Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Certainly checking your trailer out ahead of time is a very wise idea.
We recommend that, folks just on a regular routine basis anyways as far as trailer safety goes.
But you certainly want to make sure that your trailer is travel worthy,
that you examine the floor boards underneath your rubber mats,
whether they be wooden, metal or whatever is underneath there you need to make sure that that trailer is safe
travel ready, that your tires are in good shape - they're aired up or inflated properly
that your hitch in the bed of your truck is good to go, and that your lights all work.
Everything like that is in a good condition. Certainly with the rest of your trailer, making sure you have a spare
that you have an ample jack that can lift it up, because again keep in mind you may be stuck
on the side of the interstate trying to change a flat on a trailer full of horses. And it's not fun, we've all been there
you want to make sure that you're prepared to do that in that event.
Also make sure that you have the best ventilation in your trailer that you can get.
From the standpoint of you have all your windows down, certainly if it is in the heat of the summer.
some vents. Again just making sure that we need to be prepared if we do get stuck on the road somewhere.
But probably first and foremost proper tire inflation, make sure they're in good shape and that there is decent tread on them
A lot of the literature that you read also tells you to make sure that in the event of a disaster or a potential disaster
that your vehicles are all gassed up and that they are full of fuel.
If you have a reserve water tank in your horse trailer make sure you fill that up,
for water for you and the horses both if need be. Depending on some folks that have a different opinion on whether its a safety
issue taking some extra gasoline with you, in the form of container you can transport gas in.
just in the event that you aren't close to a fuel source when you need to get somewhere down the road.
I know there is some potential hazard in transporting gasoline like that but it is certainly something to think of.
Again it has come apparent after these past issues we have gone through
is having a portable generator that you could haul with you in the sense that if you are stuck on the side of the road
there's an issue if you have a portable generator and your trailer has air conditioning in it or something like that even for the benefit of your family
you can run your trailer off of your generator. Even if nothing else and you're stuck on the side of the road
and hopefully you've brought some box fans or something like that with you, you can start that generator
blow those fans on the horses and help move air through that trailer. You know in the event unfortunately you might get stuck
on the side of the road, as it was, you can use that generator for a lot of different things.
But that is is certainly an expense that you might have to run out and get together
you may not have it sitting at your backdoor but that is certainly something to prepare for
down the road that could really help you out.
As we are also talking about trailer maintenance just to make sure that everything is good and prepared and ready to go.
One thing is that if your trailer isn't used a whole lot let's say you do have a trailer but you don't pull it up and down the road a whole lot
In addition to the tire inflation and the proper wear on the tread and things you might
ahead of time have someone make sure that your bearings are packed your wheel bearings are in good shape
and ready to go. If you use your trailer a lot you're probably taking care of that on your way along
if your trailer sits and you don't use it that much certainly if you borrow a stock trailer
from a neighbor or something like that load your horses in and get down the road
you need to check out your wheel bearings and your breaks and lights and make sure its all in good shape.