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Post by stanfin on Feb 24, 2015 19:12:37 GMT
Hi, so i'm downsizing from a 7.5 tonne to 3.5. huswband drives the 7.5 tonne and moans when I want to go more than 50 miles, so I want to leave him at home and go myself!! I would like basic living but obviously have room for two large cobs. I've been told I will be overweight and that maybe overweight with one cob in, I am also worried about them travelling facing backwards. What experience/advice have you guys of these boxes. Cheers
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kirky
Full Member
Posts: 238
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Post by kirky on Feb 24, 2015 19:28:10 GMT
Horses seem to like traveling backwards so don't think that would be too much of a concern, however you need to be very careful regarding weight and make sure when you purchase a vehicle you have a certificate that gives you the unladen weight so you know exactly what you can carry. Two large cobs may take you over this with tack etc. You could look at a 4.5 tonne or even a 6 tonne of similar size/style. Better to be legal/safe than sorry.
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Post by Louise Dixon on Feb 24, 2015 19:42:19 GMT
Agree, you are better with a bigger lorry. I do have a 3.5t now, it is grand for the children's ponies, but the one I had before was one of the lightest I had ever come across, no living at all, and with two very lean and fit highlands I could only take 2 saddles and 2 bridles, no hay, water or anything like that. I really can't see how you'll find anything with living that could carry two cobs legally. Sorry to be depressing! Re the backwards bit, I now travel my highlands in the stock wagon loose, partitioned with cattle gates, and they can stand how they choose - they all choose to be just about backwards, maybe on a slight diagonal with their bum to the centre of the road and head to the verge, but definitely prefer backwards to forwards.
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Post by Louise Dixon on Feb 24, 2015 19:44:07 GMT
Also, when considering weight, don't forget that you have to account for the weight of the passengers, the fuel etc. which all adds up quickly, as well as the weight of the horses and their kit.
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Post by rider123 on Feb 24, 2015 22:49:14 GMT
Travelling backwards is thought to be the best way to travel them at the moment in case of harsh breaking the tendons move in a more natural way. How ever even with no living in you would be over weight with 2 cobs in. The standard payload is 1200kg, these tend to have a little tack locker and a bench. My 15hh hunter weighs 600kg, so will only travel him in mine on his own because you've got tack, passengers, water and everything else to consider. There are upgraded 4.5 tonne wagons you can buy that are a similar shape to the 3.5.
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Post by stanfin on Feb 25, 2015 7:53:47 GMT
Thanks for everyone's advice, being overweight never even occurred to me, need to have a think about this one, hubby adamant that were having a 3.5 tonne so will have to go with the flow and just travel one horse and even that may be overweight with the additional weight, going to see a manufacturer to see if they can make any adjustments to a new one but I do have a budget!!!!
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Post by pipandwill on Feb 25, 2015 7:58:40 GMT
We use a 3.5 occssionally, all mine seem to hate being backwards. I find that there is chance to move the partition so they have to much room to move around and wobble. So imo they travel better in a 7.5
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ROG
Junior Member
Posts: 170
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Post by ROG on Feb 25, 2015 10:04:56 GMT
3.5s are more expensive than those over that GVW because less and less drivers have the free C1 on their licence
If poss go for a 4.5 to 6.0 tonner van
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iconhorseboxes
Newbie
ICON Horseboxes - Builders of Quality Horseboxes at affordable prices
Posts: 17
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Post by iconhorseboxes on Feb 25, 2015 20:39:15 GMT
If you have the licence to go for something over 3.5tn but just don't like driving the bigger vehicle have you thought of the 6.5tn build. You can get some great payloads and they will give you more options in the living there are just not that many of them out there
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Post by jayandpodge on Feb 25, 2015 22:42:33 GMT
When I had little ponies my 3.5t was fab, but when I moved to horses it was no good for us. We always had the worry of the weight and if we were going to a show further distance could only take one along side everything we needed for the day to be the correct weight. However imo mine always traveled better in a 3.5t
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Post by dogandbone on Feb 27, 2015 18:33:05 GMT
Can I ask why you don't drive the 7.5 ton if you have one already?
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Post by fanfarefan on Feb 27, 2015 18:56:32 GMT
we have just sold a 3.5t , and it would only take one horse !!!!! , and i have to say that most of ours that travelled in it didnt like travelling backwards ,,, they much prefered the trailer !!!! ,,, the living was minute ,,, and with them facing backwards and haynets , everything got covered !!! ,,, as above can you learn to drive your 7.5t
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Feb 27, 2015 19:02:20 GMT
Must admit I've always found mine preferred travelling backwards. In the days when I took mare and foal loose together to be covered the mares always turned themselves round in the trailer to travel facing backwards.
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Post by comanchediva on Feb 27, 2015 20:57:51 GMT
None of our boys were at all bothered when we changed from herringbone in the 7.5 tonne to backwards in the 3.5 tonne. Ours has a full wall in front of them, much safer for them and keeps the living separate from the ponies so nice clean living.
But I agree with others that you'll struggle weight wise with cobs in a 3.5 tonne.
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Post by normin09 on Feb 27, 2015 23:26:35 GMT
I have a new 3.5t and the payload is 1150kg. Payloads tend to be weighed without partitions etc in so you have to take that into account...plus half or full tank of diesel, weight of people, tack etc. So with 2 big cobs, you will be overweight. You could upgrade it to a 3.9t or 4t but that means you need a license and if you already have a 7.5t, you may as well stick with it.
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Post by Guestless on Feb 28, 2015 0:16:20 GMT
You will be very unlikely to find a 3.5t with decent living that can take ONE cob never mind two. Definitely better to look at something a bit bigger - we did have a 6t that had enough living for us to stay away and a good enough payload to take two large horses and it definitely had better fuel economy than our current 7.5t. There is a website that specialises in 3.5t that take 2 legally www.traveltwohorseboxes.com/currentstock.htm
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Post by judyh on Feb 28, 2015 6:40:24 GMT
I recently looked at a 3.5 tonne with a twin axle. We weighed it with my lightweight 15hh cob in it just him in rugs and it was overweight . No driver or passengers.
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Post by kayleigh on Feb 28, 2015 8:10:42 GMT
I have a 3.5t, one major thing to consider is having grills or a solid wall in front of horse rather than a breast bar. My mare was always a good traveller, went in my lorry at least once a week and was always used to being left stood on the lorry at shows then all of a sudden one day she jumped over the breast bar, she was stuck with her stifles on the breast bar for a while, then struggled and went all the way over into the grooms area, at that point I was hysterical as she was on her side thrashing around in the tiny space, and someone on the show ground led me away so I couldn't see. My friend stayed with her and luckily had the help of a retired vet. The next thing I knew she was out. She'd managed to stand herself up and they had led her out the tiny back door. Luckily she escaped with a few grazes and one cut on her fetlock that needed staples, was honestly the most terrifying experience, I was convinced she was going to kill herself. I've since had grills welded in so there's no chance of it happening again, but obviously the grills have added more weight!! Wouldn't put anything in a lorry without them though no matter how well I knew the horse
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