People who hire horseboxes - what do you look for?

[Ranyhyn]

I am thinking about hiring a horse box, fairly regularly but haven't done this previously. I've borrowed friends, but never hired one with an agreement...

Can you tell me what kind of things you would ask/want/look out for in your hire box? What sort of things do you want in a hired horsebox??? There are a few firms but finding it hard to sort the wheat from the chaff, so to speak!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Weight cert if it is a 3.5 (to show what unladen weight actually is)
Breakdown & accident cover - a MUST
Usability of lorry; is ramp easy to put up & down, is box able to be fully locked all round, horse sections - is partition suitable for your needs & is the area safe (windows able to open, bars not broken, partition bolts easy to use)
Is it mechanically sound and are all tyres visually safe to use - and is there a spare, plus jack etc.
Do they provide a hi-viz in the cab for use in case of emergency

Prob plenty more, but the top 2 would be my very 1st consideration when phoning, if I needed to hire.

 

[LadyRascasse]

I have found it's cheaper to hire a box with the driver rather than just the box as you have to pay fuel on top which usually works out more that a transport person. It also usually gives you an extra set of hands to help with things (I have always found). Personally I look at the type of box and the type of horse I want to transport. I have a full up 16.2 mw tb who stands proud so the van conversions are straight out, as are any lorries where the top door opens up instead of sideways. Then you need to consider payload of the horse or horses, my horse weight 600kgs so I need a lorry with at least 900kg of payload for all the passengers, tack, water etc. If you are hiring just the box you want to know what the excess is incase of an accident. Is breakdown included? That is all I can think of for now.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Thanks, plenty of things I hadn't considered already!! Keep them coming guys x