Horsebox or trailer?

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Victoria25

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Hi all
Just wondering on peoples opinions really ….
I’m looking for either a horse box or a trailer to buy in the next few months … but not sure if having one is better than the other?
I need to swap my car anyway (Audi TT) as my puppy Rottweiler is now an 11 month old humongous dog and he isn’t too impressed with only a front seat to perch his fat arse on!
So will either be getting a larger 4x4 … I did have a Shogun Warrier (3.2 diesel) before the Audi and I really did like it and so may go back to one of those or perhaps an X5 or the Merc M class … so one option is to fit a tow bar then a trailer and off we go ….
Or the other option is to buy a horsebox (3.5 t or under) so I can drive on a normal license …
So questions really are:
Whats the difference between the two? Im assuming both will need an MOT and of course insurance (is there much difference in cost?) and only the horsebox will need road tax or do they both need it?
Whichever I get it must fit a 16.2 and a 16.0h together.
xx
 
Personally prefer lorry to trailer! We had a trailer for few years - but only mum could tow it as i got my license after certain year so would have had to do lessons and test (which i hear is quite expensive). We then sold 4x4 and trailer and got 3.5t lorry. Best thing we did. As not only can i drive the lorry but, insurance much cheaper as only 1 thing to insure! MOT for lorry is same price as car. Only need 1 service instead of car service and trailer service.
I find my horses travel so much better in lorry, stand really well and are very content on arival (sometimes in trailer they would sweat up and want to rush out).
Much easier at shows having the lorry - having little area to change etc and also storage easier! Good luck on search and decision making!!
 
Victoria25 said:
So will either be getting a larger 4x4 …
Or the other option is to buy a horsebox (3.5 t or under) so I can drive on a normal license …
Whichever I get it must fit a 16.2 and a 16.0h together.
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From your post I am guessing you have passed a B+E test but not got a LGV C1 licence?
 
I do both all the time ,I tow a IF 510 and a carriage treka and drive a 7.5 ton lorry.
There's pro and cons to both .
Unless you do a lot if not great to have a lorry sitting around Not being used and losing value and if you must make sure it can turely carry both your horses and be within wieght.
Whereas a big 4x4 and a 510 will carry two big horses easily if that's what you have.
All our horses travel happily in both .
 
One example of a 3.5 tonne horsebox
The GVW minus the unladen weight only leaves just over 1000 kgs for everything that is put into it and you have 2 large horses which I guess will weight about 500 kgs each so if all horseboxes are this sort of sepecification then I think you will struggle to be legal
 
Thanks for all your replies :D

Im 31 years old and missed being able to tow without another test by a few months so would need to do the test if I was to tow :o (or just use my husband!) :D

Not bothered about a lorry being sat around .... will be out and about in it all the time ... we have a large public arena about 10 mins drive from us and Im reschooling my TB so would be ideal ... we dont have a meanage on our yard so at the moment, I rent out a local one about 20 mins walk (£5 per hour) :)

Can I drive a 3.5t lorry with a normal standard license? Approx how much is insurance per annum? Where do you take it for an MOT? A specialist garage? Im assuming they're test flooring etc?

Plus Id' prob only take one of the horses at a time on 99% of the occasions. One of my horses is in foal and so hopefully next year Ill be taking her out with foaly to show x
 
I have four horses all are under seventeen hands all wiegh over 500 kilos when fit so wieght is the big thing with a 3.5 ton lorry you must be clear what the lorry wieght is when you are choosing and then you need to know not guess your horses wieght allow a bit got fat times add on all your stuff your wieght the dog the water a full tank of fuel and be sure you are still under 3.5 tons
 
Can I drive a 3.5t lorry with a normal standard license
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Yes but getting one which will fit the weight of two horses as well as everything else is going to be near impossible me thinks

missed being able to tow without another test
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To tow with two horses then yes but you can tow with one horse if you have the right vehicle and trailer - see the HHO TOWING CLINIC link in my signature below :)

or just use my husband!
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As the supervising driver whilst you tow?

SUPERVISING A B+E LEARNER
In April 2010 new rules were introduced for those supervising certain learner drivers but they only affected those supervising VOCATIONAL categories such as C1 C1+E D1 & D1+E where the supervising driver had those categories given to them for free when they passed a pre 1997 car test.
They do not affect those with a pre 1997 B+E licence who wish to supervise a B+E learner.
All B licence holders have B+E provisional on the paper part of their licence and can tow an empty or loaded trailer on all roads including motorways.
The usual rules apply when a learner is driving -
The supervising driver must be aged over 21
The supervising driver must have held a B+E licence for at least 3 years
L plates must be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer
Correct insurance for a B+E learner
 
You need to get the mats up and look I get the agricultural engineer who looks after the tractor and things to do it
Floors are made of various things in my lorry two layers of alloy just been replaced at a cost of 1600 pounds
Lots are marine plywood which urine rots in time you poke it with a screwdriver to see its hard there are other things used as well not sure about them if you are buying second hand you must check the floor really well.
You need to checking at least every year more as they age.
 
OMG think I’ve gotten carried away with myself ….
Forget towing two that probably isn’t going to happen … Ill be taking a 16.2 TB on his own or a 16h arab with foal …. Does that change things?
Husband could drive either horsebox or trailer.
Can anyone (as in me) drive a 3.5t?
 
Victoria25 said:
OMG think I’ve gotten carried away with myself ….
Forget towing two that probably isn’t going to happen … Ill be taking a 16.2 TB on his own or a 16h arab with foal …. Does that change things?
Husband could drive either horsebox or trailer.
Can anyone (as in me) drive a 3.5t?
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Any vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes can be legally driven by a driver with a B (car) licence

If the total weight of the horses is well under 1000 kgs then a 3.5 tonne horsebox will suffice in most cases

From what I gather from other posts on this subject the payload for 3.5 tonne horseboxes is around 1100 kgs ........ I would wait for those who use them to give you a more accurate figure

Remember that the payload has to account for the driver, the horses and everything else that is going to be put in it
 
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