Need Help Buying A Vehicle To Pull A Horse Trailer

[canadianchick]

I posted this is TAO but thought I would post here too. I am looking to buy a vehicle. I would like to stay in the area of $15,000- 17,000 so it will have to be a used vehicle. I want/need it to be able to pull a horse trailer with two horses but I do not want a truck/pick-up. So I am thinking I will need an SUV type vehicle. I want it to be as small as possible as I use my vehicle for work but I still need it to be able to haul a trailer and horses safely. Any advice..... the whole process is mind numbing.

[jeannineb]

Boy, that's a toughie. I can not think of any small-ish SUV that I would be comfortable with pulling a loaded horse trailer. When you said you didn't want a pick-up, I first thought Suburban or Yukon or something of that sort, but those are far from small SUV's. I drive a Highlander that is considered mid-sized-to small, but I know it would not pull a loaded horse trailer safely. Maybe one of the bigger Toyotas would do it, the Seqoia (sp?), but they aren't small either! Maybe split the difference with 2 used vehicles? One for pulling and an economical car for in-town, non-towing driving? I know I am no help, sorry! Good luck in your search!

[andreac]

I have no experience with horse trailers and am not sure of the weight involved, but I know my dad pulls his pretty large pop-up camper (I think about 20ft?) with his Honda Odyssey.

[eggsandpancakes]

Trailer: 2000 lbs
Two horses: 1600-3000 lbs, depending on breed, etc.
Tow capacity: 6500 lbs, to be on the safe side, since it isn't pulling that is the issue, but STOPPING the sucker that gets people in trouble.
Either get a pickup, preferable 3/4 ton if you are doing a lot of hauling, or throw down the cash on a Brenderup. Either way, you are going to be spending some money.
Our Tahoe can handle a regular 2 horse bumperpull, but that is about the smallest you can safely go with a regular trailer. You get a Brenderup, an Explorer could handle it.