Horse club

[TropicalBabies]

I know, so true! It seems like in AUS and the UK, it's more common to transport horses in a box van, rather than a tow-behind trailer (aka float) that is most often used here in the USA. A one-piece horse box truck (aka lorry) would be so much safer, it can't sway going downhill or flip on crazy roads among heavy highway traffic in bad weather conditions.
Back when I was shopping for my trailer, I was considering selling my pickup truck and buying a commercial box truck to convert for transporting horses, and buying a small electric car for local commuting to and from work. But no box truck I looked at was tall enough for horses at all, even leaving out the expense to convert it.

I was thinking the same thing but never went so far as to look for one for conversion. I love seeing them in old movies or reading how they transported horse "back in the day". Here, I'd worry about reliability and we have small roads with nowhere to go and finding a mechanic could be a nightmare... but I like to dream cuz it would be cool.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

I know, so true! It seems like in AUS and the UK, it's more common to transport horses in a box van, rather than a tow-behind trailer (aka float) that is most often used here in the USA. A one-piece horse box truck (aka lorry) would be so much safer, it can't sway going downhill or flip on crazy roads among heavy highway traffic in bad weather conditions.
Back when I was shopping for my trailer, I was considering selling my pickup truck and buying a commercial box truck to convert for transporting horses, and buying a small electric car for local commuting to and from work. But no box truck I looked at was tall enough for horses at all, even leaving out the expense to convert it.

No here in AUS our most common one is the trailer. You’d have to be serious about horse riding to even consider buying a lorry.

 

[littledog]

Really, haha? All the horse books and movies set in AUS or the UK have lorries...I guess I shouldn't assume things from fictional stories.
I did use a lorry here one time, when I hired a company to transport a horse years ago before I had a trailer. I love the way it was set up, except the ramp was steeper than most horses are used to. The ramp did have sides on it though.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Really, haha? All the horse books and movies set in AUS or the UK have lorries...I guess I shouldn't assume things from fictional stories.
I did use a lorry here one time, when I hired a company to transport a horse years ago before I had a trailer. I love the way it was set up, except the ramp was steeper than most horses are used to. The ramp did have sides on it though.

Yeah. I guess some people who can afford it have lorries but the majority of us have horse floats (trailers) maybe when I start doing bigger comps I will get a more expensive horse float but for now I’m just grateful for what I have and the fact we are buying a house soon (I’m going to put in a proper Arena so I can ride daily) and I will also put up some open stables

 

[Peaches Lee]

Really, haha? All the horse books and movies set in AUS or the UK have lorries...I guess I shouldn't assume things from fictional stories.
I did use a lorry here one time, when I hired a company to transport a horse years ago before I had a trailer. I love the way it was set up, except the ramp was steeper than most horses are used to. The ramp did have sides on it though.

You'll see them in Germany and the Netherlands too, but like Butterscotch says, a lot of those are professionals. Traveling to shows every weekend, training 8+ horses a day, taking horses to auctions etc. that would garner the need for a set up like that!

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

You'll see them in Germany and the Netherlands too, but like Butterscotch says, a lot of those are professionals. Traveling to shows every weekend, training 8+ horses a day, taking horses to auctions etc. that would garner the need for a set up like that!

Yeah like I don’t compete a lot but im starting to start competing on the circuit

 

[Skye'sDucks]

Hello again everyone! I wanted to share some exciting news: my trainer's mare had a baby! The filly is barely 3 days old today, she was born Wednesday. It was too dark in the stall to get good pictures last night, sadly, but she was so tiny and CUTE! Next week for certain I'll see if I can get pictures.

In the meanwhile, enjoy these cute faces.

This is Amarillo, the mare I usually ride. Taken the other week.

And this is Sky, the other horse I typically ride. I had a great ride on him last night, though I didn't get a good pic so there's a filter on this one lol. Sadly I've learned he's going blind, just because of old age.

Lately I have been working on patterns and dressage patterns, what have you all been working on while riding?

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Hello again everyone! I wanted to share some exciting news: my trainer's mare had a baby! The filly is barely 3 days old today, she was born Wednesday. It was too dark in the stall to get good pictures last night, sadly, but she was so tiny and CUTE! Next week for certain I'll see if I can get pictures.

In the meanwhile, enjoy these cute faces.

This is Amarillo, the mare I usually ride. Taken the other week.
View attachment 2168164
View attachment 2168165
And this is Sky, the other horse I typically ride. I had a great ride on him last night, though I didn't get a good pic so there's a filter on this one lol. Sadly I've learned he's going blind, just because of old age.

Lately I have been working on patterns and dressage patterns, what have you all been working on while riding?

Well I’m learning how to do half passes while having Hudson rounded on the bit and next we will learn how to do flying changes. I already know how to do half passes it’s just about perfecting that

 

[res]

Horse vans are more common in the US than most think, but they do seem to be primarily on the East Coast. If you buy new, expect to shell out $150k+ (we looked at one that was $500k!) but you can find used ones for super cheap, even as low as a few thousand dollars. This is the company that built our van: http://www.frankdibella.com/vans

This is the first van we have owned, and it is priceless because it is so versatile. Right now, it is the meat chick brooder... the chicks have lived in it since day 1, and will be transported to the Amish in it to be processed. It is fully air-ride with camera systems and hydraulic ramps. It truly does "float" down the road, BUT, it does have a very high center of gravity, so you have to be aware of curves and turns at speed. It is definitely NOT safer than a normal "pull behind" trailer in that respect. The pictures are the day we picked it up, it had been repo'd and sold at an auction. It needed a little cleaning up and about $10k worth of engine work, but it is good as new now. Purchase price.... was $6k. For a van that sold for $150k new a few years ago. Steal of the century!

We also have this little guy to pull our other trailers - we have seven trailers total including a toyhauler, 3 horse trailers, 2 massive flatbeds and an itty bitty enclosed cargo trailer. We bought this truck from Frank DiBella also. It is still on his website, as a package with a 6-horse trailer.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Horse vans are more common in the US than most think, but they do seem to be primarily on the East Coast. If you buy new, expect to shell out $150k+ (we looked at one that was $500k!) but you can find used ones for super cheap, even as low as a few thousand dollars. This is the company that built our van: http://www.frankdibella.com/vans

This is the first van we have owned, and it is priceless because it is so versatile. Right now, it is the meat chick brooder... the chicks have lived in it since day 1, and will be transported to the Amish in it to be processed. It is fully air-ride with camera systems and hydraulic ramps. It truly does "float" down the road, BUT, it does have a very high center of gravity, so you have to be aware of curves and turns at speed. It is definitely NOT safer than a normal "pull behind" trailer in that respect. The pictures are the day we picked it up, it had been repo'd and sold at an auction. It needed a little cleaning up and about $10k worth of engine work, but it is good as new now. Purchase price.... was $6k. For a van that sold for $150k new a few years ago. Steal of the century!

Welcome to Horse club. Thanks for your input. I don’t live in the US so I don’t know that much. I’d love to own a van but mum and Dad only purchased our float a few years ago so I don’t see the point. However as I begin showing more there may become a need for it