HELP…Anyone that’s ever hired or who owns a 3.5 tonne horsebox?

Perfect_Pirouette

Perfect_Pirouette

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Hello I know without proper measurements/ box details this is a bit like how long is a piece of string but thought I’d ask.

I am borrowing a neighbour’s 3.5 tonne box at the weekend to take mine and a friend’s horse competing. I am doing 2 trips as the venue is only 10 mins down the road and I know I would definitely be over the payload with both of them so will only be travelling one horse at a time.

One is 16’3 and the other 17’1. Both well-seasoned, good travellers.

I went to have a test drive in the box last night, it is a beautiful box, practically brand new and drives brilliantly. HOWEVER, when I went to look in the actual stall bit, I don’t know if I’m being really thick but it looks very small? I nervously said ‘Erm, will my horse fit in this.’ And she breezily said ‘oh yes, it can take up to 2 16’3’s.’

I have found a picture of I think the same make and model box as the one she has, see below

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/gem-vaux...orseboxes-Trailers/425641#XTEXd3wWtuMqBuHp.97

And I’ve found this Youtube video that shows you inside one and again, it looks very similar in terms of space etc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0YzxFdSzuU

Does anyone have one of these and do you know if it would take a 16’3, let alone a 17.1? The competition is only 10 mins down the road so not far at all but I am paying her to hire this box and we’ve paid our entry fees now.

I wasn’t so much worried about the height as that was the first thing I looked at and it seemed okay height wise, though without getting a measuring stick out I have absolutely no idea how high it is!

It was the length of the stall really (so from breast bar to tack area) I know you have to account for the neck and head to be over the partition bit eating hay if you like but it still seemed like a small space for a horse that takes 6’6-6’9 rugs!!

I know a girl who has borrowed it before for her horse so messaged her asking how big her horse is and did she think it would take a 16’3, she said her horse is 15’2 and in a 6’3 rug and still has plenty of room when travelling in it.

I’ve searched and searched online and all the manufactures of these boxes seem to state that they can fit 16’3s in.

Are they a bit deceiving in terms of space? Do horses actually fit in okay?
 
I have a 3.5T that looks very similar to yours, built on a Citroen chassis. I totally get what you mean about it looking short. I thought my 15hh cob would probably be its limit lengthwise, but a friend took her (large) 16.3hh out in it and was fine. I think part of the problem is that you're looking at it side-on rather than from one end, as you would with a trailer. I think you'll be absolutely fine.
 
From what you've said it looks like the 16'3 might just about fit but not sure the 17'1 would. If it's only 10 mins down the road can you not hack there?
Our 3.5t says it's got enough room for 2x 16.2hh but I wouldn't put anything bigger than Topaz who is 15.2/3 in it (rug size 6'3), but she does have a high head carriage.

x x
 
I travel a 14.1h pony, so really can't say how a 17.1h horse would fit. But my box has a moveable/removable partition. If you only travel one at a time, could you not remove the partition (or set it very wide) so the horse can stand on a diagonal and have more room? Most horses prefer to travel at an angle anyway, and I know my boy does even with the partition in (have CCTV).
 
The headroom in these isn't fantastic but lengthwise they are ok for short journeys I think. My small pony (5ft rugs) can stand in the horse area without his head over the bar and still have loads of room in front and behind him

What I would say though is check the insurance, if your neighbours aren't paying insurance to hire out the box you will be left out of pocket if their box fails on you!
 
I've travelled a 16.2 (takes 6ft3 rugs) in a 3.5t a few times. Absolutely fine space wise, but he hated it lol. That's just him though.
 
What length are the horses rug wise, and what about neck set? A huge Friesian or Gelderlander who have naturally high head carriage may be really cramped, but something long and low might be ok.
 
OP, don't go on looks but ask the owner to measure for you as its very deceptive.
I have taken a 17.2 which wears 7ft 3 rugs in mine & no probs (its a Racemaster) A friend who has a similar box but from Alexanders has struggled length and height to put anything in safely over 16hh & 6ft 6 rugs.

Looks are deceptive x
 
I get a bit confused when people say these boxes look too small for horses that are over about 15hh (both length and height wise) but then are quite happy to put them in a normal sized trailer. I was under the impression the size of the stall was about the same at least.
 
Hi,

I have a 3.5t Renault master conversion. The internal height in mine is just over 7ft (Ifor Williams HB510 is 7ft 6) and stalls are approx. the same length and width as a trailer. I wouldn't travel a huge horse in mine but an average size 16.2hh would be fine. I also have a good payload on mine- 1.26t with driver and half a tank of fuel. Hope this helps!
 
i think it will be fine they are deceptive.

pea was 16.3hh and 6'9 in rugs and fitted in my 3.5 ton perfectly :)

tbh for 10mins down the road i would bung both on as well...........................so shoot me now..........
 
I have a renault Master conversion, my full up 16.2 who is quite long fits in fine but i moved the partition so he can travel slightly at an angle. The main issue that you might find is if they have a fairly high neck carriage, they may need to "duck" slightly to get into the actual box. I put some feed in a scoop in front of his nose to encourage his head down the first few times I loaded him as initially he found walking on a bit claustrophobic. Any chance you can have a practice before the day?
 
