06/27/2021
We see a lot of information on trailer loading but judging by how the parents were pulling in to the parking lot for a 4H clinic I was teaching, I got to wondering if there shouldn’t be a discussion on how to haul? The dust was flying, trailers were rattling and you could hear horses scrambling as they pulled up. Clearly, this called for drastic measures!
Despite reading and being told, there’s nothing like “learning to do by doing” – and pulling a trailer is no exception.
Before getting underway, I suggested they all tie their horses someplace safe before climbing in my trailer for a free ride. The arena was on a quiet country road and the locale made it possible for us to have a short, albeit illegal, journey. I asked the parents to stand in the slant haul without hanging on, just bracing themselves to take whatever came their way. Easy, right?
When we pulled back into the yard, they were horrified! First, the trailer, while a good make and recent model, was dusty on the gravel when the windows were open; it was also surprisingly noisy. They could hardly talk amongst each other, let alone think. When I accelerated, they were thrown backwards. Braking had them hitting the front dividers. Then, I purposefully braked while negotiating a curve. Chaos – and all the while, I’d not exceeded 50 kilometres (or 30 miles) per hour!
Back at the arena, I had the parents climb into one of their own stock trailers. This was worse, because it was windy, rattly and a bit rank, as it hadn’t been cleaned out in eons. The fumes of the built up manure gave them watery eyes. In the roomy stock trailer, whenever they lost their balance, they staggered in a pile on top of themselves. Clearly, there was more to this hauling than they’d bargained on.
We agreed the miracle is that so many horses load willingly when their owners have so little regard for what hauling entails.
So, where to begin? First, make sure the tail isn’t wagging the dog. Being able to accelerate with a full load doesn’t mean that your truck will be able to stop! Reckoning the weight of the trailer must also include the maximum number of horses, along with all that you’ve got in your tack room.
Do you know where to put your horses for the safest hauling? When asked, few drivers seem aware that the load goes at the front of the trailer, not balanced over the axles or behind them. By putting the weight on the towing vehicle, it greatly reduces a trailer's tendency to fish-tail, even in high winds. The lighter horses will be loaded after the heavier ones to stabilize the load.
With so many highways allowing speeds in excess of 110 kilometres (about 70 miles) per hour, you'll need to keep a lot of room in front to stay out of trouble. Are your mirrors adequate to see around your vehicle with a minimum of blind spots? Do you even know where your blind spots are? Have you adjusted your trailer brakes to help stop your load?
Do you perform a visual inspection of running lights, brake lights, turning signals and emergency flashers before you hit the highway? Have you made sure your trailer is towing level from front to back? When was your trailer last booked in for maintenance of the wiring, floorboards, tire wear and bearings?
Do you clean out your trailer after every single haul?
Now, practice pulling the unit with a handful of change thrown on the truck dash. You should be able to accelerate, turn and slow down to a stop without the coins sliding around. Deceleration is made smoother with the truck engine helping to brake the load, either with the transmission set to tow/haul, or by manually shifting (yes, even an automatic) down to reduce the forward momentum. This takes practice and knowing your vehicle.
Slow down before and not during turns; wait until your trailer has made the turn before smoothly speeding up. If your horses are scrambling, if you feel them moving around back there, you’re being too abrupt. Letting the greater pressure off the brake pedal a snick after you’ve stopped will absorb much of the force of stopping.
Learn how to back your trailer!
When I was a teenager, so keen to haul myself to shows, my father forbade me to go on my own until I could prove that I could handle it. This meant being able to back into any place that I could pull into (and yes, you can back into a lot of places you can’t make a forward turn). It always surprises me, the number of people hauling to weekend shows who need help parking their trailers.
Looking back, I’ve never had a horse that was hard to load. I’ve bought a few that came that way but with love and rules, along with good riding, they very quickly got better. I like to think that keeping my trailer clean and my driving mindful have had a lot to do with this.
Here’s to a long, safe summer for all of us... with only nice, smooth trips!
***
For more posts, fellowship and good information, why not follow our Keystone Equine page?
