Buying a 4x4 and a Horse trailer

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symon

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Can anybody help, I want to purchase a small 4x4 and a Horse Trailer. I have been looking at the Cheval Liberte Double horse trailers as they are lightweight max weight 2000kg. I have a 15hh Middle weight horse and will sometimes carry an additional 16.2hh horse. I am a lady driver and I am only 5ft so I do not want a Big Bus type 4x4. I fancy the Toyota RAV 4 or a Freelander. The 4x4 has also got to do for going to work 4 miles away and running around town.
Can you recomend a 4x4 to buy and also your feedback on Cheval liberte. I was looking at the Ivor Williams but i have been told they weigh 3000kh with 2 horses.
 
Cant see the the Rav 4 or the Freelander having the guts to tow anything, there more pretend toy 4 x 4's , I have been through a few various Fronteras and not impressed, so I asked around on Bridleways forum a while back what everyone else was using, and it seemed the Nissan Terrano was the way to go, so I got a V reg 2.7 diesel 5 door Terrano2, I am not very big and it is easy to drive, tows my Richardson double with two 14.2 beasties in it very competently, It's basically a mobile tack room as well, I am well pleased with it, I consider it good on fuel for running around locally, but then it is Diesel.
 
I've a 3.0l tdi Nissan Teranno (I've owned 4 so far!) and they are fantastic for towing and economical as well even the 2.7l tdi's. I went from driving a 1.0 micra to driving a 2.7tdi 7 seater Terrano - they are really easy to drive and drive like a car.

Agree with the comments about the Rav and Freelander, they'll probably do it but they'll suffer in the long run.
 
Hi I know someone who towed with the Grande vitara and it pulled the guts out of it. He had nothing but trouble with it and it was brand new. He was told it was capable of the job by Suzuki but it just couldnt do it. Think he had a new rear axel, clutch etc etc. Then when he took it back under the warranty, he had awful trouble.
 
I'm afraid with towing what you want t6o tow you'll need a 'proper 4x4'....Rav 4, Vitara, Freelander are not suitable. You will need a Defender, Discovery, Shogun, Pajero type vehicles. If you try using the smaller vehicles you will have insufficient power, you'll probably burn out the clutch & you may get 'the tail wagging the dog' syndrome. There is no cheap & safe way to tow a couple of horses in a trailer......we've all tried to find it but it doesn't exist, Sorry
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I also have a Nissan Terrano, and they are amazing for towing and generally gadding about in. I tow an Ifor 505 with mine, and it does so with ease.
 
I cant see a 2.0 Vitara having the guts to tow a horse trailer.
Anything with Rover written on it are real off road vehicles, they spend more time off road being repaired than on the road, they are for people with lots of money, other than a proper land rover that is.
 
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A suzki grand vitara 2.0 TDI will tow 2tonne and be ideal for what you are looking for.
Please check the towing capacity of any 4x4s you look at.

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it might tow it, but won't stop it going down a hill - not a prper 4x4 at all - you are in danger of an accident - you will easily be overwieght by the time you have horse, tack, passengers etc.....
 
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