cp1980
Well-Known Member
Given the political, economic, strategic and envionmental contraints that will inevitably contrain domestic road transport in the UK/EU, is it time that we look to suitable alternatives for tranporting horses to shows and events?
Car licence changes in 1997 has resulted in a growth of 3.5 tonne horse boxes? Will retrictions on 4x4 gas guzzlers result in changes to trailer design?
Here are some thoughts on trailer design from Chairman CP1980:
Discovery-sized 4x4s will become costly to own as the cost of fuel rises, difficult to own as politicans of all colours will target them as disproportionate contributers to climate change and society as a whole will start to think them rather unfasionable. Freelander-sized 4x4s and smaller may survive. Hyvrid petrol-electric vehicles will become more common. On the whole, fewer vehicles will be able to tow large weights.
Therefore, double horse trailers will become rare and people will have to use horseboxes if they want to transport more than a single horse.
As tow cars become smaller and lighter, trailer manufactuers will have to design trailers which lighter, but able to remain stable when traveling with horses. Suspension will become more important, and perhaps trailers will have wheels at each corner, with a front turning axle, rather than having to rest on the rear axle of a car.
In the end, trailers will probably have look like this:
(they would have to be made out of more lightweight materials too)
The single horse would face backwards, it's head over a high-tech rear axle suspension unit. At the front, the turntable-mounted front axle would take the weight of the trailer, rather than the car tow bar and the car's susension. The brakes would be electric-assisted, rather than relying on the weight of the car for mechanical actuation.
This would leave the towcar to supply the forward propulsion only, leaving it to be lighter and therefore more efficient.
Car licence changes in 1997 has resulted in a growth of 3.5 tonne horse boxes? Will retrictions on 4x4 gas guzzlers result in changes to trailer design?
Here are some thoughts on trailer design from Chairman CP1980:
Discovery-sized 4x4s will become costly to own as the cost of fuel rises, difficult to own as politicans of all colours will target them as disproportionate contributers to climate change and society as a whole will start to think them rather unfasionable. Freelander-sized 4x4s and smaller may survive. Hyvrid petrol-electric vehicles will become more common. On the whole, fewer vehicles will be able to tow large weights.
Therefore, double horse trailers will become rare and people will have to use horseboxes if they want to transport more than a single horse.
As tow cars become smaller and lighter, trailer manufactuers will have to design trailers which lighter, but able to remain stable when traveling with horses. Suspension will become more important, and perhaps trailers will have wheels at each corner, with a front turning axle, rather than having to rest on the rear axle of a car.
In the end, trailers will probably have look like this:
(they would have to be made out of more lightweight materials too)
The single horse would face backwards, it's head over a high-tech rear axle suspension unit. At the front, the turntable-mounted front axle would take the weight of the trailer, rather than the car tow bar and the car's susension. The brakes would be electric-assisted, rather than relying on the weight of the car for mechanical actuation.
This would leave the towcar to supply the forward propulsion only, leaving it to be lighter and therefore more efficient.