If you are a horse owner and need to tow a horse trailer to events, it is key to understand what licence you need to comply with the law. Here is our guide to transporting horses.
Towing a small horse trailer
The simplest and easiest way to transport horses may be with a car and small horse trailer. Anyone with a normal car driving licence is now able to tow a horse trailer up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass (MAM). Maximum authorised mass means the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the load that can be carried safely. For example, the weight of the trailer including the horse and any equipment.
Towing a trailer with a car requires a BE category on your driving licence. Since December 2021, anyone with a car licence now has the BE category automatically added to their licence.
Taking a car and trailer towing course
Although the licence requirements have changed, we would recommend that anyone new to towing a trailer, or anyone who has not towed for a while, should take a trailer towing course from a qualified instructor like Hartlip HGV Driving School.
Our trailer towing courses don’t just cover driving. We also cover coupling and uncoupling, essential safety checks and the weight restrictions of your vehicle and trailer.
Because our courses are one-to-one, we tailor the course to you and your circumstances so you can get the most out of the time.
Driving horse lorries
Although you are able to tow a 3,500kg trailer on a car licence, bear in mind that this allowance may only enable you to transport two horses at a time in a small horse trailer.
If you need to transport several horses at once, then we would recommend you train for your Class 2 or Category C licence. This would enable you to drive a rigid horsebox over 3,500kg.
During the course, you will learn:
- All about the vehicle
- Reversing manoeuvres
- How to drive safely on the road amongst other vehicles
- How to make sure the vehicle is loaded safely and securely
- How to prevent trafficking of illegal immigrants and other criminality
- How to assess and deal with emergency situations
Need help choosing your training?
We know how confusing it can be, so our friendly and knowledgeable team can answer your questions and help you decide the right training course to meet your needs. Whether you choose to start with a basic trailer course or go straight to a Class 2, our one-to-one training means that it is tailored to your needs. Book your course now.