light weight trailers?

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cg91

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Hi, I really need help with this as I'm struggling to find information. I passed my test in 2011 and I'm trying to find out if I can tow my 15HH horse in a lightweight single box without having to do a trailer test. So far I've seen on dvla site that I can tow a 750kg trailer or car and trailer a combined weight of 3500kg, in honestly it's confusing me and I don't want to go get a single box if I will still have to do the trailer test. Thanks for any help!
 
In very simplistic terms; You need to take the GVW of your car and add the MAM of whichever trailer you will buy/use and aslong as together they are under 3500kg you can tow on normal licence.

There is a member called ROG who is the resident expert on towing who hopefully will see your question and assist!

Equitrek Trail treka and Bateson do some lightweight trailers
 
Thankyou! I just have no intensions of having 2 horses and the trailer test etc is a lot of money so if I can get away without it then great :)
 
You could tow a lightweight trailer but as soon as you put a horse in it it will be overweight. I looked at this a few years ago, check your car log book for towing weights, save up for the trailer test as the lessons would be useful when you come to reversing etc
 
Schollym said:
You could tow a lightweight trailer but as soon as you put a horse in it it will be overweight. I looked at this a few years ago, check your car log book for towing weights, save up for the trailer test as the lessons would be useful when you come to reversing etc
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My car can tow 1500kg, as far as I've seen I can have the weight of car plus trailer as long as it doesn't exceed 3500kg. My car is 1800kg and a trailer I've seen is 770kg, horse is between 5-600kg. So if I can tow without wasting hundreds of pounds I would rather do that lol
 
Just get the test and don't be so cheap. I don't think anyone should be allowed to tow without it, its just idiotic.
 
It depends on the car. The part you are looking for from the GOV website is -


If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can:
tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined MAM of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg

With the correct car, a single trailer and an average weight 15hh horse, it is possible.

Have you found the towing thread yet?
 
How rude are you, if you haven't anything nice to say f off, what's idiotic if the fact the scheme is another scam for money as always. I don't have money to waste, if I don't need to spend it I won't, I'm asking for advice, not some dick head being rude. I can and have towed a trailer before without issues I'm just checking weights.

Really annoys me that in today's society you can't ask for help without some nasty bully basically calling you stupid! Horrible person.
 
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alainax said:
It depends on the car. The part you are looking for from the GOV website is -


If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can:
tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined MAM of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg

With the correct car, a single trailer and an average weight 15hh horse, it is possible.

Have you found the towing thread yet?[/QUOTE

Yes thankyou, I never realised there was one until first person commented and I had a look. Just found it a bit confusing lol!
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You are so rude and idiotic in most of your posts. You have no idea what the towing experience of the OP is. It may well be that she has been towing around private farmland for years and just wants to avoid the expensive test which is fair enough.

That doesn't make her/him cheap or idiotic- it just makes you rude.



equi said:
Just get the test and don't be so cheap. I don't think anyone should be allowed to tow without it, its just idiotic.
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Ignore it. Most of what they say is silly!

cg91 said:
How rude are you, if you haven't anything nice to say f off, what's idiotic if the fact the scheme is another scam for money as always. I don't have money to waste, if I don't need to spend it I won't, I'm asking for advice, not some dick head being rude. I can and have towed a trailer before without issues I'm just checking weights.

Really annoys me that in today's society you can't ask for help without some nasty bully basically calling you stupid! Horrible person.
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Michen said:
You are so rude and idiotic in most of your posts. You have no idea what the towing experience of the OP is. It may well be that she has been towing around private farmland for years and just wants to avoid the expensive test which is fair enough.

That doesn't make her/him cheap or idiotic- it just makes you rude.
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We don't get along, i know that, can't say i care so you calling me rude washes off like water off a duck. Maybe they have been towing for years, maybe its been WRONG. Maybe they are driving dangerously without realizing it because they have not been taught better. My first trailer lesson i got as far as the town and the instructor pulled me in to say i was going to kill any animal in the box cause i had picked up seriously bad habits (such as free wheeling) and i'm willing to bet most drivers have picked up some habits. Tests are there for safety, not to get money.
 
The Rice Europa is a lovely light weight trailer, can't remember off hand what it weighs but similar to the bateson. It's a double trailer but wouldn't suit big horses fine for a 15hh though.
 
