Horse and boat people...what do I need to tow?

[1Quik7]

This is more of a horse question, but I figure boats are similar in weight.

 

We'll be using a Steel 2-horse bumper pull, straight load trailer with brakes and without a dressing room...I believe the brand is Valley or something along those lines. It will just be one horse for the most part and she is 16+ hands and a little fat, and only go to local shows maybe a couple times a month during the Summer season.

 

I've been trying to research this on Google but I always seem to end up on a British site or Dressage site where money is of no object and no one will pull their horse without at least a 2500 Diesel. This will have to be my DD and I don't want to drive an Excursion or Suburban daily. I've been looking at vehicles with at least a 5000lb. tow capacity, but I don't know if the mid-size SUV's/Trucks will be able to handle it well ie: Durango, Grand Cherokee, Infiniti QX4, Explorer, S10 ZR2 with the 4.3, etc.

 

Any suggestions from the towers in the room?

[Turbs3000]

Honda Ridgeline can handle that and still be a great DD.

[POS VETT]

I wouldn't settle with anything but a full-size for something like that. You don't have to get a 3/4-ton, but a 1/2-ton GMT800 with a 5.3l would suffice, especially if 4wd isn't needed.

[miller11386]

I am going to say you need a full size truck for that load. Horse and trailer would undoubtedly be over 3000lbs, which is not going to pull well on a midsize SUV. Possible, yes, smart for more than "once a year" towing? I would not recommend it.

 

I would recommend a full size truck/ framed SUV with a V8.

 

We used to pull a 3000lb boat with our little S10 blazer (4.3 vortec), and it was sketchy and underpowered to drag up hills. Also it was a handful to stop.

[AngryBMW]

You really wont want anything smaller than a fullsize truck.

 

My girlfriend has a 2 horse trailer with a dressing room and they pull with a F250 v-10 with a goosneck. I just got back from a show in Wilmington with her and you didn't see ANYONE hauling without a pickup. The smallest trailer I saw was a 2 horse with no dressing room and a very small tack compartment. With the horse, the f150 pulling it was LOADED down. Keep in mind you will have all of her shit along with the horse.

 

I would look at a ecoboost. Not hauling they get great MPG for a truck, have TONS of room and look great. Towing, them seem to have more than enough ass to move that horse and trailer.

 

I haul my boat with my 4 door f150 with the 5.4l engine. I get shit mpg and it seems like it is breathing hard going uphill. My boat loaded is about 6000lbs. I am in the market for a diesel currently.

-Marc

[spankis]

You need to determine the empty weight of your horse trailer first of all. If its less than 7 or 8k loaded with horse and gear you should be fine with any 1/2 ton gas truck. Closer you get to 10k the more I would lean toward a 2500, either gas or diesel. What people often forget is that a 2500 chassis is not just more pulling power via motor, but stronger frame, bigger springs/ more robust suspension, and most importantly larger and better brakes. Stopping the load is as important if not more important than dragging it.

 

I'm not a big proponent of gas 2500 DDs though, because as a DD you're then dragging around all that stronger HEAVY duty chassis which uses more fuel when unloaded. A lot of 1/2 ton trucks can be optioned to tow 10k now, but its not a real comfortable experience at that capacity.

[1Quik7]

So at the very least I should be looking into a 1/2-ton Ram, Silverado, F150, Tahoe, Navigator, etc.

[Otis Nice]

I would look at a ecoboost. Not hauling they get great MPG for a truck, have TONS of room and look great. Towing, them seem to have more than enough ass to move that horse and trailer.

 

This. With over 11K rating this would do the job and make an awesome DD.

 

I haul my boat with my 4 door f150 with the 5.4l engine. I get shit mpg and it seems like it is breathing hard going uphill. My boat loaded is about 6000lbs. I am in the market for a diesel currently.

-Marc

 

Take your own advice Marc.

[POS VETT]

So at the very least I should be looking into a 1/2-ton Ram, Silverado, F150, Tahoe, Navigator, etc.

 

You got it.

[Linn1647545492]

I had a 01 Jeep GC that was rated to tow 6800 pounds (V8.) My old boat and trailer weighed in right around 4000 pounds but, was like a sail in the wind behind the GC. I sold it for my Yukon and it was night and day different. The boat and trailer didn't pull the truck around, it stopped better and I felt much safer towing.

 

Yes, my GC towed at 70 MPH but, after purchasing my Yukon I would never go back.

 

What does the horse and trailer weigh together?

[AngryBMW]

So at the very least I should be looking into a 1/2-ton Ram, Silverado, F150, Tahoe, Navigator, etc.

 

Yes. Do you see any possibility in the future for buying a larger trailer with a living quarter? If so, go diesel now and don't look back.

 

Take your own advice Marc.

 

If I weren't planning on buying a bigger boat soon and possibly have to tow a larger horse trailer on a goose-neck I would buy the ecoboost

 

What does the horse and trailer weigh together?

