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arabiangem
Bronze Member
England
112 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Apr 2012 : 7:37:02 PM
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Was looking into perhaps getting one of these for my young arab. Wondered if anyone has any experience of these and if so any tips in design for a small person on their own travelling one young inexperienced arab! I will of course be getting him used to it going in and out and then short journeys etc before venturing out on our own!! Heard of Foxy Twin Horseboxes are quite good = has anyone got one of these? Another question - are coachbuilt ones really much better/safer than the converted vans!? Many thanks
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rosie
Platinum Member
England
3662 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2012 : 8:22:27 PM
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I bought one in December and love it. Easier for me than messing about hitching up a trailer and feel confident enough going on my own anywhere.
Just be careful as there is loads of rubbish on the market - I was looking for nearly a year before I got what I wanted!
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Last picture courtesy of Sweet Photography |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2012 : 8:24:08 PM
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Don't want to put you off but please read this thread
http://www.arabianlines.com/forum1/topic_new.asp?TOPIC_ID=44333&
If you do a search on here you will find a number of threads about 3.5 tonne boxes.
There are some lovely small boxes out there, but there are some dodgy ones too. If you buy a conversion then make sure it is built by a reputable company.
Personally I don't like the ones which have a door which is a flap that lifts upwards above the ramp as it would be far to easy for the horse to hit his head on it and decide not to go in,I also like a nice shallow ramp.
Our 3.5 tonne box was purpose built from new, and the only thing I don't like about it is that the cab is seperate to the horses so that you can't talk to them in transit, but then you can't if you are towing a trailer either. The horses travel backwards in ours, and seem very happy - their bottoms take the strain when you brake. I have used it to go to Tesco when my car was being repaired  |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
Edited by - Callisto on 17 Apr 2012 8:28:57 PM |
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arabiangem
Bronze Member
England
112 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2012 : 8:32:02 PM
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Thanks. Had a look on the old thread before - very helpfull and horrible thought of horse going over breast bar which is why I'm going to go for one with a collapsable breast bar and a completely seperated seperate grooms area. In theory just like the Ifor williams trailer and the car is the grooms area! Agree, I only want to buy either word of mouth or well known trade...a bit like my arabs but the trade is the breeder!!
Where did you get yours from Linda as I'm sussex too. |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2012 : 8:36:06 PM
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| I will pm you |
Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2012 : 9:11:08 PM
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| I am on my third one, the latest one i have now only has a breastbar that you can take out, also has a full wall in front so they are less likely to want to jump over as nothing to see. I love mine its very easy to drive and uses less diesel than my car , i travel horses from day old upwards in it and everybody loads great, i use mine every week sometimes twice a day as thats how i get them to our big fields. Callisto i have a camera in mine so i can watch them to make sure they are ok. I can easily load my two yearlings on my own , also load mare and foal on my own , mine has a full ramp so don,t need to worry about top doors, in my previous ones i have had a problem with the top doors, both different makes but had same problem so this time went with a full ramp. |
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arabiangem
Bronze Member
England
112 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2012 : 9:40:43 PM
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| sab2 - thanks for all that. Yes this is just the design that I have finally decided I will go for as it is the safest (in my opinion) option for me and my horse. Interested to know what probs you had with the top door. I can't lift one that is completely full, and so am going for a split one with barn type doors rather than the top lid type one. |
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rosie
Platinum Member
England
3662 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2012 : 9:47:31 PM
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Mine is one with the door and flap above and not had any problems.
Problem with these 'removable' breastbars though is that people forget that if the horse tries to jump over the bar, then with half a ton of horse on the bar its not easy removable?
Ours is solid to breastbar height,and quite high, and as we tie the horses up reasonably short then I can't see how they could get over (hopefully?).
We also have cctv, which I have on ALL the time when travelling so can quickly spot if anything is wrong.
