With precious cargo, you need to be the safest driver possible…

We offer bespoke driver training for clients who need to develop their skill and safety when driving a horsebox. A horsebox is a vehicle which is purposely designed to transport a horse or horses.

Due to the size of a horsebox and, of course, the precious cargo they carry, many people can find driving one rather intimidating. Unlike other large vehicles that carry loads, a horsebox transports a very large, powerful animal, which can easily get unsettled if it is subjected to an uncomfortable ride!

This is why learning how to drive a horsebox in a defensive way to ensure your safety, your passengers’, other road users’, and, of course, your horse or horses’ is absolutely critical.

We offer Horsebox Driver Training for those who:

1. Have never driven a horsebox before and want to make sure they are both safe and confident when driving such
2. Currently drive a horsebox but want to increase their skill and safety, especially if they are moving to a new or larger vehicle
3. Have had a collision when driving a horsebox and so want to use this as a starting point for safer driving.

Please note – we do not offer training related to the management or care of horses when in transit and the loading of horses. This course is purely designed around making a driver safer and more confident when driving a horsebox.

Can I drive a horsebox?

If you passed your driving test before 1st January 1997, you are entitled to drive a vehicle up to 7500kg MAM. This will be shown on your licence as category C1. If you passed your driving test after 1st January 1997, you are only entitled to drive a vehicle up to 3500kg MAM. This will be shown on your licence as Category B (regular car entitlement). If this is you then you will have to sit and pass a test for a category C1 in order to drive a 7500kg horsebox.

We do not offer C1 training – we only provide coaching for drivers who can already the vehicle they need assistance with.

During a horsebox driver training session, we cover a wide range of things, including:

* Developing a calmer, smoother drive (which horses love!)
* Forward planning and observation
* Gaining confidence in driving a large vehicle
* Car vs Horsebox – essential differences to be aware of
* Reversing and manoeuvres
* Horsebox mirror use and the importance of such
* How a loaded horse or horses impact on handling and braking 
* Vehicle control (gears, steering, foot controls, signals)
* Rules of the road
* Dealing with road rage
* The system of vehicle control
* Driving on rural roads with limited space
* Town and urban defensive driving
* Driving in heavy traffic and allowing adequate space 
* Skid control theory and learning what causes skids 
* Eco-safe driving (effective use of speed, gears, planning)
* Anticipation – Learning to see and not just look
* Understanding other road users and their intentions 
* Driving on motorways, dual carriageways, rural roads and urban roads

Bespoke training based around you:

Some of the points above may be more relevant to others, while other points may not be as much. The bespoke nature of our courses means they are tailored to your own specific needs and requirements. You may have issues with the size of the vehicle and need help with manoeuvres, or you may be fine with manoeuvers but need help with driving a horsebox on motorways.

We have full UK coverage and come to you for the training – which takes place in your own horsebox.

12 Months Concierge—When you take a course with us, you also enjoy one year of free membership with our Drivers Concierge service. This service provides a personalised, one-to-one helping hand for a range of motoring and driving assistance that you may need. Talk to us for more info on this unique service. 

After the training, you will receive a full driving report, which will outline your driving both before and after the session/s. We help a driver in 25 key areas and score you as either excellent, very good, good, adequate, or poor. We do this at the start and the end, so you can see the improvement and in what areas. There will also be notes from the tutor too. 

This report will be proof you have received professional driver training from a DVSA-registered advanced driving instructor. The tutors DVSA registration number will be recorded on this report.