Please Please help me.. argument with my father.. horse transport..

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Ok, arguements against a trailer- ( this is exgaggerated so please, trailer-owners, dont get offended!! )

-reversing is impossible, so you will be very likely to bash it up

- horses do NOT travel so well in a trailer. they arrive at the comp less rested.it is harder wear and tear on their backs/legs, as they are facing forwards and the suspension is not nearly so good in a trailer.

-a trailer offers no protection for the horse were you to be in an accident

- overall much higher risk of accidents with a car/trailer

Given the huge number of miles that you have to travel every time you want to go to a comp, and give the fact that you have a very valuable horse, surely all of the above could be a suitable argument?

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HaHa.. thankyou.. i've tried most of them (apart from the stress to the horse and it's legs, so will give that a go)

1) mum and dad have no prob's reversing it..
2) they are such brill drivers, there'd be no accidents..

I have two more up my sleave.. quite good ones i think too..
1) i'd be able to drive it (as long as it remained under 3.5t with one horse in it)
2) because i'd be driving it, i'd be paying everything towards it, apart from the actual buying of the thing..
 
Definitely get the 3.5ter. This is mine - Cost £15k but is a new build this year on an 02 plate.

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It's extremely economical on diesel (does about twice the mpg that my 7.5ter did), easy to drive and the best horsey related thing I've ever bought.

A big 4x4 and trailer will cost a lot more in diesel to run.
 
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I really really don't want a trailer!!! the thought of having to pack all the bits and pieces into it.. get changed in it, have no where to shelter at a wet and rainy horse trilas doesn't seem to have any bother to him at all.. hence i've got to think of some other arguments..

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I agree with whoever said that horses don't travel as well in a trailer. I even kind of agree with what you've said above MdM. But..... some of us have trailers and have no choice about it. My trailer cost me £200 and I've had about £500-worth done on it over the years (just recovered the ramp last night, cost me £7, but that's another story). I compete two horses, stay away overnight frequently (tent) and will be probably the only one in a trailer at Blair 3DE this summer. I get wet and cold and get changed in the rain!!
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There is no way I can afford the outlay of a lorry even if it would be cheaper to run. Just can't do it.

Would love a lorry but if it's a choice between going in a trailer or not going at all, well there is no choice.

Right, having done the thoroughly offended trailer person bit....
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I do in all honesty think you'll be better keeping your lorry and perhaps downgrading on the car front. It's not like it's going to fetch you £20,000 and you'd be hard pushed to replace it for the same money so I'd keep it. Can't help on the Dad front I'm afraid, mine lives 300 miles away!
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I would go for a small lorry, for I think £12k? you should get a near enough newly converted one, try ringing Trucksmart and see what he could do, his conversions are really good, I watched them in build whenever I took my lorry in for work.
He often has slightly older ones available from previous customers.
Your Dad doesn't realise how damned difficult is competing with a trailer in comparison, the lorry provides enough room for you to do studs, sit down and make a cup of tea etc, even if it's a tidgy sized one you tend to have a seat and a sink/grill.
He however will be thinking lorry tax/repairs tyres etc.
I would far rather have a small lorry than a car and trailer, we trialered for many years, and with two horses it's so difficult if the weather is bad.
He's male therefore unlikely to take any notice of anyone on here, I made a poll earlier this week re a problem with my husband, and he caved in to the general agreement that no, he shouldn't put a movement detector light in the downstairs cloakroom, no matter if there was a chance someone would sometimes leave the light on wasting electricity...
Try pointing out how uncomfortable he will be if he drives you to events....
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I bought my 3.5t lorry last year to free myself up from my parent's 4x4 and trailer.

Best thing ever. Ok so my little lorry only cost 2.5k and is 20 years old but it does a brill job, is fantastically easy to drive, has a great engine and is very cheap to maintain.

