Not to be a pest but. . .

I wouldn't size it based on the number of times I hauled. Safety is safety. Half ton trucks pull bass boats and popup campers nicely, but put a real load on the back and they are pushing it.

There are a few things you need to look at to make a decision. A 3-horse slant load with tack room and maybe small galley and living space, two horses, and gear and you're pulling a good sized load. Horses are about 1000# each on average. 6,000-7,000 # is a good estimate for a real nice trailer with 2 horses and gear. Now you need to look at:

1. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GWVR) versus curb weight to get the useful payload. Remember that this needs to include weight of fuel, passengers, and junk in the bed. Whatever is left over has to include tongue weight, which should be about 10% of the total weight of the trailer. These numbers will be limited by the vehicle suspension and load rating of the tires.

2. Next look at Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). GCWR is the sum total of your loaded truck, gear, passengers, fuel, and loaded trailer. It is normally limited by the truck's brakes, trailer brakes, and the truck's engine.

3. A 6,000 or 7,000# load on a 1/2 ton pickup will be pushing the limit of the vehicle and will be only marginally safe if safe at all. Is it possible? Sure! Is it safe? Maybe.

4. Diesel engines in general offer two advantages. Low end torque makes them ideal for towing. Additionally, they are 25-40% more efficient than gasoline engines (in terms of miles per gallon). I'll put my 3/4 ton diesel against any 1/2 ton gasser on the market for mileage. Diesel options are a lot more expensive BUT, the efficiency combined with the durability of most diesel engines will make up for the additional cost.

I've got a 3/4 ton 4WD diesel with long bed and a crew cab and love it. It's a behemoth and isn't fun to drive around in the mall parking lot, but around the farm or towing you just can't beat it. You have to tell it that it's towing, otherwise it doesn't know. You have to think of not only your own safety, but the safety of others on the road when you pick the truck for your heavy load. You have to be able to stop the load, maybe quickly at times. You have to be able to start the load without flooring it and ruining your engine. You have to be able to haul over hills without overheating or going so slow that you impede normal traffic.

Get a vehicle that can handle the job.