Safe Horse Transportation

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Safety Tips for Traveling with Your Horses
In building EquiSpirit Trailers, safety is our #1 concern.

Safe Horse Transportation

Below are recommendations and suggestions for safe trailering.
by Tom and Neva Scheve, owners of EquiSpirit Horse Trailers.

Anytime you take a road trip, there are safety precautions you should take to try to prevent mishaps and to be prepared to deal with any situation that might arise. (After all, even the safest motorist can meet unforeseen circumstances when on the road.)
When you’re hauling your horses, you should consider their safety and comfort, as well.

Below is a list of safety tips to remember when you’re traveling with your horses:

towing your horse trailer.

• Always perform a safety check on your trailer and tow vehicle prior to taking a trip. Your tow vehicle should be properly rated to pull the trailer, and both need to be in good working condition.

• Make sure that you have the proper equipment (i.e. Class III or Class IV trailer hitch for towing a tag-along, properly working brakes and lights, safety chains and cables hooked up to the tow vehicle, attached breakaway brake, fully charged battery for breakaway brake, etc.)

• If this is your first time to trailer a horse, or if it’s been awhile since the last time you did, take your rig out to a large parking lot or somewhere away from traffic and practice backing, turning, parking, and stopping your trailer. Practice using your rear-view mirrors frequently while performing these driving tasks, as well as while driving down a highway.

• Check all fluids in your vehicle before taking a trip. Check your brakes, mirrors, tire pressure, and lug nuts on the wheels. Also, make sure that you have the correct size ball on the tow vehicle for pulling your horse trailer.

• Before loading your horses, check the trailer for wasp nests and any other possible hazards.

• After you’ve loaded the horses, make sure they are comfortably tied and all doors are securely latched, before taking off.

• Drive a little ways down a driveway or access road; then get out and do another safety check, to be on the safe side. You may have missed something the first time you did your safety check, and it’s better to double check everything, prior to getting on a main road.

• Carry a cell phone or a CB radio with you, in case of an emergency. (Be sure your cell phone is fully charged.)

• When you’re out on the highway, remember that towing a loaded horse trailer requires certain precautions. Because your cargo is rather heavy, it puts extra strain on the tow vehicle. As a result, stopping distances are longer. Acceleration is also slower. It’s a good rule of thumb to drive at least 5 mph under the posted speed limit, keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of you, and don’t let other drivers intimidate you into driving faster.

• Change lanes gradually and always use your turn signal to let other drivers know of your intent.

• If, while you are driving down the road, your trailer starts to sway, do not apply the brakes to the tow vehicle. Instead, use the handbrake for the trailer, applying in brief spurts.

• Should a jackknife occur as the result of a trailer skid, try to remain calm. If you must slam on the brakes to the tow vehicle, check your review mirror to make sure the trailer is not going into a jackknife. If you notice that the trailer IS jackknifing, release the brake! DO NOT use the trailer’s handbrake, because it has locked up, causing the trailer to skid out of control. Once you have regained traction, the trailer will straighten out and begin to follow the tow vehicle once again.
• When going up or down steep hills, always put the tow vehicle into a lower gear. If the trailer begins pushing the tow vehicle on downhill grades, gently apply the handbrake to slow the trailer. When ascending long grades, shift into a lower gear and keep your speed at 45 mph or slower to lessen the risk of your vehicle overheating.

• If at all possible, avoid parking your rig on a hill! When you find yourself in a situation in which you must park on a hill, use the regular brake, have someone else chock the wheels, release the brake, give the chocks time to absorb the load, reapply the main brake, then set the parking brake and put your transmission into a parking gear before releasing the regular brake. To exit your parking space, apply the regular brake while starting the vehicle in its parking gear and releasing the parking brake. Then, release the regular brake and drive until the chocks are free. Have another person remove the chocks, as you again apply the brakes.

• Be prepared for emergencies. Always carry a first-aid kit for the human passengers with you on trips. Keep all the important documents handy (i.e. insurance papers, your identification, license and registration papers). Have a list of emergency names and phone numbers available in an easy-to-find location, in case you should become incapacitated. Include in this list the name and number of your veterinarian, as well as contact information for friends and/or family members. It’s best to travel with a companion who knows how to operate your rig, should something happen to you.

• Bring an emergency kit for your horses (make sure it includes a splint), as well as plenty of extra water for drinking, cleaning injuries, and/or bathing your horses to cool them off, should they become overheated.

• It’s a good idea to carry current equine health certificates and proof of negative Coggins...especially, if you’re traveling interstate.

• In your trailer, keep emergency items such as a spare tire, a jack, flares, chocks, emergency triangles, buckets, sponges, electrical and duct tape, fire extinguisher, a spare halter and spare lead rope, extra fuses, etc.

• When on the road, keep your horses in shipping boots or standing bandages to protect their legs. A head bumper is also a good idea to help prevent injuries.

If you make safety a priority and stay prepared for any unexpected events, traveling with your horses can be a fun, rewarding experience.

EquiSpirit Horse Trailers
230 N. Bennett
Southern Pines, NC 28387
Phone: 1-877-575-1771
Email: info@equispirit.com
Website: www.EquiSpirit.com

What You Should Know About Buying a Horse Trailer

Buying a horse trailer.

by Tom and Neva Scheve, owners of EquiSpirit Horse Trailers.
Buying a horse trailer isn’t quite as simple as choosing one based solely on looks and size. There are some basic rules of thumb to keep in mind when searching for a trailer that is perfect for you and the needs of your horses.

Some criteria to consider before purchasing a trailer to haul your horses safely and comfortably:

EquiSpirit Horse Trailer

• Number and size of horses to be hauled – Look for a trailer that has sufficient space for all the horses that you plan to carry in it at one time. The trailer needs to be long enough and tall enough for the largest horse. A slant-load trailer should never be used to haul a horse that exceeds 15.3h. This type of trailer is not long enough to give such a large horse freedom of movement. A trailer less than 7 feet tall and less than 10 feet in length (7 feet for the stall and 3 feet for the head area) is also not adequate for a horse this size.

• Comfort of your horses - Horses need plenty of room to feel comfortable during travel. They tend to be claustrophobic by nature. If closed up in too tight quarters, they might become overly stressed. Too much stress could lead to a sick or unruly horse. The trailer should also have windows and vents to let in plenty of light and air.

• Avoid possible hazards – Check out the trailer inside and out before you buy it and make sure there aren’t any sharp edges or protrusions anywhere. Make sure the floorboards run vertically, not horizontally, through the trailer. They should run the entire length of the trailer with good support underneath them. Always use non-slip floor mats and ramps.

• Additional safety features – 1) Rubber torsion suspension, which greatly reduces the amount of shock, is available on most new trailers. Less shock means a less stressed horse. 2) Quick -release mechanisms on all tie rings, center dividers, chest bars, and butt bars are necessary for safety and convenience. 3) The trailer should be constructed out of material that is strong enough to hold up to the largest and strongest horse you intend to haul. Strength of the trailer should take precedence over the trailer’s weight.

• Your needs – The comfort and safety of your horses is of the utmost importance when choosing a horse trailer. However, don’t forget to consider your own needs. If you plan to travel long distances, you might want to think about buying a trailer with a dressing room or a gooseneck with sleeping quarters. Remember, also, that you will need a tow vehicle that is capable of pulling your trailer adequately.

There are all kinds of horse trailers on the market from which to choose. we hope you will consider EquiSpirit Horse Trailers..

EquiSpirit Horse Trailers
230 N. Bennett
Southern Pines, NC 28387
Phone: 1-877-575-1771
Email: info@equispirit.com
Website: www.EquiSpirit.com

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