I am looking at different Toyota trucks for my first vehicle (meaning I don’t want too expensive) for hauling horses. I only have one horse but will probably buy a two horse trailer “just in case” (you know, I find a loose horse with no owner or something. Haha.) I’m aiming for a truck between $10-15,000. (is that too cheap?)
Let me know.
Thanks!
I haul with an 07 Tundra. Honestly, I wouldn’t use it for more than two horses, and not three consistently. I don’t like that it drives more like a car (although the turning radius is great!), and I felt like an aluminum trailer was a necessity to haul three horses, which I will do occasionally. It has the power, but doesn’t feel near as nice as my Chevy 2500 did. You can tell a trailer is back there. I would go for the best you can get. They’re great trucks, but only average for hauling compared to what else is on the market. One horse is a piece of cake though.
you’ll be limited only to the Tundra and for that price, an old one that is less capable. It will do it, but it won’t feel like a real truck, because it isn’t one. Also, you’ll pay top dollar for a less capable Toyota versus a more capable Chevy/GMC or Dodge of the same vintage - a lot more.
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Agree with the above posters. A much older a Tundra is your only option and it isn’t anywhere near the capacity of the new ones. The new Tundras are very, very nice but you’re looking at $40K plus. A friend just picked up a used one (2012 I believe) and her payment is close to $600/month - no not cheap at all. Do not even look at a Tacoma for pulling a horse trailer - just don’t.
Okay, any good Honda trucks?
I don’t think Honda makes anything that could tow in your price range.
What about Chevy or Ford? There are a ton more options in your price range and you can get a nice quality used truck in that price range.
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I used to haul an aluminum 2h GN with a 2008 Toyota Tundra and it did a good job with the trailer – handled hills well and had more than enough power for the trailer. Just be sure if you’re looking at Tundra’s that you get one made after the upgrade to a more substantial truck. Not sure what year that was — the early Tundras were much more of a light duty truck.
2008 is still well out of the OP’s price range unfortunately, with an appropriate used one being in the 20k price range. Look at GMC, Chevy, or Ford for your price range.
OP why hung up on foreign? I picked up a “loaded” 2500 that was seven years old at the time, pulls like a beast, for your price range. Payment was like $310. You aren’t going to get that in a Tundra. And Honda? They have a Ridgeline but no way.
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Toyota makes outstanding trucks but until they make a 3/4 ton, I am not going to get one.
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I absolutely love my 2015 Tundra. It tows my two-horse Gore effortlessly. But like others have said, it was beefed up somewhere along the way. The older ones are less capable and the newer ones probably out of your price range. There’s no Honda I would tow with either. I love Japanese cars but for your needs I’d look domestic.
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I know several people that haul 2 horse aluminum goosenecks with their Tundras. Another person plows with hers. It’s a nice beefy half ton that is capable of towing a comparably sized trailer. with a towing capacity on the right model of around 10,000 lbs. Sadly out of the OP’s price range though.
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I would look at Ford, GMC, Chevy or Ram. A new beefed up Toyota truck would work but it is well out of your price range. I doubt Honda has anything that will tow even one horse safely.
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I haul with a 2016 Tacoma. Its beefed up though, brakes and transmission. I’m small so I prefer driving the Taco. I hauled a CM 14’ combo/stock trailer. The trailer weighed 2000lbs and my mustang is wee. She is about 800lbs. so I was under half of the total maximum GCWR I don’t haul a lot in the tack room.
But it is out of your current budget. Keep your eyes open for a deal and pick the safest towing vehicle!
OP, towing is at least in large part a math game. You need to know how much your trailer will weigh, more or less, and then what both the tow capacity and gross combined vehicle weight rating is for the truck. Different trucks have different numbers even within the same line. So, looking at a Tundra from 2010, for example, you might get different numbers for 2 wheel vs 4 wheel drive, for different real axle ratios, etc.
Let’s say you decide to buy a 2 horse bumper pull without a dressing room that weighs, say, 2500 lbs. WIth two horses and gear, let’s say the trailer now weighs 6000 lbs (always give yourself wiggle room!). You’d want a truck rated to tow at least 7000 lbs probably to feel safe. If you get a gooseneck, you need to calculate the tongue weight (20% of empty trailer is one reasonable standard) - that weight is payload, so truck’s payload capacity comes into play. Then you need to know the total weight rating for the truck, and subtract the curb weight of the truck, weigh of passengers, gear and gas, payload (tongue weight), and weight of loaded trailer. That should still be well under the combined weight rating for safe towing.
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I pull my 2H Hawk BP with a Sequoia, which is the SUV version of a Tundra. Mine is a 2014, so is larger than the early models. I would never pull a horse trailer with a Tacoma. Much too small. We actually owned a Tacoma and sold it because it wasn’t big enough to pull anything of any size comfortably.
I like the suggestion of a “brake box! Get one!” Like its some kind of super towing upgrade. It’s illegal to tow a horse trailer without one. They’re not an optional part for a trailer with electric brakes. And I certainly would not be comfortable hauling an old surge brakes trailer with an underwhelming vehicle like the kind of Tundra you’re going to get for $10k.
I paid $8500 for my 2002 GMC in mint condition with 68k miles on it three years ago. I sure wouldn’t pay more to drive a Tundra with 200k miles on it, nor has my (much newer) Honda been all that reliable, so I don’t really understand the fervor for Toyota trucks.
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I LOVE my 2001 1500 Dodge Ram. I haul my 4000 lb trailer fully loaded (up to 7500 lbs total) all over.
Would you be willing to consider a Nissan Titan? I have been hauling my Hawk 2 horse gooseneck with my 2004 Titan since 2006 and it’s worked out beautifully for me. You don’t even know the trailer is back there, and I haven’t a single mechanical issue or repair since we bought it, other than maintenance. I would have bought the heavy duty Tundra but it wasn’t out in '04. I drive this rig and haul by myself a lot, so I wanted something really reliable. It has never let me down.
Soloudinhere, no its not against the law. All states have varying restrictions regarding a brake box in your vehicle…
