Tell me about organising your 3.5t boxes!

[Barklands]

We have recently purchased a 3.5t box after too long struggling on with trailers... super excited to get out and about without having to hitch up, praise the lord!

So, in anticipation of some Hinch level organisation, what are your clever storage solutions that you have in the jockey areas of your smaller horseboxes?

 

[Abacus]

It’ll depend very much on what is in place already - do you have cupboards, benches, saddle and bridle racks? Having had a few of these I find that my latest, which has a built in wardrobe and separate saddle compartment, is the best - it saves everything being covered in hay, which is the downside of the head coming over into the groom’s area. Unless you have the stallion layout in which case your jockey area should be separate and cleaner. If you don’t have storage you could use plastic crates to keep bits and bobs tidy but hanging space (for saddles, bridles and competition clothes) is almost essential.

 

[MissTyc]

Mine fits two B&Q storage boxes side by side like they are custom made for it on the shelf above an outside tack storage space. I added antislip matting like for dishes on glass shelving and they don't move at all. On the other side I have more space as no outside box, water, buckets, mucking out kit, and foldable steps are there. I've added coat hooks everywhere so I can hang stuff, including any tack that is wet or sweaty as I don't put anything damp in the tack storage space. Tack storage bit usually houses saddle(s), bridle(s), etc as well as my hat n boot bag.

In my old one, the saddles were in the jockey area on foldable racks, which I quite liked too.

I have full wall so no hay to worry about, but in a previous box I used a hay catching mesh under where they ate and it worked quite well.

 

[Squeak]

The no damage hanging strips have worked really really well in my horsebox and I've used them to attach hooks for my jackets, plastic mirror (so useful if you have to do ties and stocks), whip rack on the back door and you could use them for other things as well.

They do hooks and loads of other things so I think that would be my single biggest trick for organising a 3.5t as it's so much easier when everything has a place and can be up out of the way. Otherwise as abacus says, it depends on what the current layout is and also, what you do with your horses as to what works best - having the lorry setup for eventing is a completely different ball game to having it set up for hacking, training or showjumping/ dressage.

 

[Kaylum]

Make sure you know your payload as well including the passengers you take, as equipment weight can mount up including water and diesel. Sounds stupid but you will be surprised how things can change the weigh and you can be pulled on the weighbridge at anytime. Lots of transporters are often over risking it in their small lorries x

 

[MagicMelon]

Label everything! I make loads of stickers for people for their tack rooms and lorry organisation - things like "rugs" or "first aid" etc. on any drawer units or chests, the horses names above their bridle hook - that sort of thing.

 

[Barklands]

It’ll depend very much on what is in place already - do you have cupboards, benches, saddle and bridle racks? Having had a few of these I find that my latest, which has a built in wardrobe and separate saddle compartment, is the best - it saves everything being covered in hay, which is the downside of the head coming over into the groom’s area. Unless you have the stallion layout in which case your jockey area should be separate and cleaner. If you don’t have storage you could use plastic crates to keep bits and bobs tidy but hanging space (for saddles, bridles and competition clothes) is almost essential.

We just have a half wall rather than a stallion build but planning to get a hay catcher to try and help with the mess We have a built in wardrobe (without a rail for now but looking at ones to add in) with bridle hooks and separate smaller cupboard which is still a decent size. We have collapsible saddle racks on the wall of the main jockey area (our budget didn't quite stretch to one with an outside tack locker!).

 

[Barklands]

Make sure you know your payload as well including the passengers you take, as equipment weight can mount up including water and diesel. Sounds stupid but you will be surprised how things can change the weigh and you can be pulled on the weighbridge at anytime. Lots of transporters are often over risking it in their small lorries x

Definitely will bear this in mind! Luckily we will usually be travelling only one, occasionally two very fine 12.2 and under ponies and has a decent payload for a 3.5 so we should be well in!

 

[MereChristmas]

Here is my homemade hay catcher. Be careful though it blows upwards sometimes in the wind.