Towing capacity

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ponymum101

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I’ve just put a deposit down on a new car, the towing capacity is 2200kg. The plan is to get an ifor HB506 (920kg). Our pony has recently been weighed at 290kg. In conversation someone mentioned that with that towing capacity i will only ever be able to tow our pony and wouldn’t be able to offer to occasionally take friends pony with us (350kg) she said the braking capacity wouldn’t allow it, and that its ok being able to tow the weight but it wouldn’t be able to stop.
Is this correct? This is very different to the understanding i had. What’s the maximum we could comfortably tow? I wouldn’t want to be right on the limit but definitely thought we would be able to take more than 1210kg

Thanks :)
 
If the towing capacity given of 2200kg is the weight of trailer the car can legally tow then your sums are fine, but if the 2200kg is the overall car + trailer weight then you'd need to find out the weight of the car and its load, subtract that from the 2200kg, then what's left is what you can legally tow behind the vehicle.

To use technical definitions, 'Towing Capacity' is the maximum load the vehicle can pull, whereas 'Maximum Authorised Mass' or MAM is the combined maximum weight of vehicle+load+whatever it's towing.

It's worth double checking the terms used and the specifications before you buy, just so you know for sure you've bought the right vehicle for what you need.
 
PurpleSpots said:
If the towing capacity given of 2200kg is the weight of trailer the car can legally tow then your sums are fine, but if the 2200kg is the overall car + trailer weight then you'd need to find out the weight of the car and its load, subtract that from the 2200kg, then what's left is what you can legally tow behind the vehicle.

To use technical definitions, 'Towing Capacity' is the maximum load the vehicle can pull, whereas 'Maximum Authorised Mass' or MAM is the combined maximum weight of vehicle+load+whatever it's towing.

It's worth double checking the terms used and the specifications before you buy, just so you know for sure you've bought the right vehicle for what you need.
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It says Max trailer weight braked 2200kg, so i think we are okay!
 
phizz4 said:
The Discovery Sport is the replacement of the Freelander and that is fine as a tow car. Even with two ponies you will be within the ‘recommended’ 85% towing limit.
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The 85% "rule" (it's not a rule, it's a guide) is for single axle caravans. It doesn't apply to horse trailers that are double axle, more compact and have a lower centre of gravity. If your car has a 2200kg capacity, you absolutely can tow up to that weight and still be able to stop in an emergency. Nobody wants to be doing an emergency stop with any trailer but it will still do it safely. No manufacturer in its right mind would risk the legal action that would result from accidents caused by saying a car could tow (and stop) more weight than it actually can.

OP - you could put four of those ponies on your trailer and still be within the limit of your car, two will be absolutely fine. Enjoy your trips out!
 
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Yep, you're fine. I have a freelander with the same 2200 towing capacity and I end up a lot nearer to 2200 weight towed than you will and don't have any issues.
My only caveat is that I do live in the flat lands of East Anglia, perhaps if I were in Wales things would be different. That said I to tow up to 4 hours each way and no issues.
 
Annagain said:
The 85% "rule" (it's not a rule, it's a guide) is for single axle caravans. It doesn't apply to horse trailers that are double axle, more compact and have a lower centre of gravity. If your car has a 2200kg capacity, you absolutely can tow up to that weight and still be able to stop in an emergency. Nobody wants to be doing an emergency stop with any trailer but it will still do it safely. No manufacturer in its right mind would risk the legal action that would result from accidents caused by saying a car could tow (and stop) more weight than it actually can.

OP - you could put four of those ponies on your trailer and still be within the limit of your car, two will be absolutely fine. Enjoy your trips out!
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That's why I put recommended, I didn't put rule. The key difference between a caravan and a horse trailer is that, in a caravan, the load doesn't move around. and, with a horse or horses in the centre of gravity is moved upwards. Even caravans with twin axles, like a horse trailer, have a 'recommended towing limit of 85%.
 
you'll have loads of spare capacity even with 2 ponies on board. my car has a capacity of 2000kg, I have a Ifor williams 505 and my horse weighs 650kg, and it tows like a dream, but I can only tow one horse because of their weight.
 
possibly an unpopular stance but....feel free to google, RAC website explains it pretty well. Official uk car towing capacities are worked out on a simple measure of how much weight it can get started on a 10% gradient - to tow horses safely you'll need to look at more factors (weight, braking capability, is the vehicle really built/engineering to tow weight) to make a safe assessment. A Disco covers a lot of bases, I'm not throwing up any concerns on that more mentioning this for anyone else who stumbles on this read later, its life and limb stuff :)

As above, for safe towing it is recommended that you should keep the fully laden weight of the trailer as no heavier than 85% of the kerb weight of the tow car (don't know this for your disco but likely pretty substantial).

Basically you're asking two questions - can my vehicle pull the trailer everywhere I'll need it to (hills, the odd field, reversing) AND can my vehicle safely stop my laden trailer. The towing limits don't actually cover that. If you have to do an emergency stop can you stop safely enough or (where the 85% weight balance comes into play) if the trailer starts to snake (you blow a tyre, hit a pot hole, have to swerve, hit a cross wind, you horse has a mad moment in the trailer) - is your car heavy enough to anchor the trailer and not be pulled about and powerful enough to pull you through and straighten the trailer.

I've been in a nasty snaking situation that ended safely due to my vehicles weight and power and I've never lost the relief or the memory of the momentary horror. I'll get off my towing soap box now, soz :)
 
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