Own Transport for 2 Horses - Options?

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PercyMum

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I just failed my 7.5t test. Ar*e!! And the retake will cost £300 - eek! I can't do the test in own lorry as its too much hassle, and to keep having lessons before the test is really expensive too. Ive not failed on anything major; just 1 silly mistake that was due to a difference in interpretation. I am sure I will be fine next time round but if not, its alot of money to keep trying to find for lessons and tests.

I love my own lorry, its fab and does just the job but I can't actually drive it due to my license. However, I can't keep retaking at such a steep cost. I'm fairly sure that with 2 big horses (16.3hh LW ISH and 17.1hh KWPN) that a 7.5t lorry is my only option.

Its worth enough to sell and buy a 4x4 and trailer (I do have my trailer license) but I upgraded from a Disco and Equitrek because it seemed to struggle with the KWPN alone and I was terrified of putting the ISH in it too. I think 3.5t are out of the picture too.

So basically, does anyone else have any thoughts/ideas about traveling both horses? Or do I need to keep saving for the retests???!!
 
Can you find someone that is able to sit with you, they need to have got their licence pre 1997, I think, you could then drive it on L plates for a while, I am doing this at the moment for someone who has not yet passed the test so I assume it is allowed, I am on their insurance as a named driver, but that does not cost much extra.
Otherwise you are not likely to be able to travel both in a 3.5 so your only other option would be a large trailer.
 
be positive said:
Can you find someone that is able to sit with you, they need to have got their licence pre 1997, I think, you could then drive it on L plates for a while, I am doing this at the moment for someone who has not yet passed the test so I assume it is allowed, I am on their insurance as a named driver, but that does not cost much extra.
Otherwise you are not likely to be able to travel both in a 3.5 so your only other option would be a large trailer.
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Grandparent rights have gone now from pre 1997 licences for 7.5t boxes, you can only sit next to someone if you have taken a test for that class of vehicle
 
jesstickle said:
You have two options

1) retake your test
2) go back to trailering

As far as I see it that is out I'm afraid :(
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Hmm, this is my thought. I quite like trailers - OH doesnt though. I am taking my 7.5t license as he does drive me everywhere (bless 'im, he really is a star :)) but I'd like to be more independent. And even if I go back to trailer and truck, what an earth can take 2 big horses and tow them??
 
Jane_Lou said:
Grandparent rights have gone now from pre 1997 licences for 7.5t boxes, you can only sit next to someone if you have taken a test for that class of vehicle
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They hadnt a few weeks ago as my friends wife can drive their new lorry but not him as he didnt get a UK licence until after 1997, he is Australian so changed licence when he moved here so someone has to sit with him, all checked out as they are very careful.
 
I have an Ifor Williams 511 and have towed two big horses with my Kia Sorrento without any problems. My Kia Sorrento can tow the same weight as a Discovery.
 
keep saving.... it's worth it in the end.... i failed mine at least twice before I passed & had spent a small fortune on the tests/lessons.... & the training school i used just couldn't understand why on earth i kept failing (they wanted me to do my class 1 asap they thought i was so good !!!)

the day i passed, i told the examiner i was learning to drive a lorry as i wanted a career change.... cue lots of questions from him about trucking.... but (& whether it made any difference i don't know) i didn't mention anything about horses or horseboxes.... when my instructor met me after I passed he told the examiner how pleased i'd be to go off in my horsebox on my own..... the look of death the examiner gave me was a classic.... i think he'd have snatched the pass back if he could!!!!
 
Retake the test - entirely worth it imho, speaking from someone who failed it too! I cried when I failed :o Not just at the failure, more the additional money which I didn't have. Get out with someone in your lorry who has passed their HGV and have another practise. Then go back, have a morning's worth of lessons and take your test in the afternoon.

I failed because at a right turn at some traffic lights I was in the right hand lane, trying to remember everything to make the tight turn, and I didn't have my indicator on. Whether I put it on and it came off I don't know. Worst bit was the examiner checked and said 'we are turning right here aren't we', and I said yes. It was only when I was making the turn that I realised my mistake. I knew I had failed by that point, and promptly fell apart, duffing gear changes etc. He even asked me to pull over to take a breather and have some water - think he felt sorry for me :o
 
It really isn't that expensive to retake your test, I did my C1 earlier in the year and failed on first test, booked second test for two days later and passed.

If like me you booked a course thorugh a big supplier don't use them for retake they are total rip off. You can book your test yourself, I think it's about £50, then just pay instructor cash to have short lesson beforehand.

I also had my second test on Saturday morning at about 8am so the roads were very quiet and it made life much easier!
 
PercyMum said:
Hmm, this is my thought. I quite like trailers - OH doesnt though. I am taking my 7.5t license as he does drive me everywhere (bless 'im, he really is a star :)) but I'd like to be more independent. And even if I go back to trailer and truck, what an earth can take 2 big horses and tow them??
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Do you currently have a full B+E on your licence?

Are you taking the LGV test in a C1 or a C? - if C1 then why as C costs the same !!

the test fee on its own is £115 so £300 for the use of the LGV with probably a 1 hour warm up is not a bad price

To use your own LGV for the test - needs to be compliant with the DSA rules for the vehicle - mirrors for examiner etc

LGV instructor from 2005 to 2008
 
One more thing - the supervising driver for a C1 (3.5 to 7.5 tonner) MUST have passed the DSA LGV C1 (or C) test - those that simply have C1s from pre 97 licences CANNOT supervise a C1 learner

That law came into force in April 2010
 
be positive said:
They hadnt a few weeks ago as my friends wife can drive their new lorry but not him as he didnt get a UK licence until after 1997, he is Australian so changed licence when he moved here so someone has to sit with him, all checked out as they are very careful.
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Pre 1997 licence holders can no longer supervise learners unless they pass the C or C1 themselves, they still have grandfather rights to drive though.
 
JessPickle said:
I know they're fairly rare but what about 5.5 ton boxes?
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Any vehicle with a GVW between 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes requires a C1 LGV licence

Pre 97 car drivers have this but those post 97 need to pass a C1 or C DSA LGV test - Drivers can go direct from B to C and miss C1 as C1 is a subcategory of C..... and the cost of test and training is virtually the same!!
 
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