Horsebox - how do you travel your horses?

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Booboos

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I'm looking at getting a new horsebox and was wondering if people have views on different travelling positions.

Does anyone travel their horses side by side along the width of the horsebox (i.e. not forward or backward facing, and not herringbone)? If yes, are your horses happy travelling this way?
 
I've done pretty much all ways! My first lorry was a two up travelling forward version. Lorry number two was very flexible but in order to get max number (5) in they travelled across the lorry. Then I hired a backwards two up lorry, then I bought my current lorry where they travel herring bone and if you widen the partitions they travel more herring bone, if that makes sense.

All my horses have travelled well in all the configurations EXCEPT the backwards facing modern 3.5 tonner which they all, without exception, hated. All my horses have stood quietly to travel - not in that one they didn't!
 
Mine travel herringbone - well they can travel straight across the width of the box - but the big lad always shoves the partition across with his shoulder when i go to fasten him in so that sets the rest of the partitions and other horses space Never ever hear any of them - so maybe i do drive too slow? - or maybe they like the box?
 
Mine travel across the width and never hear a peep out of them. My Mum also drives RDA ponies and other friends' horses to shows and never had a bad traveller in it. Previous lorry was herringbone and again all horses travelled well in it.

The one type of lorry I wouldn't have is a side ramp forward facing lorry after a horse I was riding for someone went over the breast bar, got stuck and had to be sedated and 4 fire engines to cut her out!
 
Mine travel sideways accross the width but you can move the partitions across to make it more like herringbone either way if you have long horses, that being said I have never had to swap it to that yet!!!

Mine all travel happily in it...
 
I use my friends lorry if we ever go out and how we travel depends on how many horses we're taking. To fit all 4 in they have to travel across the width of the box, otherwise they go herringbone. They dont seem to mind either way.
 
My horses go straight in, side by side but my big boy will not walk back wards so needs to come out on the front instead.
 
Thanks everyone!

I currently have a 5.2tonne with day living and a side ramp, the horses travel forward facing and have 2760 x 2160 cms of space which is plenty. Yesterday I saw a 7.5 tonne with 'proper' living (lush) but the horse space was only 2440 x 1830 cms followed by a substantially steep back ramp and I am not sure I like it at all.
 
Mine is a 5 1/2 ton box, my horses travel forwards and travel well.
A horse box converter man told me the best way to travel is rear facing, next is herringbone with the worst way forward facing.
 
They mostly travel rear-facing and they love it. However the steepness of the ramp would concern me, Rauti hates steep ramps and I'd have major problems getting him onto the lorry! But that may just be him :)
 
I didn't like the steep ramp either. The second horse to go in would really have to squeeze in after going up the final step of the ramp and on the way out I think there would be little/no room for me to stand on the lorry, undo the lead rope and turn the horse to face outwards before coming down. Oh well, I think it's probably not for me, even though the living was amazing!
 
Ours are slightly off square but not much, they travel really well and spend much of the time looking out of the window.

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Kev
 
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