Horsebox Weight restrictions! Does anyone know?

HerbiesDad

HerbiesDad

Member
Joined
23 December 2008
Messages
24
Location
Pulborough, West Sussex
www.lonsdaleequestrian.com
We recently bought a large horsebox second hand from a local dealer, it's an ex race box, it has no living area, but lots of space for 4 forward facing horses. I am told (by the dealer) that unladen weight is 5950kgs and laden is 7500kgs. It worries me that with 2 horses onboard this will take us up to the 7.5t limit and even if i'm HGV licensed I still won't be able to use the box to transport 4 horses! The truck has air suspension if that makes any difference. What should I do, should I have been sold a vehicle that has space for 4 horses but can not legally carry 4 them? Any ideas?
 
This is a common problem.

Many 7.5 horseboxes have bene manufactured which will take 4 horses but will go overweight with even 1 or 2 in them.

If you asked the question "Can I legally carry four large horses in it"? and they said yes then they have sold you the horsebox on false information.

The only way around it would be if it could be up-rated to a heigher weight but even if this is possible it will mean that the suspension etc would have to be changed so you would incurr expenses.
 
Take it to a public weighbridge to be certain - It costs less tha a fiver! If the person you bought it from is a business then phone trading standards for advice. If it was a private sale then unfortunately I think it would be a case of buyer beware. Try selling it on again? I know its a lot of hassle but also consider you aren't going to get a 7.5tonne box to legally carry 4 big horses! They don't exist!
 
If it hasn't got a living I'd be really surprised if it truely was that heavy.

Get it on a weighbridge and find out for sure what the unladen weight is.

However many full living boxes are 6tons and can barely carry 2 horses.
 
it is a common problem, same with your 3.5t vans having space for 2 horses, but normally only payload for one.

I'm afraid you wouldn't have any comeback as the dealer advised you of the correct weights, it's up to you to check out the sums before buying to see if that payload is enough for you.

you could take the unladen lorry to a weighbridge to have the weight verified, then see if there are any 'extras' you can remove or modify to reduce that - maybe replace heavy wooden panelling/flooring or partitions for aluminium, take out any living or accessories you don't need etc.
 
you may be able to get it plated for use at 8 tonnes look at the minstry plate in the cab should tell you the max axle weights , you could ring VOSA , but over 7.5 then its a HGV, need hgv licence and you will have to use the tacograph...
 
This is unfortunately the same with many of todays 'van' horseboxes. They are designed to carry two horses, but only have enough payload for one.
 
I have a 7.5 ton licence, but need a lorry to carry at least two horses and tow a car transporter trailer behind, as this is how I get my horse and vintage carriage to weddings and events etc, I found that my old LDV 400 horsebox (3.5ton) was dying so I got a S reg 5.2 ton Iveco Daily excouncil road workers tipper truck, took the tipper off put my box on from the LDV, and I now have a lorry that weighs 2970kg unladen, so can carry 2230kg payload and still hang 3050kg off the back and still be under the weight limit. (you can have a combined weigt of 8.25 ton if towing on a 7.5 ton licence) hope that helps.
 
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I have a 7.5 ton licence, but need a lorry to carry at least two horses and tow a car transporter trailer behind, as this is how I get my horse and vintage carriage to weddings and events etc, I found that my old LDV 400 horsebox (3.5ton) was dying so I got a S reg 5.2 ton Iveco Daily excouncil road workers tipper truck, took the tipper off put my box on from the LDV, and I now have a lorry that weighs 2970kg unladen, so can carry 2230kg payload and still hang 3050kg off the back and still be under the weight limit. (you can have a combined weigt of 8.25 ton if towing on a 7.5 ton licence) hope that helps.

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sorry just one problem ..You will need a hgv class one licence to tow a trailer greater than 750 kg with a over 3500 kg commercial
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I passed my test in 1990 so have a C1+E on my licence, this is from the DVLA website.

drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. They also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM
 
[ QUOTE ]
I passed my test in 1990 so have a C1+E on my licence, this is from the DVLA website.

drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. They also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM

[/ QUOTE ] opps sorry yes if you have C1+E you are ok
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Sorry I should have stated about the C1+E in my first post.

The main point I was trying to get across is that if someone needs to travel 2 large horses in a 7.5 ton there is the possibility of going overweight, my little 5.2 ton will carry 3 600kg horses and still be road legal.
 
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