What do you really need in a horsebox?

Busy riders tell us what they think to give you ideas for your next horsebox.

Do you ever wish you could go for a 'nosey' in someone else's horsebox to see how it's laid out, what facilities and equipment they have for both horses and people, so as to get some ideas for your next horsebox or to refurbish your current one?

When we asked a number of riders what they think of their current horsebox and what they would like to be different in their next one, perhaps not surprisingly, many of the answers were the same.

'Well built and solid' was top of everyone's list, closely followed by 'safe for the horses' and then 'lots of storage space'.

The size of your horsebox will depend on how often you use it, how many horses you transport, whether you stay away and your budget, but the most common purchase is still the '7.5-tonner'. But whatever size your horsebox is, the safety considerations remain the same.

Top of the list is weight, which when you are travelling more than one horse and planning an overnight stay, is a potential problem. In a survey of weight at a number of horse trials during the 2011 season, results revealed that over 40% of the horseboxes weighed were overweight. More worrying was the apathy amongst the owners of these vehicles, many of whom were unaware that their insurance could be invalidated by travelling overweight, that their brakes may not work efficiently and that their vehicles would be classed as 'unsafe' by VOSA, (which is now increasing its checkpoints across the UK, in an effort to improve vehicle safety).

Safety is a priority - Aside from obvious maintenance issues like floors, ramps, brakes and tyres, the safety of horses in transit includes their health and many riders are now much more aware of the need to provide good ventilation, particularly on longer journeys, to avoid compromising respiratory health.

Alongside this is cleanliness - horse hygiene if you like - and for nearly all of the riders questioned, the ability to wash out the horse area with a hose was rated as important, because it allows thorough cleaning each time the horsebox is used. This helps ensure a much healthier atmosphere for your horses and reduces the build up of dirt on walls and partitions, with associated growth of undesirable bacteria, viruses and moulds. Modern aluminium floors are generally preferred to wood, as they are not just easier to keep clean, they are generally lighter too.

When it comes to partitions, riders have different preferences, with some liking head partitions and others preferring not to use them. Overall, solid partitions at body height with rubber sections underneath were felt to be safest and tie rings at nose height are generally preferred.

Some riders preferred not to have tack lockers protruding into the horse area, having had 'near misses' with horses climbing on them, in one case resulting in some nasty cuts as the horse put its head through the roof!

Everyone agrees that good lighting is essential and nearly all riders like the additional safety of being able to watch horses in transit on a CCTV camera system with a display on the dashboard. Solid rear gates came high up many lists too, with more than one rider having experienced or witnessed a horse or pony breaking through, or jumping over the back gates of a horsebox when the ramp was left down.

Security was another area of importance for many, with a lockable door between the living and horse area regarded as essential due to increasing thefts from lorry parks at shows and events. Security cameras for reversing that can double up as watchful eyes outside on those overnight stays are also a desirable feature, as they give people more peace of mind. Tack lockers are usually lockable, but more than one owner reported that their 'key' also fitted the locks on nearly all of their friends' horseboxes too - worth checking and changing your locks for a more secure brand if necessary!

Case Study - Amateur rider Kathryn Woolgar who competes mainly in eventing and dressage is happy with her current K&P horsebox, particularly the light and airy horse area. "I need lots of storage space when we're competing and this has it. The living is also well planned out and everything is solidly built."

Kathryn isn't contemplating a new horsebox currently, but says that when she does, she has a wish-list, just like everyone else! "I would like to have somewhere under the wagon for the spare tyre and I'd change the layout of the tack locker, to have more shelves, a different saddle storage system and more hooks. I'd also change the location of the outside sink, which I find very handy for cleaning tack, washing muddy hands and a whole lot more.

"My current partitions fasten into the floor and ceiling, but I'd prefer it if they fastened into the side of the wagon and I wouldn't have head partitions. I'd also like a roof rack with a cover.

"Inside the living, I'd change how the seats convert into a double bed, as the pop-out bed that some motor homes have seems to be easier and quicker to use than what we currently have. When it comes to the 'unnecessary luxury' list, mine would include pop out sides, a dishwasher and a groom's bed.............

Case Study - Julie Gaitskell, who runs a livery yard and competes in both eventing and dressage, had her current 7.5 tonne horsebox built on an Iveco chassis around seven years ago. She has experienced problems with the external tack lockers that extend into the horse area, explaining; "I have had a few young horses stand on the shelf with their front feet, so if I bought another 'box, I would make sure the lockers are sited elsewhere to allow more room in the horse area.

"I like my CCTV system though, as it's great to see the horses in the back whilst we're travelling - I remember one of my event horses, Charlie Brown, being able to open the partition pin on the move to give himself more room, which meant us having to re-design the pins to stop him! The horse shower is another very useful idea and the small skirt lockers around the wagon are very convenient."

"In the living, we've got what I always thought was a very hand shower/toilet, but I've never used the shower (yet), as there are always on-site showers to be found. I have a lovely big wardrobe that holds all my jackets, hats and so on; I couldn't live without that, but I find my fridge is rather small, so I'd like to swap for a larger one. The pull out bed is great and the fold away table is ideal - the overall design is, on the whole, very practical.