On The Road Trailer Safely
With the competition season in full swing and the weather turning a little warmer, more Maryland equestrians will be hitching up their rigs, loading up their horses and hitting the roads. Trailer drivers must be responsible for the safety of their rigs in order to protect their horses, themselves, and others on the road. Below is a list of helpful tips for basic trailer safety from the Maryland Agricultural Resource Council.
Hitching a Bumper Pull or Gooseneck Trailer
• Routinely check for any signs of rust on the hitch both on the trailer and vehicle frame. • Before hitching check the ball size of the hitch to make sure it is the correct size for the trailer. • Check to make sure the hitch is secure to the tow vehicle and not loose in any way. • After hitching, check to make sure the ball is fi rmly seated into the hitch. • Check that the clevis pin (safety pin) is in place.
• Make sure the jack is in the upright position and secured properly.
Tires
• Cold weather typically aff ects tire pressure. Inspect both the vehicle and trailer tires to make sure they are at the correct pressure be- fore every road trip. • UV rays of the sun deteriorate tires, so they should be inspected for any signs of dry rot. If you see any cracks on the tread or side walls, replace your tires. • To check the wear and tear of your tires, take a penny and insert the coin (with Lincoln’s head pointing toward the tire) into the tread. If the tread does not come up to Lincoln’s head on the penny (typically 3/32 inches in depth), re- place the tires. • Check to see that your tires are wearing even- ly. If they are not, check your axle to make sure it is not bent.
T e Maryland Agricultural Resource Council is based out of a living agricultural park on
Shawan Road in Cockeysville. T e nearly 150-acre farm off ers equestrian and hiking trails as well as educational programs and research projects. One popular educational program is MARC’s annual Horse Trailer Safety Course, taught by volunteer Bill Minor. T e class has classroom and driving components. Minor, who has taught trailer safety classes to pony clubs in the area for decades, has created a curriculum that covers everything from tire pressure, to diff erent types of trailers, to backing and turning a rig around. “T e classroom part typically lasts about one and a half hours and includes lots of photos of good trailer safety examples and not so good ones too,” Minor said. Participants can choose to bring their own rigs for a safety check, and then to navigate a course at the farm. “We teach them how to back up with spotters and without, and how to turn around safely,” Minor explained. T e driving part of the class can take up to two hours depending on the number of participants.
• Wheel bearings need to be packed with grease. You can do this on your own with a buddy bearing cap or by a mechanic. • Be sure to check the spare tire on the vehicle and trailer too. • Practice changing a tire on both your vehicle and trailer.
Trailer Electrical System
• Check all trailer lights, including tail, brake, side markers and turn signals. • Check that the electrical plug is secure. • Check for any evidence of frayed or torn wires.
• Once you connect the trailer’s electrical plug to your vehicle, check to make sure the elec- tronic brake control lights up. • To check if the back up battery is operating
Tip: Keep trailer clutter to a minimum. If you have a tack room, place all equip- ment in the tack room securely. If you do not have a tack room, make sure that any pitchforks, rakes, buckets, etc., are secured and do not become loose dur- ing travel.
properly, pull the cable out of its socket and see if the brakes engage. You should hear a click or hum when the back up battery cable is pulled out. You can try to move the trailer while the cable is pulled out, the wheels of the trailer should lock. • Check that the electronic brake controller is set for the proper weight load. Most controllers have a dial or slide switch on the side of the controller. T e heavier the load, the higher the setting should be. • Be careful not to set the brake controller too high, or the trailer tires will start to skid. At the proper setting, you should feel the trailer brak- ing slightly in unison with the truck brakes. • Note: if you fi nd yourself sliding or jack-knif- ing on wet or icy roads and have an electronic
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Tip: When traveling with your horse, don’t forget to pack a travel fi rst aid kit! Many veterinarian practices have kits already stocked for sale. If you are putting your own kit together, Me- gan Snyder, VMD,
“Must haves would be a stethoscope,
banamine and bandage ma- terials.” Dr. Snyder also rec- ommends keeping a list of veterinarians in the area you are traveling through or local referral hospitals.
www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580 MAY 2018 | THE EQUIERY | 25
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