Minimum size vehicle for towing one horse

[boosma47]

A newer vehicle is in my future and I am just toying with ideas here.

What would you recommend for a suv/compact suv to tow a bp trailer with one horse? (I doubt the compact suvs would work, but maybe someone has had experience)

Trailer might even be a stock trailer.

Ideas on combinations welcome, also! Thanks…Let 'er rip!

[joiedevie99]

For a standard American trailer, a full-size SUV - like a Tahoe, Suburban or Armada.

For a European style trailer like a Brenderup - most mid-size SUV’s will do. You’d be looking at something like a Jeep Grand Cherokee, Durango, Pilot or Pathfinder.

[Snowflake]

I haul a Brenderup Royal TC with a 6-cylinder Chevy Trailblazer. My Trailblazer has the factory towing set up but I still put in an aftermarket transmission cooler to be safe. I love this truck but I wouldn’t haul any steel trailers with it. The Brenderup is perfect for my needs and if you could find a Brenderup Solo for sale, you would be able to go with the smaller SUVs without concern.

There is a Brenderup for sale in your state: http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/grd/4678748091.html

At this price, it might be worth the drive to pick it up and have a bit more to choose from in your vehicle search.

[goodhors]

You also need to consider the ability of the tow vehicle in STOPPING the loaded trailer behind. LOTS of small vehicles can move the loaded trailer, but would never be able to stop it should the brakes go out. Brakes do that sometimes, even in the best maintained trailers.

Also you need to consider the length of tow vehicle. Short wheel bases are much less effective in CONTROLLING that load behind. Especially true if they are only equal or less length than the trailer.

Know that a Suburban is BIGGER in size, length, than a Tahoe and other small SUV types. Suburban is built on a full size TRUCK frame, just has an enclosed body instead of the open bed. I strongly suggest using a Suburban for towing, over any of the other named SUVs, because it is better able to control the load behind and stop the whole package, if brakes get lost.

Minimizing your tow vehicle, even with light trailer, one horse, is a really bad way to get into hauling horses. I understand about how the daily drive vehicle costs money with bigger engine, more weight. But DANG, horse hauling is not something you want to be under-powered for!! I know more than one “cute SUV, Jeeps”, that got tossed into the roadside ditch hauling one horse and the trailer went out of control. Some horses lived, others did not, with various injuries to the people. One person swore the backwash from a semi is what made her lose control on dry pavement, nice sunny day! She had driven many miles with this little, CUTE rig, suddenly she had no control and ROLLED into the highway ditch! Can you drive far and not expect to EVER meet a semi with air backwash?

You are going to ignore this, because LOTS of folks “get away with” driving their little vehicles with towing horse trailers. Above lady did… for a while. Other folks don’t, their number comes up and cute outfit is history because the laws of physics caught up with them. People may or may not come out of the wreck with injuries too.

[boosma47]

Goodhors, this is helpful for me. I am not ignoring anything that is safe, believe me. My needs are minimal…very occasional very local transport, not on highway. I towed with a Bronco and a Blazer at one time and am very familiar with the issues of a shorter wheel base.

I envision a short 1 horse stock trailer. What might the ratio of wheel base in the two vehicles be, ideally?

[tangledweb]

Allow me to summarize CotH towing tow vehicle advice in two pictures, saving you 2000 words
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/76/ad/fa/76adfa40e04e97b29f37c4035d972594.jpg
http://www.whinny4me.com/Trailer/Mini%20Trailer%20and%20Truck%20–%2001272006%20–%20002.jpg

[Inese]

[QUOTE=tangledweb;7778471]
Allow me to summarize CotH towing tow vehicle advice in two pictures, saving you 2000 words
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/76/ad/fa/76adfa40e04e97b29f37c4035d972594.jpg
http://www.whinny4me.com/Trailer/Mini%20Trailer%20and%20Truck%20–%2001272006%20–%20002.jpg[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the chuckle, TangledWeb!

And I counter with
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3282/2702645421_307ee80d50_z.jpg

and personal experience towing with a Volvo Sedan
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?388781-Brenderup-Owners-What-do-YOU-Tow-With&highlight=Brenderup+Volvo

[GoForAGallop]

[QUOTE=tangledweb;7778471]
Allow me to summarize CotH towing tow vehicle advice in two pictures, saving you 2000 words
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/76/ad/fa/76adfa40e04e97b29f37c4035d972594.jpg
http://www.whinny4me.com/Trailer/Mini%20Trailer%20and%20Truck%20–%2001272006%20–%20002.jpg[/QUOTE]

Joke’s gettin’ stale, dearest.

I’ll go ahead and not bother countering with the plethora of graphic horse trailer accident photos that are easily available online. Or the multiple threads of COTH posters who have hurt or killed their own horses in trailers with inadequate vehicles.

With the exception of that one poster who insists on an f-450 for her bumper pull, there are a large number of smart horse haulers on here who simply advise knowing what your vehicle is capable of, and being aware of the ratios.

OP, you need to first find which trailer you will be using. Discussing towing in the abstract is a pointless exercise. To my knowledge there is no “one horse stock trailer” on the market. And I think you’ll be surprised that the difference in weight between a new horse stock-style trailer and a new two horse straight load is basically nothing.

Once you know the weight of your trailer, and the weight of the horse you are towing, THEN you can start shopping for vehicles. Do keep in mind that tongue weight is just as important as the entire trailer weight. If you are towing with a non-traditional vehicle with a traditional trailer (vs a euro trailer), you will need a weight distributing hitch…factor in about an extra $1000 into your budget to get that set up by a pro.