Horsebox, am I being stupid? Long sorry.

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Louby

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I cant make up my mind whether to sell my horsebox. I had it professionally converted last year and Ive only used it about 10 times. It cost a lot of money and it breaks my heart to see it just stood there. Horse will not entertain a normal trailer and wouldnt load in an Equitrek that a friend lent us, mind you he was totally freaked out at the time as it wasnt long after our failed trailer episodes. We have him travelling again now in my 7.5t wagon fine.
Thing is I get myself in a right flap knowing I have to drive the wagon but once Im in it Im fine and this combined with my horse being a total div at competitions I think is putting me off.
I thought of selling it and getting a 3.5t, thinking I will feel better about driving it but Im going off that idea a bit now. My wagon is solid, I love the horse area, I know the floor etc is sound but I wouldnt feel as bad if it was an older cheaper wagon just standing there not doing much so do I keep mine and try to get over my irrational stressing or do I try to sell it and get something cheaper, I mean arround £10k.
Could I get a decent wagon for this. When I looked last year, everything arround this price had something I really didnt like about it, hence upping my budget.
Thanks for getting this far
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I know what you mean. I loved my 7.5 tonne, but she was big and old and the payload was only 1.8 tonne. I'm very tempted by one of the smaller ones - but I want someone to build one to my spec (I need to carry four people).

Could you trade yours in with a reputable builer/trader?
 
I went through this stage last year and would get worked up at having to drive long distances and would take Bach flower remedies just to calm my nerves. Anyhow I just kept driving it and now I am fine.
 
Snap. I downsized from a 7.5T to a 3.5T two years ago and it was the best thing I ever did. They are huge inside with more room for the horses than I thought there would be but its like driving a car. I worried about driving my 7.5T but I will drive the 3.5t anywhere.
I got mine from www.charltonhorseboxes.co.uk
 
Thanks for replying,
I took it for its plate yesterday and went a different way because the road is full of parked cars and I was dreading it, even the night before. How stupid am I
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Then I whizzed up the dual carriageway, through a town centre and Im fine, it drives me mad.
On the 3.5t boxes, my horse has only ever travelled herringbone, we tried a trailer and he freaked out so I just dont know if he will travel backwards either. I was in one the other day having a nosey and boy did it rock just when I moved arround so I reckon Id end up petrified with my wally in the back. Do you travel a big horse in it?
Do you think I could get something decent for £10k, as in a 7.5t? At least then if its stood it wouldnt be quite as bad.
 
Yep definately lots on the market at the mo as long as you take someone who knows their stuff, although I was lucky and my other half built mine for me. Our smallest is 15.3 and our biggest is 16.2 she is very long and I would not want to travel her in anything smaller, plus we always travel two and I like my roomier living would not want to give that up.

I know what you mean about being fine one minute and not the next, I would be in a state going out but always fine coming home especially if we had had a successful day it was all in my mind and I was full of what if this or that happened, but I sorted it so, so can you.
 
Im definately a 'what if' person
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Im not too bad if someone is sat in with me, just incase blah blah blah lol.
The only good thing about this is I do know Im being irrational, I just cant stop it
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I think Ive always been like this but its only the last couple of years Ive finally admitted to it
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Hubby just gives me 'the look' when I talk about horseboxes lol.
 
There is no reason you couldn't travel 'herringone' in a 3.5T.
Each 'stall' was about 3ft 6. Head to chest was 7ft, then you have 4ft of 'grooms area' at the back where his head goes. They are so much bigger inside than you would think, they are like a tardis and the horses will stand for hours munching away at hay without a fuss.
If you moved the partition to a angle, you could travel him almost 'herringbone'. Obviously you couldn't do that if you were travelling two though.
 
Which chassis is yours on?
It may be worth having a look at the options as Id only ever carry one horse. The box I seen the other day was a horse transporters who also has HGV horseboxes. He says theres pros and cons of both, he likes being able to get to places his big wagon couldnt but he did say you feel everything in them as in the horse moving arround, he said you have to be very aware on corners (not that Id drive fast anyway) He also had his built up fully as in the breast bar area to prevent horses going over into the tack area. This is something Id probably consider. Ive seen them with antiweave grills to stop this happening.
Im doing my 'what if' again
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Mine was a Vauxhall Movano, same as the Renault Master. Go and look at some, I couldn't believe the size of them. My friend takes her 17.2hh Warmblood in hers and has room to spare because they have about 11ft long per horse. They are so much bigger than a trailer.
 
On looking at Charlton Horseboxes website they say their 3.5ton boxes have about 1.2 ton payload & can carry 2 heavy horses? I believe they are being a little ambitious. I think that with a driver, passenger, tack, fuel, water etc & 2 x 16h2" horses in them they will be well overweight. 1.1 ton would be the weight of 2 fairly lightweight 16h2" horses, driver & passenger at least another 150 kilos & you are over weight before you put fuel in & load up tack. I still maintain that the 3.5 ton lorries are 1 horse or 2 pony.
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I agree totally. My hubby is non horsey but says they are pony boxes??? (please dont shoot me everyone, his words not mine) and thinks I should stick with my 7.5t.
 
It seems a terrible shame that you have a lovely purpose built box, but are thinking of giving it up for something cheaper. Do you not think that if you did that, you might start stressing about whether it's actually reliable/roadworthy instead?

I got a lorry last year, 6 tonne, after so much deliberation. I had been on so many livery yards where people had bought boxes but never used them because they were nervous about driving them, and I worried I would be like that. But in fact, I can't stay out of the thing and it goes out most weekends, sometimes twice, and some weekdays too!

