Has anyone regretted buying a 3.5t horsebox?

I did and regretted it. It cost me £6k on repairs in the first eighteen months. In the end I had to sell it to repay the last bill, which was £4.5k on gearbox repairs. Also, my horse hated it and found the lack of air circulation very stressful. Used to come off sweating from his eyeballs. He travels far better in our trailer, so gone back to that. I think if you have the cash for one that’s spanky new with a/c then that’s far better.
 
meesha said:
I had one, was told it would need to be driven regularly ...they don't like being stood around for days/weeks then being driven short distances. Diesels need a good blast regularly apparently...
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Same with any vehicle really, I often go to the supermarket / feed shop in mine for a run out 😁
 
Surbie said:
I have a tank of a horse that weighs in around 720kg so with a standard payload lorry with kit, me, a passenger, fuel, water and the horse would likely be over or very near the limit.
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You'd be nowhere near the limit in mine, but you do have to trust that modern lightweight materials can look flimsy, but aren't, and a ramp that flexes is not going to break.
 
meesha said:
I had one, was told it would need to be driven regularly ...they don't like being stood around for days/weeks then being driven short distances. Diesels need a good blast regularly apparently...
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I take mine out for a hack once a month.
.
 
cariadbach10 said:
I did and regretted it. It cost me £6k on repairs in the first eighteen months. In the end I had to sell it to repay the last bill, which was £4.5k on gearbox repairs. Also, my horse hated it and found the lack of air circulation very stressful. Used to come off sweating from his eyeballs. He travels far better in our trailer, so gone back to that. I think if you have the cash for one that’s spanky new with a/c then that’s far better.
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When mine goes in for its service it's having another window put in for extra airflow but in the meantime I've borrowed an idea from here and have battery fans set up. It's only needed for the super hot days.
 
Mine has a fan in the horse area which is great for warmer days. Someone had it built (Renault Master) & then lost their horse & didn't need it so there are a few whistles & bells on it which I wouldn't have thought of. There are also two openable windows, so it's okay for ventilation.

I had mine weighed on a weighbridge last year & it was 2,480kg so that's just over a ton of payload, but that has to include passengers, fuel, tack, hay net etc etc. My 'competition horse' (field ornament) is a 17hh strapping TB who weighs 620kg and he is probably the biggest horse that would fit in mine, but my box is just a Renault Master long wheel base with the higher roof and is still van-shaped. You would have more room in a box shaped one.

Mine only has a saddle rack so no toilet/kitchen stuff etc so nothing adding to the weight.
 
I've had a trailer tbh I hated towing and the car I had to tow was expensive to run. I've had two 7.5s, great for travelling two and staying away but so expensive on diesel and plating and I've had two 3.5s. The first 3.5 was a van conversion and it was great for one horse but when I bought a 16.2 he had to duck to go in through the ramp although he travelled really well. So I bought a coach built 3.5 and loved it. It was cheap to run, easy to drive and park, my horse travelled well in it and I used it about 3 times each week to go to lessons and meet up with friends to hack. Just so easy. I sold it when my last horse was pts and pretty much got back what I'd paid 3 years previously and tbh I could have got more the phone never stopped pinging.
 
I've had all 3: trailer and car; 3.5T and 7.5T.

The 7.5T was the worst to drive but the cheapest to buy. And I could take 2-3 so when I had the girls on their ponies we could go places together. So that worked fine, but I am relieved not to need to drive that anymore.

The car-trailer combo was the most flexible. Space in the trailer, space in the boot. Could easily tow 2. Car useful for other things. I had living in the trailer so I could also stay away. BUT I found the whole hooking up business a PITA. And I was not a massive fan of towing. Or manouvring a trailer about.

So once Dolly was sold and I did not need to tow 2, I am finding the 3.5T is best option. I am more restricted in payload which is fine, as I only ever take 1 anywhere.
 
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cariadbach10 said:
I did and regretted it. It cost me £6k on repairs in the first eighteen months. In the end I had to sell it to repay the last bill, which was £4.5k on gearbox repairs. Also, my horse hated it and found the lack of air circulation very stressful. Used to come off sweating from his eyeballs. He travels far better in our trailer, so gone back to that. I think if you have the cash for one that’s spanky new with a/c then that’s far better.
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Yikes, 6k!! How old was it? This would be my sort of luck...

I'm not too worried about circulation, I've never had that as an issue when I've hired although I just don't ride when its particularly hot anyway...or when it rains etc etc 🤣🤣🤣
 
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I had mine made in 2006 by Marlborough horseboxes and it is still going strong! As I am on insulin I was restricted to 3.5t and another thing t remember is when you turn 70 you lose your 7.5t and I am now only three years off that! I reckon I could sell it now for what it cost me!
 
Anna Clara said:
Yikes, 6k!! How old was it? This would be my sort of luck...

I'm not too worried about circulation, I've never had that as an issue when I've hired although I just don't ride when its particularly hot anyway...or when it rains etc etc 🤣🤣🤣
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It was a 59 plate. Also an automatic, so a whole gearbox overhaul was the cause of the last huge bill. There were many tears shed, as it was my dream to have a box. I now wouldn’t have another unless I was looking in the 35k plus bracket. So that’s never! 😂
 
Mines ancient and has done a good few years not being driven really. We kept it taxed and insured (mostly) started it up occasionally.
I now use it weekly to go for a lesson and I hope that will increase a bit now.
If I had to hire one I wouldn’t ever go anywhere.
It’s also been super handy over the years in vet trips, cheaper to pop one down to the vet than emergency call out!
 
The moral of the story is get a full inspection (mechanical & horse area). Hopefilly there will be less surprises but sometimes its just bad luck
 
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Sometimes I regret buying mine. There’s always something with it, I’ve spent 2k sorting issues I knew it had when I bought it (injectors, fuel pump, some sort of pulley thing) and now it needs a new ramp. It’s high mileage but I am considering selling and getting a trailer because I don’t use it as much as I’d like to - but that’s because it’s off the road more than on.

I’m also toying with the idea of selling and upgrading, I think with a newer one I may tend to go out more as it will be more reliable. I do love my little box when it’s running but in the year I’ve had it, it’s been in the garage too much.

I’d never want to hire again though, too much faff of picking up/dropping off and the stress of not damaging it. Plus it costs about £150 a day round here to hire something, plus fuel on top. Too expensive for a trip round the corner (I don’t tend to travel far).
 
I did, and regretted it because my horse wouldn't get on the bloody thing. After a year, I sold it for a small amount more than I paid for it, but made a loss overall because I'd had to have some work done.
 
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