Lending Horsebox

[Dusty79]

Hello folks, I'm looking for a bit of advice. For the past number of years a neighbour has been borrowing my horse box. He borrows in perhaps 4 times a year. He insists on giving me a few quid "towards the maintainance of the box" which I generally try to refuse, as in my head this creates some liability for me, as it seems like I'm renting it (implied contract). I generally try to refuse. The last time to my annoyance he left himself in while I was outside to put it on the table . . usually about 25 euro usually. Now I live in Ireland and I don't know if there are the sames laws around towing in the UK but in Ireland you need a C1 entitlement on your license to tow ( i doubt he has this). Is it my responsibility to know if he has this if he is towing my box? Also he is towing with a 90s volkswagon passat estate which as far as I know is illegal that you need to tow a horsebox with a 4 wheel drive. If this is the case am I responsible as I it is my horsebox and I've lent it to him knowing he is towing with a car. He also tends to travel the pony without safety bars which I have asked him not to do but it seems he did it again as there is poo down the side of the box and a d ring is missing. The box is old now I bought it from an ivor williams dealer second hand at least 10 years ago and maintain it but it is getting damaged.

any advice appreciated folks
thanks

 

[Firefly9410]

I never understand why people do this. Are you stinking rich? It is lovely to be generous but can you actually afford to be? If your trailer is damaged by his pony or his driving or another car crashing into it and you have to pay for repair or worse it gets totally wrecked, would you be devastated? If you would just shrug your shoulders and say ah well these things happen, then carry on. But if you would be devastated then stop lending it! You wanted a trailer so you saved up and bought one, yes? Nothing stopping your neighbour doing the same.

 

[Red-1]

I know a colleague who loaned their trailer to another colleague and it was trashed. The person who had borrowed it simply expected the other to sort it all out with insurance.

The person who trashed it (horse went over the breast bar and through the grooms door, also peeling back the side panel) was then really put out when another colleague would not loan then theirs (in their mind this was mean as last colleague 'wasn't even using it').

I don't loan mine out at all. There are horse companies for that. The colleague knew that and never even asked me.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Well its always been my understanding that towing a horse in a trailer without using a breast bar is illegal unless you want said horse to join you in the car should you do an emergency stop. Quite frankly after having my trailer partition all gouged out after lending someone the trailer I wouldn't ever do it again unless it was an emergency. Also don't know where you stand on the insurance issue. Surely the trailer is only insured if you are driving it. If a third party is then it can't be insured I would have thought?

 

[tiga71]

Just say your insurance has changed and you can't let anyone else use it anymore. Not worth the hassle. I don't lend my box out anymore. Too much hassle.

 

[Bob notacob]

Just say your insurance has changed and you can't let anyone else use it anymore. Not worth the hassle. I don't lend my box out anymore. Too much hassle.

I think you are getting this all out of proportion . Tell him tjhe brest bar is non negotiable , Be grateful that he wants to give you the costs of the use . this incidentaly does not create a commercial transaction. Payment of expenses is what friends are allowed to do.

 

[PurBee]

In Ireland, trailering anything over 3.5 tonnes combined weight (vehicle, trailer and load) requires a trailer license addition to normal driving license. That only applies if driver passed car driving test after around 1997.
My OH got this...i’d Never pass that test as I’m so inept reversing with a trailer on!

We use a hefty 2 tonne 4x4 for our large double box and for a double box a 4x4 is required, due to the weight of box plus horse(s). Most cars can only tow 1 tonne so your neighbor using a car is more than likely towing it illegally, and risky, with these hills in rural Ireland!
Insurance wise, it’s the vehicle towing that gets extra insurance for trailers, you can’t insure just the trailer and that insurance be valid to be towed by just anything...especially illegally with an underweight car, would make the insurance void. Our 4x4 has that as an extra on the insurance, it wasn’t too much more than the insurance, surprisingly.

I would point out the insurance risk to your neighbour, that your vehicle is only insured to tow it and if something were to happen while he was towing it you’d lose your no claims on your policy trying to claim for the trailer, which would force you to lie to the insurance company to get any value back, that you were towing it, putting you in the position of paying double insurance cost on your own vehicle for years to come. State also that you’ve checked the towing limit of his car and it’s not
Rated at being able to tow your horsebox so is a huge risk should something happen.
This can all be stated amicably, be apologetic, but say you’ve been worried about these issues and can no longer lend it out as the risks are too high..and given these reasons he should be thankful that nothing disasterous has happened while he’s used it!

Also if the police were to stop him they could impound the trailer due to weight issue illegality. That’s been happening more often...check out your local Garda Facebook page..they love posting pics of vehicles they’ve stopped with overweight trailer loads!

I had a local horse person I’d never met before pass by my place once for a wee over the gate natter and told me on second passing natter visit I should lend out my horsebox to the local horsey community! Never mind about initial investment cost, insurance liability, maintenance costs, I should just be nice and lend what I’ve worked hard for to complete strangers in need of a horse box!

I don’t mind using my vehicle and towing it ourselves to help transport someone’s horse if they need help, as it’s all legal and driver experienced/qualified, but I’m not risking losing the trailer by lending it out, as I need it on standby here should I need to emergency transport my own animals.