horse lorries

[lillie]

i am hoping to purchase a 3.5t horse lorry soon, but am undecided about whether to get:
one that looks like a van with a side ramp & rear facing
or
a rear load/front unload, forward facing one (e.g. Ilfor Williams container things)

my friend doesnt think that the ones with only a side ramp are safe because if something happens there is only one way out

but if i had one with a back & front ramp then there should be one way to get the horses out.

does anyone have any experience/recommendations of either vehicle?

Thanks in Advance

Lillie xXx

 

[miller]

Must admit I agree with your friend - all of the side ramp lorries I've seen have the ramp on the left hand side - sensible if you need to unload on the roadside but IMO if you have an accident and end up off the road the vehicle is likely to tip - stands to reason you have more chance of going off the left of the road and if so the van will tip to the left and the horse would be trapped.

 

[Rambo]

I don't think the argument about one ramp or two is really a relevant one. Most 7.5t lorries and upwards only have a single (rear) ramp, and nobody worries about that.

The main difference between the two types of van is the stability. The IW style with the container mounted above the wheels tend to be less stable than the lower 'Renault Master' style vans I think.

 

[MrsMagoo]

we have a small 3.5tonne side load lorry and don't have any problems whatso ever. The horses face forward and then walk straight out as the ramp is quite wide

 

[lillie]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think the argument about one ramp or two is really a relevant one. Most 7.5t lorries and upwards only have a single (rear) ramp, and nobody worries about that.

The main difference between the two types of van is the stability. The IW style with the container mounted above the wheels tend to be less stable than the lower 'Renault Master' style vans I think.

[/ QUOTE ]

i know what you mean but with only a side ramp the lorry if its going to tip over is gonna go on is side a single ramp @ the rear will be unaffected as the vehicle is unlikely to tip backwards

 

[lillie]

[ QUOTE ]
we have a small 3.5tonne side load lorry and don't have any problems whatso ever. The horses face forward and then walk straight out as the ramp is quite wide

[/ QUOTE ]

do you have any pics of your lorry so i can see what it looks like?

 

[Rambo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't think the argument about one ramp or two is really a relevant one. Most 7.5t lorries and upwards only have a single (rear) ramp, and nobody worries about that.

[/ QUOTE ]

The main difference between the two types of van is the stability. The IW style with the container mounted above the wheels tend to be less stable than the lower 'Renault Master' style vans I think.

i know what you mean but with only a side ramp the lorry if its going to tip over is gonna go on is side a single ramp @ the rear will be unaffected as the vehicle is unlikely to tip backwards

[/ QUOTE ]

With the best will in the world, if a lorry goes over you ain't gonna get the horses out the ramp.....side or rear ! The whole box will twist and the ramp will likely not budge. A tin-opener would be more use

 

[Louby]

Not keen on the IW container type. The ramps are steep and the front unload very very narrow. Id love the Renault Master.

 

[lillie]

[ QUOTE ]
Not keen on the IW container type. The ramps are steep and the front unload very very narrow. Id love the Renault Master.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeh im not to keen on those either but was just using it as an example, what do you think of a 'normal' lorry with a back & front ramp with the horses forward facing

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Think a lot depends on the size of your horse and how much head room you need. It also depends on how much you have to spend. Not forgetting what your horse is like to load as rear ramp type boxes do tend to have steeper ramps. The only thing that mattered to me when I got my lorry was that the floor and ramps were sound and the box was mechanically O.K.

 

[Christmas_Kate]

I didnt vote any. Get one with rear ramp, then if it tips it's hardly going to land on it's end is it? plus these are cheaper.

 

[druid]

Have you looked at Marlborough boxes...?

 

[lillie]

[ QUOTE ]
Have you looked at Marlborough boxes...?

[/ QUOTE ]

no do you have a website?

 

[not_with_it]

I have a 3.5ton Renault Master and I love it, would recommend it to anyone. They are so easy to drive and Gin loves it too. She can be quite awkward to load but always goes into this and travels really well.
The ifors tend to be less stable and sway whereas the masters dont.

 

[vicijp]

We have a coachbuilt Vauxhall (identical to the Renault) made by a company in Preston. Apparently it is the only make apart from George Smith (V. expensive) that is anywhere near 3.5t with 2 fair sized horses on. They face backwards and travel well, low side ramp. It is just like driving my Astra and uses half the fuel our old 3 horse box did.

 

[lillie]

[ QUOTE ]
We have a coachbuilt Vauxhall (identical to the Renault) made by a company in Preston. Apparently it is the only make apart from George Smith (V. expensive) that is anywhere near 3.5t with 2 fair sized horses on. They face backwards and travel well, low side ramp. It is just like driving my Astra and uses half the fuel our old 3 horse box did.

[/ QUOTE ]

i like that but i would prefer the top to fold to the side not be pinned up as my horse is head shy, is that a problem?

 

[vicijp]

They may do that if you order a brand new one.

 

[rach1984horse]

I have a small 3.5 ton lorry with a side ramp. It's a lot older than that one but still works fine.

The only bad thing about mine is that because it's a convertion, all the partitions have to fold out, then fold in around the first horse loaded. Once that's pined back down the second horse has to load, then back up to be in palce. It travels them facing forwards.

If I had the money I'd swap for a Renault Master or similar as they use less fuel. But at the moment this is what I use:

Excuse the tucked up looking Rosie. We'd been practicing loading and she was getting a bit annoyed we weren't going anywhere.

 

[lillie]

yeh, the thing is my budget is likely to be around £5000 if i can sweet talk the grandparents as i only have part of that money & need to borrow the ret somehow but i have seen similiar 'van' types for that sort of price, im not going to be using all the time but i need something reliable & versatile so we are goin to have a look round @ the different types available as the one im looking @ has one longer ramp @ the side as opposed to a small one witha folding top bit

 

[Kezza]

rear facing all the way and renault masters all the way!!! I am reluctantly selling mine if you're interested due to lack of use...

sooo easy to drive and my horses love it, my old horse was a terrible traveller but soon ran up onto the renault master.