Lending our horsebox ?

Spangles

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Would you be be comfy lending your box to pick up a horse unknown to you ( as a favour, aquaintence of a friend) ? I wouldn't be so worried if it were a known friend and I knew the horse.

Wouldn't be me driving so would need to ensure driver has no convictions.

Just worried about insurance and damage .. would you ask for a disclaimer in case horse kicks/ damages the box etc?
 

paddi22

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Not a hope in hell. I've seen too many people get horse boxes back with issues, some major, some just small niggley things that were very annoying and awkward to fix. I just say a polite flat 'no'. Horseboxes are expensive. I wouldn't walk into to someones house and ask could I borrow something worth a few thousand and lend it to a friend. Horseboxes are no different. If someone has a horse it's their prerogative to find their own transport.
 

greenbean10

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One of my close friends has let me use her horse box a few times (I didn't ask - she offered) so I would always do the same for her.

I have a lot of friends who have helped with transporting my horse to shows, the vet etc although they are the ones driving which I am much more comfortable with.

There is no way on earth I'd let an acquaintance of a friend borrow mine though!
 

Julia0803

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Nope. Once bitten twice shy. I did exactly the same for a friend pre covid.

Without going into details it was a good friend of mine’s friend- I didn’t know her myself, but my friends box was in the garage and she’d promised a lift then found herself box-less.

Her horse freaked out on my ramp, pratted about and came down heavily on the lip of my ramp- bent it out of shape and it then wouldn’t close properly.

The ramp had to be replaced. It was an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE getting it fixed and the money off her.

I had previously leant it to yard friends and had it returned with minor damage- scuffs and nicks in the rubber where a horse has booted the wall etc.

It’s awkward as my boy is currently injured and other yard members (who are perfectly nice!) have asked to borrow it/offer to pay (which I know is a no go due to insurance etc) and I’ve had to say no, I’m sorry i just can’t risk it.

There is absolutely no way I would do it again.
 

Cowpony

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It costs about £100 to hire a box for the day. I'm always baffled that people would rather risk a friendship than spend what is, in horse terms, a pretty trifling amount. I have in the past driven for people and I'd always help out in an emergency, but in my experience some (not all) people just see that as as the thin end of the wedge.
 

wills_91

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A friend of a friend very kindly lent me her box to collect my new horse when we were let down last minute by transporter. Very experienced driver hit black ice on the way up and the car an trailer were an absolute mess. I was mortified and of course we covered all the expenses to get the box fixed and back on the road but it was off the road for several weeks and despite the owner being lovely and understanding I found the whole thing exceptionally stressful. I would never borrow again unless dire emergency and if I ever had my own I wouldn't lend it out.
 

mini_b

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It costs about £100 to hire a box for the day. I'm always baffled that people would rather risk a friendship than spend what is, in horse terms, a pretty trifling amount. I have in the past driven for people and I'd always help out in an emergency, but in my experience some (not all) people just see that as as the thin end of the wedge.

i think the bill if the horse knackered your box would be more than the £100 it cost to hire as well.
I would hitch up and drive for someone but not let them lend it. I don’t have many friends as it is I wouldn’t want to fall out over cash ?
 

asmp

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I’ve driven my trailer to the vets for people but wouldn’t pick up an unknown horse, even driving it myself.

I found out my horse won’t travel on one side of the trailer after accepting a lift to a show and he fell over on a roundabout. I was driving behind and we had to unload him on the roadside. I was mortified that he may have damaged the trailer and did offer to pay for any damages.
 

EventingMum

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I have lent my trailer before but even then it came back with one of the high-level lights broken that the person claimed to have no knowledge of, I'm certain it was intact beforehand but fortunately it was only a few £s to fix. However, I never lent my lorry to anyone, it was only insured for myself, Mr EM and son so I used that as an excuse but even if it wasn't the case there was no way I was letting someone else lose in my pride and joy!
 

ILuvCowparsely

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Would you be be comfy lending your box to pick up a horse unknown to you ( as a favour, aquaintence of a friend) ? I wouldn't be so worried if it were a known friend and I knew the horse.

Wouldn't be me driving so would need to ensure driver has no convictions.

Just worried about insurance and damage .. would you ask for a disclaimer in case horse kicks/ damages the box etc?
Nope never.


I lent my horse box ( i was there) to a friend well someone i knew, to get their 17.1 hh horse into it to take o police as they were buying it due to not being suitable for her.

it was a bad loader, jumping on ramp, jumping off it , backed lorry into barn used bales all around so only one way in, lunge lines , backed along side a gate you name it. Up shot was we never got it in, vet in the end came with a transporter, and they had to sedate it over the normal amount for travelling, found it hard to stand.

results.

When I next got the lorry out we found my whole ramp twisted and hinge at the top had come out the rear of the lorry. It had been dark when we finished, £ 750 bill for me.



Second time I drove someone to a show , as begging from a friend, her friend had been let down, so muggings did. It kicked my lorry so much in transport, I thought it would kick a hole in the side..

I would have to know the horse really well. BUT NEVER ever would I let someone else drive it. (unless mechanic to service it)

SO advice don't lend it.



The only time I was asked to drive someone else box was:

A) it was a cargo like mine
B) It was because her foal had jumped off the ramp and skidded across the yard on it's knees, taking all the flesh off, Friend beside her self, so too emotional to drive. So I offered to drive her box and foal and her to the RVC. I don't regret it as it was what had to be done.

She is on this forum so I think she will remember that horrid day. I won't ever forget it.
 
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Parrotperson

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Would you be be comfy lending your box to pick up a horse unknown to you ( as a favour, aquaintence of a friend) ? I wouldn't be so worried if it were a known friend and I knew the horse.

Wouldn't be me driving so would need to ensure driver has no convictions.

Just worried about insurance and damage .. would you ask for a disclaimer in case horse kicks/ damages the box etc?

A friend of mine did this a few years ago. They broke the lorry and refused to pay for the damage.

Plus how do you check if the person driving has the relevant licence and insurances?

Nope. No Way.
 

Celtic Fringe

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I would not lend my lorry to anyone I did not know due to the capacity of horses and people to cause expensive damage and then simply walk away.

However, my YO does use my little lorry and recently offered to buy it from me after one horse caused quite a lot of damage (horse was bruised but otherwise absolutely ok). My son is an engineer and enjoys a challenge and so was able to modify and re-build the interior with parts that only cost ~ £80 so it is now in a better layout and also safer for the horses. My little lorry means that it is easy for the YO to get out locally - including with my horse - without having to negotiate an HGV round tiny lanes and it keeps the lorry running regularly. They take my horse on their HGV for longer journeys so in this case there are benefits for both sides.
 

Lucky Snowball

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NO.
A friend once asked me if she could tie her horse to my lorry. She tied him on a long rope so he could eat grass. I was competing at the time. Apparently the rope snagged under the rear door, horse pulled back and the door bent on its hinges. She apologised - I had to pay for a new door, hinges, paintwork not to mention the inconvenience of getting the work done.
Definitely a NO.
 

Lucky Snowball

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Another friend asked if she could borrow my lorry to go to a very local show. She went on to explain that they didn't want to hack as the horse had a nasty cough!
 
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