I am going through a truck / trailer dilemna.  I got rid of my horse trailer a year or more back when I stopped riding.  I kept my truck because we were doing some landscaping projects but that is now done.  We really want to sell the truck because frankly, living in the burbs, we don't have a need for a '92 F250 extra huge diesel if we aren't hauling horses.  It is a great truck, but with the long bed and extended cab it is impossible to park and just gets very little use.  So now my delimna, I want to sell the truck and another vehicle and get something that is more suitable for daily use AND hopefully do the limited amount of light towing that I want to do.  We just have too many vehicles and the truck sitting and only being used a few times a year doesn't make sense.  

I just started driving minis and want to do some lessons and schooling shows.  I am talking about occasional hauling, say up to 2-3 hours, mostly highway.   My mini weighs about 250# and the cart is about 100# to give you an idea - much lighter weight then the draft cross I used to haul!  I am careleasing this mini for this season, as I am still evaluating if I want to drive and show, or if I want to move up to a bigger pony etc. 

I have a chance to buy a well maintained (good deal) 2002 Grand Cherokee Laredo V8 4.7L when a friend moves out of the country in a few months.  I read the Mr Truck article on the Grand Cherokee and this vehicle is similiar, but I think has slightly less hp at 230.  Anyway, this one doesn't have the tow package, so i would have to put in a hitch and brake controller.  I assume I would need to get the tranny cooler thing too.  This vehicle is rated to tow around 6,000. 

If I buy a smallish stock trailer - probably around 2,500# empty; plus my mini and cargo (heck maybe even a second mini and cart), I think I would stay at around 4,000 or so loaded trailer weight.  According to the numbers, not a problem but coming from my big horse towing background I look at that SUV and think I am crazy to hook a horse trailer up to it!

Some mini people take enclosed cargo trailers and convert them to horse use (add vents, window, mats etc) because they are lighter.  The newer ones even have torsion suspension.  They are less expensive, but by the time you do the conversion, probably similiar price to a stock trailer.

Whatever I do, I need to be able to fit that cart in.  The shafts may have to stick out the side window or out the back.

I know that some people just toss their minis in their cars... and one of the vehicles I want to sell is a "mini-van" but I am totally uncomfortable with the safety issues around hauling a horse inside a passenger cabin!  I still need to haul the cart anyway!

So, I wonder if someone has good ideas for an option I haven't considered.

thanks!

Sheryl

Thanks everyone for the information.  I will pursue the stock trailer idea.  I live in a hilly location so I am very sensitive to having an extra safety factor, but I think I have given enough margin of error. 

Just a clarification to minioaks, you only fit one cart in there, right? 

thanks!

Sheryl