Travelling advice ( Renault master van)

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dilbert

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Firstly, apologies from another thread from me re: Horseboxes. I'm a worrier and I value the advice on HHO!!

Anyway,

Renault Mater van has full length partitions but they are only to roughly wither height. As yet there is only a chest height wall thing between the horse area and the wee grooms area.

I have enough payload to travel too native pony types however I'm extremely nervous about traveling my pony so close to another pony that he doesn't know so well especially when there will be hs nets involved. Is there anything I can do to help make this as pain free as possible?

Obviously full height partitions and anti weave grill additions would help but these might need a wee bit of saving for.

Thanks :)
 
The worries that you express are somewhat strange if you consider the conditions that exist in a trailer or in a proper lorry. Certainly my partitions are only wither height to my big nags and I can assure you that mine is a very well built lorry.

The worries I would have with yours is that the ramp doesn't shut properly:eek: and that from your description it would sound to be very much built with regard to price not safety. Did you get someone who knows horseboxes to check it over before you bought it?

So, in a decent conversion I would not be worrying about travelling two ponies close together, I do it all the time, even when they don't know each other. I would be worrying whether yours is safe though.
 
Thanks Dee :)

When I mentioned that the ramp doesn't shut properly that description is based on me being a super worrier and not being explaining things properly perhaps. Im also not very good with anything that involves using my fingers so zips, buckles, catches etc seem to pose me no end lf problems. Its actually a really good little box, it was a good price due to the couple of MOT issues which I've discussed with a couple of different mechanics.
 
My concerns about te partition height etc is based on a few comments I'd read about horses sometimes clambering over them, again should have explained properly :)
 
I can confirm that Dilbert is super worrier of the year. She isn't known as TW (the worrier) for nothing.
Trying to spot any areas that could just possibly cause problems is to be commended in my opinion.
 
Unless either horse is known to be particularly vicious I shouldn't worry. I've travelled both my boys with horses they've not so much seen before let alone touched noses and never had any problems. I used to have a renault master 3.5t and even with 2 (within weight limits) they travelled great!! xxx
 
I've travelled 2 in mine with no problems a few times. Ok they haven't been entirely strangers, but they weren't field mates either if that makes sense?

Probably sensible to let them have a sniff and squeal etc outside the box before you load them, that way any initial silly behaviour won't be in an enclosed space.

As long as you haven't got a horse that's a complete baggage or a real bully I haven't found bickering to be a problem once loaded, give them both a haynet and tie them relatively short.

As for breast bar paranoia, well if horses are going to do something stupid they'll do it whatever and however you try to travel them. I've even seen a horse end up on the other side of the partition facing the back in an Ifor Williams trailer, don't ask how it managed it because I have no idea! I've seen and heard about problems with every type of lorry and trailer and I really don't think the Master vans deserve the bad press they receive. The breast bar issue was more in the coach built type that only have a small jockey door at the back, so if a horse does come over the bar there is no way to get them out easily. Newer coachbuilds have wider doors and the van conversions have double back doors, so no worse a problem than in a trailer imo.
 
Thank you :)

It's likely that it would in only be one horse travelling with Frank ( I'll not count his best bud as that shouldn't be an issue) and they know each other well ( hack out together and are stabled opposite) . I'll put them next to each other in their stables for a bit too for a bit of extra exposure :) and we can practise loading them together lots before we even drive anywhere.

I just like lots of reassurance lol.
 
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