Can you try loading them before? Or take up a rug to 'measure'? I had a 3.5 tonne LDV convoy and my chunky cob 14.3 girl was in 6'3 rugs and fitted nicely but not masses of spare room. Sold it a couple of months ago when I lost my mare, to a lady with a big 16.3 (I think!) ex racer who took 6'6-6'9 rugs. He had masses of room in comparison to mine - think the build can affect it as well as the actual 'length' of the horse if that makes any sense?
 
The box is over near my parents’ house which is 25 miles from where I am now and the yard where the horse is kept, it’s out tomorrow and back Sat morning I think so not really like I can even take it over and check tonight or anything. Only thing I could maybe do is take one of his rugs back over with me tonight and try and measure that against the space and see if it fits (if the box is even there) Going to be a nightmare if it doesn’t as we’ve both paid £80 in entry fees now, started learning tests etc. I just honestly didn’t expect to have the worry that they wouldn’t fit!

Surely though it can’t be any shorter than a trailer space? What on earth would be the point in making a 3.5 tonne horsebox that’s length for the horse is shorter than your average trailer? It has a tack locker and everything at the back, so the last couple of feet of the box (I’d say from just before the back wheels or level with the back wheels) is a space for the tack locker/ little seat etc. If all that wasn’t there then you’d have an extra few feet worth of space for the horse.

Maybe I could take the partition out and see if they could go in diagonally almost. They might fit then but I honestly don’t think they will facing forward.
 
I have a Horsebox hire company and they are very deceptive, mine are 7'9 length (excluding the head, that's just for the body) and 8ft headroom.

However you would be chronically over weight with those two horses. Most have a payload between 1000-1200kg depending on the build. So when you add them together, plus fuel, tack, people etc you'd really struggle.

As it's a short distance though you could always make two journeys.
 
Will you be correctly insured to drive this box? You say you are 'borrowing' it but also mention you are paying to hire it? Is it insured for hire and reward? If not, and you have a prang, you will be liable, and could also also get done for it. What's the deal if your horses damage the box?

Do you know what the payload is, and how heavy the horses are?

Lots of questions, I know, but I've seen this sort of informal arrangement go t1ts up before.
 
That's funny, I thought you were going to link some titchy botch job conversion, but it's just like mine ! I've got a movano on a long wheel base. As others have said, best to measure properly for peace of mine and depends on if it's short or long wheel base as long should give you more space. But really they fit decent sized horses, I've had a 17.1 in mine although I did move the partition right over so he could stand slightly at an angle, gives more room. The weight is more of an issue like you've said, I think you'd be over with two but one at a time should be no problem.
 
Laroxes said:
I have a Horsebox hire company and they are very deceptive, mine are 7'9 length (excluding the head, that's just for the body) and 8ft headroom.

However you would be chronically over weight with those two horses. Most have a payload between 1000-1200kg depending on the build. So when you add them together, plus fuel, tack, people etc you'd really struggle.

As it's a short distance though you could always make two journeys.
Click to expand...

Think travelling them separately is OPs plan
 
I've just had another look at the ramp and it's different to mine as the top part folds back instead of up, so I'd guess the horses will fit in fine but I'd still probably put the partition at an angle if possible to give a bit more room. Try to stop worrying and have a lovely time. I couldn't sleep when I bought my boy as I'd convinced myself he wouldn't fit in as he was considerable bigger than the old horse. These 3.5s can be very deceptive but the one you are borrowing looks like a proper job unlike some of those that I've seen around.
 
I used to have use of one and never had any problems travelling a 16.2h in it. The yard regularly use them for travelling one racehorse at a time to meets and they've never had issues either and their horses vary from about 15.3 to 17.2h
 
I got this:

20130428_103903.jpg


Into one of these (and other similar ones):
www.horses-in-motion.com

With no trouble. He's roughly 17hh. Travelled beautifully even when it was my first time driving! He did just fit length wise, but I could angle the partition if needed to give him more room.

Assuming the horse doesn't have a really high set neck, as mentioned above, and isn't as long as a train, I wouldn't worry.
 
I took delivery of a new Equi-Trek Sonic last weekend for my 17.3 DWB. He walked straight up the ramp and moved himself sideways ready to be tied up. My partition is adjustable along the whole of the width of the horse part so if I needed to I could herringbone him, but as it was, I just tied his haynet up to the other side and slightly widened the partition at the front. He is in a 6.9 rug as he is quite short coupled. If he shot his head up he would hit the roof, but standing normally he had loads of room above his head.

The small horseboxes can be deceiving, as before I bought this small box, a friend travelled him in a shorter wheel based Malborough Hunter and he also travelled in that well.
 
If you can remove the partition it will allow the horse to stand diagonally which will give it more room. v sensible of you to travel them separately. Hope it works!
 
Fingers crossed you will be fine. I don't have my own transport so when my big chunky 17.1 WB (6' 9" and 7' rugs) had to go to Newmarket at short notice I was enormously grateful for a friend on the yard allowing me to use her equi-trek. It was a 2 hour journey each way and my first time driving a horse and we were absolutely fine (well, from a travelling pov). These 3.5T boxes are roomier than you think! Good luck with your competition!
 
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