Driving a Horse Trailer

Note: This is the second part of a series on horse trailers

You have a horse trailer that is solid and easy for your vehicle to haul. You are at ease with all its features and the horses are as comfortable as horses can be in a confined space.

Driving a horse trailer means paying attention to detail. There are quite a few things to check before you get on the road and to check as you are hauling.

There will be surprises. Once, when we started to hitch up our trailer, a nest of black-winged red hornets had invaded the trailer jack. Put wasp spray on your list of must-have items.

In addition, the tires had lost pressure and if you’re in a rural location as most people with horses are, you have to have an air compressor.

Other tips for driving a horse trailer:

– Make sure all lights work.

-Check the fluid levels in the tow vehicle before you load the horses – brakes, antifreeze, etc.

-Check the tire tread and pressure (and don’t forget to check the spare, as well). Check lug nut torque on the trailer lug nuts and also after you are underway. The Trailer-Aid® is an invaluable tool to have in your tack room in the event of a flat tire. It is designed for one person use and will have you back on the road in minutes. It can also be used as a wedge chock when parked or as a trailer tongue stand.

-Once you hitch up, make sure the battery on the breakaway is working properly and charging (usually a green light). If not, you may need a new battery, a connector has come loose or a fuse has blown in the towing vehicle fuse box. Check that the brake controller under the dash of the towing vehicle works properly.

– Have emergency horse information, including veterinarian names, people who know your horses and can take them in an emergency and identification chip information in a red folder securely taped inside the trailer near the back. In case of an accident, this is invaluable information for rescue personnel.

– Make sure all windows are securely closed and latched before you go.

– Do a double-check of all dividers to make sure they have “catched” as you put in each horse. In addition, make sure the “butt bar” in front of the rear door of the trailer is attached.

-Check all latches on doors and that windows are securely shut. You don’t want a horse sticking its head out in traffic. If your trailer has vertical bars and you plan on leaving the windows down for ventilation, make sure that you install a window screen to keep debris, insects and dirt out of your horse’s face. And tie all the horses with a knot that can be easily untied in emergency or use a trailer tie with a quick release snap.

-Make sure that your horse’s legs are protected with shipping boots or leg wraps during hauling. With all of the “stopping” and “going” your horse will have to compensate with footing. The last thing that you want to have to deal with when you get where you are going is a cut or gash.

– Have a charged cell phone with you.

– Check the rig a few miles down the road and also if you stop for any reason.

– Driving with a heavy trailer means watching traffic even more. Expect the unexpected, including drivers pulling out in front of you not realizing how difficult it is to stop a vehicle pulling a horse trailer.

Keep tension and forward motion on the hitch and if you need to apply brakes with the manual controller, do it gradually and only when the trailer is under control. Don’t push your speed because other vehicles are behind you; they can adjust. Change lanes gradually. Check rear-view mirrors frequently.

It takes some practice to pull a trailer. When going down long hills, you may feel the trailer is pushing the towing vehicle. In those instances, you may need to apply the brake through the dash controller very lightly to keep tension between the two vehicles.

It will take logging some miles under your belt before you will be comfortable pulling your new trailer. You will find it much less stressful to gain some confidence by pulling your trailer without your hooved family members inside, at first. Get to know your trailer and keep note of the above tips and you will be ready to travel with your horse safely.

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Neal McChristy is a freelance writer with over 25 years journalism experience in magazine, newspaper and Web-based work. He has been contributing editor for a magazine column in the wide-format industry for seven years. He also has over 16 years’ experience as reporter and editor in the printing and imaging area. He and his wife have three horses. They were “green,” knowing little about horses when they began to acquire them in 1998. They learned about them through training lessons by Pat Parelli, John Lyons and others in the field of “gentle training” and “natural horsemanship”. Neal lives in Pittsburg, Kansas, and currently writes action-adventure novels, which he has done for over 10 years. You are welcome to contact him at freelance9@cox.net

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