Conference noted::equitation

    I used to know someone who had a truck sort of like a small-size U-haul
    moving truck, that he used as a two or three horse van.  He had is set
    up so that the tailgate of the truck became the ramp, and the horse
    would walk up the ramp, then turn in an open area at the end of the
    truck and back into the stalls.  He bought the truck body and had this
    arrangement custom built.  (this is how all special-purpose trucks are
    made I think)
    
    -ellie

    Two horse vans are quite common in the U.K. and Europe but none of them
    would get by the U.S. D.O.T. and E.P.A. regulations. They appear to be
    built on chassis simiar to a Ford Transit Van. U.S Vans appear to
    accommodate three horse at a minimum on larger chassis than are used in
    Europe. If you are determined you could always buy a truck chassis and
    have a body custom built on it.

    
    Tucks Trucks in Hudson Mass just got in a 4 horse van but it's not as 
    big as most of the 4 horse vans I have seen.  I have had my eye on it
    for a few weeks now..it even made the Marlboro labor day parade!
    
    Lou  

    
    	Thanks for the response. I kind of figured that you might have to
    have one built. I would think that they would be popular if someone
    wanted to build them. 
    
    	I have seen the one at Tucks too, not up close though it does look
    smaller. That's what got me thinking about a 2-horse van. I think
    trailers are such a pain to handle ect......
    
    	Becky
    

    
    Just remember that with a van, if the engine of the truck goes (or the
    drive train or anything else) your whole VAN is down and unusable.  
    
    WIth a trailer, if the towing vehicle is down or insufficient, you 
    can replace just the towing vehicle.  You don't have to replace the 
    towing vehicle AND the trailer. 
    

    Yes, I've thought about a van for the same reasons.  But a large truck
    is not really all that much easier to deal with than a trailer -- you
    still need lots of room to do whatever you're doing.  Cost of
    registering a van is much hogher than a trailer too -- at least in
    Massachusetts.
    
    By the way, a really good way to get to be an expert at putting your
    trailer "right where you want it" is to practice with a tractor and
    cart.  These are by far the trickiest things to back up, since they
    are so short.  A truck driver I know told me that the longer the
    trailer part of a rig is, the easier it is to control, because it
    changes direction slowly with respect to the tow vehicle.  A garden
    tractor with cart is really hard because the cart is usually shorter
    than the tractor.  After using mine to dump manure for a while, backing
    up a horse trailer around corners or whatever, was a breeze.
    
    

    
    FWIW ->  The van at Tucks is $42,000!  It's a 3 to 5 horse van
    
    

    
    	WOW!  Guess I'll start practicing backing up the lawn tractor with
    the trailer. Good suggestion by the way! Looks like a trailer is not
    in the near future anyhow, my horse needs training first! 
    
    	Becky