PinePark Floats

Things to watch out for when buying a second-hand float

Posted by Chris Bryce on Thursday May 3, 2012

Make sure the person selling the float is the owner. It could be as simple as tracing its history through registration papers.

Buying your float from a dealer gives you better peace of mind and you will have some kind of comeback in the event of trouble.

If you can, take the float for a test drive before you buy. It is not unknown for hitches to fail under load and the consequences of such failure could be catastrophic.

Make sure all the lights work. If you take a trailer plug converter you can conduct this test even if the plugs on the horse float don’t match those of your vehicle.

Ideally, a horse float should be equipped with independent brakes. A breakaway brake will stop the float if it becomes unmarried from the car. If the loaded weight of a horse float is more than 2000 kilograms a breakaway system is not just commonsense but a legal requirement. This system uses its own electrical system and must be able to operate for 15 minutes, which should usually be sufficient time to get your horse float into a safe place. There must also be a separate parking brake.

Check for rust, especially in the floor and the underbody. Avoid a badly rusted horse float, regardless of how cheap it is.

There should be a separate door on the side for access without opening the tailgate.

You will need to know what your horse weighs. Or you may be buying a float that can take more than one animal. With two horses, you are going to have to consider your tow vehicle carefully.

With such heavy loads involved a float should be fitted with heavy duty wheels and tyres, not the items left over from an old car.

If you are buying a two-horse float, make sure the divider does not go all the way to the floor because this cramps the horses’ freedom.

What do you think? It'd be great to hear about any experiences or ideas you've had.