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How to Tire Change on Horse Trailers

You are ready to go buy a horse trailer, but wait before you do there are some things to think about before you put down your money on that trailer. You need to consider what your personal needs are, but don’t forget the needs of your horse as well. Often when we go shopping for that trailer we think about what it should look like and forget the basics, so lets back up and look at those considerations first. This may seem obvious, but it's surprising how many people are influenced by fads, advertising, and just plain false information.

Your needs are not that hard to figure out, so lets start there. Usually budget is the first and most apparent consideration. You can usually find a decent horse trailers in most price ranges, but the less money you have to spend, the more careful you need to be. If your budget is on the low side, it is more logical to purchase a better quality used trailer than a new cheap one. If you are looking for a new trailer, you're more likely to get good value for your money if you know what you need or are looking for in a trailer. Even if you have an unlimited budget, you probably don't want to spend extra money for something you don’t need.

You need to decide how often you will use your trailer and you need to be realistic. If you are planning on using it to haul your horse to the vet for its annual shots and check up you will be looking for one thing, but if you are going to be using your trailer to run every weekend to horse shows you will be looking for something else.

You certainly don't need to buy a brand new state of the art trailer if you're only going to use it a few times a year. Of course it is always necessary that the trailer is structurally sound and that brakes and lights are working, but a nice used trailer can do the job. If you use the trailer regularly, then you should buy the best and strongest trailer you can afford.

How many horses will you be hauling? If you are only hauling one or two horses, then a two horse should be adequate. It is not a good idea to buy a trailer to move a friend’s or neighbor’s horses and it isn’t a good idea to jointly own a trailer either. It strains the relationship and you can lose a friendship and/or become battling neighbors. If you own more than 2 horses you will need to buy a larger trailer or a stock trailer. Trailers that hold more than two horses will require a heavy-duty towing vehicle, so you will need to consider that when buying your trailer. You will want to check your vehicle’s owner manual for your vehicle’s towing capacity.

Trailers have two ways to tow, bumper pull or gooseneck. Bumper pull trailers attach to the tow vehicle by a ball on the bumper of the vehicle. Gooseneck trailers attach to the tow vehicle via a hitch in the bed of the truck or on a platform on flatbed trucks. There are more vehicle choices for bumper pull trailers gooseneck trailers require a truck. Some people believe that a gooseneck trailer is safer than a bumper pull, but that is not exactly true. If the tow vehicle is properly rated and equipped with the proper hitch, a bumper pull trailer can be just as safe as a gooseneck. The more horses you need to move at a time, the more a gooseneck makes sense.

Are you thinking about camping with your horses or attending shows outside of your local area? If so, a dressing room or living quarters may be a necessity for you. Manufacturers are adding wonderful options in the arena of living quarters and you can often order a trailer that will have most, if not all, of the comforts of home. The extra length of a dressing room added onto a two-horse trailer actually adds stability, if the tow vehicle is properly rated. However, you will find more options for living quarters in the gooseneck trailer.

Now we will look at the needs of the horse when it comes to trailers, and some of it may be surprising.

The first thing to remember is that from the horse's point of view, he doesn't belong in a trailer at all. Horses, in their natural habitat, prefer the wide-open spaces on the range. Horses are prey animals; they have a highly developed "flight or fight" response. When danger threatens, horses run away and they need the open space to put distance between themselves and the predator. That's how they have survived the last few million years. Horses who don't run away quickly enough or fast enough, end up as dinner. A small, closed up space like a trailer makes a horse claustrophobic because he feels he has no way to escape danger. They also have developed a natural instinct of being wary of unsteady footing to protect them from falling into a tar pit or quicksand. The swaying and movement of a horse trailer is instinctually frightening for a horse. It's obvious we should also think about these natural instincts, even when your horse has been trained to trailer quietly and easily.

Horses can suffer stress in ways that we don't even notice. There are design features in some trailers that can make trailering less stressful for the horse. Some trailering problems are often so commonplace that people just accept them as part of the process and they don’t have to be. Episodes of refusing to load, breaking halters, cutting legs, and even breaking the trailer itself are some of those risks that can be avoided. These problems and health risks like shipping fever, dehydration, colic, and a stress free trailering experience and a well-designed trailer can prevent even the acute stress of injury.

