Transporting Hay in Horse Lorry

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*Spider*

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I'm taking my boy back home from uni to Essex this Saturday.
As the hay is SOOOO much cheaper I'm going to see if I can take around 15-20 bales back. Is it okay to transport them in the lorry with Obie?
The lorry ramp is on the side, so Obie will have to load first so make sure he's on the right, but is there any chance that Obie can load on the left as the weight can counteract?
 
I personally wouldn't want to be stacking hay bales in front of your only exit but then the weight is an issue :confused: It's obviously not right but I would probably put mine on the left and take the risk
 
I would not do it as it is an accident waiting to happen.

You need to firstly check that you do not go overweight.

The hay needs to be stacked very carefully to ensure that neither of the axels are overloaded or that you are not to heavy on one side.

Also you need to ensure that if you have to brake suddenly or hit something that the hay can not move and crush your horse.

It will be easy for the police to spot if you are loaded unevenly as your suspension will be down on one side or on the front and rear.
 
I'd put hay in first, make sure it's secure, then put horse in. Those 3.5 lorries are quite well balanced so I wouldn't think it would be a problem. Do put something underneath the hay though in case he stales and it runs under the bales - layer of straw or woodchips perhaps :)
 
I very much doubt you will have enough weight to play with. How big is your horse and how much does he weigh? also what make and model is the lorry?
 
Just because it can take two 17hh horses does not mean you have the weight to take two 17hh horses.

For example, my 3.5t lorry has a payload of 1,250kg, which is high for 3.5ts. Genie weighs just under 550kg, so I then have 700kg left. Add fuel, tack, equipment, me, dog, etc, and I do not have enough weight for a second horse.

That is the issue with weight.
 
*Spider* said:
3.5T lorry - horse is 16.2hh weighs around 600kg.
Take two 17hh horses so not sure what the big issue with weight is about?
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so what is the payload? you may very well be able to 'fit' 2 x 17hh horses, I can fit 2 x 18hh horses in mine, however there is only enough payload for me to have one horse in with fuel, me, tack, water, passenger and a haynet.

These lorries are called 3.5 tonne for a reason, their maximum weight limit full is not allowed to go above 3.5 tonnes, on average the lorry will weight alone about 2250kgs, older lorries sometimes more. So you add in driver, full tank of fuel, tack, water, horse and there isn't a lot of free weight left.

They have a weight limit for a reason - safety!

Just as an example, a friend hired a 3.5 tonne lorry to take her horse back to uni, he is only a 500kilo TB, she took him, his rugs, a few feed bins - nearly empty, tack, her clothes etc she had at at uni, mucking out tools, tank of water as it was a long drive, she was pulled over and guess what? she was over the weight limit.

I am so surprised that people seem to think that as a lorry is advertised to carry 2 horses in it, that they have no idea what 3.5 tonne stands for - very scary!
 
lochpearl said:
so what is the payload? you may very well be able to 'fit' 2 x 17hh horses, I can fit 2 x 18hh horses in mine, however there is only enough payload for me to have one horse in with fuel, me, tack, water, passenger and a haynet.

These lorries are called 3.5 tonne for a reason, their maximum weight limit full is not allowed to go above 3.5 tonnes, on average the lorry will weight alone about 2250kgs, older lorries sometimes more. So you add in driver, full tank of fuel, tack, water, horse and there isn't a lot of free weight left.

They have a weight limit for a reason - safety!

Just as an example, a friend hired a 3.5 tonne lorry to take her horse back to uni, he is only a 500kilo TB, she took him, his rugs, a few feed bins - nearly empty, tack, her clothes etc she had at at uni, mucking out tools, tank of water as it was a long drive, she was pulled over and guess what? she was over the weight limit.

I am so surprised that people seem to think that as a lorry is advertised to carry 2 horses in it, that they have no idea what 3.5 tonne stands for - very scary!
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Exactly why I bought a 6.5t 2 horse lorry and am about to fork out for my LGV test.

Used to have a 3,5t that I could drive on my car license but when I started to want to take 2 ponies it couldn't take the weight of my NF and my Connemara.

I'd say with horse, fuel, water etc you probably don't have much weight left for hay.
 
There should be a plate on the lorry somewhere that tells you what the laden and unladen weights are for your lorry. You need to be careful with this and also with the stacking of the bales to make sure they do not fall over the top of the divider onto your horse.

Take a good look around the outside of the lorry or ask you dad - he should know what to look for. I expect that if it is a newish lorry that you will be fine. When I moved my mare I moved a whole load of rubber mats and tack and rugs and stuff at the same time and the hired professional driver did not blink. We also put the mare on first and stuff on after - side loader.

I always find it a bit of a shame when someone asks for help and gets sarcastic remarks back... surprise surprise same person every time.
 
When you see the way some of these international showjumpers load their lorries up with food and haylage you will see there is no problem in taking it with you in the spare space HOWEVER do check your weight limit. The hay / haylage will need to be at least equal to the weight of the horse if you are going to put horse on the left and hay on the right in order to balance the lorry safely. To do it any other way would be dangerous.
 
I have a 3.5 ton horsebox and regularly take both my horses out in it. However, the lorry has a payload of 1200kgs and although my two together weigh between 750 and 800 kg depending on how fit/lardy they are it's amazing how quickly you can use up the extra weight capacity (haylage/water/tack/another person etc).

