When it comes to towing, it’s natural that we want to put our horse’s safety first. But many of us also use our ‘towing vehicle’ for travelling to work and trips to the supermarket, which means some of the smaller SUVs look like a very appealing option. Can an SUV safely pull a two-horse float? Well, it depends. Many factors come into play, so it’s wise to do your research before you start looking.
Most vehicles have tow ratings given to them by the manufacturer, which specifies the gross trailer weight, braked and unbraked (horse floats have brakes) that the vehicle can safely tow. Although the law does not require these tow ratings to be followed, the NZ Transport Agency recommends that they be taken into account.
In addition, the law requires that every light vehicle and trailer combination must be capable of stopping within a distance of seven metres from a speed of 30km/h.
Towing capacity
The first thing to consider when looking at tow vehicles is whether the towing capacity will be enough to handle the loaded weight of your float. Put simply, you can’t tow anything heavier than the maximum towing capacity. The fully loaded weight of your trailer is often called the GTM (gross trailer mass). You can estimate this by finding the empty weight of your float, either in the owner’s manual or on an identification plate on the trailer itself, and adding the weight of your horses plus any tack and equipment you usually carry. For a more accurate measurement, look for a public weighbridge in your area and load up your float.
A vehicle’s towing capacity will be listed in the owner’s manual and online. Bear in mind that Japanese import vehicles don’t usually have any information available, and this includes tow ratings. Not many people tow in Japan, which explains the lack of tow bars on vehicles imported from there. It’s also important to consider the type of tow bar and what its rating is, versus the vehicle rating (in the case of a non-genuine towbar).
There are a few figures specified by the manufacturer which are relevant when considered in combination for towing:
GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) is the recommended maximum loaded weight of the vehicle.
GCVWR (gross combined vehicle weight rating) is the recommended maximum loaded weight of the tow vehicle plus the maximum loaded weight of the trailer.
GVW (gross vehicle weight) is the actual weight of the tow vehicle alone, without the trailer, when fully loaded.
GTWR (gross trailer weight rating) is the recommended maximum weight of a fully loaded trainer that the tow vehicle can handle – or, the towing capacity.
For safety, it’s important that your vehicle, when fully loaded with passengers and equipment, does not weigh more than its maximum GVW rating, and the fully loaded float cannot exceed the GTWR. Those two weights added together cannot be higher than the GCVWR. If what you are towing exceeds any of these ratings, you risk stressing your vehicle’s engine, transmission and/or brakes, and they may fail.
Margin for safety
When it comes to estimating just how much towing capacity you need, always err on the side of caution. Although technically you can tow a trailer up to the same weight specified as the vehicle’s towing capacity, that doesn’t mean you should. If the weight of your laden trailer is close to the maximum towing weight of your vehicle, it may struggle. Plus, towing horses is quite different to pulling a boat. A horse’s centre of gravity is much higher, so you need to allow for this. Otherwise, if your horse moves around a lot or you have to break suddenly, it can cause the float to snake from side to side.
AA Motoring Advisor Cade Wilson recommends that the load you tow is always less than the maximum vehicle tow rating. “This ensures you are not operating a vehicle at its limit. At least have a few hundred kgs to spare.”
Towball download
Another critical load limit is the towball download, as specified by the vehicle manufacturer. This is the vertical download imposed upon the towball by the loaded trailer. Many tow places have a specialised scale for measuring this, or you can estimate it yourself (see below).
“Towball download is important and often missed,” says Cade. “This spec is quite hard to find, but as a guide when you are loading the trailer, make sure that there will be a downwards force on the vehicle towbar at the point of attachment equal to about 10% of the trailer plus load.
“To figure out the towball download, you can balance a plank of 4 x 2 wood between a bathroom scale and an equal height block. Place your loaded trailer tow coupling in the centre of the piece of wood. Your download weight is double the weight the scale reads.”
Curb weight
The curb weight is what the tow vehicle weighs when fully fueled but empty, with no passengers or luggage. The old rule of thumb was that your tow vehicle had to be at least as heavy as the trailer load it was pulling. However, modern trucks and SUVs can be lighter for better fuel efficiency, yet still strong enough to tow a big load safely. Keep in mind though, that the heavier the tow vehicle, the better it will be able to control the weight of a float, especially in an emergency situation where you have to swerve or brake suddenly.