What is stress? Stress can be defined as an external stimulus that is beyond the control of the animal. When a living creature is exposed to stress the autonomic nervous system kicks in to physically prepare the animal the react to the stress. Heart rate elevates, adrenaline and epinephrine are secreted and other body functions, such as hormone levels, change to enable the animal to react. For horses, this is usually to run away to avoid the object of stress. Once the object of stress has been outrun or successfully fought, the system returns to normal and the horse is alive and well. However, if the horse cannot escape the object of stress over a long period of time, the health of the horse begins to suffer. The chronic stress can also have a negative impact by changing immune functions that predispose the horse to disease

What features are best to reduce stress for the horse? We must make sure that there is enough room, light, ventilation, and safety in design.

The horse should have enough room and light to feel comfortable. A dark interior may cause him to balk when loading because horses' eyes do not adjust quickly to light changes. Walking from daylight into a small dark trailer can be frightening. If there are windows or slats, doors, and a light colored paint it can make the trailer seem more open and inviting. Height, width, and length should be proportionate to the size of the horse. All three are equally important. He should be able to use all four of his legs to keep his balance. This means that he should be able to spread his legs apart if he needs to, and to slide them forward or backward without being hindered. He must have enough headroom so that he isn’t cramped and so he can use his head and neck for balance. It is also very important for his health that he can lower is head and cough to expel hay dust and other contaminants from his respiratory tract.

While we are on the topic of the respiratory system, it leads to the next important criteria, ventilation. The environment inside the horse trailer is easily contaminated by dust and mold spores from hay and shavings, and noxious gasses from urine and manure. Studies have proven that when horses inhale contaminants and cannot lower the head to cough them out normally they are at greater risk for shipping fever. When the linings of the lungs are compromised, the lungs become susceptible to contagious infections. Extreme temperatures may also cause stress to the horse. Smart management techniques and a properly ventilated trailer can control the environment. Adequate windows or slats, and roof vents are necessary to provide good ventilation, even in cold weather. (Use a blanket to keep him warm, don't close up the trailer) Floors also aid in ventilation. Natural flooring material such as wood breathes and does not conduct heat up from the road like other materials may.

The fourth characteristic that must apply is safety in design. This means that the trailer should be safe for both the horse and handler. There should be no sharp edges or objects that could injure a horse. All latches, tie rings, breast bars, and dividers should be strong enough to withstand wear and tear from the largest, strongest horse that will be hauled in the trailer. Always keep in mind that horses are always capable of doing the unexpected. The entrance of the trailer should be non-threatening to the horse, and the handler should be able to exit the trailer quickly, if need be, without the horse following. It should be possible to reach each horse separately in the case of emergency, and best if each individual horse can be removed without unloading the other horses to do it. Dividers, posts, butt bars, and breast bars should operate freely and be easily removable by quick release in the case of emergency. Dividers should not restrict legroom. Ramps should be solid, low, and non-slippery, and long enough to prevent a kick to the head of the person who is leaning down to lift it. Ramps can be safer than a step-up in unloading. For safety step up trailers should be wide enough to allow the horse to turn around to unload headfirst instead of backing out, especially if the trailer is high off the ground. Front ramp trailers are available and are the safest option.

The floor and bracing underneath should be in perfect condition. You should NEVER compromise on this. All lights, brakes, and breakaway brake should be in working condition. The same applies for tires and suspension. The construction material should be strong enough to handle the size, weight, and strength of the horses and equipment being hauled in it, and to hold up as well as possible in a traffic accident.

A feature that is included under safety in design is rubber torsion suspension. This form of suspension is new and unlike the familiar drop leaf or shackle spring suspension used on all horse trailers in the past, rubber torsion suspension increases the safety because of its design. Neoprene cords run through the axle and absorb about 97% of the road shock from the floor of the trailer. By absorbing so much of the shock and vibration, rubber torsion greatly reduces the stress to the legs and hooves of the horse, which also reduces the stress of riding in a moving vehicle. As an added safety feature, if one tire goes flat, the trailer can ride on the remaining three wheels and the coupler until you can get off the road and onto a safer place to change the tire.

Other features available that can greatly improve the well being of the horse and handler are items like removable hay bags, mats, screens, bar guards on the windows, removable or no rear center post, and water tanks. It goes without saying that the tow vehicle and the hitch should be adequate to haul the trailer and it's full load.

Now let’s look at the various types of trailers from the horse’s point of view. You may be surprised to find out it looks different than you may expect.

