Skip to main content

Meg's Minute: A helpful guide to ensure the safety of both you and your horse while traveling in your horsebox.

We’ve partnered with Meg Elphick to provide comprehensive solutions to your frequently asked questions! From routine mechanical inspections to essential travel kit items, we’ve got you covered.

If you’ve arrived here from our online videos, a warm welcome to you! Feel free to scroll down for additional information from each video, along with links to featured products.

Remember, Liberty Horseboxes is your go-to for all horsebox mechanical needs. Whether it’s occasional issues or regular maintenance, servicing and MOTs, our expert team is here to assist, regardless of whether your horsebox is a Liberty model or not.

One of our core values in this industry is to ensure the safe transportation of every horse and rider to and from their adventures, prioritising safety alongside style.

Your Four Stage Pre-Drive Mechanical Inspection Checklist

We understand the hustle and bustle that comes with preparing your horsebox for a journey – from tending to your four-legged companion to loading up and hoping for a smooth journey amidst your tight schedule. Yet, amidst this flurry of activity, encountering a mechanical fault en route could not only disrupt your plans but also pose serious risks to you and your horse’s safety.

To mitigate such risks, we advocate for a straightforward four-stage pre-drive mechanical checklist. Unlike your daily car, horseboxes are often left stationary for extended periods, making them susceptible to mechanical issues that may go unnoticed. It’s easy to overlook problems from one drive to the next. Therefore, we strongly recommend performing this checklist diligently before every journey.

Trust us, investing just 10 minutes in these checks is far preferable to enduring hours of roadside breakdowns, especially with your horses in tow.

Checking tyre pressure is essential to do before every drive

But don’t worry! Simply click the link below to acquire our recommended tyre pressure checker and inflator. We’ve carefully selected this particular product for its exceptional efficiency and convenience, ensuring a swift and hassle-free process. Plus, its compact design allows you to keep the pressure gauge readily accessible in your horsebox at all times.

Inspecting your tyres prior to embarking on each journey is essential as it helps detect any pressure loss caused by weather conditions, potential punctures, or tyre damage. Such diligence can prevent potential accidents or the inconvenience of having to stop on hazardous roads to address tyre issues.

We have created you a table detailing the suggested PSI for various horsebox makes and models. While this information is typically located on the door of your horsebox, it may occasionally be absent, especially in conversions. To streamline your access, we’ve compiled all the necessary details for your convenience.

Purchase Tyre Pressure Checker and Inflator:

Make Model Tyre Size PSI Front PSI Back
Peugeot Boxer 215/70R15 59 65
Vauxhall Movano 215/65R16 55 55
Citroen  Relay 215/70R15 59 65
Renault Master 215/65R16 55 55

Meg’s Minute

In this video, Meg will show you just how simple and easy it is to check your tyre pressures prior to travelling in your horsebox.

Ensure safety: maintain washer fluid for ideal horsebox travel

Maintaining proper visibility is essential for safe driving, especially in adverse weather conditions where dirt, mud, or insects can accumulate on the windscreen.

Horseboxes often travel long distances, encountering various environmental factors that can dirty the windscreen. Regularly checking and topping up washer fluid helps to guarantee that the windscreen can be adequately cleaned whenever necessary.

Furthermore, keeping washer fluid readily available in the horsebox at all times is equally important. Unexpected situations such as sudden changes in weather or encountering dusty roads can quickly deplete washer fluid levels.

We have linked our favourite and recommended brand of washer fluid below. We also recommend buying a funnel to make topping up even easier and cleaner!

Purchase Windscreen Wash & Funnels:

Meg’s Minute

In this video, Meg will show you where to top up your windscreen washer fluid in your horsebox.

  1. Park your horsebox on level ground and open the bonnet
  2. locate your windscreen wash reservoir. This is usually a blue cap with the windscreen wash symbol on it.
  3. Open the cap and insert the funnel.
  4. Pour your new windscreen wash fluid down the funnel until full
  5. Ensure you close the cap before you close the bonnet

A simple process to avoid big disasters...

