Asking on behalf of a lady I know who has a 5T horsebox and is considering commercial transportation. What will she require for regs, e.g. Operator’s licence, DCPC, insurance, training for transporting animals; and ballpark figures for obtaining these?
She’ll require all of those. Biggest hurdle is finding somewhere for an operating center and proving the £8k or whatever it is per vehicle operating cash that is required for the o licence
exit:
Asking on behalf of a lady I know who has a 5T horsebox and is considering commercial transportation. What will she require for regs, e.g. Operator’s licence, DCPC, insurance, training for transporting animals; and ballpark figures for obtaining these?
All of that, and a Transporter Authorisation (type one for journeys up to 8 hours or type two for journey over 8 hours) for type two applications you will also need a vehicle inspection.
gov.uk/government/publicati … er-8-hours
You have to show financial standing, £7400 of available funds, to get an o licence, this figure varies as its set in euros and updated annually. If I remember , it’s £250 to apply for an o licence, and somewhere about £100 to advertise your application. Your operating centre will need the correct planning permission.
gov.uk/government/publicati … guide-gv74
Your certificate of competence for transporting horses will cost another couple of hundred quid !
haddontraining.co.uk/horse-t … tions.aspx
Insurance: Hire and reward insurance for the vehicle is much more expensive than private horsebox insurance, you also need goods in transit insurance to cover the horses you’re transporting.
You will need a Operators CPC to act as transport manager ( or employ one, current requirements are that you need 8 hours a week to do this ) Maintenance requirements are for safety checks every 6-12 weeks depending on vehicle age and mileage covered. And as you said there’s also the driver cpc to deal with !
You’ll also need a lot of contacts in the horse world, and the knowledge of which ones to avoid because they’re bad payers.
And when you’ve done all that, some muppet will come along with a 4x4 and trailer, no certificates insurance etc, and undercut your rates!
Good luck 
Thanks for the replies. After I pass this on I feel she may no longer be considering it 
exit:
Thanks for the replies. After I pass this on I feel she may no longer be considering it
It wasn’t meant to put her off, but sadly going from owning a horsebox for private use to trying to earn a bit of money by transporting a few horses does involve a lot of hassle !
Fwiw, I got out of horse transporting several years ago ! If you haven’t got racing contacts there’s little hope !
Denis F:
And when you’ve done all that, some muppet will come along with a 4x4 and trailer, no certificates insurance etc, and undercut your rates!
I have done this a few times a fer years ago.
Sorry duck
A 3.5t Luton transit sized horsebox came tanking past me on the A1 tonight liveried up as horse transportation services.
Maybe that would be something to look into.
What’s worse than being stuck behind a horse box ?
Being stuck behind Two ! [emoji12][emoji206][emoji237]
Horses have legs, let them walk.
Where are you based as I know another in Dorset who is looking into the same thing. Perhaps a sharing of resources is possible.
Suggest you have a read of this leaflet:
As an ex-horse lorry owner, I can maybe help with my experiences.
Running a horsey truck is 'kin expensive. 7.5t, 12t or 16t
Cleaning, as needed after EVERY commercial trip, is a pain in the ■■■■. Not just a sweep out, but a good hose and scrub and disinfect
Some bedding is needed for the horsey bit, gets dumped after every trip. (or should be…)
Damage from a said animals is very possible, tight access to yards, small country lanes, tree rub, the vehicle soon looks tatty
As others have said, getting and keeping all the paperwork in order again is expensive, time consuming and non-profit making
You have to deal with people wanting something for nothing, then not paying.
Budget on charging £2 per mile per animal, return loads are almost non-existent.
3.5t is ideal, one or two animals, reasonable economy, skip around a lot of the rules for bigger vehicles. (i.e. working hours, “O” licence, driving licence, tacho etc)
If you have a vehicle for your own use, and want to use it to help “friends” out on a once in a while basis, you avoid some of the above mentioned rules, but not all.
We use several companies when needed, three way quote, best one wins and who can do it when we want.
For example, Aberdeen to West Wales, £1000 for two horses, thats a long way, take off I guess £400 for fuel, two days driving earns £600, less wear and tear and insurance and food and a night out, not much profit left.
Drop me a PM if you want some help.
Cheers
Paul
I’ve worked on the peripheries of the horsey world for a while - eventing and racing yards generally stick to the big boys, as these sports horses are mega money. Eric Gillie and friends have this work all ■■■■■■■.
That leaves all the amateur and hobby riders - many have their own boxes, or at least access to. And many are usually broke as they spend all their money on rugs and tack. So you have to be prepared for getting blood from a stone, working at the lower end of the industry, and with some very precious owners.
Things to consider, recovery - problematic with dobbin in the back; stabling for long journeys; access to veterinary services whilst mobile…amongst other things!
Denis F:
exit:
Thanks for the replies. After I pass this on I feel she may no longer be considering itIt wasn’t meant to put her off, but sadly going from owning a horsebox for private use to trying to earn a bit of money by transporting a few horses does involve a lot of hassle !
Fwiw, I got out of horse transporting several years ago ! If you haven’t got racing contacts there’s little hope !
I asked to get a good picture of what’s involved, and I got that…thanks for all the replies, very useful…if only to confirm that it’s a big commitment.
Plambert:
Where are you based as I know another in Dorset who is looking into the same thing. Perhaps a sharing of resources is possible.
It’s Leicestershire, and, weighing up the replies, probably a rapidly diminishing proposition!
el_presidente:
That leaves all the amateur and hobby riders - many have their own boxes, or at least access to. And many are usually broke as they spend all their money on rugs and tack. So you have to be prepared for getting blood from a stone, working at the lower end of the industry, and with some very precious owners.
It always amazes me that you see some bird driving her own horse box with a nag in it one step from the glue factory on the way to some show jumping thing gingerly crawling round a corner at 10MPH in case it tilts 2 degrees and then you see drivers in horseboxes for racing stables with horses in worth £100,000s ragging them down back roads like they were working for Tuffnels.
The one that came caning past me on the A1 had a horse in the back. Wonder if its because they’re designed properly so the horse doesn’t move all over the show unlike the crappy old bedford TKs you see.
Conor:
el_presidente:
That leaves all the amateur and hobby riders - many have their own boxes, or at least access to. And many are usually broke as they spend all their money on rugs and tack. So you have to be prepared for getting blood from a stone, working at the lower end of the industry, and with some very precious owners.It always amazes me that you see some bird driving her own horse box with a nag in it one step from the glue factory on the way to some show jumping thing gingerly crawling round a corner at 10MPH in case it tilts 2 degrees and then you see drivers in horseboxes for racing stables with horses in worth £100,000s ragging them down back roads like they were working for Tuffnels.
The one that came caning past me on the A1 had a horse in the back. Wonder if its because they’re designed properly so the horse doesn’t move all over the show unlike the crappy old bedford TKs you see.
I hear you - generally, 7.5tn + horse box bodies all have moveable partitions with to create adjustable stalls. Which should help to keep dobbin secure. But yeah, racing around like tuffnels isn’t the wisest of ideas!
Ragging the 'box round country lanes is not a good idea.
Dobbin gets thrown all over the place and easily gets damaged. I had a big vet bill once due my wifes schoolgirl error.
But, on the bigger roads, as fast as you want/can or afford fuel for, the steady swaying seems to send them to sleep.
Cheers
Paul