I am embarking on a mission to buy my first truck & trailer (family had them when I was a kid, but that was 20 yrs ago). I am trying to learn as much as I can and hope to avoid doing anything stupid. We have just about decided to purchase the truck first, and then the trailer sometime in the next 6 months or so. That means that I must make sure the truck will pull whatever trailer I will eventually buy. I expect to purchase a 2H steel trailer with dressing room, probably a slant because the straight loads seem to be hard to find and more expensive. I seem to be finding that 2H BPs w/dressing room check in at a little under 3000 lbs. Planning conservatively, I need to make sure the truck can safely pull 3500 + horses/stuff. I feel confident I will never need more than a 2H, as I board and there is no way I'll ever afford to board more than 1 horse. 

What should I be looking for in a truck? I have learned that the manufacturers put out a towing guide, which I plan to find before buying. Is there a "standard tow package" or are there different levels of this? Will I need a separate hand-operated brake controller? Would I expect this to come with the truck or would I add that later? The trailer dealer said I could pull such a trailer with an F150 or Chevy/Dodge 1500 with a tow package-do you agree? On a previous post here, several of you said that would probably be okay (thanks!) but I'm now looking for more specifics. V8 I assume? Trailer dealer also said to avoid 4.1 rear end due to bad gas mileage--agree? Gas mileage is not a biggie as the truck will not be replacing our daily vehicles--it will be only for hauling and the occasion carrying of stuff. Is there any need for 4WD? (I'm in Houston--freeways but no hills or snow.) One more question which feels like a dumb one but I need to ask: What is the official meaning of 1/2 ton (or 3/4 ton or whatever)? I hear this term all the time but it doesn't show up in the official info when I read up on trucks. Thanks for any and all info/suggestions!!!

CHAD and GARD should be by real soon to answer this question...

I'm responding to a particular sentence in your posting..."I am trying to learn as much as I can and hope to avoid doing anything stupid."

It's TOO LATE...

You ALREADY BOUGHT THE HORSE...

If you indeed plan on later upgrades, buy at least a 3/4 or one ton truck. A half gets overweight very quickly when GN trailers are considered. It's less expensive buying one truck and living with it than to upgrade when it's outgrown.

The new half ton trucks tow quite a bit, and your BP wouldn't be a problem. The limiting factor is its carrying capacity, which comes into play with the gn trailers. Whatever truck you purchase, make sure to order the trailer towing packages, every additional cooler that is available, and optional tires for greater load capacities. Make sure the rear axle ratio is apropos for your intended usage and the area in which it will be used.

If you don't want or need a diesel, ( most people will never recover the extra investment in fuel savings) purchase the largest gas motor that is available. You will encounter few situations where having too much power is an obstacle. A large engine running at a partial load will be more long lived and enjoyable than a smaller one working to capacity. Under loads, you may use less fuel as well.

I live in the NE and would not consider any towing vehicle to be without four wheel drive. We have hilly terrain, poor weather and off road conditions. If you will encounter none of these obstacles, a two wheel drive truck may suffice.

The differences between a half, 3/4 and one ton trucks, are the varying capabilities of the drive trains. Most 3/4 trucks share drive train, and frame components with a one ton, so the  differences between them are usually in the load capacities. It's a big step from a half to a 3/4. Everything is beefier and more capable on the larger truck. What a half ton may struggle with accomplishing, a larger truck can handle more safely and easily.

Some brands of newer trucks are equipped with built in trailer brake controllers, when you purchase a towing package. If it isn't optioned, you will need to have one installed to operate the trailer's brakes. Chad is the expert on these and can suggest the best to own.

My best suggestion is to buy a truck you can grow into, instead of a vehicle you will outgrow in time. Buy one that will accomplish what you want of it, safely and comfortably. It's a buyer's market now, and many dealerships are making it very easy to obtain a large truck at lower prices than a few months ago.

