Horse trailer

E

emmecam

Active Member
Joined
19 September 2006
Messages
41
Visit site
I have got a ford focus tha t can tow 1200kg.
I am thinking to buy a cheval liberte horse box for a single horse that weight 600kg. My horse weight about 500kg.
Do you think I can tow it?
 
I think you would be pushing it, My dad said our focus could pull a trailer but would struggle on hills. We arent going to risk it I would rather get a new car which wont struggle which we are doing just looking for a land rover now.
 
Don't even think about it, remember you're going to be towing a live load! If the trailer starts snaking / wind catches it / horse plays up you will really struggle. I would only contemplate towing with a 4x4.
 
The only thing that I do not understand is why in the car thecnical characteristic says that can tow 1200kg and than it cannot.
 
defiantely not the trailer unladen on their site is 500kg your horse 500kg and usually advised to carry 10% less behind so max you shld tow is 1080kg and the car is not designed for this you will burn out clutch, will be very dangerous up/down hills and thats is good dry weather. You need to get the right car or not tow. Sad but true. You may not even be insured if the worse happened - as said before live load also very different to a static load
 
what is the gross vehicle weight of the car? Towing tests are done to see what the car can pull off a gradient - does not necessarily mean it should tow that constantly that may be the figure you looking at. It is not just weight - torque, engine size etc all count. Please dont take any chances. The ride is likley to be jerky and unpleasant for the horse as the car will struggle and that is not fair on him and could make him have second thoughts about loading it's just not worth it!
 
it can tow 1200kg but they advise for safety (and certainly would with a horse in tow) to not tow the full capacity.
I tow an Equitrek Show Trekka L which unladened weighs 1250kg with my disco which has a capacity of 3500kg. I was always advised to have a least 500kg less than the max to ensure that I have ample breaking and pulling away power.
The last thing you want to happen is when you are setting off uphill, the trailer to pull you back or when youre going down hill the trailer push you faster.

To put it quite simply, towing what you have mentioned would be an accident waiting to happen.
 
please dont. know someone who tried with the same car, disaster, horse ended up upside down round a bend, the car snaked and she lost control, was very lucky horse had no injurys
 
I pull the CL single trailer containing a 14.2 with a Fourtrak - yesterday we almost had to get towed out of a muddy field by a tractor as the exit was on an upward slope - I only got it out by engaging the 4WD, having a long run up and luck!

Having had a couple of hairy moments on muddy ground when I've thought I really was stuck I certainly wouldn't tow my CL with anything lighter / less powerful than what I am currently using.
 
If you're going to struggle with funds to get a 4x4, could I suggest an old volvo estate (240/260, 740/760, 940/960) which you can pick up for less than 4 figures and whilst it hasn't got 4wd will tow your proposed load very happily. Their towing limit is 1800kg legally. Before I got my Defender, I used one of these when I had 2 small ponies and an Ifor 505 and I only had to get towed out once in 2 years and using it at minimum of 3 times a week.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top