new (to me) horsebox essentials!

[dottylottie]

so i’m officially the proud owner of a little 3.5t lorry! few things i could do with HHO helping me out with!

give me your list of essentials! still completely empty at present, i’ve got a bit of a list going on but i’m very excited to start pimpin’ her out so hit me with it all!

also, leisure/hook up?! how do i go about getting a hook up point put in? and can i get a plug socket put in the back? i know i’ve got a leisure battery in there somewhere because the lights in the living switch on without the ignition on and the immobiliser on, not fussed about things like a hob, i’ll be happy if i can charge my phone and boil a kettle for a pot noodle every now and then!

lastly, talk to me about ventilation! fan/roof vent? would be going to a proper horsebox mechanic for these things, but no idea where to start really. i’ve only got 2 windows at the back on either side at present - not majorly concerning over winter but something i’ll be looking to get sorted before next season

anything else worth noting throw my way! i need a new panel for the ramp, so in the meantime i’ll be staring at her lovingly and putting more things inside

 

[Kaylum]

First of all what's your payload. You don't want to fill with a load of stuff and find your overweight. Many do including transporters. You will see them with 2 15hh horses inside and see how overweight they are. This includes diesel, people and horses before anything else.

 

[Barton Bounty]

That is a nice little box!!! I am thinking of one but unsure Orbi is really gonna fit in, wouldnt ever be looking to take two out anyway, but I feel the living area etc would be wasted area for me. So ideally I need something like that without living to give Orbi the extra length

You would need a saddle rack or tack pack , water container, bucket, spare leadrope, haynets, first aid kit.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Nice looking little lorry . What make is she? She looks like she could be a Marlborough box, they are good and well built.

Firstly, get her payload checked by taking her to a weigh bridge if you’ve not already done this. Don’t rely on what the vendor may have told you re payload unless you were there to see the weighing done in person. You are very unlikely to be able to legally travel more than one horse even so.

Did you get her checked out by a horse box mechanic pre purchase? If not, get that done before you put a horse in. There are some horror tales out there.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Breakdown cover, warning triangle, grooming kit, first aid for horses and humans plus paracetamol etc, water container, bucket, sweat scraper, sponge, spares like reins, beadcollar, lead rope, hi viz, spare coats and rugs

 

[sunnyone]

GPS tracker hidden away somewhere just in case it's stolen or indeed entered by anybody unauthorised. However they aren't always 100% accurate, we know of a canal boat being regularly shown as having moved overnight to the middle of a school playing field, so the owners now have a security camera on board to check the external view too.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Breakdown cover, warning triangle, grooming kit, first aid for horses and humans plus paracetamol etc, water container, bucket, sweat scraper, sponge, spares like reins, beadcollar, lead rope, hi viz, spare coats and rugs

Coming up to winter, deicer and a scraper
And the old faithfulls, duct tape, baler twine and wd40

 

[webble]

Scissors, first aid kit, towing eye, spare clothes, spare girth and hat (I'm going by my ability to forget things here) torch, bag of change, breakdown cover (and make sure you have the details and phone no in the box)

 

[Merry neddy man]

Spare wheel, make sure its pumped up, and a Jack, warning triangle, a good charged up torch, big first aid kits. Please please please take it to a weigh bridge, (every scrap yard, and loads of different companies have them, it doesn't have to be an official weigh bridge) and have it weighed, if you are overweight your insurance is invalid.

 

[QuantockHills]

so i’m officially the proud owner of a little 3.5t lorry! few things i could do with HHO helping me out with!

give me your list of essentials! still completely empty at present, i’ve got a bit of a list going on but i’m very excited to start pimpin’ her out so hit me with it all!

also, leisure/hook up?! how do i go about getting a hook up point put in? and can i get a plug socket put in the back? i know i’ve got a leisure battery in there somewhere because the lights in the living switch on without the ignition on and the immobiliser on, not fussed about things like a hob, i’ll be happy if i can charge my phone and boil a kettle for a pot noodle every now and then!

lastly, talk to me about ventilation! fan/roof vent? would be going to a proper horsebox mechanic for these things, but no idea where to start really. i’ve only got 2 windows at the back on either side at present - not majorly concerning over winter but something i’ll be looking to get sorted before next season

anything else worth noting throw my way! i need a new panel for the ramp, so in the meantime i’ll be staring at her lovingly and putting more things inside

nice lorry! mines got a bit of living in the back so if you're going to put a portable gas hob in the back instead of an electric socket, get a carbon monoxide detector....

