Through a special arrangement with two undisputed experts on equine travel - Neva Kittrell Scheve and James Hamilton, DVM - we have created this area for the safety of you and your Horses.
Neva is the author of The Complete Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Servicing a Horse Trailer and Hawkins Guide: Horse Trailering on the Road. She and James Hamilton, DVM co-authored Hawkins Guide: Equine Emergencies on the Road.
To find out more about Neva
Kittrell Scheve,
CLICK
HERE
.
To read
more about James Hamilton, DVM,
CLICK
HERE
.
Click on the Following Links for Valuable Safety Tips:
Equine Transportation Requirements by State CLICK
HERE
.
Canadian Import/Export Regulations CLICK
HERE
Don't
Go on the Road Without It!
Store these items in the
horse trailer so you always have them on board:
- Spare Tire – USRider recommends carrying two (2) spare tires
- Hydraulic Jack – rated to jack your trailer while loaded
- Lug Wrench
- Three (3) emergency triangles or flares
(Triangles
are preferred)
- Chocks
- Flashlight
- Electrical tape
- Duct Tape
- Equine First Aid Kit with splint (know
how to use it)
- Knife for cutting ropes, etc., in emergency
- Water
- Buckets/sponge
- Water hose
- Spare halter and lead rope for each Horse
- Spare bulbs for exterior and interior lights
- Spare fuses if applicable
- Fire extinguisher with up to date charge
- WD-40 or other lubricant
- Broom, shovel, fork, and manure disposal
bags
- Insect spray (bee and wasp)
For the tow vehicle:
- Registration for the vehicle and trailer
- Proof of insurance
- Jumper cables
- Spare tire/jack/tire iron
- Tool kit including wiring materials
- Spare belts and hoses for the tow vehicle
- Tow chain
- Cellular phone and/or CB radio (CB may
be more effective in rural areas without cell phone service)
- Replacement fuses
- Work gloves
- Portable air compressor
- Extra cash/credit card
- Road Atlas
- Hawkins Guide: Equine Emergencies on
the Road
- USRider Membership Kit
Check your inventory frequently
and replace used or removed items before each trip.
For crossing state lines
or attending competitions:
- Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (Health
Certificate) dated within 30 days
- Proof of Negative EIA (Coggins) usually
dated within 1 year. Some states require within 6 months.
- Certificate of Brand Inspection if applicable
If you are in an accident
and have been injured yourself:
EMS personnel and police will most likely
not be capable of taking care of your Horses. Prepare for
this situation by keeping some sort of emergency directions
in a very visible place. Write the name of someone you know
who can be called to help or to advise what to do with the
Horses if you are incapacitated - a knowledgeable friend,
your veterinarian, or someone else who is familiar with your
Horses and all current telephone numbers. The USRider Membership
Kit contains a specially created emergency information placard
(Horse trailer interior) and an accompanying emergency notification
sticker (Horse trailer exterior).
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Trip
Preparation: Last-Minute Checklist
- Check the tow vehicle. Check and replenish
engine fluid levels and wiper fluid. Towing puts extra stress
on the radiator, brakes and transmission.
- Make sure fluid
levels are correct.
- Make sure the ball on the tow vehicle is
the correct size for the horse trailer.
- Make sure the rear view mirrors are properly
adjusted and you know how to use them.
- Check tire pressure in the tires of the
tow vehicle and the horse trailer. Improper tire pressure
is responsible for most towing problems. Check tire condition.
- Make sure that the horse trailer is level
so the animals are not always fighting their balance by
traveling uphill or downhill. This movement can also cause
the trailer to sway and cause other safety problems.
- Check lug nuts on wheels. Wheel nuts and
bolts should be torqued befor first road use after each
wheel removal. Check and re-torque after the first 10 miles,
25 miles, and again at 50 miles. Check periodically thereafter.
- Check inside the horse trailer for bee
and wasp nests.
- Check over your hitch, coupler, breakaway
brake battery and safety chains. Make sure the brakes and
all lights are working properly before you load the Horses.
- When Horses are loaded, make sure all doors
are latched properly and Horses are tied.
