# Smallest vehicle to tow



## Shenandoah (Aug 9, 2010)

This might be a silly question, but really it's a matter of practicality.

What's the smallest vehicle by PHYSICAL SIZE that can tow a two-horse trailer with two horses in it?
I really want an F-250, but it literally will not fit in the parking spaces at my apartment complex (a visitor had one parked here the other day, and it was pretty much exactly the width of the parking spots, leaving no room to open the doors if someone was parked next to them). If I can't find something more narrow, I just have to go without a trailer for at least another year until my lease is up, and then see if I can move somewhere with better parking.
Which is fine, if less than ideal. But if there's a smaller alternative that can safely and comfortably tow, I'd love to hear about it.

(I can park the trailer at the barn, so that's not an issue. Just the truck.)


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

That's a tough one. I think size wise, the 1/2 tons are just as wide. Maybe you can just ask your complex for an end parking space so you can get out on one side?


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## coffeegod (May 6, 2011)

You must live in the DC metro area. 

I've spent the last few months researching towing capacities. F-150 and Silverado both have a maximum pull of about 5500 to 6500 lbs., depending on year. The Ram 2500 pulls about 9200 lbs. Figuring on 1000 lbs for the average trailer + 1000 lbs per horse + 350 lbs of people + 400 lbs gear for a weekend camping/trail riding trip = 3750 total pounds.

I wouldn't go with less than a big V6 in Virginia and frankly would lean more towards a V8. Yeah, it sucks the gas but y'all got some substantial hills up there.

This is where I found the towing capacity information:
HowStuffWorks "Ford Towing Capacity Chart"

Good luck in your search. Let me know which way you go. I'm leaning towards an older beater truck and keeping my sedan for commuting.


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## Shenandoah (Aug 9, 2010)

MyBoyPuck said:


> That's a tough one. I think size wise, the 1/2 tons are just as wide. Maybe you can just ask your complex for an end parking space so you can get out on one side?


We don't have assigned spaces, just permits. I'm usually at the barn until late, which means I get the worst choice in parking spaces :-(



coffeegod said:


> You must live in the DC metro area.


LOL, yeah. Unfortunately.
I grew up in the rural mountains of Colorado, and needless to say, this has required _quite_ an adjustment.



> Good luck in your search. Let me know which way you go. I'm leaning towards an older beater truck and keeping my sedan for commuting.


I might just wait until I can buy a house a little farther out - hopefully next year. Then I can get whatever vehicle I want (probably the F-250 - my first ever vehicle that I learned to drive in was an F-150, so I'm partial to them  ).
I was just hoping I might be able to find something I could squeeze into our parking lot over the next year so I could be a little less dependent on begging for open trailer spots whenever someone is leaving the property.

I've also considered trying to find a horse van of some sort, because then I could just park the whole contraption at the barn (there are two there already - but they don't look all that driveable at the moment).


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Got any friends out in the burbs who would let you park a truck at their house?


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## Traveler (Feb 5, 2012)

Well, this is old but here goes.

Okay: a 2-horse straight load will weigh close to #2500, *empty* curb weight. I don't know of any horse trailer on the market that weighs a thousand pounds and isn't a Brenderup. 

I towed one horse 2500 miles from WA to MO last fall with a 2001 Dodge Durango. It has a V8 with 3.92 gear ration and a towing capacity of #7250. It weighs #5000 empty. I *love *this truck. It's an SUV with seven seats, 4x4 and all the amenities I would get in a little city car, but with the capabilities of some serious towing power. It tackled the Oregon/Idaho/Wyoming mountains like a boss, not a hiccup in sight. It's compact enough to fit into pretty much anywhere but with a nice sturdy truck frame to get me places. The total weight of horse+trailer was just under #5000. It had decent stopping distance and more than enough engine to cruise at 65 or 70 mph. 

That being said, it is limited. It squats bad in the rear and the trailer must have electric brakes - not only for the safety of your vehicle but yourself and your horse. My truck is specifically loaded, I made sure of it, to handle the rigors of horse hauling. At the end of the day, if someone offered me an f250, I probably wouldn't refuse. So if you have the chance to wait on it, do that. If not, look into some of the SUV's rated by consumers for this kind of work. 

It all depends on your situation. Do your research. Good luck!


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

I know you're looking at "minimum", but that might leave you no room should your requirements change. 

Personally, I think towing at maximum capacity, while legal, isn't a good idea.

If you can park the trailer at the barn, can you park both truck and trailer there too?