I'd recommend taking a course too. I recently took one even though I have 'grandmother's rights'. There was so much about weights, and the distribution of weight that was important to know and also the effects of nose weight on the vehicle. The effect of large vehicles passing you, and downhill speed was highlighted. Lots and lots of reversing practise. Wish I'd done it years ago.
 
equi said:
My first trailer lesson i got as far as the town and the instructor pulled me in to say i was going to kill any animal in the box cause i had picked up seriously bad habits (such as free wheeling) and i'm willing to bet most drivers have picked up some habits. Tests are there for safety, not to get money.
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Thing is, nobody is ever rechecked so all of us who have passed our trailer tests will more than likely develop bad habits too... it will never stop that. I took my test years ago, can I remember all I was taught - hell no!

OP, Bateson trailers are lightweight although I dont know if they do a single. Personally I wouldnt fancy towing with a single box. I think you'll really struggle to tow without the license, as soon as you add the horse it takes you over the limit usually.
 
You need a single trailer. Don't be doing your maths with a double trailer plus horse because the rules aren't the same. You need the MAM of trailer plus the weight of your vehicle.

And this isn't Facebook, we don't appreciate you calling other posters rude names. You are the one being a bully.
 
Melon yes you pick up habits after it too but I do still think it's a bit safer for all concerned. My dad tried to teach me and it just wasn't right I only learned correctly when I did my lessons and test.
 
9tails said:
You need a single trailer. Don't be doing your maths with a double trailer plus horse because the rules aren't the same. You need the MAM of trailer plus the weight of your vehicle.

And this isn't Facebook, we don't appreciate you calling other posters rude names. You are the one being a bully.
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Again it's water off a ducks back. I don't care what michen thinks of me and I don't care what this person thinks either. They are but mere names on a forum :)
 
9tails said:
You need a single trailer. Don't be doing your maths with a double trailer plus horse because the rules aren't the same. You need the MAM of trailer plus the weight of your vehicle.
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It is possible to tow a double trailer with a single horse in it with a B licence- here is an example -

Car GVW 2000
Towing capacity 1500

IW HB505 double trailer
empty 905
plated at 2340 but down plated to 1500
Leaves 595 for the trailer load/horse
2000 + 1500 = 3500
1500 - 905 = 595
 
But you need to downplate, ROG. There's no going out and getting yourself an IW505, shoving your horse in it and going.
 
equi said:
What is downplating please?
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It is where the max weight plate on a trailer is reduced

Apart from commercial reasons the only reason to down plate is to conform to B licence towing laws
No need or point in down plating if got B+E

ONLY the trailer manufacturer can down plate a trailer which is plated at 3500 or less
 
9tails said:
But you need to downplate, ROG. There's no going out and getting yourself an IW505, shoving your horse in it and going.
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True, but it is possible and doubles are far more readily available than singles (especially in the second hand market) so to tell people they HAVE to have a single isn't correct or particularly helpful. Downplating can cost very little so could well be worth it as used single trailers command a premium compared to doubles. If people are in possession of all the facts they can make an informed decision on whether to get a single or downplate a double. The rules are the same it's all to do with weight, not whether it's built for one horse or two.

Equi - There are plenty of us towing having never taken a test. It's a simple question of timing. I passed my test in 95 and have towed (very carefully) for 15 years without incident. Does that make me idiotic too?
 
equi said:
So there is no modification to the trailer? What's the purpose then? I don't really understand it...
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Although there's no physical change to the trailer, the maximum load it can carry has been reduced. If the total Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM) of the trailer (inc horse) + the weight of the car is less than 3,500kg you can tow it without taking the towing test. So if you have a car that weighs 2,000kg you can tow a trailer with a MAM of 1500kg. An IW505 for example weighs 905kg. Its normal plated maximum is 2340kg which would allow you to tow two horses (with an appropriate vehicle and licence). By down plating it to 1500kg, you could still carry one horse weighing no more than 595kg and be within the 1500kg maximum IN TOTAL for trailer + horse and within the 3,500kg limit for the B only licence.

A lighter trailer would give you more leeway if you have a bigger horse as down plating a 700kg trailer to (again as an example 1500kg to accommodate a 2,000kg towing vehicle) you could carry up to 800kg of horse.
 
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