Niehoff horse transporter for everyone: thanks to the lightweight chassis from AL-KO VT

Transporting horses presents challenges in terms of safety and ride comfort for the four-legged passengers. Additionally, due to the high weight and to handle trailers, an extended driving licence is usually needed. Vehicle manufacturer Niehoff has found a solution to all these problems: a horse transporter that is particularly light.

Horse transportation poses challenges in safety and driving comfort. © Niehoff

Facts about the partnership between Niehoff and AL-KO VT

The vehicle manufacturer Niehoff creates made-to-measure horse transporters and relies on chassis from AL-KO VT.
The AMC low-frame chassis is 220 mm lower than conventional versions, making transport more comfortable and safe for horse and rider.
Thanks to the lightweight construction, among other things, the vehicle remains below a permissible gross weight of 3.5 t and does not require an additional driving licence.

AL-KO VT on tour with horse and rider

Horse transport made easy

They say happiness on earth is found on horseback. That is also the view of bodybuilder and vehicle manufacturer Heinrich Niehoff, who is committed to developing the lightest possible horse transporters: at the medium-sized vehicle manufacturer based in North Rhine-Westphalia, the well-being of the horses always takes centre stage. In line with Niehoff's philosophy, only if transport is safe and stress-free can horses perform at their best. For bodywork construction, the family business had a particular partner in mind—AL-KO Vehicle Technology.

What began in 1895 as a small wheelwright’s workshop for carriages and horse carts in the Münsterland region is now one of the most renowned vehicle body construction companies for transporters and trailers—Niehoff Karosserie- und Fahrzeugbau GmbH & Co. KG in Füchtorf, Germany. Over the past decades, well over 500 custom-made horse transporter bodies have left the Niehoff production halls—for professional riders, leisure riders and haulage companies alike.

AL-KO VT lightweight chassis for less weight

Every gram counts

Designing and building these special transporters is no trivial task: they need to be stable in value, durable, easy to maintain and robust, and must also meet the individual requirements and expectations of customers. The key factor is weight. To be permitted for use with a category B driving licence, and to avoid burdening horse-lovers with additional motorway tolls—in Austria, for example, or in France—every gram counts.

‘The challenge was to build a 3.5-tonner to transport two horses,’ explains managing director Heinrich Niehoff. The problem: all the available chassis in the 3.5-t class were too heavy on their own. In addition, a Mercedes-Benz power unit was to be used and the payload maximised as much as possible. Niehoff: ‘Our plan was to have 1,200 kg available.’ A plan for which, according to the managing director, there was only one possible partner: ‘AL-KO is known for being extremely flexible with their chassis in terms of dimensions, weight, and axle width. That made the company the right choice for our project.’

AL-KO VT lightweight chassis for flexible concepts

The optimum maximum weight is 3.5 t

According to Niehoff, the Mercedes-Benz power unit was previously only intended for motorhomes. ‘We received confirmation from Mercedes-Benz that we could also use the power unit for horse transporters.’ This paved the way to use the proven AL-KO VT frame and design the horse transporter with a permissible gross weight of 3.5 t.

‘There was no alternative to this.’ All other available low frames from other manufacturers were not only too heavy but also significantly less flexible than the AL-KO VT frame. Niehoff goes into detail: ‘The combination with AL-KO proved optimal, also in terms of driving safety and construction.’ The new transporter has a very wide rear axle, making it very resistant to swaying even when fully loaded. According to Niehoff, a deep entry height for the horses, a low centre of gravity and wide tracks were particularly important.

‘The decisive factor was the payload. It’s not much use developing a vehicle with a payload of only 600 kg if you want to carry two horses,’ says the managing director. A horse weighs on average between 400 and 700 kg, depending on breed. Certain heavy breeds can easily weigh more than 1,000 kg, so the transporter can at least carry one of these animals.

‘Special ideas need special solutions. With our modular systems and chassis versions like the lightweight chassis, we want to offer exactly these kinds of solutions,’ says Philipp Nief, Key Account Manager Sales Light Commercial Vehicle at AL-KO VT. ‘For our customer Niehoff and his horse transporter, this really paid off. We were able to provide exactly what he needed to turn his idea into reality—without compromising on quality or stability. Every success for our customers is a success for our company, too.’

AL-KO VT: the partner for every requirement

Safe and comfortable horse transport

Today, Niehoff has a transporter with a ‘proper chassis for a proper towing vehicle’—for horses, but also people. The category B driving licence was particularly important in the partnership with AL-KO VT, so that the transporters with a maximum weight of 3.5 t can be driven without an extended driving licence. ‘This of course affects insurance matters, but also additional equipment like saddles, horse feed and accessories.’ For example, there is now a storage compartment in the vehicle, 60 cm wide, which can house a sleeping berth for long journeys and events, or a tack room.

The horses themselves have plenty of space, too: ‘1.60 metres between the wheel arches—this is how wide a standard two-horse trailer should be.’ According to Niehoff, the horses stand with their centre of gravity on the rear axle, which reduces the load on the front axle. Many other horse transporters are overloaded at the front. The Niehoff vehicle, however, can also tow a horse trailer with two more horses in addition to the two already in the transporter. ‘We've now planned for a volume of 10 to 20 vehicles a year—provided the manufacturers are able to supply them.’