Do you keep your horse trailer ready to load your horses?

I'm not sure if my answer will mean anything or not, I've deablt with horses in my life just not recently, I'd say common sense would have to do alot with the answer. Also thinking if there is not an occasional emergency risk, such as fire, a little road trip for prepardness can't hurt anyone, only prepare for the what if... not a bad way to live. If I get any thumbs down for my thoughts then people are more screwed up than I even have time for... Answer would be for the most part commen sense Fly inverted... :) Just my thought. It's cooling down some here tonight... :)

Our stock trailer is kept ready to go at all times during the summer months, because my sister plays polo twice each week. Our horses are all laid back about loading, it's never been a problem for any of them. We don't keep anything in the back part of the trailer, other than the mats on the floor. For long trips ( like the tournament we went to in NY last weekend) we will bed the floor of the trailer with shavings. Otherwise, all equipment is kept in the tackroom or in the back of the truck, or in the tackroom of the barn. With that said, we have boarders who rarely if ever use their trailers- and there is one trailer on our farm which belongs to a former boarder that hasn't been used in nearly 3 years, if not more. It has a flat, and I am sure there are other problems with it. We've been trying to get the owner to sell the damm thing, but nothing we've tried has worked. It's a real eyesore- and the horse it was purchased for was sold off over 2 years ago.

We don't keep written lists of supplies, because we don't need to. The trailer has certain items kept in it all the time, regardless of the season. The lights and brakes get checked every time we use it. Since our horses get taken to polo matches and or shows regularly, there is no need for us to practice loading them. They know what they are expected to do when it comes to trailering.

I use my trailer alot during summer, not so much in the winter. I pull mats and check floors twice a year, at least. tires and lights are checked everytime we go. But I'll tell ya, If there was a fire on my A** i wouldn't check lights right away, but I'd eye ball the tires at least.

I usually double check the latches on the back door, and so does anyone I have with me. Reason being, someone in the county was pulling horses, the back horse fell out, because the door was not shut, and the horse was drug to death. It doesn;t help that they were hauling 4 horses in a tiny 3 horse trailer....

I use saw dust in my trailer, manure is always pcked out, and depending on use, and what I hauled, I pull all the shaving out, clean, disinfect, and put new shavings in.

Most all of my stuff is always in the trailer, I have buckets, all I'd need is feed and water. Ohh, and the horses. My horses load ok.... now.... If I were in that much a hurry, I'd probably forget the water and just grab a few flakes of change over feed, and I'd go to whatever friend is farthest away from the fire.

I typically haul often, multiple times per week. Basic first aid and extra halters and leads are always loaded up.

I'd be more concerned with which trailer to take if I had to leave. I have a 2H BP and a 4H GN.

Tires are good, bearings are good, electric hookups and such are good as well. I don't keep a list of supplies because I travel often enough that I have most stuff I need already in the trailer. I also do a lot of camping with the horses so it's automatic in what I need.

ETA:

cowgirlz,

That's why I refuse to tie my horses. There is no telling if they kick the back door just right that it won't strip the bolts and knock the door off. Granted in my 2H where that's more plausible I have a butt bar, but the butt bar is only up when I have the back tack room up. Still, they come off, they aren't tied and while they would have some road rash they have a better chance of making it.

Also if you don't tie your horses are able to get their heads down to clear their airways.

Professionally checked every other year (we trailer infrequently, maybe twice a month for short distances of a few miles). Tires checked each time, water buckets kept in the trailer in front, hay bags are removed but easy to grab if needed.

My horses all load, eagerly. If they didn't, I would fix the problem. Halters with leads are always at hand, even if my horses almost never wear them.

The real issue, or question, is whether I can haul all horses at one time in my trailer-- the answer is no. If I had to evacuate, I'd be in trouble-- the trailer holds three, max, and I own four.

i use mine a lot (trail riding, show this weekend, vet) and i have my 2 cutting saddles and saddle pads, and my grooming stuff in it, and protective boots, and 2 of my horses bridles in it(the horses i ride), plus some other random stuff. i try to keep an extra lead and halter in it just in case. thats all in my tack part and i have a large cubby under the hay racks(2 horse straight load custom made) and it has shavings and sometimes if i have 2 horses in it i have hay bale or 2 in it. i sometimes if im working by it i will load them for the fun of it.

we clean it really good and make sure things working condition. we are looking for a 3 horse now i have 3 horses so yeah i will get to keep 3 of the 7 saddles i have in it haha

yes, you should always keep the float ready to load just in case of an emergency, and yes keep checking to see if all the lights and floor are still in preporsion.