those of you with rear facing van type conversions, how do you store everything

meesha

meesha

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I am selling my equitrek and 4x4 and having a Renault master rear facing horsebox built. There will be storage over the cab with a big lip to stop things falling out and then at the back (where the horses heads go over ) will be saddle and bridle racks and a small bit of storage under covered wheel arch. I am so used to storing tons of stuff in the front of the equitrek (6 coats, numerous bits, numnahs, tack, buckets, grooming kit, water etc) I am wondering where to put it all. Do people put their saddles on the racks whilst travelling? Where do u hang coats?

All ideas welcome.
 
The back of mine has coat and bridle hooks saddle hooks and a small seat with storage underneath. My horse section and groom section is separated by a wall so I loose abit of space. But I gain some over the top of the grooms section. I have abit of a cubby hole. In there I have my tent, duvet, pillow, exercise sheet and camping chairs :-) trouble is I can't reach to the back ;-). Need a bigger step!!nit does get abit crowded in there, especially when I'm going away overnight!
 
You need to make the most of the small area. Lots of hooks/pegs/saddle racks etc. The only problem is if you let your horse eat hay whilst travelling EVERYTHING is covered in it by the end. So it all needs to be covered up well.
 
Thanks China,mine doesn't have a full height wall. I did wonder about hanging coats in protectors (so they don't get covered in hay) in back section but will just need to make sure they don't move around and poss spook nags.
 
Small hooks for hangers behind drivers seat - great for hooking coathangers onto for jackets & spare waterproofs.
Most have a tray/basket under the double passenger seat. This is good for storing the emergency breakdown kit, torch, flouro tabard, airtight box of chocolate biscuits, spare yard boots with bag of spare socks, knickers & t shirt etc.

I have a couple of the large (and med size too if needed) storage boxes (thank you Morrisons :) ) and these are great for putting stuff in - easy to see into without removing lids too :)
 
Cheers, great idea about hooks behind seat and storage under other seat. Can't wait to get it....... Can't be putting horse in nice new shiny conversion though so will just have to look at it haha
 
I have a converted Renault Master and love it, it's so much cheaper to run than the 7.5 lorry I had and easier to drive and park. Are you travelling one horse or two? With 2 you won't have much payload left unless their ponies but with one there's plenty of room without going over the weight limit. I've got 2 saddle racks in the back + a bridle hook. Jacket etc goes in a bag and is hung on back door. I have a number of big clear plastic boxes for everything else and a cupboard over the cab for things I don't need much but want to have with me. If going away I use the other side of the partition for any big stuff eg wheelbarrow, tent etc. My horse travels very well in the lorry i don't give hay on shorter journeys as it does make a bit of a mess, so everything does need to be covered if you are giving a haynet. There's also a sort of table top from the solid partition at the rear (if that makes sense) so I can tuck boxes away from the horse and I've got a small seat on one side.
 
On odd occasion will be 2 but generally just one and good point about not giving hay when travelling as mine won't eat on the move anyway so could get a bag type net and just hang up when arrive !
 
I had my 3.5 built with a locker/trunk with a padded seat lid on the passenger side and a thinner and taller second box on the other side, which ended up as 2 cupboards with mini sink/hob. All works great except that I can only use the sink/hob at away shows 'coz the haynet (single horse loaded on driver side) hangs over it. I'd switch them over if I was starting again. And I blumin hate hayseeds, but beyond hay bags and stuff you just have to put up with them. Don't forget room for your spare wheel too!
 
Thanks........ no spare wheel with it so searching for reasonable one at the moment. It will sit just inside back door on left with straps to keep in place. I think I should be OK for storage if I put hunt jackets behind seat on hooks, lotions and potions and couple brushes etc in wheel arch box, water barrel inside large rubber bucket on floor. Rugs, change of clothes and numnahs can go in over cab bit, first aid kit, torch and tool@
/breakdown kit under passenger seat.

