Horsebox owners - pop up roof vent question

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canteron

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if you have read any of my recent posts you will know I have swapped my trailer for a 3.5 tonne lorry, and have been going through an ‘interesting’ learning curve.

It’s really hot next week and I want to travel the horse - as comfortably as I can

It has a pop up square roof vent, do I need to have this closed when travelling, or just open at the back? Do they make a noise? What does anyone recommend?

Every day is a school day with travelling at the moment!!
 
As an aside we popped some additional whirly vents in as well as the pop up ones. The sort of things you see in the back of police dog vans not that I see that many police dog vans 😀.
 
The research shows that back only open is best for air flow. I usually open mine fully as i forget about the research when I'm packing to go on a trip lol.
 
I found the horses sweated up in the 3.5 ton - much more than in a trailer. Had pop up vent removed and a two way electric fan inserted. Job done. Always have fan set to extract rather than blow in and always open all the windows on hot days. (Air in thro windows and out thro roof.) No more sweaty horses!
 
Open side windows and the back of the roof vent, it pulls air through that way- works really well on a larger scale on my 7.5t. We do have fans too which we use when it’s really warm, but most of the time the windows and vents are enough, it is big though.
 
The idea isn't to open as many 'windows' as possible it is to pull air through the vehicle. Do you only have the roof and the back? If that's the case having the air out the back only would improve the airflow rather than some of it escaping from the roof half way.
 
canteron said:
if you have read any of my recent posts you will know I have swapped my trailer for a 3.5 tonne lorry, and have been going through an ‘interesting’ learning curve.

It’s really hot next week and I want to travel the horse - as comfortably as I can

It has a pop up square roof vent, do I need to have this closed when travelling, or just open at the back? Do they make a noise? What does anyone recommend?

Every day is a school day with travelling at the moment!!
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I wouldn't have it open when traveling unless you aim it backwards. I lost my caravan one bye not lowering it on the journey home.
 
webble said:
Apologies for the stupid question, by back do you mean the end nearest the grooms area?
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Back as in backwards facing to direction of travel.
So yes if the grooms area is at the back of the box.

As you drive air pressure around the vehicle helps suck air out the vent, if you have only the back up. Of you had it completely up (front and back) air would just flow through and not necessarily suck up air from in the box.
(Very crude description of air dynamics)
 
Someone on here recommended a fan for mine and it is amazing in hot weather. Cable ties keep it in place and it's rechargeable - wouldn't be without it in hot weather.
 
Link to an old thread with information about airflow:

Airflow through 3.5 tonne

I picked up my lorry in torrential rain, drove it home down the motorway cursing lorries - and then I don't think we've had more than a shower since. Baby cob is sweating up in it a lot - to the extent where he spends 24 hours after a trip looking nicely slimline due to dehydration. I didn't...
forums.horseandhound.co.uk forums.horseandhound.co.uk

I posted an article from Kevin Parker Horseboxes that I find really helpful on airflow and how the windows and vent should work. A few people mentioned about the fans too. Off the back of it I got two of these fans (unfortunately unavailable on amazon but you hopefully might be able to find something similar) and they're amazing. I only use them once we're parked up although they would also be useful if you were to get stuck in traffic. I used them on a seriously hot day last year when we had a long gap between classes and they worked really well.

 
 
Cragrat said:
That sounds useful for use when parked at a venue as well - do you have the name of it please?
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Squeak has posted my thread above

I had to have a side panel replaced so got the company to pop another window in which has helped pull air through but I have noticed both ponies turning their head towards the fan when they are travelling so I think the breeze is appreciated.
 
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