I personally wouldn't want to carry a loose load like hay bales in with my horse however well lashed down it was but if I had to I would definitely have the horse next to the ramp in case a quick exit was needed. I would be less concerned about lateral weight distribution as carrying one horse on its own is pretty diabolical in that respect.
 
stimpy said:
I would be less concerned about lateral weight distribution as carrying one horse on its own is pretty diabolical in that respect.
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Actually, thinking about it this only applies if your lorry has the horses facing forward or back rather than herringbone (mine does that's why I was thinking about it).
 
Equus Leather said:
Stimpy, you say yours has a payload of 1200, yet you travel 2 x 700-800 horses in your 3.5T.....surely this takes you WELL over the limit, not including all your stuff and diesel and people?
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No, my two weigh 750-800kg *together*. Sorry if I wasn't clear, as you say putting approx 1600kg of horseflesh into a lorry with a payload of 1200kg would be madness.
 
Aside from the weight issue, I dont think you will be saving much in transporting 15 bales such a long way, unless the hay was basically free! Probably a couple of pounds per bale, and then you have to allow for the extra fuel in carrying the extra weight plus lugging it all around.
 
Even if you have the GVW you need I agree with the previous posters that any money you save on the hay will be lost with the extra diesel you will use. Also will your horse not try to eat the hay whilst you are on the move???????......... a possible accident in the making...
 
nativetyponies said:
look you, get off my case..

my reply was not sarcastic..the OP obviously hasnt a clue about weights or she wouldn't have said what she did..hence IMO, and legally, she should...It is not only illegal, it is downright dangerous..as for the "lorry" that picked up your kit..and taking into consideration your calling a Van a Lorry..probably a 6.5T

a 3.5T van is NOT and never will be, a LORRY, so doesn't and wont have a plate..so you should get your facts right before giving bad advice.

as you were (back on UI)
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Amazing Naivety Ponies that you knew it was you .... I have absolutely no idea what on earth you are waffling on about with vans and lorries and am pretty sure you don't either. I have only ever travelled my mare in a trailer or a L O R R Y - you know large, seperate cab, doesn't have I C E C R E A M on the side. Why don't you try being N I C E and then perhaps you wouldn't get so angry all the time. Constructive assistance is the suggestion not sarcastic, unconstructive comments and silly angry icons. No holidays here - you must be getting quite a tan though.....
 
Anyhow... back to the OP....

As I and others have said, OP, I would be very surprised if you did not go overweight with hay bales, horse, kit, fuel, you etc. Let's say the bales are approx 25kg each, if you take 15 bales then that's 375kg gone. Plus your horse at approx 600kg... let's round that up to 1,000kg (I always overestimate weights - better to be safe than sorry!). That leaves you a maximum really of 200kg for you, all equipment, fuel, etc. Not much at all.
 
I have a 3.5t np, I have to!!! :D Having said that, I do refer to it as a lorry when I say things like 'gotta put everything in the lorry' as it just makes it easier for everyone to understand!!
 
You should be fine stacking them on the right, put a layer of shavings and a tarpaulin on the floor and then stack them brick like so that they are all overlapping each other to make them more secure. Their weight should even out the overall weight on the truck. Make sure they are all tied together and secured to the wall. Ideally use a really large tarpaulin so that you can bring it up the side of the hay nearest the horse so it can't be peed on.
 
nativetyponies said:
mcnobody

so why, if i can say this slowly so you can keep up, give advice about a LORRY..with talk of plates and weights when the OP has a 3.5T van?

and you say i'm not constructive?

as for holidays...been back a while now, and its fading..i'll have a quick word with TFC ..see if i can sneak a few days over new year
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Any not an angry icon in sight - we are learning .... um, I could do with a tan -
 
Oh dear, not sure why people have got so angry at this. I'm not an expert on lorries/vans/boxes whatever you want to call them and guess what, this is why I came on here asking for advice. Isn't this what this forum is for?
My father is the driver of the lorry and we'll carefully check how many bales we can get on.
Here it's £3.50 for a bale, and at home it's around the £7 mark. Hay is absolutely beautiful as well.
 
Just ignore np and mcnaughty, they bicker all the time ;)

I hope all goes well, but please please PLEASE be careful with the weights, you'll be surprised how quickly your payload gets used up, especially in a 3.5t! I believe it's a rather hefty fine for being found to be overweight, not to mention the safety implications. If it's a newish lorry then you should have 1.1 - 1.2t to play with, half of which is your horse, and then fuel, passengers, kitchen sink, etc!!!

:)

P.S. I do not advocate taking the kitchen sink.... that would just be silly and plumbing could be awkward. ;)
 
pantomimetime said:
Just ignore np and mcnaughty, they bicker all the time ;)

I hope all goes well, but please please PLEASE be careful with the weights, you'll be surprised how quickly your payload gets used up, especially in a 3.5t! I believe it's a rather hefty fine for being found to be overweight, not to mention the safety implications. If it's a newish lorry then you should have 1.1 - 1.2t to play with, half of which is your horse, and then fuel, passengers, kitchen sink, etc!!!

:)

P.S. I do not advocate taking the kitchen sink.... that would just be silly and plumbing could be awkward. ;)
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Thanks for your helpful reply. I'll order 12 maybe and see if my parents can bring the 4x4 just in case and I can fit a bale or two in my car! Didn't order just incase it was a total no no. I'll take all my stuff back in my car too so that'll be less weight.
Lorry (oops van? lol) is brand new :)
 
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