Common Horse Trailer Mistakes

Towing a horse trailer is not the same as towing a normal trailer. When you’re carrying live, precious cargo behind your vehicle, you need to take some additional steps to ensure your trailer stays securely attached to your tow vehicle and that you follow all safety precautions.

To help you use your horse trailer prudently, we at Double B Trailer Sales have compiled this list of the most common horse trailer mistakes to avoid. For all your livestock trailer needs, come on down to our dealerships in Centerville and Hurricane, Utah. We invite all out patrons from Salt Lake City to check out our horse trailers for sale today!

Loading And Unloading

Before you load your horses onto the trailer, keep in mind their experience. If they’re new to trailers, ease them into it. Before the trip, load and unload them a few times without moving the trailer, then move it slowly around a few times. This allows the horses to get acclimated to it. If it’s a new trailer, you’ll have to reintroduce your horses to it. Even if the horse trailer is big enough for the animals to turn around in, teach your horses to backup. You may need to get them down that way sometimes. If there’s a big gap between events, take your horses out for a spin every now and then to keep them comfortable.

Rust Maintenance

Try not to leave your livestock trailer disused or unmaintained. One of the most problematic issues that arises from disrepair is rust accumulation. Not only will this weaken parts of your trailer, but it can prove to be very dangerous for your horses if the edges are sharp enough or if it compromises the floor of your horse trailer. After every trip, check for damage in your trailer, especially near your horses’ legs. Do regular inspections throughout the year so you can stay on top of things.

Never Leave Your Horse Unattended

Once your horse is in the trailer, make sure you never leave it unattended. This can cause the horse to become stressed and act erratically. Not only can this become a dangerous situation for the horse, it can also be harmful for other people nearby.

Wrong Hitch/Vehicle

As with any other kind of trailer, you want to be sure the hitch and vehicle can hold the weight of the horse trailer. The hitch needs to be properly rated to handle the load of the trailer and the tongue weight. Your tow vehicle also needs to have the right load capacity. If it doesn’t match your trailer or your hitch, there are higher chances of accidents and your horse won’t be as safe.

Hold Your Horses!

Even if you’re on a long trip, always remember you have live animals behind you. Practice safe driving steps when you’re towing anything, especially an occupied horse trailer. One of the safest driving practices is simply slowing down. Don’t do anything that makes you a danger to other drivers, but always be careful about how fast you’re going when you’re towing a livestock trailer. Avoid short stops and quick lane changes. Keep in mind that your horse isn’t secure like you are, and if you drive erratically, you’ll find yourself faced with a moody and tired horse at the end of the trip.

We at Double B Trailer Sales know that your horses are a big part of your life and you’d like to take proper care of them both at home and on the road. If you’d like more helpful tips, visit our dealerships in Centerville and Hurricane, Utah and talk to our professional staff. We proudly serve the good people of Salt Lake City.