Horsebox forward or herringbone which is best?

O

Oscar

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 January 2005
Messages
998
Location
Over the Rainbow
Visit site
Hi,

I'm currently selling my 5.2t rear facing lorry and will be looking to have a new box built on a 7.5t chassis so I can have a small day living. But I'm unsure whether to go for a side ramp with 2 forward facing stalls or go with the standard herringbone set up. I will only ever travel 2 horses max. Which do you prefer and why? I'm not going for rear facing again as it's impossible to tack up the horse in the box.
 
my horse travels much better in the herringbone boxes, never hear anything from her, but in a forward facing box she seems to move around more, never tried rear facing....
 
I have one who was not the best traveller herringbone but is great in my forward facing 6.5 ton it really does depend on the horse .
He was lethal rear facing .
 
My old boy hates rear facing (never tried forward facing) but was always very happy to travel herringbone. I think different horses like different setups. I'd suggest hiring a couple of different boxes before hand and seeing which your horse likes.
 
Well different one here, my hubbies geldig travels very well rear facing, hates herringbone can't find his balance. Going to try him in a forward facing but we are going to have to sell our lovely 7.5t for a rear facing box ( unless he will behappy forward) I think some larger horses (17hh plus) feel a bit squashed in a herringbone.
 
Kikke said:
I think some larger horses (17hh plus) feel a bit squashed in a herringbone.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. However, not just 17hh horses - anything with a long frame. So often see horses travelled for hours with their necks concertinaed up and then people wonder why they aren't co-operative in the warm-up/dressage.

Pet hate. :(
 
I think I'd prefer rear facing tbh - there have been studies done which have suggested horses find this less stressful. I think herringbone can be a bit small lengthways. Out of interest, do you have an ad for your 5.2t? :-)
 
Thanks for the replies, I moved away from herringbone set up as my last horse was 18hh and would sit/fall in this set up but travelled perfectly in a friends fed facing lorry.

My next problem is payload as I currently have 2.4t of payload so I have to keep the wish list down for the living, I'm thinking even if I stayed away a cooker would be ott I'd prefer a loo!! I can just pre make food and re heat in a microwave.
 
My lad loves our forward facing lorry. He rushes the turn inside the lorries herringboned.

I have a gas portable stove in our lorry (tin hotdogs are always a winner!), and it has a portaloo that sits up on the shelf - it's never been used!!
 
Out of interest why is it impossible to tack up rear facing compared to forward facing I would have though both would be equally tricky? One of the main reasons for us changing from a trailer was being able to tack up inside. I thought we needed herringbone and the living in the middle to achieve that with more than one on board so just wondering. Thanks.
 
When rear facing my horse is in the far partition so about 3inches from the wall, so tacking up from the left side is impossible unless your the size of a piece of spaghetti!!! My horse is he best part of 18hh so getting round him isn't easy in a small space. There's no room to move round them with the partition closed and if I opened the ramp he wouldn't be happy to stand if the partition was open.
 
Ah I see. Mine is only 14.2 (but probably as wide as most 16.2s) and she will stand with the partition open so perhaps it would be ok. I hadn't thought of the wrong side thing.
 
Herringbone is far more flexible than either forward or rear facing, as partitions can be angled to suit each horse..

Fiona
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top