Watch out - new regulations for horse transportation

Since January 1, motorhomes over 7.5 tons must be equipped with a digital tachograph if they are towing a trailer. This also applies to equestrians traveling with large liners and trailers. Drivers are now subject to the applicable driving and rest periods and require a driver card for documentation purposes. In addition to driving times, the new tachographs also record border crossings and locations during loading and unloading operations. The basis for this is the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/799. Violations can be punished with fines of up to 1,500 euros.

Trucks with a technically permissible maximum mass (tzGm) of more than 3.5 tons have been subject to tolls since 1 July 2024 - a regulation that also affects many smaller horseboxes. However, checks by the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) show that many of these vehicles are overloaded. In addition to fines, drivers face considerable liability risks in the event of accidents: disregarding the duty of care can lead to contributory negligence. In addition, insurers could refuse to pay benefits if overloading is proven to be the main cause of the accident.

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