That only leaves where to put hat, gloves, saddle, bridle and boots - don't want these covered in hay ! ?

Hmmmm, this is exciting organising it all, makes it seem real, hopefully it should be ready in about a fortnight then I may get some decals/vehicle graphics put on it !
 
I'm lucky as I'm so short, my spare wheel lives behind my drivers seat! Love my renault. Have saddle rack on back door and bridle on the side, although had to modify the hook as they kept falling off. I have two storage areas built into the lorry over the wheel arches. They have closeable lids so act as benches/seating area. One side is horsey stuff and the other is mine. Agree that hay is a pain in the backside though, mine does tend to eat on the move as well.
 
My spare wheel is in the mini luton too, securely strapped in.

I don't keep it behind the driver's seat as I move that back when I use the cab as a bunk for stays away - I whack a couple of long pieces of foam over all 3 seats (driver's seat pushed right back), then sleeping bag on top, feet at the drivers end, glove box makes a bedside table :) I've got one of those silver window covers you see on motorhomes to keep the heat/cold out and give me some privacy and darkness. It only works if you're not too large and 5'5 or shorter though!
 
Don't forget:
- change for toll bridges (have got caught out with handbag stashed in the back before)
- hiviz in case you breakdown or go for an unexpected hack
- spare headcollar & leadrope + bailer twine
- gaffer tape (for anything that moves and shouldn't)
- wd40 (for anything that should move and won't)
- sharp knife (for dire emergencies)
- bin bags (hundreds of uses)
- a couple of bungee cords (for unexpected stashing/fastening)
- 2 x 2ltrs of very cheap still water (then you'll always be able to give your horse and/or you a drink, whatever happens)
- full change of underwear, top and bottoms for you + extra coat (for soakings)
- a note of how high / long /wide your van is for low bridges etc. (and a reminder about the relevant speed limits for 3.5s too!)
- I have an old NZ stashed away too - even if I broke down and had to leave him in a livery yard or even a field overnight he'd be warm & dry :)
- and finally on that note, really good breakdown insurance and their contact details
 
Brilliant guys ! Is this turning into a van conversion appreciation thread ! All great tips... Very excited now ! Prob going with kBis for insurance and breakdown, already have the spare clothes, rug, etc in pile waiting to go in as I always travelled with it all in trailer. My latest addition is a full tool kit, very useful to get a shoe off in emergency amongst other things !

He loads really well in equitrek so fingers crossed should load well in this ! If he doesn't you will hear my sobs from a great distance as equitrek being sold .... In fact just about to end on a popular auction site !
 
With regard to spare wheel, it is now possible to purchase a canister with a liquid repair in it. A friend had one of these supplied with his new car instead of a spare wheel. I am unsure if they do them large enough for lorry wheels but Halfords sell them so it might be worth looking into as it most certainly would take up less room.
 
Spare wheel behind drivers seat and tools under it. Hooks in cab for coats waterproofs etc. I have an outside tack locker which houses first aid kits, human and equine, rugs, grooming kit, spare everything in a plastic storage box, (reins, stirrup leathers, baler twine etc) and picnic basket full of cutlery and crockery
Human bit at the back I have a cubby hole which has water containers, camping stove, washing up bowl, fold up step, dustpan and brush (for cleaning up the hay). Horses have hay bags which limits the spillage a little.
Other side has a comfy seat, unfortunately no storage under as its over the wheel arch, I have some of those tidy pockets they sell for shoes and stuff, these are on the walls away from the horses and store stuff for hot drinks and cup a soup, mugs, cutlery etc. also hair nets, pens, paper, cloths, wipes of every description, mints and choccy biscuits. The best think tho is my foldaway wardrobe. It screws to the wall and pops out to hang all my clothes on, boots and hats have their own bags and they hang on there as well. Saddle racks on wall nearest back door. Bridle racks on partition to horses. Lunge whip and broom prop up in the corner, and carpet offcut on the floor so its comfy to get changed. Oh and mirror on the back of the door, foldup camping chairs live behind the passenger seat. Im looking at getting a hole cut to go over the luton as thats wasted space at the moment.
 
