Trailer or Box, please hellp

[AngelaWB]

I have a nearly 16hh Oldenburg x Freisian, a hefty mare. She takes a 6ft 6ins rug and has a big round bum (which she probably says the same about me!). Her head carriage is quite high and she has a large head. I've attached a photo, I'm 5ft 6ins and she's a bit fatter than she was in this photo. I normally travel her in an Ifor Williams 505 trailer, more recently without the partition. My 4x4 died last year and since then I've not been able to find a 4x4 that meets my criteria (or should I say my mechanics criteria!). I've started to consider should I buy a van conversion, but I'm really unsure whether it would be suitable for a horse of her size after reading threads about them being more suited to ponies. I'd love to hear peoples opinions please and especially any which own hefty horses and what type of box you use. If I do get a box it would be a professional conversion with safety being the number 1 criteria. At the moment Equiisport is a name I've seen, but don't really know much about them. Thanks in advance.

 

[supsup]

I have a van conversion for my 14.1h, and have travelled my friend's chunkier WB x cob mare at 15.2-15.3h in it. I thought it was a bit of a squeeze, but ok. I travelled her with the partition set wide, but kept thinking that it's a good thing she doesn't have a high head carriage. The same mare is now travelling happily together with another 14h pony in my friend's similar van conversion, so maybe I was a bit over-cautious, or the small differences in internal layout do make a difference. In any case, I don't think I'd be comfortable putting a chunky 16h horse with high head carriage in my van conversion, and I think they are all much of a sameness at least when it comes to head room. I think in your shoes, I would be looking at coach built 3.5t conversions rather than a van conversion for more headroom, with a view towards travelling her alone in it (not sure how much she weights, but most conversions don't have much more than 1100kg payload, so a second traveller would have to be light).
I'd also point out that you'll potentially have the same problems finding a mechanically sound horsebox as you are currently having with finding a new 4x4, unless your budget stretches quite far, and it costs quite a bit more to insure/tax/maintain a horsebox than it does to maintain a trailer. (Depends of course if the 4x4 would be your normal runaround car, or would also be a second vehicle to maintain.)
Just one POV, of course, but I hope that's helpful.

 

[ROG]

Blimey two posts with a complete SEA OF TEXT

Cannot be bothered to try and read those !

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

You may do alright with a proper 3.5 ton horsebox conversion because that would give you a suitable height for your horse. A van conversion has a much lower roof level & I think you may struggle.

 

[MuddyTB]

Agree with the poster above, my friend had her 16hh in a van conversion for a short trip to the vet and it was a real squeeze. He was a lighter build too, and I wouldn't recommend it.
A coach built body on a 3.5t should be OK though.

 

[scats]

I have a van conversion and I did travel my 16hh sports horse in it a few times. He fitted ok to be honest, but I certainly wouldn’t have made a habit of travelling him in it really. If he’d have chucked his head up, I think he’d have clocked himself on the roof.
I don’t use my partition though, so he had the whole area.

I’m much more comfortable travelling things of around 15hh in them. Again, I don’t use the partition so only ever travel one.

 

[Theocat]

Given what you will probably have to spend to find a box that meets your mechanic's standards, and what it will cost thereafter to run in comparison to a trailer, could you increase your budget for a 4x4?