Lorry side ramp. Which side?

npage123 said:
OP just wanted to ask, if you're commissioning the build of the lorry, have you specified that you want collapsable breast bars and an extra wide jockey door at the rear? Touch wood you'll never ever be in an accident but if it ever happens and should the lorry falls over onto it's side (and onto the side where you've chosen the ramp), then the rescue team will find it a lot easier to get your horse out if the jockey door is wide enough to allow for him to get through there.
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I have seen a van where this was done and the horse attempted to exit through the door while the van was moving. For that reason (and having owned a similar minded horse in the past) I have a full bulkhead in front of the breast bar.

It the van was on its side, the door would also be on its side. I suspect the emergency services in that case would simply cut the van open to get the horse out.
 
The equitrek we hired to pick up the beast has the ramp on the drivers side. We actually travelled her on the passenger side with no issues but none of the roads were particularly clambered. There's pros and cons to either side really.
 
I had my 7.5t coach built with side ramp- on the passenger side.
I believe ( not a expert though!) it is more normal they are that side due to the road camber, and travelling one horse behind the driver for that reason, too. If ramp were driver side, it would possibly cause a weight issue if travelling one horse due to uneven distribution?
 
Having hired an equitrek with driver side ramp many times, and satisfied myself horse was happy travelling rear facing, I bought a wagon with a passenger side ramp as I believe it to be the better option in case of breakdowns. I notice no difference how either drives empty or loaded (only travel one) so don’t believe ramp weight/camber has much influence, but wasn’t prepared for how awkward loading to the right would feel - imagine writing with your left hand if your right handed - even tying up felt all wrong. I have always lead from both sides so it was a bit of a shock that I couldn’t suss this out! Soooo, I have a cross tie permanently attached to the tie up ring (via string) so I just lead him up and clip him on, and have had a few practise sessions with horse as he was as confused as me :-)
We are both happy loading now - and I lurve my wagon.
 
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PeterNatt said:
I would have the ramp on the near side (passenger side) so that in the event of a breakdown on a busy road/dual carridgeway or motorway that the horse can be more safely unloaded and loaded on to the recovery vehicle. Also make sure you get full breakdown/recovery insurance with a reputable company such as the Organisation of Horsebox and Trailers Owners so that in the event of a breakdown they can get to you quickly and recover your horse.
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But once you are broke now down the horses can be trapped in a truck if it’s ground to halt where there’s no space on the side of the road .
 
I’m amazed at how many folk seem to find leading on the left instead of the right an issue! Probably more, truth be known, to them than the horse.
I have had a previous lorry and an equitrek trailer with the ramp on the near side, and it’s never been an issue for me or the many different equines I have loaded in them.
As some of the other posters have said, surely Horses should lead from both sides.
If they don’t, start practicing regardless of lorry configurations!
 
I've travelled a horse with a transporter who had a side ramp and a rear ramp, so he could unload one horse without unloading others.
 
Clippyclop said:
I have just commissioned a 3.5 ton horsebox build but still have the option of which side the ramp should be, kerbside or offside. With kerbside, leading my horse from the left traps me against the stall. I'm not keen to lead him up the ramp from his right side just because it is not familiar to me or him. An offside ramp leads to a vulnerability in the event of a breakdown with the ramp opening into the traffic.
I would be grateful for a discussion airing a variety of views. Thanks.
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With others on this, *prefe passenger side* though saying that my side ramp was never used as they made the living in front of it and my new lorry does not have a side ramp, but it I did that would be the side specially due to break downs and getting horses off quick.
 
I designed my small box and chose the ramp to be on the driver's side after much thought.

My horse led of either side, that was not an issue.

I had changed from a big box, and needed the new small one to be a Tardis. I know with the smaller boxes it is important for the horse to travel behind the driver as this helps offset the action of the camber. The small boxes do be affected by this a lot more than my old air suspension big box!

Once that fact is known I also thought that I was unlikely to travel 2 horses at once; the weight *could* be manageable if I had nthing else, but I wanted some extras. So, I will only ever travel 1 horse, behind the driver.

I then looked at needing a toilet, and also a big tack locker, as I use those every trip. If I had the ramp behind the passenger then I am keeping half the horse area as "dead space" just to lead the horse through, but otherwise wasted as I can't really put a toilet there as it would need lifting out before unloading, which is a faff, dangerous if you need a quick exit, and not nice when dressed in cream breeches!

I did want two exits to my box, so chose a longstall with a door at the back. I had the horse side 4ft wide, door leading to small living with wardrobe and seats, and a huge rear door suitable to lead a horse through in an emergency. This also avoided having a breast bar as I have had to lift a couple of horses off those. The box needed to remain airy, so the partitions are solid but with bars at the top so the horse can see the entire inside and there are 5 windows, a skylight and a fan.

In the now "dead space" where the second partition could be, the back part is a separate toilet area accessed by a narrow door from the living. The front part is a huge tack locker accessed from the outside.

By making the ramp on the driver's side it gave me much more scope to fit it out to have everything a big box would have.

