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windand rain

windand rain

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OH the only wage earner and now over 60 is being made redundant. at present we have an old small car that is the workhorse, a broken big car that is smart but expensive to run it would tow a horse trailer if fixed but not sure about towing off fields with it, and an ancient lorry with a years plate and 4 months tax on it. We need to get to the most economical vehicle combination anybody got any ideas
Two of the 4 ponies will have to be sold too as a matter of relative urgency they would have been sold anyway as they are young and need jobs but I am not giving them away and if I have to go hungry to feed them until the right home comes along I will
 
We have to drive 140 miles per week to the ponies at the moment that is in the little car problem arises when we need hay or need to use the little trailer to move stuff about. I was wondering whether we should sell the lorry and buy a horse trailer but we would then need a big tow vehicle the car would do it after it is fixed but not sure it would manage if we went to a show and were parked on grass. Basically once the competition pony is sold after this year a horse transport vehicle would be for emergencies and the odd veteran show. dont want a big tow car on the drive as the temptation for oh would be to use it the lorry isnt so tempting as it is parked away from home
 
If the lorry isnt a desirable 3.5t and is old so not massively valuable and it sounds like its in good nick I would keep that and the small car

I have an A class and before that a BMW 1 series and have a smallholding, all of my feed and bedding gets here in my car and I manage well - I just cant tow with it!

The big car is probably a money sapper and would possibly sell even if broken so I would be tempted to sell it on

When the tax on the lorry is due in 4 months I'd maybe look at that then. A lot can happen in 4 months.
 
If the transport will only be necessary intermittently or in emergencies, you're better off hiring it when you need it. I'd keep the little car and get one of those teeny trailers for moving hay etc (assume small bales), but it depends just how far you need to cut costs back.
 
Agree with Theocat, the annual cost of any vehicle for towing (insurance, tax, mot) let alone fuel will almost certainly be more than the occassional hire of a 3.5 tonne when you need it and/or delivery of hay etc.
Finding good homes for your ponies will take time so I'd suggest the sooner the better, If someone wants to be out competing early in the summer they may well want a good few months to get to know him/her so they will be starting to look now.
Maybe try less traditional routes perhaps - speak to local instructors, farrier, local pony club, local hunt master etc to see who might be looking for a nice pony. Word of mouth is ideal if possible.
 
You won't get much for the big car, but once it is gone you aren't spending money on it.
Have a small car, low tax and fuel, with small car trailer for running around collecting feed, etc. if you don't want to use the lorry.
 
Personally I Would sell both the big car and Lorry. Mainly because you say you would only need to take ponies out occasionally, so it would be cheaper to hire transport when you need it
Big cars use a lot of fuel and cost more in parts
 
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