 

[Abacus]

I would just get a camping gas stove - the kind with small bottles of gas - very small and light, and easier than getting a hookup added. For a phone charger I just plug mine into to the cigarette holder.

 

[humblepie]

Nice lorry. Nothing to add to the above lists other than baby wipes and plastic gloves. Sounds fun but useful for filling up with fuel and staying clean.

 

[suestowford]

I used to carry a box of spare bulbs in mine, and made sure I knew how to get at all the lights to change one if I needed to. Mine was an old lorry and the bulbs were all different sizes. I was glad of that little box when one of the bulbs went just as I was having the MOT done as I was able to change it there & then and not fail.

 

[dottylottie]

thankyou everyone! i’ve taken her to a weighbridge already, you couldn’t pay me to take both of mine out on my own got enough payload to carry both of them as long as whoever is riding 2nd pony drives with all the gear - weighed it with me, water and half a tank of fuel. don’t really have any intentions of taking 2 though, the idea was to make it easier taking one of them by myself!

she’s booked in for a full service with my local horsebox mechanic, but was serviced recently too - would always have it done myself though even if it had been done a month earlier!

 

[exracehorse]

Looks like a Vauxhall Movanno? Most important question …. Have you got an anti jump grill. Which was the first thing I had made.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Fire extinguisher.

It was the first thing I bought for my lorry but mine is 7.5t so it's a requirement to carry one.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

Second checking that you have enough payload to carry extras.

I have a small porta potti in the back of mine which has been a godsend for camp for middle of night and the loos were miles away and when you’re on your own and need a wee and you can’t leave the horse unattended. Loo roll.

I have a box of treats for horse and a few drinks and energy bars for me for trips out. I have a poop a scoop and trug for picking up poo at venues and cleaning box out after a trip. A dust pan and brush for a quick sweep of the back after use. A bucket, sponge, sweatscraper and brush, hoof pick to cover most eventualities.

Spare sticks, gloves in case I lose or forget them. Two camping chairs for me and friend/ groom. Foldable steps to mount.

In the cab I keep emergency lights in case of breakdown including warning triangle and magnetic flashing lights. A few years ago there was a devastating collision into the rear of a box where the electrics had failed so no lights killing several horses. I also keep plenty of delisting cloths and details of breakdown numbers.

Even when I had a box with a small kitchen I rarely used it so I’d wait possibly a little and build up what you need over time. Either I bought a drink there or I wasn’t hanging around long enough to bother.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

Coming up to winter, deicer and a scraper
And the old faithfulls, duct tape, baler twine and wd40

These! Including a long handled scraper. Much easier to get the screen cleared.

 

[dottylottie]

Second checking that you have enough payload to carry extras.

I have a small porta potti in the back of mine which has been a godsend for camp for middle of night and the loos were miles away and when you’re on your own and need a wee and you can’t leave the horse unattended. Loo roll.

I have a box of treats for horse and a few drinks and energy bars for me for trips out. I have a poop a scoop and trug for picking up poo at venues and cleaning box out after a trip. A dust pan and brush for a quick sweep of the back after use. A bucket, sponge, sweatscraper and brush, hoof pick to cover most eventualities.

Spare sticks, gloves in case I lose or forget them. Two camping chairs for me and friend/ groom. Foldable steps to mount.

In the cab I keep emergency lights in case of breakdown including warning triangle and magnetic flashing lights. A few years ago there was a devastating collision into the rear of a box where the electrics had failed so no lights killing several horses. I also keep plenty of delisting cloths and details of breakdown numbers.

Even when I had a box with a small kitchen I rarely used it so I’d wait possibly a little and build up what you need over time. Either I bought a drink there or I wasn’t hanging around long enough to bother.

lots of good ideas thankyou!

yeah i’m not fussed about sink etc, just wanting a plug socket putting in the living! when we go showing it’s an all day affair, so don’t want to run down the battery or waste fuel, and then i’ll use it at camp too hence wanting the hook up!

 

[dottylottie]

These! Including a long handled scraper. Much easier to get the screen cleared.

didn’t even think about the handle length! definitely adding a long handled one to the list haha

 

[dottylottie]

Nice looking little lorry . What make is she? She looks like she could be a Marlborough box, they are good and well built.

Firstly, get her payload checked by taking her to a weigh bridge if you’ve not already done this. Don’t rely on what the vendor may have told you re payload unless you were there to see the weighing done in person. You are very unlikely to be able to legally travel more than one horse even so.

