on the clock - its taken a good few months to find. I have looked at quite a few mercedes and renaults but have gone for a DAf (really wanted a Scania but the 7.5 tonne range is not as good as the Daf's - my opinion only)

I am going for a 7.5 tonner and having a 20ft box shortened down so most of the weight will be over the axles. I am planning on travelling 1 or 2 "big ones" and a little 15.2 thoroughbred at the same time - depending on the competiton we are off to.

Thanks for the info Llewelyn - 'other half was saying similar to you about buying food etc at events and he was a little concerned that i was wanting too many extras that would not be that much use when we were up and running.

cheers for all the info - keep it coming

 

[MrsMozart]

I hate my internet connection at the moment!

Short version of what I just typed! My lorry had the sink, hob and mattress taken out and instead had a portable single ring gas thingy, a washing up bowl and a blow up mattress. It cut down on the weight

 

[custard]

I had a lorry once with sink cooker etc and it was a pain TBH, you just need somewhere to sit and eat and make a hot drink those portable gas rings are brill'. For me the one thing I can't do without is a loo!

 

[Louby]

My friends box has everything, microwave, loo, shower, fridge, cooker, tv etc etc and she never uses any of it. The loo is handy but then she doesnt use it cos she doesnt know how to empty it and doesnt fancy that job anyway. Whereas mine has hardly anything, I wanted a great horse area and wasnt bothered about a fancy living. The builder insisted I had at least a sink and a hob for resale purposes. If I need a wee, I (whispers) go in the horse area. eeek! Its me who cleans it out. My day living has sink, hob with cupboards underneath and a table with large L shaped seating which lifts up for storage. I have a large mirror which is a must when trying to tie stocks as Im useless at it. I would say storage is a must. I havent got any lockers either in the horse area and so have saddle racks in my living which is a bit of a pain but didnt want them in the horse area. Also either a wardrobe for your coat, show jacket or at least some hooks to hang them up. Id also reccomend laminate flooring and no carpets anywhere in the living as they are a nightmare to keep clean. Oh also a cut through from the cab.