3.5 ton horseboxes on steep hills

[Tazzy]

I've been driving an Ifor Williams trailer but my horse is hating the ride and arriving at our destinations in a sweaty distressed state, so I'm buying a 3.5t box hoping she and her companion will travel better. The box will be a 3.5t upgraded to 3.9t so I can travel two.

I currently use a 3.5l Shogan 4x4 to haul the trailer up the steep hills here. Most 3.5t boxes are on 2.2l diesel vans - Can they manage steep hills? Does anyone drive similar and do you manage okay? I'm worried about being stuck part way up a hill with 2 horses on board and traffic backing up behind!

 

[carthorse]

They will have the power to get up, around me can be steep and I've yet to see one stuck. Might take a while though.

Before you buy can I suggest you hire one to try, that way you'll know if you're happy with how it handles and also if your mare will travel in one happily. You don't want to be spending that sort of money only to find she's no better in in than in the trailer.

 

[Jessey]

Before you buy can I suggest you hire one to try, that way you'll know if you're happy with how it handles and also if your mare will travel in one happily. You don't want to be spending that sort of money only to find she's no better in in than in the trailer.

That's a good idea

 

[GaryB]

Indeed. I hired one to find out if Harvey was ok travelling backwards. He was, but I found that he is really too long to fit in most 3.5t boxes comfortably so I have had to have one built with a longer horse area. One of my local companies does 2 hour hire for about £35 I think and that was plenty long enough for a reasonable try out

 

[Tazzy]

Thanks for the suggestion, I had thought of hiring, but my nearest hire place is around 40 miles away! We've decided to buy one anyway as we live on a narrow country road and last time, coming back, met 3 vehicles 2 with trailers, so we had to back up a steep curve, the horses were stamping and upset, the clutch still smells of burnt rubber

Neither horse is large but good point GaryB, will double check the stall length. Looks like we'll be having one made for us as we have a very reputable box maker close to here, it's just making sure the doner vehicle is up to these hills!

 

[Toz]

Mine is ancient and has a 2.5 litre engine. It struggles a bit on hills. There is a super steep very bendy (so you never get going!) lane down to my vets. I’ve been in first gear before now coming up it!
I sometimes borrow a 2.8 newer box and that has no problem