{"id":39645,"date":"2016-12-07T13:27:55","date_gmt":"2016-12-07T13:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horseandcountry.tv\/towing-horse-safely-legally\/"},"modified":"2024-09-26T10:19:07","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T09:19:07","slug":"towing-horse-safely-legally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/press.horseandcountry.tv\/en-au\/towing-horse-safely-legally\/","title":{"rendered":"The ultimate guide to towing a trailer safely \u2013 and legally"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re thinking of buying a vehicle for transporting your horse trailer, it\u2019s important you get one that is capable of towing your trailer and its load. If you don\u2019t, you are not only putting you and your horse at risk \u2013 as well as other road users \u2013 you are breaking the law. This means if you do have an accident, your insurance won\u2019t be valid.<\/p>\n

Fact or fiction?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Working out what your car can tow can be very confusing. There is so much information on the web \u2013 much of which is conflicting. So H&C spoke to the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to separate fact from fiction. Here is what they said:<\/p>\n

The total weight of your trailer (ie its unladen weight, plus the weight of the horses on board) must not weigh more than the car\u2019s maximum towing capacity (MTC).<\/p>\n

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to take the trailer\u2019s maximum authorised mass (MAM) into consideration \u2013 unless you passed your test after 1 January 1997 (more on this later). It is the actual<\/em> weight of your trailer that needs to be taken into account.<\/p>\n

So, if your trailer weighs 700kg and you only ever tow one 500kg horse, the actual weight is 1200kg. This is the weight your car needs to be capable of towing. Even if your trailer\u2019s MAM is 2000kg, it is irrelevant, unless you plan on towing that weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t be penalised for towing something that could potentially go over your car\u2019s maximum towing weight,\u201d said a DVLA spokesperson. \u201cIt would be like fining someone for doing 30mph in a 50mph zone \u2013 because they could potentially go over the speed limit. If you are within the limits you are legal.\u201d<\/p>\n

When working out if your car can tow your trailer need to know:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The weight of largest horse(s) you intend to tow<\/li>\n
  2. The unladen weight of your trailer<\/li>\n
  3. The towing vehicle\u2019s MTC<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The combined weight of 1 and 2 must not exceed number 3.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    What your vehicle can tow<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    To find the MTC of your vehicle look in its handbook \u2013 there are usually two maximum towing weights: a braked trailer weight and an unbraked one. A horse trailer has brakes.<\/p>\n

    Alternatively, you can look at the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate, which is usually under the bonnet or on a door pillar. It will have the following set of weights:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. The gross vehicle weight (GVW) or MAM of the vehicle including driver\/passengers, goods and fuel.<\/li>\n
    2. The gross train weight (GTW), which is the combined MAM of both vehicle and trailer.<\/li>\n
    3. Maximum axle loads on the front and rear.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      To work out the manufacturer\u2019s recommended maximum towing capacity subtract the GVW (1) from its GTW (2). So if your car\u2019s GVW is 2590kg and its GTW is 4590kg, it has a maximum towing capacity of 2000kg.<\/p>\n

      However, just because your estate car is legally allowed to tow 1500kg, it doesn\u2019t mean you should – as Jake Tarrant, BHSAI and riding and road safety instructor explains.<\/p>\n

      \u201cIf the weight of your laden trailer is close to the maximum towing weight of your car, it may struggle,\u201d Jake told H&C. \u201cIf your horse moves around a lot when travelling or you have to break suddenly, it can cause the trailer to \u2018snake\u2019, which could cause an accident. You\u2019ll also have problems driving off road on muddy show grounds, or on hills, which is where a 4×4 comes into its own.\u201d<\/p>\n

      \u201cIt\u2019s not always the vehicle that is at fault, however. So many people drive a trailer with no training whatsoever. You\u2019ve got half a tonne of moving cargo, which can be very dangerous. If you don\u2019t know how to tow make sure you seek help from someone that does.\u201d<\/p>\n

      What you can tow<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      The rules on what you<\/em> can tow depend on when you passed your driving test.<\/p>\n

      Licences issued from 1 January 1997<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      If you passed your driving test on or after 1 January 1997 this is when the MAM of your trailer is critical. You are legally allowed to:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Drive a car or van up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM) towing a trailer of up to 750kg\u00a0MAM.<\/li>\n
      • Tow a trailer over 750kg\u00a0MAM\u00a0as long as the combined\u00a0MAM\u00a0of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        A horse trailer\u2019s MAM is unlikely to be below 750kg, which means you need to be careful about the MAM or GVW of the car you drive. A Kia Sorento, for example has a GVW of 2,510kg, which means your trailer must have a MAM of 990kg or less. This equates to a lightweight trailer, like a Sinclair.<\/p>\n

        If you want to tow or drive anything heavier you have to pass the B+E car and trailer driving test.<\/p>\n

        Licences issued before 1 January 1997<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        More mature drivers (that\u2019s a polite way of putting it\u2026) are allowed to drive:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • A vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg\u00a0gross train weight (GTW).<\/li>\n
        • A minibus with a trailer over 750kg\u00a0MAM.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Vehicle weights explained<\/strong><\/h2>\n

          Maximum towing capacity (MTC)<\/strong> or \u2013 the maximum weight a vehicle can tow safely and legally.<\/p>\n

          Unladen weight<\/strong> – weight of the vehicle when it\u2019s not carrying any passengers, goods or other items. It doesn\u2019t include the weight of the fuel or, if it\u2019s an electric vehicle, the batteries.<\/p>\n

          Maximum authorised mass (MAM)<\/strong> \u2013 weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it\u2019s being used on the road. This is also known as gross vehicle weight (GVW) or permissible maximum weight (PMW).<\/p>\n

          Gross train weight (GTW)<\/strong> – the total weight of the vehicle, plus trailer, plus load. Also called gross combination weight (GCW).<\/p>\n

          For more great towing advice watch Top Marks: On the Road<\/em> with Kelly Marks, who offers interesting insights into how to deal with problem loaders.<\/strong><\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          If you\u2019re thinking of buying a vehicle for transporting your horse trailer, it\u2019s important you get one that is capable of towing your trailer and its load. If you don\u2019t, you are not only putting you and your horse at risk \u2013 as well as other road users \u2013 you are breaking the law. This […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":24937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[40],"tags":[6181,6182,6183,3264,6184,6185,6186],"yoast_head":"\nThe ultimate guide to towing a trailer safely \u2013 and legally | Horse & Country<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you travel your horse by trailer, read our essential guide to ensure you are not breaking the law when towing a trailer.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/press.horseandcountry.tv\/en-au\/towing-horse-safely-legally\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The ultimate guide to towing a trailer safely \u2013 and legally\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" 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