Just curious as to who uses their truck to haul horses. Have you found any issues- good or bad? What type of trailer? How many horses? Any mods you've found that are absolute necessities?

I'm new to diesels but not to hauling horses!

 

All the major horse haulers I know use big rigs and special trailers. Most folks I know want there horses riding in style ( and theses folks aren't rich or snooty). It isn't that expensive (usually have to schedule the haul as they come thru with a load).

 

Are you looking to do it commercially? For a living or extra money?
Race horses are a big business. A lot of people run in the north in the summer then haul them to the south either to winter or run down there. I know several guys who haul them. A couple use FL-70s or similar. A couple use 1-Tons. all with slant loads, fold down windows, padded, etc.

 

OK, let me amend that- who is using their Dodge to haul their OWN horses! I haul my three, occasionally some for friends. I usually haul within a few hours range but occasionally do longer trips. I don't haul for money, I don't want to haul commercially- too much responsibility and too little money!

Now- I know at least one other person on the board does the same- Copper, because I saw her post on another thread. Anyone else?

 

I haul my own horses several times a week. I bought my 06 3500 for this purpose after towing with gas pickups for years.

I have a 3 horse Trails West bumper pull. I live in the Sierra Nevada foothils, so most of my towing is in the mountains. I haul one, two, and three horses about equaly. I find a noticeable variation in mileage with more horses.

I love the way the Dodge handles the horses, fully loaded i am towing around 9,000. I try to keep the transmission temp under 220 and the egt under 1200. After years of grinding up grades at 25 mph I now find that the only thing that limits my speed is what the horses can take in the curves.

Towing I am getting between 11 to 12 mpg. With gas rigs I was getting 6 to 7 mpg. I am somewhat disapointed with my non towing mileage. Driving as carefuly as I can around townI can get 16. Highway driving, limiting speed to 55 and driving carefuly for mileage I got 18 on a recent trip from Auburn CA to Eureka CA. The truck computer said I was getting 20 but it didn't caculate out when I filled up. I keep seeing other guys claiming to get 20+. The only thing i can see is that they must be doing flat land driving.

Like you, I am new to diesels but not horse hauling. My truck is strictly stock and as I have more power than I need I don't know if I will make any modifications. The only thing I want is better fuel economy.

One thing I have wondered about, why does the truck mileage display show better mileage that you are actually getting, can this by corrected somehow?

 

Dodge is fine then. My neighbor,who is a trainer, hauls with one with a four to six horse trailer all the time.

 

Almost every weekend during the winter, and only early mornings during summer, and feed every three weeks. With the 03 (115k miles) and an Elite 4hrs GN slant or the 2horse jackson TT.

 

I am a hunter/jumper trainer in Eugene Oregon that hauls my own and client horses regularly for pleasure and show, long hauls (to southern Ca 1000k miles) and local. I couldn't say enough about my truck. My current trailer (looking to upgrade to a 4 horse GN) is a 3 horse trailswest bumper pull. I usually have it at 7-8k lbs and get around 14-16mpg. The worst I have ever gotten was 13.8 pulling 8,000lbs+ with the AC on pull over a mountain pass. I have a 100hp chip but don't really need it. I did have a 12valve that was stock and towed the same load with no problems, I had to push it a little than this one, but it handled it fine. If you like the power (it is kind of addictive) I would reccomend a 60hp chip. The 100hp chip can be a little hard on the tranny if you have a lead foot. On another note, if you have a bumper pull, sway bars/weight dist. bars are a must. I won't get on a freeway with out them.

Happy towing!
Christy
p.s. don't ever buy cheap diesel either, it can have water in it. Just about killed my engine once in my early diesel years.......

 

I use my 97 in sig to haul horses. I've hauled as many as 12 at one time. My wife is a hunter/jumper and they take my dodge with a friends 3 horse slant to shows. Now she has a 4 door duramax. Pulls ok. we are now looking at a 4horse slant with dressing room, mid tack and rear tack.
I ride sometimes, when we have a trail ride or just around the farm for fun.
I ride broncs in the rodeo, so I dont need to haul any horses.
A good brake controller, good tires, and air bags make hauling A LOT more fun, not to mention easier.

 

I have to see about getting sway bars installed. I have a friend who really beefed up her hitch connection on her Dodge 3500. Anyone have suggestions for doing a similar thing? I've always been unhappy with the stock set-up on any truck.

I usually tow a Trail-et Slant 2 horse with front and rear tack rooms. I put three in occasionally with the dividers removed. I also tow a big old Charmac stock trailer. I prefer a bumper pull because I need the room in the bed AND on the narrow curvy mountain dirt roads I am frequently on its tough to get the right angle with a GN without cutting the edge. Not a good idea in many places!

What trailer brake controller do y'all use?

 

I use a Prodigy brake controller and it works flawlessly. I'm suprised no one has mentioned this yet (maybe I missed it) but I would recommend installing an exhaust brake. It's by far the best mod I have done.

 

I pull a 4 horse slant load with a oversized changing room/weekender type deal in it. It's a Trail Magic out of Oklahoma. I use a Prodigy controller and have brakes on both axles.

 

No issues, an exhaust brake in your territory will make life easier. I haul a 4horse slant with 12' LQ. Pictures are in my gallery.

 

We haul a 3horse slant gooseneck with dressing room. It is an Exiss event SS300E. It is the lightest trailer we haul with a GVWR around 10400 lbs. Both trucks tow it without a problem and we average around 13.5 mpg towing. Use the Prodigy brake controller in both trucks, works good no problems. would like an exhaust brake on the '05 (the '96 is an auto so tranny wouldn't hold up w/ exhaust brake) but so far haven't had any problems getting things stopped. Just need to respect the weight and especially the fact that you have living animals back there... We are strictly pleasure horse riders and do not show. We get together with friends and find new places to ride, when time permits.

 

I have a Sundowner bumper pull, 3 horse slant, 8'wide, 7.5' tall...
usually haul 3 horses, one a big stocky TB and a mess of saddles and tack,
water tank etc..

Mostly haul flatland or Sierra foothills. Also haul 6000# cubes or hay on a 16' double axle flatbed.

My 98 12v 5spd is new to me, and I haven't really hauled up a mountain yet...
so how much power is there I have yet to find out

I did install the Prodigy brake controller and it is the best ever...

Two questions:

Airbags....are they just for the handling and the folks in the truck, or do they make the horse ride more comfortable too?

And pac brake...I thought those were for autos? My Dodge has such great brakes compared to my Chevy Suburban (those brakes were scaaarry)
Are they used on manual transmissions, and if so, what are the pros and cons? And how do they affect driving around without a trailer?