A horsebox fit for champion drivers

By Justine Thompson

Gear news

12 May 2009 12:45

Two pony driving champions have greatly improved their life on the road with a massive new ‘pod’ attached to their horsebox.

Sue Denney and Simon Willis are twice national champions, and bronze medal winners of the FEI World Combined Pony Championships. But spending six months on the road during the competition season was proving less than easy - they needed more space.

With a budget of only £55k and new lorries costing £200k, they decided to build their own. That’s when they met Dan Twitchen.

As an experienced horsebox builder his advice was invaluable in the refit of their 3 year old Renault 18 ton lorry.

“The plan was to build a lorry with as much interior space as possible,” says Dan.  “We decided to add an extra large cabin in the form of an extendable pod operated via hydraulics.

Once extended the pod would give an extra 9sqm of floor space to the vehicle. The problem we faced was finding a slide system that was easy to fit, could take the weight, and could be repaired without dismantling the whole cabin.”

The only slide system compact and strong enough was GSF slide draws. Made from cold rolled steel, the three beam slide is strong enough to take heavy punishment and be constantly reliable in harsh environments. 

Gas and electrical lockers were also fitted with GSF slides to allow easy access necessary equipment.

The upshot of these slides has meant Dan has been able to create an impressive mobile home and business for Sue and Simon, allowing them to spend the better part of the competing season in comfort.

For further information visit www.gsfslides.com