Trailer Travel Safety

A Few Important Trailer Travel Checks Before You Go

As we headed out to the Midwest Horse Fair this week in Madison, WI, we encountered a little trailer trouble with a flat tire on highway I-80 near Des Moines, Iowa. This made us think about how important it is when traveling long distances to keep trailer safety in mind and to make sure to perform a trailer safety check before you leave. With this little extra downtime while we fix the trailer, I thought it would be the perfect time to share with you a few important trailer safety measures to consider before loading up and heading out on the road this summer.

• Check the tires for any worn tread and low pressure. This will help prevent having a flat tire alongside the road and becoming stranded for hours with no place to go.

• Make sure to have a spare tire along, because there is nothing worse than being stranded on the side of the road with your 4-legged friend in the trailer impatiently waiting to be let out. With this in mind, you will also want to make sure you have a jack along that has the lifting strength and rate for the tongue weight of your trailer to allow you to fix the tire safely and quickly to get back on the road.

• Check the brakes to make sure they are working effectively each and every time you hook up to leave. Burning out your brakes is not a fun way to travel when carrying over six thousand pounds of weight behind you. It isn’t safe as you now are relying on the brakes of your truck to stop the momentum of the trailer which are not durable enough to do the job all on their own. 

Horse Trailer (Bhakti2) 2014

• Check the wooden floorboards and trailer frame to ensure that they are sturdy and strong. The last thing you want is to have a rotten board that doesn’t protect your equine loved one from falling through the floor. Thankfully, this has never happened to us at the ranch. It’s a true blessing that we haven’t had to experience this horrific type of event while traveling, and hope that we will never have to experience something so horrible. This safety check is one we consider a true lifesaver and is the most important safety check to complete before loading up and heading out on the road with your trailer this summer. 

• Lastly, verify that all your trailer hinges, springs, and latches are in good working order to help ensure they are secure enough to withstand the speed and wind while cruising down the highway with your load. 

These are just a few of the most important tips to remember when getting ready to head out with your equine friend this summer. Please feel free to check out this awesome horse trailer checklist from our supportive equine friends at eqgroup.com to help ensure your trailer is all ready to go on the road this summer.

As for our next blog, our trail ride has come to an end. We hate saying goodbyes and so we say, “Thank you all so much for following along with us and journeying with us through the semester.” It has been an amazing ride and will miss you all dearly! As our favorite quote says, “True Friendships Last a Lifetime” so, thank you for being our friends and these memories will truly last us forever!