I got a lesson as soon as my lorry was dropped off, he gave me some good general pointers about how driving a lorry is different to a car. I pracitsed with it empty until I was confident. And now there's no stopping me. Have to say though, my horse makes it easy by loading and travelling well, and behaving himself at whichever party it is we've rocked up at.

I adore my lorry. It's just like driving a giant car, even if I get lost I don't bother, I just need to find somewhere wide enough to turn. I rumble along smoking fags and chatting to horsey and absolutely love going out.

I have to say too though, I just do not like the look of the "canvan" type jobs. I was forced to get a 6 tonne because of my horse's weight. However now I have it I have to say I find it a dream to drive and also appreciate the zero stress about weight (it has a 2 tonne payload).

I would definitley rethink your plan to sell and get something else, and look at becoming more confident with it. Then if you get your horse out more it probably will start to take it in its stride - mine has calmed down loads. I think he thinks "is it hunting? I hope it's hunting" and when it's not he falls asleep!
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On looking at Charlton Horseboxes website they say their 3.5ton boxes have about 1.2 ton payload & can carry 2 heavy horses? I believe they are being a little ambitious. I think that with a driver, passenger, tack, fuel, water etc & 2 x 16h2" horses in them they will be well overweight.

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Completely agree. Having a Suffolk cross I had to look into the weight issue and ruled these out completely - basically when my transporter who'd travelled my horse for years, said "don't do it. You know when he's on". He was sure I'd get stuck on hills. And that's one horse and his tack/water etc. we're talking about here.

As an aside I saw the tiniest van with "horses" written on the back on the way to work last week, I was following it and it looked to be tiny and full of furniture. I was just marvelling at who would travel a horse in it then realised, a horse was on board, next to what looked like a bloody sideboard! Horrendous, I just would not do it. Each to his own eh
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The 3.5 tons are great if you want some peace
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no living for friends to invade sit around chatting, smoking and raiding the fridge , can I use your loo ?? can I go with you to the show ??? seriously I dont see the point of paying as much for a tiny toy horse box as a proper one more to tax, slighly cheaper mot , about 10mpg better economy for what ?? carry one horse , minscule living and what is basicly a cheap panel van underneath that is going to be on borrowed time after about 10 years from rot and lightweight mecanicals
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On looking at Charlton Horseboxes website they say their 3.5ton boxes have about 1.2 ton payload & can carry 2 heavy horses? I believe they are being a little ambitious. I think that with a driver, passenger, tack, fuel, water etc & 2 x 16h2" horses in them they will be well overweight. 1.1 ton would be the weight of 2 fairly lightweight 16h2" horses, driver & passenger at least another 150 kilos & you are over weight before you put fuel in & load up tack. I still maintain that the 3.5 ton lorries are 1 horse or 2 pony.
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Toby, I can't see anywhere on their site says they can carry two '2 heavy horses'. When I phoned them, they asked what sized horses I had as they said they will carry 2 horses but not 2 big heavy horses as the payload was approx. 1.3T and I would have to weigh my horses to ensure I wouldn't be overweight.
 
Keep the 7.5 ton if your horse is not a confident traveller, those little vans are so much more claustrophobic. You need to go out in it more to feel more confident. Whizz it round the block with no horse in a couple of times a week so everything comes to you automatically rather than occasionally starting from scratch getting used to a big different vehicle again.

I know what you mean about thinking your nice new box should be used more, I'd like to use mine more but I can't afford the diesel and entry fees at the moment which is frustrating. But if you are going to have your own transport sat there, it might as well be the best sort for when you come to use it, especially as you have it already, and an older box would need more maintenance even if it wasn't run much.

Another suggestion is just hiring something when you need it instead of having your own sat there needing maintaining.
 
We get asked the same questions everytime we do a show, in our experience the 3.5t vehicles currently on the market are fine to carry one horse or two ponies but be carefull of the weight, the same applies for 7.5T vehicles they also have a limit on payload just because its a larger vehicle doesnt mean its got loads of payload.
Most people who have had 7.5T vehicles and then downsize to 3.5T find it easier to drive, feel more relaxed and tend to take their horses out more.
If you feel worried or are not confident in the larger vehicle i would suggest doing a driving course its a lot cheaper then buying a new vehicle and then after that if you still feel nervous take the plunge to a 3.5t.
 
ttt:- This is an advert on their site for one of their horseboxes & as you will see it mentions carrying 2 large horses:
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Renault Master 3.5TD (Vauxhall Movano)
Brand new coach build on a 2003 reg chassis.
Easy load, low floor giving 7ft 8 headroom.
Two stall, rear facing.
Gas assisted half ramp with gas assisted upper flap.
Padded partition with rubber lower.
Rubber matting to horse area.
Grooms area to rear with storage, seating, cushion flooring, light, saddle racks, bridle hooks.
This lorry is built with the new lightweight material and will give a payload of approx. 1.3T enabling two large horses to be transported without being overweight .
A weight certificate will be supplied upon completion.
Metallic paintwork.

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With that payload there is no way you could legally carry 2 large horses, have a driver, pasenger, tack, fuel water etc & remain in weight. many have seating in the cab for 3 persons as well.

You really need to read the websites before committing yourself. I know from contacts that the police will be doing spot checks around the country on horseboxes specifically looking at 7.5 ton with 3 horses on board & also 3.5 ton with 3 horses on board. The expect to find many to be overweight..... & I think they'll be right don't you
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i was always given the impression..by a guy who used to test for the ministry..that a rough guide of 750 per out fit would be a safe benchmark.

if that is a guideline that is safe, then a 3.5T "burger-van" would need a payload of 1.5T.....
 
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