What car can tow a pony trailer?

[petal]

We don't really want a 4 x4, have 2 ponies(14 hh and 11hh) and love our ford focus estate 1.6 but its obviously not up to the job.
Would a 2.0 ford mondeo estate do it or a ford ranger?

[jacob marley]

What ever you pick make sure it has rear wheel drive too many people get in trouble towing with front wheel drive only .
I do not mean 4x4 you can get rear wheel drive but the majority of cars are front wheel drive only and they do get into bother at times.
The bigger heavier car can tow a heavier trailor so it is swings and roundabouts....jacob

[bubblewrap]

Don't some 4 wheel drives come with the option of using 2 wheel drive.
I don't drive & know two things about cars.........Nothing & B****r all

[PAULW]

Towing caravans
As for towing caravans, existing general guidance recommends that the laden weight of the caravan does not exceed 85% of the unladen weight of the car. In the majority of cases, caravans and small trailers towed by cars should be within the new category B threshold.

[PAULW]

NTTA Guide to Safe & Legal Towing
Or have a look here

[tattieman]

I have a mitshubishi L200 pick up with double cab and it tows nicely but the amount of fuel it uses when towing is terrible. I prefer to tow with my X5 BMW and you wouldn't know the trailer was there. You are best with a diesel for towing due to them having greater low down torque.

[FionaH]

I towed a two horse trailer with a 14.1 and a 15hh cob in it with a 2 litre mondeo. I would say that towing was the only thing the mondeo was good for, it handled like a sofa the rest of the time

[HayleyB]

It's not what will tow, it is what is legal to tow with, and the police are hot nowadays. Vehicles are rated according to weight/towing capacity - outside of this is dangerous as the risk of rolling is greatly increased. In fact there are very few 4x4s up to towing two big horses in a trailer. I think a Defender is rated at 3.5 tonnes if I remember rightly. I cannot imagine many (if any) non 4x4s being up to even one 16hh+ in a trailer legally.

As for a 14hh and 11hh depends on how slight or cobby the 14hh is really and if their combined weight is anywhere close to 3/4 ton and if the trailer is a heavy one then a 4x4 it will probably have to be.

Anyone towing horses illegally should be ashamed of themselves anyway because they are putting not only themselves at risk but other road users and their horses.

[FionaH]

Anyone towing horses illegally should be ashamed of themselves anyway because they are putting not only themselves at risk but other road users and their horses.

I was perfectly legal with the Mondeo, had it checked

[NOG]

You need to know the all in weight of the trailer and horses. Then the down weight on the tow ball.

The look up the towing specs of the car you want to put it with.

Don't forget that if the trailer and cargo is over a ceritan weight you will need a braked trailer.

[Nicos]

We've only ever hired 'Stan the Man - and his waggon'!!

We never really went to enough shows or long distance rides to need to buy a box.

What I have noticed..as I'm sure you have....is that at the end of rainy shows/competitions there's always a long wait for the tractor to start pulling peeps and their vehicles out of boggy fields...just when you're knackered and need to get back to the yard and sort of the unloading, supper, nightie business - esp after such an early start.

Maybe it's wort chatting to a few manufacturers of horseboxes and compare what they suggest is your best option..it might till be cheaper in the long run to keep a smaller car and hire a box ( ???shared with others??) from time to time???

[petal]

I spoke to someone at ifor williams and our local garage today, who both gave good advice. I wouldn't want to put either of our beloved ponies at risk so am obviously adamant to get it right yet at the same time I don't see the need to obtain a car with twice the power required that guzzles fuel and pollutes etc. Thank you for your advice everyone, I am on the right track now! We will be doing lots of shows so its cheaper and more convenient to have our own transport. This welsh mountain pony of ours is turning out to be quite a star!

[Snadger]

I spoke to someone at ifor williams and our local garage today, who both gave good advice. I wouldn't want to put either of our beloved ponies at risk so am obviously adamant to get it right yet at the same time I don't see the need to obtain a car with twice the power required that guzzles fuel and pollutes etc. Thank you for your advice everyone, I am on the right track now! We will be doing lots of shows so its cheaper and more convenient to have our own transport. This welsh mountain pony of ours is turning out to be quite a star!

So what are you going for petal?

As an aside I drive a 2 litre mondeo now which has taken over from my previous drive a Vauhall Monterey (Isuzu trooper) which had switchable four wheel drive and an LPG conversion for making it a cheap to run 4X4. Not as cheap as the mondy Ghia X though!

[Cloud]

EEEERRRR A Mustang

[sesa]

You guys need to get some real tow vehicles over there I've got a club cab Nissan Titan with a 5.6 that pulls my 21 foot boat or my dump trailer with a couple tons of sand on it like there is nothing behind me. Really though the question should be not how much you can tow but how much can you stop in a hurry.