Horse Trailer Prep Checklist
When using a horse trailer there are many factors and steps to be aware of to insure safety for you and your horses. A lot of people don’t realize how much goes into maintaining a trailer. Trailer care and preparation is more important that most people realize.
Tires
For starters, weather and road conditions have an effect on trailer tires so frequent checks and maintenance is necessary. Having a flat with a horse trailer is going to happen at some point. Being prepared with spare tires and knowing how to change a spare or knowing who to call is crucial. For long distance travel, this situation is very common, especially with a heavy load and weather changes. Tires need to be checked before travel even if you haven’t used your trailer for months. Dry rot can be more of a problem than mileage wear and tear. People forget that mileage is not the only thing that determines wear and tear for trailer tires. Heat and cold and a quick change of temperature can cause problems too. A lot of haulers are talking about using nitrogen in tires even though it is more expensive due to its ability to minimize these problems. Bearings also need repacking once a year to keep them in good shape.
Lights
Your light system also needs a service check to make sure all connections are working well and no light bulbs are out. Don’t ever pull out with without someone checking to make sure your lights and blinkers are working properly. It is important to have your interior trailer lights working too so you can check your horses at night.
Inside
Inside the trailer you need to make sure all ties have safety snaps and that hay nets are hung high enough that a horse cannot get a foot in it. All dividers need to be checked to make sure they are secured and set up properly so that the horse stays in one spot. Another thing to ensure is that there is an accessible WORKING fire extinguisher.
In conclusion, know that it is important to find a good trailer servicing business that can take care of your entire trailer needs and fixes. Schedule or perform services and cleanings for your trailer regularly. You can never be too cautious about hauling and preparing your trailer for horses to travel on it!