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

there is only 1 inch difference in width between a F150 and F 250.
Your two horses and bumper pull will be in t6he 5000lb range loaded. Id want something that is rated at close to 9000lbs max if I was gonna be towing 5000 alot. Many 1/2 ton (150 or 1500's) trucks can do this if they are properly equipped. many half ton trucks cant. There are huge differences in capabilities between various models. So if you are buying a 1/2 ton you have to know what you are getting.
Pretty much all 3/4 ton's will pull 8600lbs minimum.
looking at widths in the used market,
2010 F150 78.8 "
2004 F250 79.8
if you go back to the 1996 to the i think about 2002 model years both the 250's and 150s had the same body and those are listed at 74.

Seems along the lines of about 1997 the manufacturers really started adding width to all the vehicle lines. Walk around and look at your parking lots.
Until recently most of the 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks had near identical bodies. Look at the model years and compare width.


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## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

Smallest thing id town and talking about a 2 horse trailer is a 1500 model truck. And NEVER EVER NEVER, tow with a Toyota truck they cannot handle 1 horse, they look big but are not able to do it safely.


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## goneriding (Jun 6, 2011)

You seem a tad hesitant. Maybe waiting would be a better option. You could get your 3/4 ton truck which to me would be a better choice. It isn't just their towing capacity but also handling and stopping come into play, stiffer rear end and bigger brakes.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I just saw a dodge dakota with a 5.9L engine, not sur eif the rest of the truck will do it, youd have to look up the stats, I know jeeps are built like tanks, lots of the wagoneers, cherrokee, commanche pickup truck models have 318's to 360 ci engines. Plenty of torque. can take a good hitsh and have no problems with 2 horse trailers.


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

Perhaps an F150? I've seem them pull goosenecks...wait what am I doing?!?!

BUY A CHEVY!!! CHEVY! CHEVY!! AHHHHHHH NO FORD NEVER EVER EVER POOEY!

I'd get a 90's model GM 1500...they are fairly narrow.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Buy a tax payer funded truck?

You're kidding right?

No Government motors products for me, shame they took the money.


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## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

Dodge!


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## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

I got an F150 ecoboost that is set up to pull 9800 lbs and I only pull about 5500 with my full two horse. I only haul short distances and infrequently and it does great. I have hauled my friends 3 horse with 1-2 horses in it short distance and it still performs great. But it's not really a narrow truck. 

Around here we seem to see allot of SUV's pulling 2 horses, cherokees, pathfinders(what I used to have and I refused to tow with) and ford SUV's. Most of the big trucks I see are set up for mudding and have huge lift kits. I don't know why anyone would ruin a perfectly good towing vehicle  My friend has an f350 turbo charged diesel(any more info I'd have to ask for). I swear she could pull a hose with that thing and it's got a full sized bed on it......it's a land yatch to me LOL.


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## PaintCowgirl (Jan 2, 2012)

its not the "towing" that you need the size for its the STOPPING. thats where a lot of people loose control. the other instance in a bumper pull is that it starts swaying behind the vehicle and it creates enough momentum to jerk the back end of the vehicle around....look at how many people tow those giant mobile homes with small trucks....and are wrecked on side of the road cuz the trailer got to swaying and the truck didnt have enough weight. hauling live animals adds sway and movement to any trailer, and that is all magnified when it goes through the hitch and into the rear of the vehicle. 

i tow something somewhere everyday, i live and work on a huge farm. something is always hooked to me. i have a two horse bumper pull and i always pull it with my 3500 duallie or my 2500 diesel excursion or i have a 3500 suburban i put a Cummins in and beefed up everything in it. it does great towing and weighs 8450lb on its own. it has enough "butt" to hold anything i ask it to tow with a bumper hitch. id rather be 'overkill' than underkill when my babies are back there.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

every truck and suv sold comes with an owners manual or u can look it up online. All will list the safe towing capacity, stay well below that and you are fine. Horse trailers stop because they are required by law to have working brakes, not because of the weight of the tow vehicle. Claiming you must have a F35O to STOP a trailer is ridiculous.
That dually F 350 weighs 7800lbs, so I guess by your logic it can only tow a 7000 lb trailer ? Since it is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo unsafe to pull a 3500 lb load with a 4400 lb Ford explorer ? 
Follow the manufacturers ratings. They are easy enough to look up.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

There are a lot of variables that impact how well a vehicle will tow and how well it will tow a particular trailer. Looking at the GCVW of a rig will only tell you part of the story and you can certainly get yourself in trouble by just going off of it. That's why most of use recommend using a vehicle that is specifically designed to tow heavy loads, which will be a 3/4 ton and larger. Even with them you can get in trouble, just less likely. That means, for the average person who doesn't know these factors, they are a better vehicle to buy.


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