Did you get her checked out by a horse box mechanic pre purchase? If not, get that done before you put a horse in. There are some horror tales out there.

she’s a vauxhall movano, converted by horseboxes.com! read good things about them but if anyone has any horror stories please don’t tell me said below but she’s been on the weighbridge and booked in to the garage on monday!

hope you’re all sitting down for this one, but the payload is pretty much right!

 

[dottylottie]

That is a nice little box!!! I am thinking of one but unsure Orbi is really gonna fit in, wouldnt ever be looking to take two out anyway, but I feel the living area etc would be wasted area for me. So ideally I need something like that without living to give Orbi the extra length

You would need a saddle rack or tack pack , water container, bucket, spare leadrope, haynets, first aid kit.

i’m so excited about it! we’ve got a lot of waiting around at shows so it’ll be nice to put her on and sit in the back with her, she doesn’t look being on the trailer whilst we’re in the car and she can’t see us the bench seats are a really good size too, you can actually get comfy on them haha. definitely need to change the saddle racks, they’re the pole ones atm so i need to either put a door onto the tack area or swap racks.

 

[Cragrat]

i’m so excited about it! we’ve got a lot of waiting around at shows so it’ll be nice to put her on and sit in the back with her, she doesn’t look being on the trailer whilst we’re in the car and she can’t see us the bench seats are a really good size too, you can actually get comfy on them haha. definitely need to change the saddle racks, they’re the pole ones atm so i need to either put a door onto the tack area or swap racks.

Enjoy!

Pole racks are good - no damage to the saddle stuffing, and don't take up much space. I have 6 in my 7.5 - I cannot bear stacking saddles on top of each other I tape a length of pipe lagging to each pole, so it fills the saddle gullet and holds them in place really well.

Absolutely 2nd getting warning flashing triangles/road lights in case you breakdown/blow a tyre.

 

[dottylottie]

Enjoy!

Pole racks are good - no damage to the saddle stuffing, and don't take up much space. I have 6 in my 7.5 - I cannot bear stacking saddles on top of each other I tape a length of pipe lagging to each pole, so it fills the saddle gullet and holds them in place really well.

Absolutely 2nd getting warning flashing triangles/road lights in case you breakdown/blow a tyre.

like pool noodle material? i’ll have to give that a go, i was thinking of doing that with the other style of rack and then using a bungee cord to stop it falling off. lady i bought the box from said hers always fell off, and they’re both as wide as they are tall so probably more likely to go flying than something narrow haha

i’m usually very opposed to the shaped ones! i have a saddle mate that i’ve been using when towing that i can use in the meantime (until i get around to it)

 

[Barton Bounty]

Yes @dottylottie the pipe lagging on the pole is a great idea,

 

[dottylottie]

thinking about putting a cupboard door on the tack area - best material? if i just get a board and use gloss paint will it match okay? or do i need something like you’d use in a caravan?

 

[scats]

I keep a grooming kit in mine, plus a couple of whips, fly spray, a fleece rug and a horse rain sheet. Plus a few towels.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Looks like a Vauxhall Movanno? Most important question …. Have you got an anti jump grill. Which was the first thing I had made.

Agree re anti jump modifications if needed before travelling a horse, there are various options. What’s the current internal layout?

What you don’t want is for this to happen. This unmodified design is still all too commonly in use.

 

[dorsetladette]

Lovely truck - wish we had a smaller one sometimes. Is a bit of a tie to have OH drive every time we go out as I'm very aware of him getting bored waiting for me. another job on the list doing my C1 test.

I've had a travel safe in mine as I have youngsters it gives me peace of mind that they can't climb on the tack lockers. I think they are a fabulous idea and truly are a game changer. They can be added to any type of box quite easily.

Equi Travel Safe- For Safer Equine Travel

Equi Travel Safe- Helping prevent horses from rearing or jumping onto the breast bar or lockers in horse boxes and trailers.

www.equitravelsafe.co.uk

I think there brilliant.

 

[Blanche]

Things I would travel with are spare head collars for each horse/ pony you have that stay on the lorry. Spare lead ropes- short, lead rope - long or lunge line. Hi viz for multiple people and each horse in case you have to offload on the side of the road in the dark, fog, rain etc. Ditto all the other things people have mentioned, these things should always stay on the lorry so you don’t need to worry if you have an emergency away from home.