My parents moved out to a horse farm earlier this year, and they’re looking for a truck to tow the horses around. Their requirements are pretty simple: they need to be able to tow a two-horse trailer, they need four wheel-drive, and they want something that handles well with an extended cab. They’re not concerned about diesel vs. non-diesel trucks. What’s good?
As for the trailer is it gooseneck or bumperpull, aluminum or steel (or ultralight), what does their horse weigh and what terrain do they normally drive in?
Without knowing the Gross Vehicle Weight of the loaded trailer (incl horse, equipment, hay, water, etc) this question cannot be answered categorically.
You can pull an aluminum 2 horse with almost anything F-150 or above, just depends how heavy you are usually loaded and how much margin of error you want.
F-150, F-250 or a Dodge diesel seem to be the common ones around here. Diesels tend to depreciate slowly which is a factor if you’re buying used.
Most trucks are as comfy as a car these days. They may or may not drive like one though. New trucks are surprisingly expensive.
No trailer yet; that’s also to be purchased. Their largest horse is a thoroughbred, and the one they’d be towing around most often is small enough that he can be considered a pony, so we’re guessing that they wouldn’t be towing more than 2000 lbs of horse. Terrain is either roads or fields, but nothing extreme (I assume).
I think, though, that I’m going to recommend that they talk to some of their more knowledgeable neighbors and friends. I have no idea what I don’t know about towing horses around, and I don’t think they do either, so it will probably go more smoothly if I’m not driving this process. Thanks, though.
Yeah you can’t know what kind of truck unless you know what kind of trailer.
That is a good decision I think. From my trailer owning friends I would comment do not believe anything the truck dealer tells you. Many dealers, even if well intentioned do not realize that pulling live weight carries different considerations than, say, a boat of equal weight.
Not concerned with diesel vs gas when the primary function of the truck is to be pulling a trailer? That’s a bit bizarre. I’d rule out gas engines entirely right from the get-go.