Vauxhall Movano - do horses travel well in them?

meesha

meesha

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Sorry same old thread again ........ I currently have an equitrek space trekka M and BMW x5 but my fuel bill and wear and tear on the vehicle is ridiculous (I am doing alot of work miles in the BMW) - thinking of changing to a small lorry and maybe an economical Audi A2 - I can drive up to 7.5 tonne on my licence but the turn into my yard means I need a shorter vehicle and also my chap travels really well in the equitrek which is facing backwards for travelling - he has been a bad loader in the past (bad experience in transit lorry which was high up and also not great with Ifor 505) so want to keep him travelling backwards if poss.

Before I get carried away - has anyones horse NOT travelled well in the movano type conversions ? they look quite small but he is only 16h and would be travelling on his own most of the time (he isnt worried about enclosed spaces as loves to try and get in my 12x6 tack room !!). I do sometimes take a friend but would have to weighbridge lorry to see if this is still viable - I think I may get away with it if friend drives herself water and haylage/saddles to ride as her horse is around 500 and miine 600 and payload seems to be average of 1250 in them which leaves enough for me and fuel but this may all be irrelevant soon as she is getting own transport.

Would offer mars bar but have just scoffed the last one !! cup of tea on offer though !
 
Horses generally travel very well in them, and load well cos of the low ramp. We only couldn't have one as the low floor wouldn't get over our rutted access track. (NB they are low as they are front wheel drive, nothing driving back wheels means the floor can be nice and low, but do bear in mind they can ground on uneven ground and also aren't as good at getting out of muddy or slippery parking eg on grass)

However I don't think you could carry your friends horse and remain underweight as the stated payload is normally calculated before a lot of the fittings in horse boxes are put in, with empty fuel tank and no people and no tack. Pretty sure it would be overweight therefore in real life. This is the case for pretty much all 3.5ts, they can carry a horse and a small pony but not two horses.
 
Yes ,providing the driver drives well. Only snag is that because they are so easy to drive its possible to throw it about too much.
 
Thanks guys, bit of a shock - just rang NFU for a quote on insurance for a movano based on purchase price of £6500 and it is £539 a year!!!!!! I do have one accident and 3 points though although accident nearly 5 years ago ! I am late 30s so bit suprised at how dear the quote was - even with full no claims it only comes down to £430 !!

Just looking at all the options at the minute but I do like the movano types although my equitrek is one of the few which has no problems and is fairly well made so reluctant to get rid !!

The other option is to get a difference 4x4 or get a second car..... ahhhh its never simple !

I think it would be a struggle to get a second horse in it ! so that is another consideration !
 
Breathe on the insurance....

I've got an 08 V.Movano built by racemaster & insure with KBIS at about £230 fully comp.
Unladen weight (on weighbridge with me & half tank fuel) is just over 1200kg.

I've carted quite a few of mine & some friends this winter, biggest was a very substantial 16.2 (and I mean substantial - she was a very long/wide/tall/fat mare! :D ) and she fitted in well with room :)
Only one didn't travel well, but that was the pony and not the box (I hope!) but even she settled the 2nd time & the final time was a right pro.

The V.Movano & Renault Master prob give the best rides as are low & therefore more stable.

Happy shopping :)

to add: have taken 2, but 1 was a pony. Would rather the box is just for 1 horse & 1 small pony tho :)
 
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aha !! thank you fuzzy furry !! did think it was overkill on the quote !! have just requested quote from KBIS - they only look at accidents in last 3 years so that should help too !!
 
Mike007 said:
Yes ,providing the driver drives well. Only snag is that because they are so easy to drive its possible to throw it about too much.
Click to expand...

I whizz this up & down motorways & it holds the roads well on cornering. Am not Damon Hill ;) but I do have to change my brain over when I then have a horse/pony on board as its easy to get carried away in this little box, particularly after driving lumbering HGV boxes for years...........
 
My 17.1 middleweight loves travelling in my Renault Master (similar dimensions to Vauxhall Movano). Mind you, he squeezed himself into a IW505 once because he just likes to travel! But generally its easy for the horses, easy for the driver. Although they're still a reasonably long vehicle to turn. My insurance is just over £200 a year as well.
 
all looking promising - just waiting for quote from KBIS.

Anything to watch out for when buying one (movano or master) - thinking £6500 should get me something reasonable !
 
Definitely get a few quotes for insurance, I found NFU far higher than anyone else (I have had a minor accident but no points). I absolutely love mine, pony travels well, just drove from Hull to Northumberland for camp last weekend on my own and it was fab up and down all the hills once we left the motorway.
 
I have one, my horse hates travelling but seems to like this box. I'm insured with shearwater and also have breakdown cover and it was £340.
I'm sure you will, but please check the bulkhead of any box you look at...it should be reinforced Steele or have steel bars there. I brought mine home only to find that the previous owners had been carting two horses around with only 2 thin bits of ply separating them from the horse... Luckily they never broke hard or they could have had two horses on their laps!!! Another thing is that whiles its understandable that you want to go for the lightest box, I've heard a few cases where the lightness has been achieved because the interior wood, strengthening etc has been flimsy and not really safe. Ive also put a wall up between horses head and grooms area but just because my horse would try to go over if she thought she could! Good luck in your search, there's plenty of good ones out there :-)
 
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