 

This is important but not always the main issue. Horses tend to move in the trailer which will throw off the track of the trailer. If you have never towed a horse, this can scare the shit out of you while going down the freeway! I would never want to tow something like that with a smaller vehicle. As Linn said, his jeep would do it, but it is MUCH better with the larger truck.

 

Good luck!

-Marc

[Otis Nice]

Yes. Do you see any possibility in the future for buying a larger trailer with a living quarter? If so, go diesel now and don't look back.

 

 

 

If I weren't planning on buying a bigger boat soon and possibly have to tow a larger horse trailer on a goose-neck I would buy the ecoboost

 

 

 

This is important but not always the main issue. Horses tend to move in the trailer which will throw off the track of the trailer. If you have never towed a horse, this can scare the shit out of you while going down the freeway! I would never want to tow something like that with a smaller vehicle. As Linn said, his jeep would do it, but it is MUCH better with the larger truck.

 

Good luck!

-Marc

 

^ All of this. Time to call Jordan.

[1Quik7]

 

What does the horse and trailer weigh together?

 

Well the trailer is older so I'd say around 3000 would be a safe number, plus another 1200-1300 for the horse or double that if we took both.

 

The downside is that this is on a limited budget, yea an EcoBoost would be great or a nice modified Diesel, but I put my chips into another truck with ZERO towing capacity. We need to get cheaper hobbies; cars, skiing, horses...

[spankis]

EcoBoost would be great or a nice modified Diesel, but I put my chips into another truck with ZERO towing capacity. We need to get cheaper hobbies; cars, skiing, horses...

 

I would not immediately jump to a modified diesel, at least not a very modified diesel for the sake of towing reliability, and you can get in a solid older diesel on a budget. Older 5.9 Cummins Dodges and 7.3 Powerstroke Ford trucks are very reliable and pretty simple to maintain. Good mileage can be had from both as well. As such, they hold their value well, but are still a relative value.

[GRN96WS6]

I'd go half ton truck or larger before a ridgeline (that isn't a truck) or a Navigator/Yukon.

[RedRocket1647545505]

New Ram 1500 with 3.0 diesel?

[spankis]

New Ram 1500 with 3.0 diesel?

 

If the ecoboost is out of his price range, those definitely are.

[Stallion Motorsports1647545491]

My buddy pulled a single horse with a V8 4runner and had zero issues. They never went far, but he was always happy with how it pulled. I have a v6 4runner that i have towed boats, jetskis, and trailers with and it has been great too. That being said, go get the cleanest Cummins you can afford.

 

Tom

[copperhead]

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117184

[ShoMeSomeFun]

All the trucks you listed will pull the weight but not stop it if there is an emergency. Ive pulled loads larger than what my truck can handle its the stopping part that scares the shit out of me when I do. Nothing like your car being man handled by a pontoon boat.

[xlr8tn]

I read a while back that Nissan is coming out with a diesel titan for 2015 with the 5L cummins. Sounds perfect for what you need although I haven't seen any price tags for it.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/27/nissan-titan-cummins-diesel-originally-meant-for-ram/

 

I towed a 3k pound camper for a while with the 4.3L in my old ZR2 Sonoma. It did OK with it but you really felt the hills. Not the optimal situation. Where you really felt it was trying to brake. I'm not familiar with horse trailers and if they have electric brakes on them but if not and you try to tow it with a smaller truck/suv you'll definitely want to look at getting brakes put on the trailer. Makes a huge difference with the right brake controller. Personally though I would look for a larger pick up. You get going down the road in something small and run into some heavy cross winds and it'll get dicey in a hurry.

[Otis Nice]

Personally though I would look for a larger pick up. You get going down the road in something small and run into some heavy cross winds and it'll get dicey in a hurry.

 

This.

 

As someone said, the major difference in boat vs. horses isn't just the weight. Boats aren't going to go ham in a trailer randomly. Most horses won't either, especially if they've been trained, but 1,600 pounds shifting inside a ~3K lb trailer is much different. You want to have as much control as possible. Go big or go home.

[miller11386]

This.

 

As someone said, the major difference in boat vs. horses isn't just the weight. Boats aren't going to go ham in a trailer randomly. Most horses won't either, especially if they've been trained, but 1,600 pounds shifting inside a ~3K lb trailer is much different. You want to have as much control as possible. Go big or go home.

 

Lol at a horse going hard as a ************

 

I can say that my 1/2 ton avalanche does not like the 6k lbs of load it has on it and its all strapped down neatly and securely. I can imagine having your load shift would make it quite a bit more interesting. IE trailer sway is a whole lot more dangerous with living objects that can move around.

[RS69]

Buy a 3/4 truck and call it a day. If you can afford a diesel that would be the best choice, if not go gas. No regrets with my 05 duramax.

[spectragod]

Real world experience with my F-150 SCrew, 5.0 V8, 5k load trailer/car, 16.5-16.9 MPG loaded, will do 19-20 unloaded on the highway. I would steer clear from the eco-junk, a quick read of the F-150 forums will tell you the MPG isn't there, nor is the durability.

 

What ever choice you make, a full size truck will probably be your pick.