- Drive down the driveway, and before you
drive onto the main road, get out and check over everything
again. Something you overlooked may make itself apparent
by then. (Most accidents happen to people who have been
hauling just long enough to get lackadaisical.)
- If you happen to stop somewhere where the
rig has been left unattended, check everything all over
again. Someone may have been tampering with the trailer
or Horses.
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Trip
Preparation: Checklist for Trailer Axle Assembly
Following a few rules in caring for your horse
trailer axle assembly can add to its life. Moreover, in the
case of some of these rules, you may be protecting your own
life as well. Using the following checklist before starting
a trip with your trailer is highly recommended. Some of these
items should be checked 2 to 3 weeks before a planned trip
to allow sufficient time to perform maintenance.
- Check your maintenance schedule and be
sure you are up to date.
- Check hitch. Is it showing wear? Is it
properly lubricated?
- Fasten safety chains and breakaway switch
actuating chain securely. Make certain the breakaway battery
is fully charged.
- Inspect towing hookup for secure attachment.
- Load your tag-along trailer so that approximately
10 percent of the trailer's total weight is on the hitch.
For light trailers this should be increased to 15 percent.
- Do not overload. Stay within your gross
vehicle rated capacity.
- Inflate tires according to manufacturer's
specifications; inspect tires for cuts, excessive wear,
etc.
- Check wheel mounting nuts and bolts with
a torque wrench. Torque, in proper sequence, to the levels
specified in this chapter.
- Make certain of hanger bolt, shackle bolt,
and U-bolt nuts per torque values specified.
- Make certain brakes are synchronized and
functioning properly.
- Check operation of all lights.
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Pre-Trip Checklist for Horse Trailers

- Wheel bearings serviced? (service every 12 mos./12,000
miles, carry spare bearing set).
- Tires in good condition? (look for dry rot, replace
every 3-5 years regardless of mileage).
- Check tire pressure (including spares and inside tire
on dual wheels).
- Hitch locked on the ball? Correct size ball?
- Safety cables/chains connected?
- Plug and secure electrical connection.
- Connect emergency breakaway system.
- Emergency battery charged?
- Test trailer lighting (brakes, turn signals, running,
perimeter).
- Check/test brake controller.
- Prior to loading horse(s), check trailer for hazards.
- Leg wraps, head bumper on horse(s)?
- Secure and lock all trailer doors.
- Headlights on? For greater safety – get noticed.
- Drive safely - allow greater braking distance, and
travel at generally slower speeds.
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Additional Safety Suggestions
The following list of additional suggestions should help make trailering easier for you and your Horse:
- Wear gloves and boots when you are loading and unloading Horses.
- If the horse trailer is dark inside when you are loading, open the doors and turn on the lights to increase visibility.
- If you are having trouble loading a Horse, at least ten well-meaning bystanders will usually show up to help you. Thank them for offering to help but ask them all to leave except those who you know will be able to help. Too many cooks in the kitchen can really make a bad situation worse.
- Make sure there are no hazards near the horse trailer (i.e. farm machinery, fence posts, etc.) when you are loading and unloading.
- Don't let door covers stick out the sides where a Horse or handler could get bumped in the head.
- If two or more Horses are being unloaded from the trailer, keep at least one Horse in sight of the last Horse until he has also been safely unloaded. The one that is left on the trailer may panic and rush off to quickly. This is more of a problem with inexperienced horses.
- If you are hauling your Horse in someone else's trailer, do your own safety check. Don't depend on someone else for your safety and the safety of your Horse.
- If you are hauling someone else's Horse in your trailer, insist the horse wear protective bandages, and agree in advance who will be responsible in the event of injury to the Horse or damage to the trailer. Check with the insurance company to see who is covered for what.
- Don't travel alone if you can help it.
- Never lead a Horse into the trailer if you do not have an easy escape route.
- Never get into a trailer with a panicked Horse, and don't open the door if there is a chance the Horse could bolt out of the door onto the highway.
- Never put a Horse into a trailer that is unhitched, or unhitch a trailer while the Horses are still in it.
- Don't use tranquilizers unless you know how. Improper use of tranquilizers can cause death. Discuss the use of tranquilizers with your veterinarian.
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Trailer
Storage Preparation
If your Horse trailer
is to be stored for an extended period or over the winter,
it is important that it be prepared properly.
