Horse transportation. 4x4?

10JH

What's your budget? Looking for new or used?

Boobydoo

As a 'horsey' person I've tried both options and I currently own a TD5 Discovery which enables me to drive around in comfort and tow my trailer.

Unless you use a horsebox a lot your correct in ruling it out as it will cost a fortune each time it lets you down because it has been left standing for two long.

One question which hasn't been asked - Are you towing horses or ponies and how many at a time will you want to transport?

If your towing for example a couple of 16.2hh Hunters of medium weight, with tack, water, hay and a tank full of fuel then you'll straightway be looking at the Landrover, Cayenne, VW 4x4 range. What some also fail to understand is once you get to a showground (field) you sometimes need something that isn't going to drop down dead at the thought of it's tryes getting a bit of mud on them.

My Landrover isn't the best on fuel but tows perfectly. Costs about £120 to fill the tank (Diesel) and I get around 350 to 400 miles if I'm towing and over 500 unladen.

Hope this helps a little.

Boobydoo

Strider590 wrote: »

Judging by the barely legal tyre's and the black smoke bellowing out of most horse boxes I see, I always assumed they were exempt from MOT, tax and/or insurance. :rotfl:

This made me chuckle!

Hammyman

cb262 wrote: »

Hello

I'm currently in the need of transport for a horse.

Have ruled out a Hourse box as too expensive to run/mantain a 3rd vehical. So left with buying a used 4x4 and trailer.
I would have to use the 4x4 during the week to drive down the motorway to work, 130 miles each way.

Need a vehicle that will be strong enough to pull a hourse+trailer be cheap to run with good fuel consumption.

"Does such a Motor exist?"

Before you get carried away...

First and foremost, when did you pass your car driving test? You may need to take a Category B+E driving test depending on the date.

2nd_Time_Lucky

We have an Isuzu trooper 2002 reg. its the 3.0 litre and before anyones says they are cr*p- let me add that IF they have had the recall work done on the engine then they are superb. OH has the SWB van version so its very cheap to tax £185 for a year. He has done 140,000 in the 5 years we have owned it and its NEVER broken down Insurance is cheap and he averages 34 to the gallon on motorways despite a heavy right foot several of our friends have them to and none of us has had a problem. Milners do a service kit of all the filters for £12. brake pads £20 etc so cheap to service to. It can tow 3,200kg braked trailer and its so compact it can fit into small carparking spaces
SWB Mitsubishis are good too but its very hard to find one thats in good nick.

2nd_Time_Lucky

Strider590 wrote: »

Judging by the barely legal tyre's and the black smoke bellowing out of most horse boxes I see, I always assumed they were exempt from MOT, tax and/or insurance. :rotfl:

We cant always afford something new and flashy but FWIW my 22 yr old ford cargo is taxed, plated(MOT), fully comp insured and has comprehensive breakdown cover. 2 new tyres last year plus a new exhaust this Feb so some of us do look after them..

Hintza

I have to agree with madmittens. You need to do your sums carefully and tot up the weights. Unless you buy a single horse trailer then you will need a car that will tow over 2 tonnes.

I do sometimes wonder how many folk actually check this out thoroughly (apart from the legal perspective) you can also run into problems due to lack of oil coolers etc.

xocbc

Could I suggest riding the horse instead of towing it :laugh:

Hammyman

Hintza wrote: »

I have to agree with madmittens. You need to do your sums carefully and tot up the weights. Unless you buy a single horse trailer then you will need a car that will tow over 2 tonnes.

I do sometimes wonder how many folk actually check this out thoroughly (apart from the legal perspective) you can also run into problems due to lack of oil coolers etc.

I know a certain snack van owner who didn't. They got tugged by South Yorks plod at 2am in the morning on the way to a venue. They were brought to our depot and put over the weighbridge then charged for being overloaded on the rear axle and for gross train weight and the vehicle taken away at their expense on the back of a recovery truck. That won't have been cheap.

forgotmyname

Mondeo only has an 1800kg max towing limit, Thats with just a driver.

Any additional load, passengers or luggage will restrict that even further.