Great idea about shoe type wall hanger but u must show me where u got your foldaway wardrobe ! Have been looking for something similar !
 
mulberrymill said:
Spare wheel behind drivers seat and tools under it. Hooks in cab for coats waterproofs etc. I have an outside tack locker which houses first aid kits, human and equine, rugs, grooming kit, spare everything in a plastic storage box, (reins, stirrup leathers, baler twine etc) and picnic basket full of cutlery and crockery
Human bit at the back I have a cubby hole which has water containers, camping stove, washing up bowl, fold up step, dustpan and brush (for cleaning up the hay). Horses have hay bags which limits the spillage a little.
Other side has a comfy seat, unfortunately no storage under as its over the wheel arch, I have some of those tidy pockets they sell for shoes and stuff, these are on the walls away from the horses and store stuff for hot drinks and cup a soup, mugs, cutlery etc. also hair nets, pens, paper, cloths, wipes of every description, mints and choccy biscuits. The best think tho is my foldaway wardrobe. It screws to the wall and pops out to hang all my clothes on, boots and hats have their own bags and they hang on there as well. Saddle racks on wall nearest back door. Bridle racks on partition to horses. Lunge whip and broom prop up in the corner, and carpet offcut on the floor so its comfy to get changed. Oh and mirror on the back of the door, foldup camping chairs live behind the passenger seat. Im looking at getting a hole cut to go over the luton as thats wasted space at the moment.
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do you have any pictures of your set up?
 
Suelin said:
With regard to spare wheel, it is now possible to purchase a canister with a liquid repair in it. A friend had one of these supplied with his new car instead of a spare wheel. I am unsure if they do them large enough for lorry wheels but Halfords sell them so it might be worth looking into as it most certainly would take up less room.
Click to expand...

Not much good if you have a blow out which is more common in the horseboxes on the move.
 
Just one more question as I will be picking up my van Friday hopefully. Where does everyone keep saddles when travelling, I have saddle racks on back doors but they are straight bars and I don't think saddle will stay in place travelling, thinking of one of those saddle things that sit on floor, the plastic ones, they have storage underneath which could be useful but it will take up a lot of room. If I could keep saddle on rack on back door that would be better but not sure how to secure !
 
Good idea but not sure it would stop saddle slipping round as rack is a very simple straight bar, might have to get oh to adapt it with his welding kit !
 
meesha said:
Just one more question as I will be picking up my van Friday hopefully. Where does everyone keep saddles when travelling, I have saddle racks on back doors but they are straight bars and I don't think saddle will stay in place travelling, thinking of one of those saddle things that sit on floor, the plastic ones, they have storage underneath which could be useful but it will take up a lot of room. If I could keep saddle on rack on back door that would be better but not sure how to secure !
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Going off on my own, then tack either ON horse, or lobbed on passenger seat.

If I have company, then its popped into the side locker, or onto the fold-down saddle rack in the back. I do put a bungee over if its on the rack for travelling, just to ensure it doesn't come off tho.
Bridle either hooked over cantle of saddle, or hung on bridle rack next to saddle rack in the back :)
 
Cheers suspect most of time saddle will be on passenger seat but will give bungee a go as would be nice to keep it with all other tack in back ! I may even travel with saddle on esp for hunting as will have camera in back so can see if anything happens. If travelling with saddle on, do u leave stirrups on ? And do u always pop a rug over ?
 
I'd put a rug over it.

My saddle stays put on my saddle bar thing, but I do fold it back towards the wall a bit which must stabilise it a bit (It's not in a van conversion, its swivelling racks in a tack locker on a trailer but same idea) and it hasn't fallen off up to now.
 
Always thought a rug shoukd ve used but I am a but thick and can't think why ! Will only be saddle not bridle and there is nothing for it to catch on that I can see! (famous last words.)
 
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