If you don't have a large budget, a well-made stock type trailer is a good choice. This type trailer meets most of the criteria. It is open and airy. The horses can easily step up into the trailer and turn around to come walk out headfirst. (Backing out of a step up trailer is risky - unfortunately it's a common occurrence for horses to slip under the trailer when unloading) The disadvantages of a stock trailer may be finding one with rubber torsion suspension, but they do exist and if you are buying new, you can order it as on option. Also, since most stock trailers are built for the livestock industry, quality construction and safety features for horses may be somewhat difficult to find. Most stock trailers are built to be tough and last for a long time, but appearance may suffer after a while. It will cost more to buy a trailer that is built specifically for horses, but there are some advantages when it comes to safety features, construction, and appearance.

Standard layout for straight load 2 horse trailer.

Walk-through trailers are a better choice than those with mangers for several reasons. Manger trailers force the horse to hold his head in a small area with his hay, and since he is restricted, he is unable to lower his head to cough out any contaminates from the hay dust. This isn't so much of problem for horses that are only in the trailer for a short time, but a walk through type is healthier for horses that are being hauled for longer trips. Loading a horse into a manger trailer can be hazardous to the handler since the only way out of the trailer is though the small escape door. Horses have been known to climb up into the manger. A horse can go up and over a breast bar, but it happens less often than in a manger trailer, and when it does it's less of a problem as long as the breast bar is equipped with a quick release function that will operate when the weight of the horse is on it.

Standard layout for slant load 2 horse trailer.

Slant load trailers are very popular; they are not the best choice for all horses, especially when we consider the requirement enough room. Most slant load stalls measure 10 feet from corner to corner. The actual space usable to the horse should be measured from front center to rear center, which is only 8 ½ feet. For horses over 16 hands, or shorter horses who happen to be long in the body, this is not enough room unless you want him to stand with his nose in one corner and his butt in the other. When horses are cramped into this position, he is unable to use his head and neck for balance and, if he spends enough time in the trailer, stiffness and even lameness may develop. Often this type of problem may not be attributed to the trailer, but is caused by it just the same. It doesn't really work to add more length to the stalls by slanting them more because it makes a rather distorted shape. If you have smaller horses, a slant load may work for you. One problem that is not so easily solved is that horses hauled on a slant must always brace on the front right leg and shoulder during deceleration and the hind left during acceleration. For horses being hauled longer distances this can be very tiring and may be another cause for unevenness of gait. This may cause the horse to change positions and this creates a different problem. A moving horse, while the vehicle is in motion is dangerous, although some trailers are designed to withstand some movement. A straight load position allows the horse to absorb the stress of motion evenly though his spinal column and two legs at a time instead of just one. Something else to consider with slant load trailers is the ability to be able to reach each horse in the event of an emergency and to be able to get one horse out without unloading the others. You can solve that problem by adding a front unload ramp for a two horse trailer and double unload ramp for a three horse and more.

For multiple horses, a center load meets all our equine criteria and safety requirements as well. In a four-horse center load, the front two horses face backward and the rear horses face forward. It works the same way for a six horse except there are three horses side by side. There is more than enough headroom for each horse and they can all see each other, a fact that makes herd animals feel more comfortable. Each horse can be unloaded separately without taking off the others. This not only works well during an emergency, but it makes for a good show trailer at a one-day event.

The choice of construction materials is an important subject that should be considered. You have several choices in construction materials and combinations. Each one has pros and cons and you should be aware of what they are so you can make an informed decision. Do not depend on sales people to inform you, do the research for yourself before heading out to buy your trailer.

Steel has gotten a bad reputation because of rust and weight, but for strength, which transfers to safety, it's the best value. Rust is not much of a problem anymore since many manufacturers use galvanized steel. Aluminum is one-third the strength of steel and 70 percent of the weight of steel there is really not as much difference in weight between a two horse steel trailer and an all aluminum trailer of equal strength. However, as the trailers get larger, the difference becomes more pronounced. With aluminum you are trading safety for fuel efficiency and a lighter trailer that can be used with more vehicles. However, safety for you and your horses should be your first concern.

Hybrid trailers that are built with a combination of materials can be a compromise. By using the strength of steel in the frame, and aluminum and other materials such as fiberglass in non-structural parts to reduce the weight, the trailer will be comparable in weight to an all-aluminum trailer. The cost for a hybrid will generally be higher than an all-steel trailer and lower than an all-aluminum trailer. No matter which material you choose, each must be kept clean and dry to maintain long life.

Trailers should be stored and covered when not in use, to extend its use and looks. Tires can get dry rot if not protected from the elements. No matter how often you use your trailer you should do a safety inspection each time before using it, but this is especially important if your trailer is used less often or left unprotected.

If you make your trailer decisions based on the horses' point of view, along with your own preferences, you will be able to find a trailer that will make traveling with your horse a safe and pleasant experience.

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