- Remove the emergency breakaway battery
and store inside, out of the weather. Charge the battery
at least every 90 days.
- Jack up the trailer and place jack stands
under the trailer frame so that the weight will be off the
tires. Follow trailer manufacturer's guidelines to lift
and support the unit. Never jack up or place jack stands
on the axle tube or on the equalizers.
- Lubricate mechanical moving parts, such
as the hitch and suspension parts that are exposed to the
weather.
Note: On oil-lubricated hubs, the upper part
of the roller bearings are not immersed in oil and are subjected
to potential corrosion. For maximum bearing life it is recommended
that you revolve the wheels periodically (every 2 to 3 weeks)
during periods of prolonged storage.
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About James Hamilton, DVM
Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Jim rode
Horses and was involved in Pony Club and 4-H before earning
his bachelor's degree and doing post-graduate studies at Ohio
State. After graduating from the University of Georgia School
of Veterinary Medicine he joined a sports medicine practice
at Belmont Park in New York.
His interest is in equine sports medicine,
especially respiratory, orthopedics and imaging diagnostics.
He now resides and practices in the Sandhills as a partner
in Southern Pines Equine Associates. The practice provides
complete medical and surgery services to the rapidly growing
Horse community in southern North Carolina. Dr. Hamilton is
the co-author of
Equine Emergencies on the Road,
a glove compartment manual on prevention and treatment of
enroute illness and injury of Horses. This manual was on the
United States Pony Club's "must read" list for 1995.
In 1997 he became involved in the AVMA’s
Disaster Response Program as Team Commander of VMAT-3. This
team of veterinarians and technicians is now part of the federal
government’s National Disaster Medical System, a department
within the United States Public health Service (USPHS). Most
recently VMAT#3 responded along with others to the World Trade
Center disaster in NYC. Team Members were there to support
the federal government’s (FEMA) Search and Rescue dog
teams.
Dr. Hamilton is a Member of the American Veterinary
Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners,
American Academy of Veterinary Disaster Medicine, and past
Member of the United States Pony Club’s National Safety
Committee. In 1998, work done to help the state veterinary
association (NCVMA) organize a disaster plan earned Jim the
“Veterinarian of the Year” award.
He is currently serving on a statewide committee
(SART) working with State Emergency Management officials,
counties, industry representatives and others to create a
comprehensive animal disaster response plan for North Carolina.
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After
Prolonged Trailer Storage - Inspection Procedures
Before removing a
horse trailer from jack stands:
- Remove all wheels and hubs or brake drums.
(Note which spindle and brake the drum was removed from
so it can be reinstalled in the same locations.)
- Inspect suspension for wear.
- Check tightness of hanger bolt, shackle
bolt, and U-bolt nuts per recommended torque values.
- Check brake linings, brake drums, and armature
faces for excessive wear or scoring.
- Check brake magnets with an ohmmeter. The
magnets should check 3.2 ohms. If shorted or worn excessively,
replace.
- Lubricate all brake moving parts, using
a high temperature brake lubricant. (Lubriplate or equivalent).
Caution: Do not get grease or oil on brake linings or on
magnet face.
- Remove any rust from braking surface and
armature surface of drums with fine emery paper or crocus
cloth. Protect bearings from contamination while so doing.
- Inspect oil or grease seals for wear or
nicks. Replace if necessary.
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About Neva Kittrell Scheve
Neva Kittrell Scheve is author of Hawkins
Guide: Horse Trailering on the Road,
The Complete Guide to
Buying, Maintaining, and Servicing a Horse Trailer
and co-author
of
Hawkins Guide: Equine Emergencies on the Road. She travels
nationwide to give seminars on all aspects of horse trailers.
With her husband, Thomas G. Scheve, she has developed numerous
lines of horse trailers, which are marketed internationally
through their own company,
EquiSpirit,
located in Southern Pines, NC.
Neva is has been a horsewoman for over 30
years and competes in dressage and carriage driving. She is
also a Member of the Moore County Equine Emergency Response
Unit in NC, and the VMAT (Veterinary Medical Assistance Team)
which is a part of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
For more information about EquiSpirit Trailers or to purchase their indispensable equine travel
publications, call toll-free 1-877-575-1771. USRider Members
receive a discount on their publications. For more information,
visit the USRider Winner's Circle Advantage area on this web
site.