Checking the oil in your horsebox before each journey is crucial for ensuring the smooth operation and longevity of your vehicle’s engine.

Importance:

  • Engine lubrication: Insufficient oil levels can lead to increased friction and potential engine damage.
  • Cooling: Low oil levels can result in inadequate cooling, leading to engine overheating.
  • Optimal Engine Performance: Smoother operation and efficient fuel consumption.

Having spare oil in the horsebox ensures you’re always prepared.

Note: using a funnel to add in your oil keeps your engine bay (and jodhpurs!) cleaner. Keep these funnels in your horsebox ready to use.

Different engines require different oil – to find out what oil your horsebox needs, click the link below.

Purchase Funnels:

Meg’s Minute

In this video, Meg will show you how to check you oil level in your horsebox:

  1. Park your horsebox on a level surface and ensure the engine is cool.
  2. Open the bonnet and locate the oil dipstick, usually indicated by a brightly coloured handle.
  3. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it clean with a cloth or paper towel.
  4. Reinsert the dipstick fully into the oil reservoir and then pull it out again.
  5. Check the oil level on the dipstick. The oil level should fall between the minimum and maximum markings or within a designated safe range.
  6. If the oil level is below the minimum mark or appears insufficient, it’s essential to add more oil before driving the vehicle.

The easiest task of them all

The final check of your four-point pre drive mechanical check is coolant. People often think this will be the hardest to do but its quite the opposite!

Regularly checking and topping up the coolant in your horsebox before each journey is essential for maintaining the optimal operating temperature of the engine and preventing potential overheating

Insufficient coolant levels or a coolant leak can lead to inadequate cooling, causing the engine to overheat. Engine overheating can result in severe damage to engine components, leading to costly repairs and potential breakdowns, which can be particularly dangerous when transporting horses.

Therefore, ensuring that the coolant level is adequate and topping it up as needed before each journey is essential for maintaining the reliability and safety of your horsebox.

Below, we have recommended our favourite brand of coolant.

Purchase Coolant & Funnels

Meg’s Minute

Follow these instructions to top up your coolant:

  1. Park your horsebox on level ground and open the bonnet.
  2. Checking coolant is visual – look for the translucent tub in the engine bay with the pink liquid in.
  3. The level should be in between the min and max level – ideally on or towards the maximum.
  4. Should you need to top it up – make sure the engine has completely cooled down! Then, open the cap and pour in your coolant until at the desired level.

Travel Essentials: Guidance from Meg Elphick

It’s common knowledge that whenever you take your horse out, your horsebox often ends up resembling a mobile tack room, feed store, wardrobe, stable, and wash bay all rolled into one.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of pre-show or pre-outing preparations, figuring out what and how to pack your horsebox can be a messy, time-consuming affair, with crucial items easily overlooked.

This is precisely why Meg Elphick has crafted these handy guides on packing for shows. Covering everything from grooming and first aid kits to optimising storage space in Liberty Horseboxes, her advice offers invaluable assistance in simplifying the packing process.

Meg's Minute

Mishaps can occur, but it’s crucial to be equipped and poised to manage any challenges that arise while transporting your horses in the horsebox.

Here, Meg discusses her essential emergency items for travel and shares tips on ensuring your horses remain content, composed, and comfortable – even when you’re not!

Meg's Minute

Ever wondered what Meg Elphick brings along to her shows? Well, wonder no more!

In this exclusive video, Meg reveals her indispensable show grooming kit, unveiling the secrets behind her flawless presentation.

From meticulous grooming tools to essential products, Meg unpacks each item, leaving no stone unturned. And for your convenience, we’ve provided links to all the products showcased in the video below.

Opening Hours
Monday – Friday: 09:00 – 17:30
Saturday – Sunday: Appointment Only