Keith_Beef, a ramp on both sides could be engineered, but the ramp and fixings are very heavy, you would soon be overweight. Even the tack locker on the nearside added considerably to weight.
 
I had my little box altered so I could carry the horse in the middle, and like Red I use the 'dead' space for tack and toilet. Interestingly, one chooses to ride slightly on the slant, and the other two I have had in it stood straight.

Your design sounds ace, Red.
 
PeterNatt said:
I would have the ramp on the near side (passenger side) so that in the event of a breakdown on a busy road/dual carridgeway or motorway that the horse can be more safely unloaded and loaded on to the recovery vehicle. Also make sure you get full breakdown/recovery insurance with a reputable company such as the Organisation of Horsebox and Trailers Owners so that in the event of a breakdown they can get to you quickly and recover your horse.
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In the event of a breakdown on a motorway or dual carriage the police will with no exceptions stop the traffic so that's not actually an issue
 
I've been thinking about it and if I was able to design my own 3.5 tonne I would pretty much go for what Red-1 describes above. The exit at the back means that dropping the ramp into traffic could be avoided if needed but the ramp on drivers side means you can park in a hedge to go hunting or hacking and still be able to load and unload using the ramp.

If I ever win the lottery! :lol:

It seems odd to me that so many 3.5 boxes are designed with two stalls when, realistically, only one horse can travel. I suppose two ponies would be ok but I'd expect more designs making better use of the never really used stall space.
 
PapaverFollis said:
I've been thinking about it and if I was able to design my own 3.5 tonne I would pretty much go for what Red-1 describes above. The exit at the back means that dropping the ramp into traffic could be avoided if needed but the ramp on drivers side means you can park in a hedge to go hunting or hacking and still be able to load and unload using the ramp.

If I ever win the lottery! :lol:

It seems odd to me that so many 3.5 boxes are designed with two stalls when, realistically, only one horse can travel. I suppose two ponies would be ok but I'd expect more designs making better use of the never really used stall space.
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That is what I thought, but the manufacturer of mine was adamant that mine would be worth less as a 1 horse box at re-sale time than if I had a 2 horse. Fortunately it came from a retirement commutation, so I had what I want as I hope to keep this box for a long time util I don't want horses again!

Personally I think it would sell well, after all you only need one buyer looking for a small box with all the advantages of a big one, but with over 30mpg!
 
Red-1 said:
That is what I thought, but the manufacturer of mine was adamant that mine would be worth less as a 1 horse box at re-sale time than if I had a 2 horse. Fortunately it came from a retirement commutation, so I had what I want as I hope to keep this box for a long time util I don't want horses again!

Personally I think it would sell well, after all you only need one buyer looking for a small box with all the advantages of a big one, but with over 30mpg!
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:lol: Well if you're ever selling, check in with me regarding the lottery win! :lol:
 
PF, when I've hunted and used my 3.5 with the kerb side ramp, if not parked off road then it's simple to park on the opposite side of the road and still load and unload easily :)

It's like the 'can't load as I'm stuck against the wall as I cannot either slip under my horses neck, nor lead it on the off side' Just needs a bit of thinking about :D
 
Illegal if you come back after dusk though, FF, and also impossible if everyone else on the lane is already on the nearside and you would create a chicane.
 
As stated above, most 3.5 tonnes have a very limited payload, a fact that many purchasers don't always take into account,and two ramps would be very heavy. Also, the body would flex a lot more without a solid side and the whole structure would be far less strong- ramps weaken the body structure. You would feel this flexing as you drove the vehicle.
 
BBP said:
I find it bonkers that anyone wouldn’t feel comfortable leading their horse from the right? Why is this difficult? (Not meaning to be rude or criticise, just I’ve always lead from both sides, and get on from both sides, so it’s weird to me that this would be a consideration). I’d say offside ramp is safest and learn to lead from that side, it’s easy, just swap sides!
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I wonder if maybe having been given the choice it's one of those things that then gets over thought?
Would never in a million years occur to me that leading from the wrong side to load or swap would be a problem. I nearly always lead 2 or even more in and out of the field together so maybe mine are just used to being led however?!
 
My 3.5 rear facing has a side ramp on the near side. My biggest concern about it being on the off side (aside from it falling open into traffic) would be turning the horse into his space, mine is quite a solid pony and he wouldnt be able to turn into his spot without still being partly on the ramp. I do lead him from his off side to load him, it did feel odd at first but now its completely the norm for us both. If the ramp was on the off side I would also want there to be a loading gate to close across so no chance of him leaning on the ramp in transit, that will add to the weight and lessen your payload
 
We had a passenger side ramp on our lorry, but ours was forward facing, so never an issue, but surely any horse will lead from any side? Just getting mine in from the field sometimes means I'm switching sides during the procedure.
 
I have had both, my original box was driver side, but my new Lorry is kerbside. I had an option to have it on the drivers side but the build company usually put them kerbside so I went with that. Both rear facing. I haven't found any problems with either side!
I think the biggest thing for me was having the outside locker and tie ring the same side as the ramp, this means my horses are always in sight when getting tack whether they are on or off the Lorry.
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