Helpful Horse Tips - Trailer Hauling Checklist by Southern States on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 8:00 AM Email A Friend Print Page Loading your horse trailers up for a long drive comes with a great deal of responsibility and preparation. No matter the breed of horses you are working with, best practices are to prepare them (and yourself) mentally and physically before making your journey every time. Below is a checklist of items that our horse experts suggest monitoring to help ensure that you and your horses can travel safely and with peace of mind. Rest Up – Make sure you and anyone traveling with you are well rested and prepared for driving and working with your horses. Loading along can be quite a task – so prepare yourself for the work to be done. Fill Your Gas Tank – Be sure you have a full tank of gas before you hit the road. This will help avoid unwanted breakdowns and prevent you from having to maneuver your vehicle and trailer after getting everything and everyone loaded. Top Off Vehicle Fluid Levels – From windshield fluid to oil, make sure your vehicle that is pulling your trailer is in top shape for such a load and trip. Tire Pressure & Wear – Having the correct tire pressure not only helps to increase your gas mileage but also helps eliminate trailer sway. Be sure no tires have been punctured and that they have sufficient tread, Dont forget the often overlooked spare tire! Lights – Make sure all truck and trailer lights are working and visible. Brakes – Test the brakes before and after you load your horse(s). Trailer Pests – Check for insects or any other pests that may aggravate your horses or put them in danger. Trailer Security – Check that the hitch, coupler, breakaway, brake battery and safety chains are all in working condition. Floorboards – Make sure that all floorboards are in good condition. If they are rotted, or appear to be in weak condition, you will want to replace them. Jacks and Safety Triangles or Reflectors – Be sure they work and are on-hand in case of a breakdown. Ignitable flares should never be stored in the horse trailer due to fire potential.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 18:37:54 +0000
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