Choosing a Horse Trailer

Whether you are looking to buy a new horse trailer or a used
one, it’s easy to be influenced by fancy options and shiny
construction materials. But, for a horse owner who wants to
promote safe and stress free hauling for the horse, choosing a
trailer from the horse’s point of view is very important. Since
many horse trailers are built to appeal to the human
perspective, this may not be as easy as one may think.
Considering the nature of the horse as a species, it’s a minor
miracle that our equine friends get into a trailer at all.
Horses are creatures of the prairie who are designed for life in
wide open spaces. Because they are prey animals, they have a
highly developed “flight or fight” response. When danger
threatens, horses run away. That is how they survive. Feral
horses who don’t run fast enough end up as dinner! They also
have to watch their footing so they don’t fall into a hole or
quicksand!

Whenever we deal with a horse, we have to consider this flight
response and reluctance to step on suspicious ground in our
training. Because a horse trailer is small, dark, and shaky, it
goes against the horses’ very nature, but because horses are
also trainable, they learn to put their natural fears aside and
do the crazy things we ask them to do.

However, even if they do what we ask, it may not be comfortable
for them, and they can suffer stress in ways that we don’t even
notice. It’s easy to notice when the horse won’t load, but it’s
less obvious that illness and some injuries can be caused by
design features in a trailer that make trailering more stressful
for the horse. Some trailering problems have become so
commonplace that people just accept them as part of the process.
Things like breaking halters and loading and unloading problems
are some of those “acceptable” incidents that don’t need to
happen. Other problems like shipping fever, dehydration, colic,
and even the acute stress of injury can be prevented by a stress
free trailering environment.

Stress can be defined as an external stimulus which is beyond
the control of the animal. When a horse is exposed to stress,
the autonomic nervous system kicks in to physically prepare the
animal to react to the stress. Heart rate elevates, adrenaline
and epinephrine are secreted, and other bodily functions such as
hormone levels, change to help the animal survive. For the
horse, the reaction is to run away to avoid the object of the
stress and the system returns to normal, so therefore, this
system works in the horse’s natural environment. However, if the
horse cannot escape the object of stress over a long period of
time, the health of the horse begins to suffer. The chronic
stress can have a negative impact by changing the immune
functions that can predispose the animal to disease.

Putting a horse in a trailer goes against it’s very instinct. He
cannot get away from the stress of this small enclosed box. He
is also put at risk of injury from the trailer itself or the
possibility of a traffic accident. Whether your horse is a pet,
or you only think of your horse as an investment or a tool,
avoiding illness and injury can save you money and heartbreak,
and at the very least, can actually improve his performance.

Of course, horses travel all the time without incident, and
trailering can be a safe and enjoyable experience. Buying the
safest horse trailer will increase your chances of arriving at
your destination with a healthy, happy horse.

Manufacturers must build horse trailers to conform to the
requirements of the road, but because there are no industry or
government regulations concerning the safety of the horse, there
are wide differences in horse trailers. Look at your prospective
trailer from the horse’s point of view.

What does the horse want? Room and light, good ventilation, and
safety in design.

Room and light: An average sized horse ( 15.1h – 16.3h) needs
about 10 feet of usable length to be comfortable. A larger horse
may even need more. A horse needs to be able to spread his legs
for steadiness, but is also important that he be able to use his
head and neck freely for balance. A light colored interior and
lots of windows or slats will make the trailer much more
inviting and less claustrophobic.

Good ventilation is important for the horse’s respiratory health
and to control the temperature and environment of the trailer.
Hay dust and noxious gasses from manure and urine compromises
the horse’s respiratory system and predisposes him to diseases
such a shipping fever. Roof vents will remove contaminated
and/or hot air from the trailer. A light colored exterior,
especially the roof, will make the trailer cooler in hot weather.

Safety in design: There should be nothing sticking out to harm
the horse in anyway. Tie rings, and latches should fold flat
against the wall. All center posts and dividers should quick
release, but should be strong enough to not break apart until
you can make the decision. (Exception – dividers should come up
and out if a horse would get under it.) No sharp edges anywhere.
All parts of the trailer should be strong enough to hold up to
the largest, strongest horse who will be hauled in it.

Ramps should be low to the ground and not slippery. It should be
possible to reach every horse individually in the event of an
emergency. (This is a special problem with many slant load
trailers.) Butt and chest bars should quick release.

Safety in design also includes road safety. All brakes and
lights should be in perfect working order and the emergency
breakaway brake battery should be charged. Safety chains on
tag-along trailers must be crossed underneath, and ball hitch
gooseneck hitches should also have safety chains or cables.
Tires should be inflated to the recommended capacity, and rubber
torsion suspension will not only reduce road shock for the
horse, but will be an added safety feature if the event of a
flat tire. It is most important that a tag-along trailer be
hitched to a frame mounted Class III or Class IV hitch, and that
the trailer be towed in a level position. Whether you are towing
a gooseneck or a tag-along trailer, you must have a properly
rated tow vehicle to insure your own safety.