We've had a horsebox for 3 years (Iveco 6.5 tonne), used only to carry my wife's horse to dressage competitons. There's been a lot of talk in the horsely worlds recently about whether people like us (ie amateurs) should have a (very expensive) Operator's Licence.
I rang VOSA for a definitive answer and was told to fax a letter explaining exact what benefits we received - INCLUDING rosettes! They will consider whether we can be exempted. (Nice of them).
There seems to be a trend to just add another piece of bureaucracy every year. Last year it was a speed limiter. Next year special wing mirrors.
Is there a conspiracy or am I paranoid - or both?
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Neither!!!
If you are only carrying your own horse then you may have to a restricted licence - kiss good bye to about £600 to get it and the fact you will need to show financial standing of just over £6k. But that will depend if VOSA decide you need it or not!!! (welcome to the world of VOSA and their ability to chew over a subject for ever and a day without reaching an answer!!)
If you carry anyone else's horse then it will be classed as commercial and you will need either a standard national or international licence, the financial implications are pretty much the same but you will also need to show someone of professional competence on your licence.
Good luck getting an answer from VOSA!!!!
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other side of coin
i over the years have worked on talked to and even know horsie people and their large horsie charabangs
these commercuial vehicles are in the main parked on wet ground 11 months of the year
they never get serviced till they break down
they never get washed
there are no records of any kind of inspections carried out
they are normally driven by women that cannot drive them safely
im really glad that vosa have finally cracked down on this disgrace after all this time
ps before you throw rotten buns at me let me just add that in my world of car recovery and trailers and tachos and second recoveries etc vosa have been even harder and even got the police to lock up a friend of mine until they had finsished their enquiries into whether or not his safe transporter and trailer should have been on the road at all at all
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Bell boy - you also forgot the obligatory shiny hub caps.
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You could do a lot worse than to speak to these guys - www.olmc.eu they deal mainly in the HGV industry but that is where the legislation originates from
They explained it all to me, there's a lot of wrong information out there and it can get very confusing, best to speak to someone who knows for sure, and these guys do.
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Bellboy,you missed out that they never,ever,pull over to let you overtake!!
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And if you overtake them, they will ram you at the next roundabout, given the chance.
Pat: The above was said in jest, honest.
We love you lorry drivers really, knights of the road and all that.
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