USRider Offers Trailer Preparation Tips for Travel Season

“A good roadside assistance program is something every horse owner should have, but hope never to have to use,” says Bill Riss, General Manager for USRider. “To that end, our mission is to continually educate horse owners about trailering safety.”  

To provide a reliable and accessible source of information, USRider maintains an Equine Trailer Safety Area on its website,www.usrider.org. The safety information is developed with input from equine travel expert Neva Kittrell Scheve.  

“We have carefully developed this area to be a resource with helpful and practical topics – all free and available to members and non-members alike,” added Riss. “Our website is designed so visitors can print out information as a handy reference. We also post safety bulletins as new information is developed.”  

Examples of the information available at www.usrider.org include a list of items every horse trailer should have on board, short trip and long trip precautions, and trailer inspection procedures.  

“Horse owners can put these tips to work and greatly reduce the chances that they will be stranded on the side of the highway,” said Riss.  

USRider shares some of those helpful tips from its Equine Travel Safety Area (www.usrider.org/safety.html) here:

1. Remove and inspect all wheels and hubs or brake drums.
2. Inspect suspension for wear.
3. Check tightness of hanger bolt, shackle bolt and U-bolt nuts per recommended torque values.
4. Check brake linings, brake drums and armature faces for excessive wear or scoring.
5. Check brake magnetic coil with an ohmmeter. The magnetic coil should check 3.2 ohms (+/- 0.3ohms). If shorted or out of tolerance, replace.
6. Lubricate all brake moving parts, using a high temperature brake lubricant.
7. Remove any rust from braking surface and armature surface of drums.
8. Inspect oil or grease seals for wear or nicks. Replace if necessary.
9. Inspect and grease wheel bearings.  

In addition to these recommendations, USRider advises horse owners to check all trailer tires, (including spares) for signs of dry rot, correct air pressure, faulty air valves, uneven tire wear, overall tire wear and damage. USRider recommends investing in a high-quality air pressure gauge -- learn how to use it -- and inspect tire pressure before each trip. Always replace tires if worn or damaged. In addition, tires should be replaced every three to five years regardless of mileage. When replacing tires, always replace the valve stems. USRider recommends that only high quality tires specifically designed and rated for trailers be used – never use retread or automobile tires on a horse trailer. According to Riss, “Quality tires are like fine leather shoes, they only hurt once – when you pay for them.”