Has anyone ever seen a one horse lorry with living ?

[smiggy]

Might be time to think about changing my lorry. I have the bog standard ( but lovely ) 3.5 t, two horse forward facing , small living at back.
Was thinking that a one horse, slightly herringbone even, with the empty space used to increase the living would be a really nice idea.
I only ever travel one , for weight and logistics but do spend quite a lot of weekends away and using the wasted space seems like a better plan.
Never seen anyone do that though , maybe just resale value ?
Thinking of having a conversation with a lorry maker but just wondered if anyone had done this ?

 

[dorsetladette]

I can't see in my head how it would work in a 3.5t as the weight needs to be on the drivers side but I wouldn't want the ramp that side.

 

[Red-1]

Mine is similar. It was a 3.5 tonne Renault, but I have upgraded it to 3.95 tonnes as living adds weight.

I had the ramp on the driver's side so the other side is free to be used. I had a huge HGV type tack locker, accessed from the outside, on the front nearside.

The living at the back is still small, 3 seats and a wardrobe, but it also accesses the rest of the unused compartment, which has a toilet and rug store area. It also has forced air circulation and a shower.

The box has a huge horse compartment and just works for me.

 

[Red-1]

I can't see in my head how it would work in a 3.5t as the weight needs to be on the drivers side but I wouldn't want the ramp that side.

I have found the ramp that side is great. If I have to park on country lanes, I can pull right in, ramp down/ horse off / ramp up and there I am... box neatly parked and ready to go.

If the ramp was on the passenger side, I would not be able to go hack solo and park at the side of the road.

Front trailer ramps are that side too.

I guess it's what you're used to.

I don't worry about selling it as not many 3.5 tonnes would take 2 horses anyway.

 

[Borderreiver]

My 3.5 ton is fitted with horse section then a space to carry a carriage at back. This has double doors and I put metal ramps to load carriage. I don’t see why that part would not convert to a small living? It was converted for us from the original Renault.

 

[dorsetladette]

I have found the ramp that side is great. If I have to park on country lanes, I can pull right in, ramp down/ horse off / ramp up and there I am... box neatly parked and ready to go.

If the ramp was on the passenger side, I would not be able to go hack solo and park at the side of the road.

Front trailer ramps are that side too.

I guess it's what you're used to.

I don't worry about selling it as not many 3.5 tonnes would take 2 horses anyway.

Fair point. My equitrek trailer was on the drivers side actually - I never thought about it. Although previous trailers also either rear unload or passenger side unload.

You don't need the turning space inside either that way do you.

 

[I'm Dun]

Weight would be an issue. You wouldnt manage it on 3.5ton unless you had a very small pony. And it depends what sort of living you want. Full blown campervan? No chance, a bed and camping fridge? yes. But it would be easier and better to get a tow bar and tow a tiny caravan, something like this

The UK's Favourite Small Caravans | Freedom Caravans

Find your Freedom with our range of award winning small caravans which can be towed by almost any car

www.freedomcaravans.com

New are terrifyingly expensive, but second hand you can pick one up for about £1500 to £3500. They are tiny, light and tow really well.

 

[Britestar]

Plenty of the 7.5s advertised have such small payloads they'd only be one horse!

 

[Abacus]

When you say weekends away, do you mean with horse or without - are you trying to turn it into a multipurpose horsebox/motorhome, or are you going away with the horse? Also, are you alone or with someone?

If alone, I wonder if you could have a narrow single bed on the drivers side, lengthways alongside the horse but fully partitioned off from the horse who would be more central and have all the space up to the (passenger side) ramp. Then your sleeping cubby could open as an L-shape into the living at the back, with whatever you want in there.

Alternatively if you really want the horse on the driver side, do it in reverse with a driver side ramp.

 

[smiggy]

My ramp is on drivers side anyway , never been an issue.
My biggest weighs 400 kg so weight not too much of a worry but can drive up to 7.5
Just seems like there is a big wasted horse shape space that could be better used when I’m away at camps etc. weekends with the horse.
@Abacus thats sort of what I was thinking
@Red-1 yours sounds really interesting , do you have any photos ?

 

[smiggy]

Weight would be an issue. You wouldnt manage it on 3.5ton unless you had a very small pony. And it depends what sort of living you want. Full blown campervan? No chance, a bed and camping fridge? yes. But it would be easier and better to get a tow bar and tow a tiny caravan, something like this

The UK's Favourite Small Caravans | Freedom Caravans

Find your Freedom with our range of award winning small caravans which can be towed by almost any car

www.freedomcaravans.com

New are terrifyingly expensive, but second hand you can pick one up for about £1500 to £3500. They are tiny, light and tow really well.

Really can’t tow ! To save my life
Already have the sort of amount of living I need weight wise, was just thinking of spreading it out more to get more space to move around , sit inside with friends etc

 

[Northern Hare]

Might be time to think about changing my lorry. I have the bog standard ( but lovely ) 3.5 t, two horse forward facing , small living at back.
Was thinking that a one horse, slightly herringbone even, with the empty space used to increase the living would be a really nice idea.
I only ever travel one , for weight and logistics but do spend quite a lot of weekends away and using the wasted space seems like a better plan.
Never seen anyone do that though , maybe just resale value ?
Thinking of having a conversation with a lorry maker but just wondered if anyone had done this ?

Is this the kind of design you had in mind?

ETA. It's already sold, so just for ideas on the design, but you could maybe incorporate some of the features into your existing box?

3.5T SINGLE STALL WITH LIVING - Central England Horseboxes

3.5t single stall with living for sale here at Central England Horseboxes Ltd of Kidderminster Worcestershire West Midlands

www.centralenglandhorseboxes.co.uk

 

[smiggy]

Is this the kind of design you had in mind?

ETA. It's already sold, so just for ideas on the design, but you could maybe incorporate some of the features into your existing box?

3.5T SINGLE STALL WITH LIVING - Central England Horseboxes

3.5t single stall with living for sale here at Central England Horseboxes Ltd of Kidderminster Worcestershire West Midlands

www.centralenglandhorseboxes.co.uk

Thanks , I saw that but didn’t like the design as too much of the horses weight on the rear axle and overhang bit.
But in principle yes !

 

[smiggy]

ChatGPT had a great plan
Think horse just walks through living ?

 

[Abacus]

My ramp is on drivers side anyway , never been an issue.
My biggest weighs 400 kg so weight not too much of a worry but can drive up to 7.5
Just seems like there is a big wasted horse shape space that could be better used when I’m away at camps etc. weekends with the horse.
@Abacus thats sort of what I was thinking
@Red-1 yours sounds really interesting , do you have any photos ?

From a safety point of view if you were doing this it would be good to have a human door on the bed side. If there was a fire in the living you need an alternate way out.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Ive seen one where there was a full height divider so a horse stall was seperate and i believe that was a bed area

 

[SEL]

@Red-1 any chance of photos?

 

[Squeak]

I saw one advertised last year that had a full wall instead of a partition and then narrow bunk beds in that part. I don't know how I'd find it but it was advertised on FB and would possibly be an easy way of converting them.

Other option could be to go more along the lines of a 7.5t and put a full wall instead of a partition and alter the luton so that you could sleep in there and do something with spare horse space like a bench and table?

Unfortunately for most people weight would be too much of an issue as otherwise I think there would be possibilities to turn the spare horse space in to permanent living space for quite a few of them.