# Setting up a horse transport business?



## navaho (28 April 2010)

My partner & i are considering setting up a small horse transport business, its only become an idea recently as we have been asked so many times lately if we would collect horses for various people. It seems alot of the big companys wont touch the smaller runs, & that is the area we were thinking of going into, obviously focusing on local people rather than the whole of the UK. Im not deluded into thinking that this would be a full time venture, but before we go all out & up grade our trailer or buy a lorry i was hoping for a bit of feed back. We would be based in West Wales, which is a very horsey area thankfully. Also would we be better of upgrading our 505 to a 510 (dont like the new Ifors) or would people prefer their horse moved in a lorry? Or would we be better off keeping the 505 AND running a lorry along side..i appreciate not everyones horse like lorries & vice versa. Also would there be a call for transport to shows, or would people rather hire trailers for things like that? Any feedback positive or not would be appreciated, thanks in advance!


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## Booboos (29 April 2010)

I am not sure about demand in the area as I have my own transport, but if there is no one offering this service and there are a lot of horsey people around then it could well be a good idea.

Have you had a look at the regulations regarding the transport of animals? My impression is that commercial transporters have to do a battery of exams and lorry tests than add considerably to the costs and time required to keep the business going. This may mean that shorter journeys are just not profitable, but I may be wrong.


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## dotty1 (29 April 2010)

I looked into doing this a few years ago and decided that there was too much 'red tape'.  I believe if you go above 3.5 T you need an operators license which is quite expensive.  For smaller vehicles and trailers I am not sure of the  necessities but there must be lots of rules and rega as BooBoos says.  I also found that to be safe you need two people which obviously means another wage.
You will also need 'hire and reward' insurance which doubles the yearly premium.

It was more hassel than it was worth for me.


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## navaho (29 April 2010)

Thanks for the info, all the rules & regs are something we are looking into as we speak, if its to much hassle then we wont be doing it, it just seems a shame that there are so many people out there without transport that cant get there horses from a to b & the big companies wont touch them.


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## perfect11s (29 April 2010)

It might work with a 3.5 ton box but you could only take one horse,  a trailer you  would need a tacho in your tow vehicle, and a bigger than 3.5 ton lorry there is a huge amount of regulation and you would need a lot of regular profitable work to break even,   you also need  to comply with  the animal transport regs, public liabilty insurance  etc...


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## irishdraught (29 April 2010)

There are two transport companies that I know of running from South/West Wales. One runs an HGV wagon, the other has a trailer. The bigger wagon gets a lot of work as he travels abroad a lot, the other one, not so much.

TBH, unless you are prepared to mass transport, there is not a great deal of profit in it. By the time you increase your insurance, upgrade your breakdown, factor in public liability insurance etc it doesn't leave much. There is also CCC insurance which is optional. The extra mileage also means that the vehicle is getting serviced/safety checked more regularly.

If you go above 3.5t, there is the addition of operators licence and further regulation including drivers hours and tachograph regs.

You need to create a business plan and be honest about the share of business you are likely to attract and take it from there. You just may be filling a gap in that area or creating a millstone round your neck. Without the proper research you will not really be in a position to know.

Best of luck though.


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## perfect11s (29 April 2010)

I think it also depends on whether you want to do it for job satisfaction or to make money 
I would think you would make more stacking supermarket shelves  sadly,  Due to red tape and overheads  the days of starting small and growing most businesses has gone the people who have been in transport for years had a chance to build up before the blanket of rules.  sadly this country is no longer enterprise friendly...


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## navaho (29 April 2010)

Thanks again, from the sounds of it it will probably be a bit of a non starter really. Its a shame as i know the business is there, but i cant afford to take the plunge if its not going to be profitable enough. Ive been trying to find out what i can on the net, but i cant seem to find much at all on there about the rules & regs. 
Lol Perfect11's your probably right about the shelf stacking, but i think ill stick to my boring office job instead!
Irishdraught, there is one very big company round here with a lorry, im not sure who the one is with the trailer though, but the one with the lorry was asked to collect a new horse for a friend, but as it was only 10 miles they were not interested & if we hadnt of stepped in she wouldnt have had her new horse. Its a shame they have made it so difficult to give lifts to people these days.


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