Preparing Your Horse Trailer For Travel

Traveling with your horse is exciting. You’re heading to blaze new trails, try your hand at competitions, and so on. But a successful trip requires some preparation. It can be hard keeping track of everything you need to do. Here at Lone Star Trailers, we strive to make your life easier. That’s why we created the following guide to getting your horse trailer ready for travel. For all your horse trailer needs, visit our dealership. We proudly serve those around Waco and Temple, TX.

Prepare Your Trailer For Your Horse

Your first step is to ensure your horse trailer is ready for your animal. Scope out the exterior and interior for hazards, such as a hornet nest. These issues can crop up in no time, so be sure to check on the day of travel. 

You’ll also want to sanitize the walls and floors. Keeping things clean not only makes for a more pleasant (that is, less smelly) trip for your horse, but it also helps fight bacteria and viruses that make horses sick. 

Finally, make sure there is plenty of fresh air. Open vents and windows to get proper ventilation. Your horse needs clean, new air to breathe easily on the journey.

Prepare Your Trailer For Towing

A poorly maintained trailer can result in disaster on the road. Tires need to be free of rot, properly inflated, and with enough tread. Otherwise, you could experience a blowout or a lack of traction that could cause a crash.

Next, check that all the horse trailer cargo is loaded and balanced well. You want about 20% hitch weight on a fifth wheel trailer and 10-15% tongue weight on a bumper pull trailer. This leads to the best driving performance and cuts down on drifting and swaying on the road. Double check your hitch before hitting the road and every time you stop (things can come loose on the road).

Finally, check the horse trailer before you head out. Look over the hookup, emergency braking system, and safety chains. Test your lights to ensure they’re all visible and working. Adjust your mirrors as needed so that you can see clearly. Make sure everything is as it should be and never travel with a compromised trailer!

Prepare For Emergency

As the old saying goes, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Hopefully, you don’t encounter any issues with your horse’s health. But you will want to be ready in case you do. Build a horse first aid kit with a stethoscope, thermometer, bandages, antibiotic ointment, and so on. The more items you bring, the better prepared you will be. It also helps to brush up on your horse health knowledge. Ensure you know how to handle the basics from taking a pulse to dressing a wound. Make sure you also have any medical paperwork, the contact information for your vet, and the contact information for a vet in the area you are traveling. 

You’ll also want to prepare for your own emergencies. Pack along your own first aid kit so that you can handle minor medical issues. If you are traveling alone, tell someone where you are going and when you’ll be back as a precaution.

Prepare Your Horse

Finally, you’ll need to make sure your horse is ready to travel. Keep in mind that travel can cause stress, which can exacerbate health problems. Only hit the road if your horse is healthy and able to handle it. Check the vitals (like respiration, pulse, and temperature) before leaving and throughout the trip. If it’s going to be cold, bundle your horse up with a blanket. If it’s going to be hot, ensure there’s plenty of water and cool air coming into the horse trailer. Keep your horse happy, healthy, and ready to ride!

We hope you found our guide helpful! For all your horse trailer needs, visit Lone Star Trailers. We proudly serve those in Lacy and Lakeview, TX and even stretch out to Round Rock and Austin too.