| Author | Message | ||
     Gillian Booth Member Username: Borderreiver Post Number: 3 Registered: 07-2012 |
Thanks for all the helpful comments. I need to explore possibilities. I do actually have the old license and had a big Merc wagon once, just want to make life easier and more economical too. | ||
| Marilyn Harding Member Username: Geronimo Post Number: 16 Registered: 07-2007 |
Careful again without a HGV rigid old class 2licence you can only tow up to 750 kg. | ||
| Wendy Peckham Member Username: Wendyp Post Number: 29 Registered: 07-2007 |
Hi Gillian. We drive a 3.5ton Merc and divided the back into three; front part (nearest cab) for living, middle part for carriage (sideways on) and rear part for the horse to travel sideways (we had a 15.1hh Clydesdale x cob and now a 15.0hh Welsh D). My partner is well up on weights etc and as long as we don't carry water on the lorry we are ok. Keep the trailer - we tow ours and put all the horse's gear into it, including six 6' long railings which form a paddock (using the lorry as the fourth side). One tip - look for something with a motorised ramp; ours goes flat on the ground and we just roll the carriage on, lift the ramp and roll it into the lorry (easy-peasy - you should see the looks of envy we get at events!). The ramp also drops down as a slope for loading horse (we added doors at the back so we can drop the ramp but horse can't get out). Have fun looking! | ||
| Gillian Booth Member Username: Borderreiver Post Number: 2 Registered: 07-2012 |
Thank you Martyn for your detailed reply. I do understand about those technical aspects to a certain extent. At present I have only my trailer, (having sold an old lorry after kids left home), my pony in training and no need to transport a vehicle. This is the reason for exploring options for the future! I don't see myself as competitive, though thoroughly enjoyed my practise day at Escrick doing cones and dressage. But I would like to be able to transport my eventual turn out to drive in quiet places perhaps. What is the best option do you think? | ||
| Martyn Willis Member Username: Martynw Post Number: 31 Registered: 02-2007 |
Gillian, Not knowing the internal build of your vehicle I think the first thing to understand is what is the weight of the horsebox in an empty (bare) or tare condition with a full fuel tank and the driver. Once you have weighed it both as a whole and individual axles. Take the total weight away from the gross vehicle weight (gvw) (this can be found on a data plate either in the cab or engine bay).this will tell you how much you can weight you can put in. Knowing a 3.5t transit crew cab drop side has a tare weight of circa 2.5 tonnes this would make a 14.2 horse, carriage, harness feed, water a challenge. The other key thing to remember is to ensure you do not exceed the maximum weight you can load on any axle. I'm sorry if this seems complicated and over the top but VOSA are becoming more interested in horseboxes. | ||
| Gillian Booth Member Username: Borderreiver Post Number: 1 Registered: 07-2012 |
Is it possible for a small box eg 3.5 t to be arranged to carry a pony (14h) and carriage? If anyone knows of possibilities or layouts I am interested! Thank you. |