trailer or lorry?

[milo'n'molly]

Right, I would appreciate peoples input as to the pros and cons of having a trailer rather than a lorry.
As a family we have always had a 7.5t lorry and as soon as i was old enough i took my HGV so that dad didn't have to taxi us about. The last few years the horses have taken a back seat and brother and sister have sold their horses so we sold the lorry.
I am now thinking about getting some transport again but this time it will only be for my horse (700kg ID) so i am looking at my options and the costs.
I don't need living space and wonder if i need to go to the expense of running a 7.5t for taking one horse out a few times per month.
Equally i have looked at 3.5t boxes but they seem very expensive for what they are so I am now considering getting a trailer as we are looking for a new, bigger car anyway for weekends away and camping trips.
Would love to hear your experiences of changing from a lorry to a trailer, practicalities and cost implications.

Ps also towing car recommendations would be welcome (OH has his eye on a Kia sportage but i haven't looked into its towing capacity yet) and I am aware that i may need to take my towing test

 

[ROG]

Have you got a B+E on your licence?
Silly me - should have read the last bit of your post !!

 

[ROG]

700 horse with a Bateson Derby trailer which weighs 675 = 1375

Get Bateson to down plate that trailer from 1700 to 1400 and find a towing vehicle with a max plated GVW of 2100 and you are sorted for B towing

Depending what sort of terrain you need to tow on you might get away with a basic saloon car - perhaps something like this which has 4x4 as well !!
http://carleasingmadesimple.com/bus...octavia-diesel-estate_3/60610/technical-data/

with that car you could have a trailer plated at 1500 !!

 

[milo'n'molly]

Thanks for the reply, that's very informative. I just looked at the trailer you mentioned and found this on their website...

Holders of new licences can upgrade to tow larger trailers by taking another test, B+E for trailers or a better option would be a C1 licence for 7.5 tonne vehicles which would allow them to use trailers up to 3500 kg behind suitable vehicles or 750 kg behind a 7.5 tonne vehicle.

I have my C and C1 licence, does this make a difference to car choice? The car really is OHs choice but I can give him figures the car must meet.

I would be willing to take my towing test if it made for a safer/smoother ride for the horse and less wear on the car.

 

[wench]

I think you need a c+e to tow a trailer behind a car (assuming that's not a c1 licence if course!)

 

[ROG]

Having a LGV C1 or C does not give the B a +E
Having C1+E or C+E would give a free for life B+E

Having LGV makes no difference to car choice

The B towing option would save doing another test

If OH has had B+E for over 3 years and is over 21 then OH can supervise you as a B+E learner - you will have that provisional on your licence - paper part

Going out once a week on average and then using the vehicle for commuting etc really needs thinking about as most journeys will be non towing

Keeping a trailer redundant is very little cost but keeping a vehicle redundant is wasteful

 

[milo'n'molly]

Having a LGV C1 or C does not give the B a +E
Having C1+E or C+E would give a free for life B+E

Having LGV makes no difference to car choice

The B towing option would save doing another test

If OH has had B+E for over 3 years and is over 21 then OH can supervise you as a B+E learner - you will have that provisional on your licence - paper part

Going out once a week on average and then using the vehicle for commuting etc really needs thinking about as most journeys will be non towing

Keeping a trailer redundant is very little cost but keeping a vehicle redundant is wasteful

That's what I thought but it was just I found this statement on the trailers website. Yes, my oh is old and yes he can tow but I have less than 0% chance to get him to come out with me on a regular basis.
The waste of a vehicle is the reason I am looking at trailers rather than wagons. I have a company vehicle for commuting to/from work and we still plan to keep a small car for his commuting/general run around but the small car won't tow anything and we struggle to get all the camping gear so was hoping to kill 2 birds with one stone by getting one that I can tow with too

 

[EveningStar]

I think depending on what kind of mileage you do in your everday life you are probably better off with a trailer as like Rog says its much easier & cheaper to keep a trailer idle than a lorry. I have a Hyundai Sante Fe which is fabulous for towing, especially for towing a lighter load like you will be and it is great on diesel when not towing

 

[siennamiller]

I was told you can't tow with a sportage, so I got a kia sorento, which I love. It rows really well, and is nice to drive as well.
I love my trailer, it is so easy on my own, can do ramps really easily etc.
depends how your horse is tho, my mare is brill to load etc, and stands really calmly on a long lead rope, while I faff about.
Also, you don't have the costs involved with a lorry, no plating/mot/tax, the trailer was £54 to insure.