Ours came form 'Alexanders'. |
Last picture courtesy of Sweet Photography |
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arabiangem
Bronze Member
England
112 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2012 : 10:28:03 PM
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| Rosie - If your horsebox came from Alexanders and you have a top door flap then their design are one of the only ones I know where they actually set ut up at an angle vertically, so would not hit the horses head so easily if you had one on the ramp who decides to put head up ir worse rear. Very good designers. Also, if horse did get legs over breast bar, the designs where there is no built in bit below have a pin in each side, so if you take a pin out on the opposite bit to where horse is then it would just fall down. Alexanders actually build their one so that it collapses when a certain amount of weight is on it! I really have learnt so much about these boxes already and my brain is fried! All great points though everyone, and I am trying to come up with a soloution to avoid most potential problems I can forsea. |
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Red Rum
Gold Member
England
508 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2012 : 08:23:44 AM
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Hi
I have a 3/5 lorry. LDV which I had a reputable conversion carried out on. Lovely low ramp, room over the cab for loads of stuff, travel backwards, solid breast bar area quite tall so they can't jump over. I tie the horses up short. Partition which can be taken out. I take the lorry shopping to Macdonalds and all over the place. Brilliant for collect food, and I do the odd removel jobs for friends. Would not be without it. |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2012 : 09:57:37 AM
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| Arabiangem, my previous top doors opened out over , two doors above and drop down ramp, they were totally different makes and ways of fastening yet both did on occasion come open. we solved the problem by putting an extra bolt on and it never happened again. My friend bought an Alexanders box and her horses managed to hit its head on top door, she then got upset on her second time in and got front legs over the partition, it was a big horse, she has gone back to a big lorry and the horse is now fine again. I think these boxes are more for the smaller horses as i said i love them but they do like any type of box have there problems. I would always now go for a full ramp as less to go wrong and also always have a solid wall in front of the horse and then totally seperate living , tack area, this way the horse has less to see in front of them so less likely to forward up and over, we found with the higher partition in front of the horse sometimes they knocked their jaw and depending on size of horse seemed a bit un comfortable when travelling , all depends on size of horse ithink and how well they travel. Mt arab mare is a dreadful traveller on her own and he is by far the best travelling in my latest box, still not brill but better.Good luck. |
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arabiangem
Bronze Member
England
112 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2012 : 9:46:17 PM
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| Sab2 - Again thanks very much re the top doors option as I am going to go for the "barn type " doors not the flip up lid one where they could hit their heads. Breast bar - deff will only have one that is colapsible and "open" and not closed in so can get out of way quick. Also deff one with completely seperated off grooms area with a seperate door into that part. I have tried the Full ramps and I cannot lift them at all, so I have to have the split ramps. Actually this is one of the only reasons I have to go for these types and if it wasn't for that I'd prob go for the cheap in and out ifors on a ford chassis as very cheap to buy all be it a steep ramp. My friend has one and finds ramp easy - for me I cannot lift it all way up and hurt my back trying. Seen one I like advertised so will go and have a look at it hopefully tomorrow! |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2012 : 02:41:29 AM
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With our breast bars you can collapse out the central pole in the awful possibility that a horse went over the top of it, if you couldn't manage that then it would be relatively quick to hacksaw through it (note to self - buy sturdy new hacksaw to keep in box). Better still would be breast bars that you can release from the outside of the box using an allen key, like the newer trailers have.
Another reason I don't like the solid breastbars which are blocked in underneath is they are not adjustable - might be fine for the larger ones, but not ideal heightwise for our welsh ponies. |
Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
Edited by - Callisto on 19 Apr 2012 02:44:42 AM |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2012 : 10:01:55 AM
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| arabiangem, i can understand about the weight of ramps, don,t worry about the top doors as you can do what we did and put on an extra bolt, was only a few quid to do and it never happened again after that, good luck today |
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Judith S
Platinum Member
Wales
15686 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2012 : 11:18:33 AM
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| Even a full ramp if correctly fitted should be liftable with one finger - if the springs are set right. |
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arabiangem
Bronze Member
England
112 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2012 : 10:00:23 PM
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| Sab2 - Thanks...well, went to see it but even though the ramp was split I could not lift the ramp without pain and hurting my back/shoulders/arms. The box was everything i wanted in a box and the man showed me one with gas struts in ramp and what a difference - no problem with that at all, but it was way over my price range! The other one he could put some in but it was still too expensive really and it was the first one i'd seen, so going to keep looking and trying. Judith - these boxes were brand new and very good coachbuilder and even his ramps being split, without Gas Struts in I cannot safely open them. I don't know of any full sping type ones that can be done with one finger. The man had no problem or his daughter but I did, so was glad i found out what suits me. |
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Judith S
Platinum Member
Wales
15686 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2012 : 08:42:33 AM
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| The springs are adjustable and if set up correctly the ramp should almost hover when it gets to the floor as it should be at the point of balance. We had one that you could just flick up with the toe of your boot so you did not even need to bend down |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2012 : 5:51:47 PM
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The other thing i forgot to say is plaes check the mileage is right, when we were looking some had the wrong milage on them  , so make sure you do a check, if you need help please pm me, do you have a post on egb forum about this |
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2012 : 6:03:05 PM
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A friend has one with the 'barn door' type top doors - they came open on us in traffic on Friday night! Luckily no horses on board but said friend ha to keep the two door handles closed with a strap to stop it happening 
Keren |
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rosie
Platinum Member
England
3662 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2012 : 7:17:36 PM
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On our ramp we have 2 locks. I always lock one, so I know that it won't open accidently but can get the horses out quickly without having to unlock both.
Also, lock the back door and try not to have the back door open much when the horses are inside incase they see it as an exit route - we don't have an emergency exit on ours.
Lots of ventilation via windows |
Last picture courtesy of Sweet Photography |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2012 : 9:07:33 PM
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| My old one would lock but the problem with locking it is in an emergency you need the key to unlock them, we put a snap bolt on that in the worst case and there was an emergency anybody could open it to get the horses out. |
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3.5 tonne horseboxes