Best of luck

Gard

Yes, the horse was the first crazy expense--cost of truck/trailer would seem small if I totalled all the $$$ I've spent on boarding...  :)

Okay, still confused on 1/2 ton v. 3/4: are the standard "smallest" full-size trucks (F150, Chev/Dodge 1500) considered 1/2 ton? And the F250s etc are 3/4? Sorry, I know this is an obvious/dumb question to all of you, but I just don't know this. When I read up on various trucks, I don't find them labelled as "1/2 ton" or whatever. I can find info on engine sizes and towing capacity--to what number does "1/2 ton" refer?

Thanks for all the great help!

The ton ratings are nominal... More like class of truck.

C10, F150, 1500 are class 1 or 1/2 ton trucks

C20, F250, 2500 are class 2 or 3/4 ton trucks

C30, F350*, 3500 are class 3 or one ton trucks.  Generally have dual rear wheels.

*A single rear wheel F350 is a tarted up 3/4 ton truck in my opinion.  It takes the dual rear wheels to provide the carrying capacity expected of a class 3 truck

Great, thanks so much for clearing up my confusion.

Not all F150s are created equal. They come in 3 different cab types, Regular, Extended (Super), and Crew. They come with 2 different engines and varying truck lengths.  ANd then of course, the rear axle ratio comes into play.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/rv_trailer_towing/2008/2008_default.asp

That's the link to the Ford Towing Guide that I find the most helpful. No, I do not work for Ford.

If you are towing in relatively flat areas aka not the Appalachian, Adirondack, Rocky Mountains, or similar mountainous areas, then an F150, with 5.4 litre, with either a regular cab and 8' bed, or extended cab with 6.75' bed or 8' bed, will be more than adequate. A crew cab adds too much weight. A 4-wheel drive will add to stability, but also decrease the total tow weight.

The tow ratings on the F150 XLT (5.4 l) range up to 9500 pounds. Their drawback is low payload and the factory-installed "bumper hitch" is only rated around 500 pounds tongue weight (5000 loaded) withOUT a WDH. (My factory-installed hitch has a 9900 pound rating with a WDH -HOWEVER, my truck does NOT have that high a tow rating.)  For those reasons alone, I put a GN hitch in my F150 to tow my 5000 pound (empty) GN. 

I am VERY careful about loaded weights. When going away for a long weekends and I have to carry water, hay, food for myself, it's only 1 horse. If I haul to nearby trails, then I can haul 2 horses. 

Yes, you will need a brake controller in the cab of the truck. If your truck does not come with one, I recommend the Tekonsha Prodigy.

The F250 (Ford 3/4 ton) with a V8 gas engine (same 5.4 litre that the F150 XLT has) has similar tow ratings as the F150 - sometimes they are LOWER because the F250 weighs more but it's using the same engine as the F150 XLT - however, the F250 will provide a little more umph in control and braking.  F250 is also available as a V10 I believe.

Ford has some good incentives on new and used big trucks. If you can't find a good deal in Texas, contact Ford Dealerships in SE Michigan. Our economy sucks and many Ford employees are unloading their trucks as fast as they can. Same for GM/Chevy and Dodge. 

(Michigan Ford lease vehicles are sent to auctions in the SW)

I started out with a 1/2 Ton Ford F150, and the smaller V8.  It was straining to pull a 2 horse straight load with 2 horses and a weekend of camping gear.

When I wasn't looking, my wife traded it for an F350 with 7.3L Powerstroke, complete towing package...fuel costs aside, I'll never go back to a gas-powered truck for pulling.

We graduated from 2 horse straight load to a 3 horse steel stock trailer to a 3 horse slant load gooseneck with sleeping quarters to a 3 horse slant load gooseneck Exiss with living quarters.

Initially, I figured we'd NEVER own a rig like we've got now...I am glad the wife snuck in the F350 on me.

Thanks everyone for all the good information! We will be truck shopping this week, so I will probably be back with more questions. This appears to be a great time to get a deal on a truck--I hope so!

Jennifer