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The following items assembled
into an emergency kit will help you handle most situations.
Discuss this list with your own veterinarian, he/she may have
other suggestions that are appropriate for you and your situation:
- ROLL COTTON - 2 rolls
- ROLL GAUZE - 4 rolls
- GAUZE SQUARES
- CLEAN STANDING BANDAGES – 2 quilt
or fleece with outer wraps
- ADHESIVE TAPE
- 24" SECTION OF 6' PVC PIPE - which
has been split in half lengthwise - for splinting: check
that diameter of pipe fits your Horse.
- COHESIVE FLIXIBLE BANDAGE - 2 Vetratp®
– Co-flex®
- STICKY ROLL BANDAGE - Elastikon®
- THERMOMETER
- STETHOSCOPE
- MOSQUITO FORCEPS
- SCISSORS
- TWITCH
- ANTISEPTIC SOAP - Betadine®
- HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
- ANTIBACTERIAL OINTMENT
- ANTIBACTERIAL SPRAY POWDER
- OPHTHALMIC OINTMENT
- SALINE EYE WASH
- BUTAZOLIDIN PASTE
- BANAMINE GRANULES OR PASTE
- BUCKET
- WATER 10 gallons or more
All medications should be given at the advice
of your veterinarian or the veterinarian treating the condition.
IMPROPER USE OF TRANQUILIZERS AND OTHER MEDICATIONS CAN RESULT
IN THE LOSS OF YOUR HORSE.
Source: Neva Kittrell Scheve & Dr. James
Hamilton, DMV
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Equine
Precautions: Short Trip
Anytime a Horse is
loaded into a trailer, whether for a short trip or long trip,
these fundamental measures should be taken:
- Train your Horse to load calmly and to
accept the trailer as non-threatening. The best defense
against injury and illness is good training.
- Make sure your horse trailer is safe. Once
a Horse has been trained to trust you and the trailer, don't
let it down.
- Drive Carefully. Remember you have live
cargo in the trailer - drive accordingly.
- Make sure all inoculations are current.
Current inoculations will protect your Horse from exposure
to other Horses.
- Wrap all four legs. Just walking into a
trailer can result in injury if the horses scrapes against
something, so wrap legs every time your Horse gets on the
trailer.
- Make sure trailer is vented. Horse are
very sensitive to dust and noxious gasses; i.e., ammonia
from urine and manure.
- Carry an emergency first aid kit. Keep
it in your horse trailer and make sure it is always ready
and up-to-date.
- Learn proper first aid techniques. Learn
how to bandage wounds in various locations, control blood
loss, and learn to recognize the signs of dehydration/heat
exhaustion, and colic.
- Learn how to monitor vital signs in the
Horse. If your Horse is sick or hurt, you can give the veterinarian
current vital signs via telephone.
- Carry backup supplies appropriate to the
length of the trip. Keep in mind your trip may be longer
than planned due to unforeseen circumstances.
- Carry a medical ID. If you are incapacitated
in an accident, it can be important to contact someone who
knows you and your Horses.
Source: Neva Kittrell Scheve & Dr. James
Hamilton, DVM
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Equine
Precautions: Long Trip
The importance of
these precautions is directly proportional to the length of
the trip. Use your own judgment, and that of your veterinarian:
- Electrolytes - Increase 2 to 3 days prior
to shipping.
- Bran Mash - Once a day for 2 to 3 days
prior to shipping
- Vitamins - Add extra for a week prior to
shipping.
- Mineral Oil - One pint per day may either
be added to fee along with bran for four days prior OR given
by veterinarian via stomach tube the day of shipping (4-6
hours before departure).
- Antibiotics - When the trip will be over
12 hours, discuss the administration of antibiotics with
your veterinarian.
- Body Clip - When taking your Horse from
a cold climate to a warm one, a body clip is recommended.
- Blanket - The need for the blanket will
depend on the temperature en route.
Source: Neva Kittrell Scheve & Dr. James
Hamilton, DVM
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