“Modern utes seem to have a curb weight of around 2000kg, so in theory once you fill the vehicle with passengers and stuff, it will only be 500-800kg from the maximum braked tow capacity anyway,” says Cade.
“The weight of a braked trailer shouldn’t affect a vehicle’s braking, but it will affect how the vehicle pulls it and the weight you feel when driving. This is where vehicle condition will play a huge part: your suspension, engine, transmission and cooling systems need to be in tip-top condition in order to prevent a dreaded roadside breakdown.”
Remember that if you buy an especially big and grunty tow vehicle you may need a heavy transport license, because the combined vehicle and trailer can exceed 6500kg. For example, the Ram Laramie 2500 has a whopping 6942kg towing capacity (using a special pintle connection); the fully loaded vehicle towing the heaviest trailer possible can weigh more than 11,000kg combined.
Transmission
Many people have a strong preference for a certain type of transmission – either automatic, manual or tiptronic, which is essentially still an auto, but allows you to use paddle shifters or the gear lever to change gear if you need to. However, when it comes to towing, which is best really does come down to personal taste – choose whichever you feel most comfortable driving. “Just avoid the CVT-type transmissions for towing anything more than a garden trailer,” says Cade.
Petrol versus diesel
Diesel tow vehicles tend to retain their value better, and are always more sought after. “The overall running of both seem to be similar when taking into account annual yearly expenses and Road User Charges,” says Cade. “However, a diesel is good for long distance driving and they are efficient, so you go further on a tank of fuel. Diesels also have a higher torque rating (pulling power), which is good for towing a horse float up a hill or through paddocks.”
Wheelbase
The wheelbase is the distance from the front axle to the rear axle of the tow vehicle. Long wheelbase vehicles are general considered preferable for towing, as they provide more stability and control of the load. A short wheelbase makes it more likely that the weight of the horse float will push down the rear axle, causing the front of the vehicle to lift up.
Pro tip: Go slow
Towing horses is an art form. Taking a ride in the back of your horse float will give you a new appreciation for what your horse has to deal with while travelling (although we don’t suggest that you do this on a public road, as it’s illegal). Turns are crucial, since your load is top-heavy. Brake early into turns and drive through them smoothly. Give your horses the chance to balance before you accelerate out of turns. Don’t be pressured into driving faster than you think is safe; instead pull over wherever possible and let traffic pass. Keep plenty of distance between you and the vehicle in front and ALWAYS give yourself more time to brake.
Buying second-hand
If you’re buying a second-hand tow vehicle on a modest budget there are some suitable vehicles out there that will do the job for $20,000 and under, but there are plenty of lemons to be had as well. If you have a trusted mechanic, a chat with them is a good place to start – in certain models the same problems tend to crop up time and again and chances are they’ll have seen and fixed them all.
It’s also a good idea to get a pre-purchase vehicle inspection and compression test done; the latter will cost extra but will tell you a lot about engine health as it can detect pressure leaks through rings, cylinders, valves or a head gasket without taking the engine apart, potentially saving you a lot of money. You should also get the tow bar mounting points and tow ball checked to make sure they are in good condition and not coming loose or fracturing.
A search in your local riding club’s Facebook page can provide a lot of information and advice as to which second-hand vehicles other horse owners have found suitable for hauling floats, especially for those on a budget: Toyoto Prado, VX Landcruiser and Hilux, Mitsubishi Pajero, Saangyong Rexton, Holden Colorado, Ford Ranger and Nissan Patrol or Navara seem to be perennially popular models.
“Transmission condition and external cooler fitment is something I would look into when buying a used tow vehicle,” advises Cade. “Check with a transmission specialist if the transmission would benefit from an external cooler or if there are any potential issues to be wary of. Heat (hot fluid) can be the biggest enemy of transmissions.
“We recommend buying the newest, safest vehicle your budget allows, so look for a safety rating and have the vehicle inspected before you buy.”
