Couldn't believe my eyes - this can't be right

[LMH]

I was travelling down the M5 this morning and got behind a trailer (Ifor Williams) double horse box which will take up to two 17.0 hh horses. The model was HB510 (my friend has one so I remembered it). There was one horse in there, just taking a quick glance, I could see it was not quite 17 hh - it was probably 16.0 hh - 16.2 hh. I would gestimate the horse would have weighed just over half a tonne. I reckon the trailer must weigh about 12-1400kg.

As I passed, it was being towed by a Ford Focus. Surely that's not legal.

My friend has that model of box and she tows it with a Warrior. I thought you could only tow horse boxes with 4x4's. We were on the flat but can a Focus pull that sort of weight?

Lisa

 

[Val & Frank]

Hi Lisa,

You asked for this " We were on the flat but can a Focus pull that sort of weight "?

YES A Ford Focus can pull a Horse Box with a Horse Onboard " I know this for a fact, because Lisa saw one on the M5 this morning. ----)))))

Val & Frank

 

[Garfield]

Someone will probably come up with the exact weight but I doubt that the horse box weighs more than a tonne considering that our 20' twin axle caravan complete with kitchen, bathroom, battery, furnishings etc etc is only 1100 kg unladen so my guess would be about 1200 -1400 kg with the horse

 

[LMH]

Hi

I've just looked on the Ifor Williams website, I'm almost certain it was the 510XL which is the model my friend has. It's unladen weight is 1400KG. The horse would have weighed a minimum of 500kg. That's 1900KG.

Lisa

 

[colin(bridgend)]

Lisa - as far as the car and the trailer are concerned the situation you have qouted is fair in so much as the car, as proven, is capable of towing the horse box with a horse. The question that must be answered is the ouutfit a safe unit on the highway. The answer is probably not as in an emergency the trailer will more than likely end up taking the car. It is surprising what weight a car can tow whether it be a Ford Ka or a Range Rover. Whether the car with trailer is legally a safe unit is a different kettle of fish altogether.

 

[LMH]

Hi Colin

Yes, you are correct. I couldn't believe my eyes when I passed it. It's not something I'd contemplate and I'd say the driver was rather foolish.

Many years ago, I was on my way back from Derby Horse Sales and long story short, there was a massive hold up. When we finally got moving, we passed a horse box on its side (I doubt if it or the tow vehicle was road worthy anyway). Then we saw a horse laying on the road, still alive, thrashing about, with its entrails hanging out. I later found out that the tow vehicle was unroadworthy and the trailer was basically held together with bailing twine. Whilst being towed, the horse had gone through the trailer floor. That poor horse. They had to wait ages for a vet to arrive to end its pain.

Lisa