So, can it be done - 2 horses in a 3.5T horsebox?

Like said by others... trailers are an option too..
I bought a used Landrover (Had been uprated to Class 7 so can to 3.5 ton!)
My new trailer weighs 1ton which gives lots of room for horses and baggage...and the landy is a 110 Defender so more than enough room in the back for riders, tack and "stuff" :)
 
wench said:
trailer test isn't that hard - just the reversing you need to get the hang of. Lessons worked out quite expensive - reckon it must have cost me £500 to pass it (inc two tests!) I get panic attacks with passengers in the car and managed to do it ok.
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Is it more or less the same as a normal driving test?

I really don't think I would pass another driving test, I do all sorts of naughty things like crossing my hands on the steering wheel, resting my hand on the gear stick and coasting into juctions. I assume you would not be allowed to do any of those things in the trailer test and for someone who, say, passed their test in '98, (doesn't affect me, I am over thirty) it would be like learning to drive all over again!
 
IMHO 2 horses on a 3.5T is scarey. Not just for the payload point, but more importantly (and I stand to be corrected) I've not seen any 3.5T trucks with double wheels on the back axle

They don't use dual rear wheels as it chops about 100kg - 150kg off the payload of the van, plus the wheel arches protrude too far into the horse area.

To be honest, if you look after your tyres you should be OK, the only difference between a 3.5t horsebox and 3.5t van is that the cargo is a bit more important, but you don't see white vans scattered in the ditches from punctures.

I took my towing test last year for our horse trailer, cost me around £550 for three four hour sessions in their vehicles plus test. But my employer is finally putting me in for a full HGV articulated license in the summer...can't wait :) About £3000 worth of training :)

(posting on my gf's profile by the way)
 
tchamberlain said:
Like said by others... trailers are an option too..
I bought a used Landrover (Had been uprated to Class 7 so can to 3.5 ton!)
My new trailer weighs 1ton which gives lots of room for horses and baggage...and the landy is a 110 Defender so more than enough room in the back for riders, tack and "stuff" :)
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You probably already know this, but others may not so i'll say it anyway but just because your vehicle is allowed to tow 3.5t doesn't mean that your trailer is allowed to be loaded to that weight. Most 2 horse trailers that are designed to carry 2 x 16.2hh+ horses come in at around 1t empty...and are allowed to be loaded to a maximum of about 2.6t....so in other words, your horses, haynets and any water and tack that you carry in the trailer must weigh less than 1.6t in total. With teo large horses potentially weighing a combined 1.3t that doesn't leave quite as much 'spare' as you might think :eek:
 
Thanks Rambo :) yes I'm already aware... my point is with the correct towing vehicle you dont need to "fill" your trailer. :) my water, tack, spare haynets, rugs etc go in the back of the land rover... leaving just 2 horses in the box with measily haynets.
 
A friend of mine hired a van a while back and was planning of taking hers and another horse in it. Payload was 1.1 both horses 16.2. I mentioned to her that it might be overweight and she called up the company and they gave her the impression she would be fine!
These companies that hire vans, advertise them as 2 horse vans and even say things like will carry two horses up to 17hh.

I'm lucky that I took my test ages ago so I can drive up to 7.5 so I am planning on looking for something compact with payload of about 2t which for me seems a comfortable margin for 2 horses, 2 people and all our gear.
 
deskbound said:
QR as not read all posts but.... IMHO 2 horses on a 3.5T is scarey. Not just for the payload point, but more importantly (and I stand to be corrected) I've not seen any 3.5T trucks with double wheels on the back axle. If you have a blow out on the motorway, you've got a fairly large problem...

For context, I've just been through this - I went the HGV route. Did my course in 3 days in Leicester, great instructors, passed first time and I now have peace of mind that I can drive anything I might need to. And I learned a huge amount, despite having driven 7.5T lorries in my dim & distant past.
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Hi there, just wondering what course you did to get your HGV? Im currently searching info as really want to sit my HGV but am seeing things about it taking 2 months etc and over 1000pounds, is there some other way?? Thanks in advance.
 
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