Horseboxes are needed for many reasons throughout your horse’s life. From periodic trips to a vet or new grazing, to more frequent travel to horse shows and equestrian events. These journeys can be stressful, especially if your equine friend is a reluctant traveller. However, the real peril may be hiding not at the destination or on the road but in the horsebox itself.
Horsebox insurance can cover you for damage to the horsebox but won’t stop the accident. Prevention is far better than cure. Reading these tips on checking for horsebox hazards today could stop potential heartache in the future.
Whether Comprehensive, Third Party, Fire and Theft, or Third Party Only, having adequate horsebox insurance is a legal requirement before you hit the road.
Choosing the correct level of cover could protect you and other road users from the financial fallout of an accident.
Horseboxes under 3.5 tonnes need a current MOT certificate, while those over 3.5 tonnes must also display an up-to-date plating certificate. You can find further details of the annual test on the government website.
VOSA, the government body responsible for testing, has invaluable guidance for horsebox owners on the 10 most common reasons vehicles fail the test and details of fortnightly tests you can carry out yourself.
There are also some suggested questions you can ask your mechanic.
Be aware that this test does not check on the vehicle’s safety and suitability for carrying horses.
The British Horse Society recommends getting your vehicle professionally serviced at least once a year. Always ask if they’ll check the serviceability of the horsebox floor.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common horsebox hazards. If you find any damage then contact your horsebox insurance provider immediately to see if you’re covered.
Perhaps the most obvious place to start is the body of the horsebox itself. Both inside and outside need to be inspected before travel to prevent injury during transport. Look for things like:
Just because a horsebox looks in good condition doesn’t mean there aren’t hazards. Not all damage is visible and there may be plenty of problems hiding beneath a sleek exterior.
The thought of your beloved companion’s leg falling through a rotten floor while you’re doing 60mph on a motorway doesn’t bear thinking about.
Horseboxes overturning after a tyre blowout or skidding dangerously while braking in the wet are just some of the dangers caused by worn tyres.
The dangers of towing an unlit horsebox are obvious, particularly as other road users need to give you extra room for braking and manoeuvring.
A large vehicle like a horsebox exceeding its maximum payload limit is asking for trouble. Being too heavy can create handling problems for the driver which will only get worse in poor weather.
Even on a regular day the extra weight can make slowing down more difficult, and if a crash does happen it can be more deadly.
Some horseboxes are a home away from home and feature internal heating systems. Just as with a bricks and mortar home, carbon monoxide can be a silent killer. To reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, make sure that:
With over 60 years’ combined experience in the insurance market our dedicated team can arrange insurance cover for all types of horseboxes from 3.5 tonnes to large HGVs, up to the value of £750,000.
Benefits can include:
Call the Equesure team today on 01480 220089 to discuss your insurance needs.
Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.
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