This article is from the August 2020 Horse Deals magazine.
A regular on the show and interschool scene, 16-year-old Kate Kyros has more recently added dressage competitions to the family calendar. Mix in a graduation to Warmbloods and it’s the recipe for a truck upgrade.
“Our previous truck was a three-horse Equi-Trek which we purchased back when Kate was 11 and competing on a Shetland and two little ponies,” says Kate’s mother Heather. “The old truck appealed to me as I had never driven a truck before, and it was only eight metres long; shorter than a float and car. We really enjoyed travelling all around the country in it with the little ponies but it was time for more living and storage space.”
“We saw this Rivenlee truck advertised and it had every specification I could have wished to include plus many more. It was a demo model and had done 10,000kms travelling to events, rarely ever with a horse on board. I was very impressed with the quality of the fit out and features. Things like the upholstered ceilings and LED lighting gave it the same feel as we had seen in horse trucks in Europe.”
Only three large horse bays in the back and a slide-out each side, one for the kitchen and other for the lounge area, make for ample space.
“The purchase of the truck has already made a big impact on our horse activities,” explains Heather. “We took it to Canberra Show earlier this year and for the first time ever both my husband Dean and my son Wil joined us at the show to support Kate. We had a great week staying in the truck and there was more than enough room for everyone.”
“The purchase will certainly add to our future enjoyment of horse events as a family.”
The horse box is built on an incredibly powerful Scania P440. The Kyros’ added the bull bar after purchase due to the miles they clock up on the Hay Plains.
The comfortable cab which includes a single sleeper.
The whole truck is operated by a Raymarine system — the touch pad on the right as you come through the door. Everything power-related is controlled here, such as lights, sound system, generator, satellite dish, hydraulics and water pump. The dining area seats eight and also carries three licensed seat belts, which makes the truck able to transport five passengers. At the press of a button this area converts to a double bed, and also provides additional powerpoints and USB points.
The living area is serviced by a large reverse cycle air conditioner. All of the windows have flyscreens and blinds for privacy. On both sides of the hall towards the horse section are ample cupboards for storing clothes, competition gear and extra bedding.
The kitchen is fully equipped with a full size fridge/freezer which runs continually from the house batteries. There is a cook top, microwave, dishwasher and plenty of storage space, including a pull out pantry. The main TV sits on the kitchen wall and a large satellite dish means there is good reception, even in the most obscure places. The truck also has Foxtel.
There is a king sized bed in the luton which is equipped with reading lights, USB charging points, and a TV/DVD player. Underneath is the crawl through to the cab.
The bathroom has a separate shower with rain shower head. The instant hot water runs from gas bottles, of which there are two, to ensure an easy click over to the spare should the gas ever run out. There is a macerator flushing toilet which empties into a large black water tank, to avoid the pain of the cassette system. An extractor fan is fitted and easily operated by a remote control in the bathroom. The large water tank also has a town water attachment for providing a continuous water supply.
The horse section is set up for three large Warmbloods. There are flyscreens on all the windows, a reverse cycle air conditioner and all the dividers pin into nylon strips to stop any rattling.
The fully enclosed and lockable overhead rug racks.
There are three under chest storage cupboards. One of these houses the washer/dryer and a hose to easily wash out the horse area.
There is a winch at the back of the truck for lifting the portable tack locker in and out from the third horse bay. There is a roll down awning on the rear of the truck so the horse area can easily be converted into a private room.
The tack box lowered down, ready to roll to the stables. There are tie up rings on both sides of the truck so you can spread the horses out if needed. The side protectors are stored in sections so they can be put up by an individual without requiring a second pair of hands.
The built in saddle locker has four saddle racks and six bridle hooks.
The truck has seven gear lockers accessible from the outside one of which houses the hot/cold horse wash. There are three lockers which span the entire truck width and here the Kyros’ permanently store camping gear, chairs, rugs and tables, as well as all the hoses and electrical cords associated with setting up to camp.
A slide out BBQ is hidden in one of the lockers under the awning.
Two more large lockers that store a mounting block, fat max, first aid equipment, boots and bandages etc.
Article: Rachel Clayfield
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