Pre-Trip Checklist for Horse Trailers

Before you haul your horse, be sure to review our pre-trip checklist to make sure you have everything you need for your horse trailer.

•  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.

Neva Kittrell Scheve 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.