Ford Transit Type for 16hh TB - Advice please

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asterid

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Does anyone have an old style Ford transit horsebox or the like (say VWlt35) for travelling one 16hh horse?

I am considering getting a small lorry as the headache of plating a big lorry is too much to bear! (even though I prefer them!).

What is your horse like in it? I would have the herringbone or side ramp. I dont like the load from rear and exit from side type.

What are good points, bad points e.t.c

It would only be for my lightweight TB at 16hh. Only to day shows and would only ever travel one horse.

Thoughts please. Thanks
 
I have an old style (H-reg) transit that I've just bought for my horse and me.

Good points:
*same tax, mot, service costs as large car
*economical on diesel
*cheap parts (still available)
*good reliable engine (or so I'm told by my local van-hire place who still use transits of this age but won't touch the newer ones)
*stable (doesn't lean, although some of the cattle truck/ifor ones do look unstable compared to mine!)
*Partitions are wider than IW 510 so good for my horse who likes to spread his front legs

Bad points:
*Low payload
*have a reputation for being rusty - the welding and wheel arches have been done on mine already.
 
Please don't put your 16hh TB in a ford transit, they are built for ponies and not for horse's.
They are only built to take 3.5 tonne, it would be dangerous and you would struggle up hill's. Plus if you got pulled over by VOSA you would then be in trouble, as you would be over the laden weight.
 
We had an vwlt35! Brilliant lorry, ours was side load/unload but facing forwards and after using this configuration I wouldn't use any other. It had a cut through cab as well so you could dart in the back if there was an emergency. It gives plenty of room for the horses, I never used tail bandages or boots as they didn't need it.
We sold ours as it done about 200,000 miles and was getting a bit rusty and too expensive to maintain. Brilliant lorry though, would have another in a shot :).

I travelled my horse in a friends herringbone 7.5t an it was so squashed in there. He wasn't really happy travelling in it and even though he stood well he didn't eat his hay (unlike him) and was sweating when I got him out. Again unlike him as he is normally a very chilled out traveller. I think he has been spoiled by travelling in roomy side loads!
:)
 
Also we were weighed in ours with two horses up (were pulled over on m4!) and we were fine :)

Agree ford transits can be rusty, always check the chassis underneath :).
 
You could say that Ford transits were not built for horses at all so in my opinion its nonsense when someone says its for ponys only.
I have a Ford transit and I love it, not the fastest up hill but it does go. Mine is rear load and side unload.
The only thing I don't like its that sometimes it weaves around a bit when you are going that bit faster.
 
All im saying is that a ford transit is only built to take 3.5tonne, as that is how much weight the engine can cope with. It all depends on what the transit has on the back, whether it's an Ifor-Williams or any other box (many other's are available) which has been built on the back. As some types can weigh in quite heavy which doesn't leave much weight left for your horse.
 
midsummers dream said:
Please don't put your 16hh TB in a ford transit, they are built for ponies and not for horse's.
They are only built to take 3.5 tonne, it would be dangerous and you would struggle up hill's. Plus if you got pulled over by VOSA you would then be in trouble, as you would be over the laden weight.
Click to expand...

An inappropriate generalisation! Whether or not the particular truck is suitable depends on its unladen weight!! But transits are notoriously heavy. I had one that was 2.7 tonnes unladen. It was a long wheel base and had plenty of internal space for two big heavy horses! But in reality was only ok for one like yours!!

I don't think a horse would manage herringbone in a transit though. Mine wouldn't have been able to turn in my van.
 
I have a 26 yr old ford transit rear load and unload, My previous horse travelled in it perfectly and he was a 16.1 TB x x trotter ( the roan in my signature) mine does come with special built head guards and travels 2 forward facing. It is slow uphill and as a previous poster said has been known to sway a little over 55mph. apart from that I would not be without it. Oh and I collapse the partition against the side and turn the horse around in the box and walk him out forwards.
As for payload mine has a coachbuilt wooden back and weighs 2080kg empty so has plenty of payload.
 
midsummers dream said:
Please don't put your 16hh TB in a ford transit, they are built for ponies and not for horse's.
They are only built to take 3.5 tonne, it would be dangerous and you would struggle up hill's. Plus if you got pulled over by VOSA you would then be in trouble, as you would be over the laden weight.
Click to expand...

The OP states she will be travelling just her lw horse - even with my lorry's small payload I can legally carry me, all tack/hay/feed/water and my 17.1 middleweight horse. I would suggest you would be MORE likely to be overweight carrying 2 ponies and their share of tack/hay/feed/water etc, plus (small) riders in addition to the driver.

Mine is named after Sir Edmund Hillary for it's hillclimbing abilities!
 
my transit is styled in herringbone, its actully partitoned for 4 ponies (I didnt convert it before any one jumps on me)

this weekend we moved a 15hh and 16.2 in it (again dont bother jumping on me was small distance on country lanes and the big lad cant currently walk due to abcess but had to be off current yard.)

the big lad fitted in very well with a ton of head room and lorry didnt struggle a bit up a VERY steep hill.
 
Herpesas - I think because mine is so old it has very little in the way of an engine to weigh it down. I am lucky because I have a calibrated weighbridge at work that i check it on each year. Also there is no living area just storage for tack ect in the luton.
I could make it lighter as its currently fitted with 18mm stable mats and has a solid wooden partition.
I will try to take some pics at the weekend she is being sanded down at the moment ready for a new coat of woodstain.
I love my little transit and she has never let me down.
Teresa
 
I think the problem with mine is that the chassis/cab is so heavy!

Mine doesn't have any kind of living either just a wooden box with a luton. I've only got it set up for one horse so no partition doors on the nearside (to try and reduce weight), no loading gates, two decent ramps which I think take up a fair bit of the payload - would consider taking off side ramp and fitting a solid wall but not sure there's enough room to turn my horse round to get him back off! No stereo. Double wooden floor with aluminium 'false' floor on top.

I'm trying taking the towbar and bullbars off next! Got to reduce the weight somehow as I need to find 100kg so I can take my OH to shows with me!
 
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