Safety when Hauling Horses

Lots of people forget the basics when hauling horses.

When hauling horses, regardless of type of trailer, you must be aware of several safety factors. We have seen many instances where trailers were used without safety chains attached; it is very important to be sure the hitch is fastened securely and the chains are fastened in place. In transporting horses, we see many people who fail to provide enough braking distance for vehicles in front of them. We must remember that we cannot stop this truck and trailer in the same distance we could stop a car. Sudden, quick stops such as these can and do throw a horse off balance, and in some cases, throw them down. Horses should be tied when hauled as well. Particularly in stock type trailers where multiple horses are together, it is important to keep them as stationary as possible.

We have talked with many horse owners over the years that have experienced problems in loading and trailering horses. Almost without exception, we identified the problem as the horse having had a bad experience in the trailer, and subsequently had no interest in being loaded. Every horse owner we talked to informed us that the horse had been subjected to a fast sudden stop or had been thrown down in the trailer. Minimize these types of experiences and you should be able to eliminate most of your loading and trailering problems.

Thanks,

Tim


J.Tim Potter, Ph.D., PAS
Area Specialized Agent-Equine
North Carolina State University
1450 Fairchild Road
Winston Salem, NC 27105
Phone 336.703.2850
Fax 336.767.3557