 

[ROG]

You need a car like the one I suggested - 4x4 model if necessary

 

[milo'n'molly]

Well went to see the skoda you suggested, only when we got there I had forgot to check and it wasn't the 4x4 variety, back to do some more searching

 

[jess_asterix]

I tow an Ifor 511 with a Land Rover Discovery, having never driven a trailer always a lorry it is a very good drive and very sturdy. I only use my trailer for hunting but I love it for shorter journeys.

Top tip is to keep all your things in a couple of storage boxes for easy transport to a from car.

 

[Dusty85]

Hey... Thought Id give my two pence worth too!

I have a Landrover Freelander 2, I towed an ifor W 511 (the big trailer) with a 600Kg TB over most of the south east without any issues at all.
Its fine to drive, feels heavy enough, manages hills etc and fairly economical. That said I really don't like towing and would love to get a little 3.5T box. I only really tow with one horse in the back so the payload wouldn't be too much of a problem. however, I do agree with what others have said regarding having it sit with no use for periods of time etc.

Packing for competitions can sometimes be a bit of a squeeze in the back of the car, (I have a dog too!) but I had a tack locker in the nose of trailer for buckets and water and saddles so that was a great help.

Whatever you end up with Im sure it will be fine!!! (and most importantly you'll be out and about either way!) xxx

 

[fawaz]

Trailer every time! You only need the one car then which will be cheaper to run, service, register etc. The purchase price will be much cheaper for a car and float compared to a truck with comparable features.

I love my float!

 

[TopTotty]

LORRY! I would never travel my horses in a trailer. Having witnessed an accident many years ago where a trailer carrying two horses, on a straight road, had flipped round and over onto it's roof I swore to myself I would never put my horses at such risk. The horses in the trailer had just started to have a bit of a barney in the back, the trailer stared weaving and hey presto that was that!! Horses with their legs through the roof! Not good

There are two incidents on Facebook just today where the trailers have flipped.

I have always said that if I can't afford my lorry I would rather stop competing that use a trailer. I love my horses too much to ask them to go in a trailer for me only to put their lives at risk

I know this is not what people want to hear and I'm sorry if I have offended anyone and this is just my opinion......but you did ask

 

[milo'n'molly]

LORRY! I would never travel my horses in a trailer. Having witnessed an accident many years ago where a trailer carrying two horses, on a straight road, had flipped round and over onto it's roof I swore to myself I would never put my horses at such risk. The horses in the trailer had just started to have a bit of a barney in the back, the trailer stared weaving and hey presto that was that!! Horses with their legs through the roof! Not good

There are two incidents on Facebook just today where the trailers have flipped.

I have always said that if I can't afford my lorry I would rather stop competing that use a trailer. I love my horses too much to ask them to go in a trailer for me only to put their lives at risk

I know this is not what people want to hear and I'm sorry if I have offended anyone and this is just my opinion......but you did ask

This is a concern, I have never travelled one in a trailer as I have always used lorry and trailers do look that bit more precarious but I figured people use trailers all the time so can't be that bad

 

[anna22]

I have just sold my lovely Equi Trek Star treka ... IMO it is a halfway house! But you would certainly need your B+E test, it is 1600kg unladen. Offers the space without the tax/mot etc.
The 3 axels make it that much more stable and safe on the road. And the horses love travelling backwards!

 

[Mavis007]

I am another who used to tow a trailer (and had clutches go towing with 2 consecutive Freelanders...) but having seen horrendous trailer accidents will never put my horse in a trailer again. I love my 7.5t lorry, it's so nice to drive and I have "lorry kit" so I don't need to forget to pack things. I can get changed in the warm and dry. It is clearly more expensive than a trailer so guess it depends how vital a consideration this is.

 

[Tangaroo]

I towed a trailer for years up until about 6 yrs ago when i bought a horse who hated a trailer. I changed to a 7.5t lorry and havent looked back. It is cheaper for me to run my lorry and a toyota yaris than for me to have a 4x4 for everyday use with a trailer. ( I do a lot of mileage for work)
I do mainly travel just one horse but at least have the option to take another one or two if i wanted to.
My friend changed from lorry to trailer and was fine for a couple of years but then one day the trailer flipped over for no apparent reason ejecting both horses from it on the road.
She will never tow a trailer again and i have to say i am very reluctant to.