Have you ever seen a 3.5t horsebox like this?

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cp1980

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Horse-box-back.jpg


Horse-box-inside.jpg



Horse-box-side-2.jpg



Given that the price of even very old 3.5t boxes seem to be in the region of £4-5k, spending a few hundren quid (a guess) to fit this kit into a standard Renault panel van could save the single horse owner (as in some one who owns one horse, rather than a horse owner who happens to be unmarried) a few quid.

Great little idea that, with development, could really take off!

http://able-engineering-midlands.co.uk/Horsebox.htm
 
Im not sure I would be that keen on putting one of mine in there!

Come to think of it, Im not sure they would be that keen either!
 
I think with the little vans like that you would want the horse further forward than that - I think that would put the weight too far back. Like the idea - but I think it needs a bit of adjustement to be sensible.
 
It doesnt look especially 'roomy' or inviting to get into......

*I* wouldnt fancy it thats all. I'm not saying its unsafe or not robust enough
 
Wouldnt get mine in there and mine is a very good loader/traveller!! Would be ok for small horses, but dont like the way the weight would be distributed on the back axle. Also, what about structural rigidity!? Not sure would be that safe in the event of a crash etc....?
 
Errr... in that second pic on the top left... is it held up with BAILER TWINE?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would a horse actually want to go in there?! Looks a little narrow for my liking
crazy.gif
 
No way would mine go in that. The thing above the back doors would certainly put him off, if nothing else did. I wouldn't even attempt it tbh.
 
Doesnt look safe to me sorry, i wouldnt put my minis in let alone bigger horses. There is hardly any room and i would dred to think what would happen if a horse panicked or fell in there. I dont think many horses would load, doesnt look very inviting sorry
 
OMG - neither of my horses would ever walk in that! there are plenty of Renault van conversions out there done a lot better than that and there is room for 2 horses and all your stuff. my friend has a fab one.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Errr... in that second pic on the top left... is it held up with BAILER TWINE?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


[/ QUOTE ]

No, that's something else that is hanging with bailer twine

Fair enough to state that your horse woudn't like it - horses are animals of free will, of course.

But to cast judgement on it's legality/safety from images alone is a bit unfair. Yes, cosmetically it looks, well, rough. But, as an engineer I am so far of the opinion that it looks structually sound. If the padding extended down another 50cm or so, and the areas to the sides were kept clear of clutter, I don't think it would look as bad as that.
 
Bloody hell, VOSA would have a field day with this it looks lethal and just makes me wonder what short cuts they've taken with the mechanical side of things.
 
1) I would definitely want to run that over a weighbridge fully laden and see what the back axle loading is like

2) I would be concerned that there doesn't appear to be any additional support through the floor - this isn't a 500kg pallet we are talking about, it is alive animal with weight concentrated through 4 small feet

3) It just looks horridly Heath Robinson - might be something people would want to do for themselves but you could never sell a van with that kind of conversion

4) Insurance might be a bit of a nightmare
 
The space between the cab and the horse needs to be filled as otherwise if the horse went over the breastbar - it would end up sitting next to the driver!

I've seen a home conversion like that for a pet Shetland pony before, but even then, the pony had the full width of the back to stand in, not pinned into stocks like this one.

I think it looks horribly unsafe.

They haven't even put the back ramp on straight. It's more to the left than the right of the stocks.
 
I think you would be in dire trouble if the horse ever panicked.
My main concern with the smaller boxes is the strength required in an accident.
The chap who fixes our box builds smaller ones, and he inserts loads of steel between the driver and the horse, some of the posh named boxes you see are positively dangerous in his opinion.
How on earth does this fix to the floor? I don't think I'd fancy crawling underneath every time to fasten it in!
No, I would never use it, it looks to flimsy to me.
 
Its a keen DIY job, not coachbuilt for the purpose, VOSA would not pass it I would imagine. Wouldnt put my weenies or big ones in there, nice idea, but far better specific builds out there on the same chassis that will be properly weighted etc.
 
I think that's quite clever and looks a whole lot safer than some of the transport I've seen here! However, having read the other comments I understand the safety aspects a bit better (and am even MORE concerned about transport here!!)
 
My first pony was delivered to me in the back of a Ford Transit van (NOT converted!!). We bought her off a very horsey gyspy bloke (won't name names but anyone in north cheshire/ manchester area will know who I mean!) and they decided that it just wasnt worth starting up a lorry to deliver a 12.2 pony, so they wacked her on the bum and in she hopped! Just had her head between the drivers and passengers seats!!
Have to say since mine puts up a fight to go in his lovely new horse friendly trailer I wouldn't stand a chance in hell of getting him in there (doubt he'd fit anyway!)
 
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