Guide to towing a horsebox or trailer - By: Tammy Patterson

Everyday horses are travelled in trailers either long or short distances. When towing a horse in a trailer it is important to ensure they have a safe and comfortable journey, if not it is easy to make them afraid of travelling and bad to load.

The safety of the trailer is important, before travelling you should check that the floor of the trailer is stable, if it is loose, rusty or soft then the horse will be able to feel this, or worse it could give way whilst travelling. You should also check that the lights work and check the tyres for pressure and wear.

Another important consideration is the towing vehicle. Many people are not aware of the weight that they can legally tow with their vehicle or how much a fully loaded trailer might weigh. The weight you can tow depends on the kerbside weight of your towing vehicle, it is essential to comply with this as to keep within the law and to be safe. A trailer that is too heavy for the vehicle towing it may prevent the brakes from working properly and may destabilise the vehicle.

Before loading the horse you should consider its equipment, depending on the weather it may need a fleece or cooler, you should also consider travel boots or bandages to protect the horses' legs when loading and unloading. A tail bandage will prevent the horse from rubbing their tail on the back of the trailer.

If you are travelling one horse in a double trailer you should either take the centre partition out so they have more room to balance, or load them on the right hand side which will keep them away from the side of the trailer going over drains and adverse cambers at the side of the road.

When driving with a horse on board be aware of the effect of the extra weight such as stopping distances. You should allow extra time for manoeuvres and breaking to avoid too much movement of the trailer. You should also try to prevent stopping and starting in slow moving traffic where possible. Drive at a steady speed and slower than usual being aware that every movement the trailer makes the horse had to balance against.

Most roadside recovery companies will not come out to you if you have horses on board. It is important to consider what you will do if the towing vehicle breaks down or in case of emergency. There are specific companies that deal just in the breakdown or horseboxes and trailers it is worth considering becoming a member if travelling regularly or at least having a phone number.

The most important consideration is to allow plenty of time to plan and carry out your journey in order to be safe.

About the Author

Tammy is a passionate horse rider who loves to promote the correct ways to be looking after horses. Tammy works part time for a company who specialise in horse riding jackets as well as Toggi Canyon boots & cheap horse clothing in the UK. For more info, please visit the site for a range of riding jodhpurs.

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