Horse Trailer Towing Tips

When a horse needs to be transported, the driver moving the horse needs to be adequately equipped to handle such a situation.

Three important considerations come to mind when transporting a horse. The driver should have an understanding of the type horse they are moving (since some are more spirited than others), the horse trailer the horse is going to travel in, and the type vehicle doing the transporting.

One of the most important aspects of towing horse trailers is to make sure that the towing vehicle is rated high enough to pull the combined weight of both the trailer and the horse. Once the trailer is properly attached to the towing vehicle it is a good idea for the individual to test the trailer and vehicle combination and drive it around a little bit before loading up the horse. This way a person can get used to the trailer being attached while driving.

The next thing is to make some final changes before loading the animal. Some additional considerations would include the adjusting any of the air vents, and to double check for any problems on the inside of the trailer like sharp corners, or problems with the flooring. Basically to avoid anything that could cause distress to the animal, and cause it to panic. Then one needs to bring in the horse to be loaded. When tying the horse in it's a good idea to make sure there is some slack in the rope to keep the horse comfortable and to help prevent neck injuries in case of an accident.

Once the horse is loaded, it's time to do a little bit of test driving. It's best to drive a few miles and then pull over to make sure the towing hitch and everything else with the trailer and horse are okay. If it is a long journey, then periodic checks should be carried out. When moving horses its best to take it slow when accelerating, decelerating, taking corners, and making lane changes. The animals have to get use to every move. When it comes to towing horse trailers its best to take everything slowly.

Horses are very easily scared so the smoother the drive, the better for the animals welfare. When the destination is reached it is much easier to handle an animal that is in a calm state than one that is suffering from stress. If the experience is a pleasurable one, it'll be a lot easier to get the animal back in the trailer for the return journey.