The independence is the main thing. Buy yourself a cheap little 3.5t. Then daddy has no financial commitment and you can be truly free!! My parents think mine is the best thing ever
 
My 52 reg lorry was 16k brand new last year - it has loads of space to i love it !!

my friend is selling her Ascot 2 horse S reg for 12k ? it has day living and is a really reliable lorry xx
 
I have a 4x4 and trailer, i have absolutely no problems reversing it, pulling it, hitching it up and easily get all my stuff in the car, my horses and i have had many, have ALWAYS travelled perfectly in it, it is easier for people to drive badly in a lorry and get away with it, you do need to be very considerate in a trailer IMH, the running costs are horrific on a lorry, at least with another car you have something you can use all the time, nothing would sway me in to having a lorry!
 
I've had the same discussion with my OH, I was opting towards a small lorry and he wanted 4x4 & trailer as he figured costs would be less, plus he didn't want a lorry sitting there not being used.

Ok, I don't compete very often but already am wondering if we have done the right thing in buying 4x4 & trailer.
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Fiona C - if you don't compete very often I am sure you have done the right thing. I had a lorry when I was competing most weekends and even then I often had problems starting it because it was not being used regularly enough. I now compete only a couple of times a month and not at all in winter and bought a trailer for this reason.

It is a pain to couple up and reverse but honestly I very rarely have to reverse with the horse on. I look for good parking spots to avoid it! I also don't find it any harder to drive than the lorry and my car has all mod cons like DVD, seat heaters etc that my old lorry did not have.
 
For any one that cant reverse, PRACTISE! honestly its not that difficult once you get your brain round it, just go in a big field and fiddle about.
 
My 3.5ton is great as is SO cheap to run. It cost me £400 for a full service and MOT last year but that was with replacing the back light bracket etc aswell as wiring. It is cheap on diesel, and easy for me on my own. Insurance is £260 a year fully comp, and breakdown is £80 whihc is a damnsite cheaper than the insurance would have been for me on a 4x4 and trailer. Tax is the same as my old 306 used to be!!
 
we have changed from a fairly posh but efficient 4x4 and trailer to a rather large lorry (3 horse with large living). It is cheaper to run the lorry and a small car then to run the 4x4 and trailer. also 4x4 tax is going to go up, lorry tax is not i have been told.

on my little car i do conciderable milage and use £40 of petrol a week in it, in the 4x4 we were using nearly £120 a week and thats not including the fuel needed when towing. Insurance was also huge on the lorry, it was £2000 a year on the 4x4 for me and only £500 on the lorry. so far servicing the lorry has cost less then the 4x4 as well.

I'd go for a small lorry and small car every time if i could.

(btw i have a small reliable lorry for sale for 3.5k, it is old but reliable)
 
We sold a 3.5t renault master for 8k- M reg, it was lovely- good paint job as well! Also have just brought an old Ascot Sumpreme for 8k- it might be old but it runs like a dream, has full living etc- and someones just said they have an older one for 11.5k so I feel like I've got a bargin!! You can easily get a box for your budget- most people are just overpricing boxes at the moment.
 
does it have to be a 3.5T???? The 3 horse boxes go a lot cheaper and you get all your living space too, ideal for wet weather in the UK!!

I bought a merc (ancient admittedly) but its got all the space i need, fantastic on diesel, and i mean FAB! - its solid reliable, starts everytime, all the toys in the living and just so much cheaper than a 3.5T.

Friend has small lorry and costs a fortune to run in petrol......another mate with small 2 horse lorry again eats diesel....the bigger boxes were made with this in mind and dont seem to eat as much fuel?

Why a small one? do you need to drive it on normal licence? - sorry if you have already mentioned this, didnt see it in thread..??
 
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Surely you don't get 280 miles ouf of £75?! I get 500-520 miles out of £90 with my Sorento (towing once or twice).

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sounds bargainous! i get 250miles out of £50-£55. 500 miles would probably cost me around £100-£110. it does 22-23mpg and i drive it nicely, easy on the accelerator
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