Are you thinking about buying a truck to haul your own horses?

Here’s a few things to think about.

Many horse owners buy their first horse before their first truck. Then they discover that hay and shavings are not easily cleaned from their current vehicle. As many riders progress towards competing or traveling to trail ride, they begin to consider purchasing a truck. Here are some things a first time truck buyer, or even someone who is just upgrading, might want to think about.

Budget

Your number one priority should be staying within your budget. Save up to have a large down payment, and be prepared to make monthly payments. Some of us become very attached to our vehicles, but consider trading in an older vehicle if you only need one. Conversely, consider keeping your older vehicle, if it was a car, it possibly has better gas mileage than a truck will and you’ll save a little money by using a car for everyday commuting.

As you prepare your budget for a new vehicle, factor in fuel consumption. If you’re going to start driving your new truck around town everyday, your monthly fuel cost may go up considerably. Make a monthly budget for all of your expenses to see how much you can afford in fuel prices and a monthly loan payment.

Power

Do you have a trailer? Or are you planning on saving up for a trailer? If you answered yes to either of those questions you need to consider how much power your vehicle has to pull. If you already have a trailer, look on the VIN plate to find out your trailer’s weight and how much weight it can carry. These are separate figures, and it may even be broken down into how much each trailer axle can carry. These figures should be added up then compared to the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of the truck you are looking to buy.

The truck will also have weight ratings for each axle. It is a good idea to weigh your rig immediately after purchasing. You can drive your truck and trailer over any CAT scale and have it weighed for a low fee. This also gives you an idea of how many horses or how much hay you can haul in said truck or trailer.

What you want vs. What you need

Your dream truck may be a brand new extended cab dually with a custom leather interior, but that may be well out of your budget for your first truck. Think about a crew cab if you don’t travel with a lot of family or friends. If you plan on road tripping with your friends a full sized back seat might be a good idea. Bluetooth is a good capability to have if you are on long trips, keeping your hands off your phone should be a priority and bluetooth can make that much easier.

If you don’t need to pull a large trailer, but you want to keep hay and shavings out of your backseat or trunk, a small truck may be a great option. A half-ton truck such as the F-150 or Ram 1500 can pull a small one or two horse trailer, and will have room in the bed for some feed and gear.

Consider all of your options for new and used vehicles and don’t be afraid to look at multiple dealerships before making a decision. If you run into a tough decision, don’t be afraid to make a list of pros and cons or take a knowledgeable friend with you to look at trucks.

Supplies

Watch out for part 2 coming soon!