Good Morning!
We are exited to see that this week's weather in Maryland will be much warmer than we have seen in awhile! Spring temperatures are finally here and it's almost show season. There's nothing worse than getting ready to go to a show and realizing that your trailer is off or needs a little extra TLC. Now is the time to make sure everything is in proper working order and you have taken the steps necessary to prepare for spring. Below, we shared an article about how to get your trailer ready for the spring season! Remember, if you need a tune-up or want to get it inspected, you can make an appointment with us! Contact us at
www.burdettebrothers.com
Getting Your Trailer Ready for Spring Travel
Article shared from www.horsetrailerdirectory.com
Spring’s almost here, with all the promise that implies. Now is the time to get your trailer out of
storage and ready to roll, whether you’re traveling to shows across the country or just trail-riding
down the road. Although you should always look your trailer over carefully before you pull it,
it’s extra important after a long winter of being left out in the cold.
Don’t Skip Vital Exterior Maintenance
Many horse trailer owners store their trailer with the tires resting on the ground -- after all, that’s
what tires are for, right? It makes sense, but is, unfortunately, one of the worst things you can do
for your trailer tires, so always start a spring check-up with a little extra tire time. Check the
treads carefully for signs of damage, deep splits or dry rot. Those tires carry a lot of weight, so
when in doubt, throw them out.
While you’re down there, take a gander at the bearings and brakes. Obviously, worn brake pads
or calipers that don’t quite get the job done should be replaced, but bearings are less easy to
evaluate. As a rule of thumb, you should have your wheel bearings repacked at least once a year.
You can test their soundness by getting the corresponding tire up off the ground and rocking it
back and forth. A loose tire that has some play or thumps should be repaired right away, these
are signs that the bearings are loose and may fail catastrophically.
Aside from these high-risk items, you should check the trailer for sagging suspension, signs of
rust or body damage and ensure the lighting systems work well during your unveiling. New light
bulbs are cheap insurance against a rear-end collision on the road; catching damage to your
trailer early will keep it from getting much worse during a season of hard use.
Spring Cleaning the Horse Box
The inside of your horse trailer takes as much of a beating as the outside, so it’s important to
keep an eye on things inside. You’ll want to make sure the lights and windows are working, that
any padding is intact and butt bars, breast bars and gates swing freely, with little noise. Then
there’s the floor.
The floors of horse trailers are often their weakest interior point. Remember, depending on your
flooring of choice, your horse is probably less than two inches from the outside world when he’s
standing in the horse compartment of your trailer -- any signs of damage, insect infestation, rust,
oxidation or weakness need to be addressed immediately. To prolong the life of your floors, you
should remove your mats every time you return from a trip, clean the floor thoroughly and allow
everything to dry well before replacing the mats and putting your trailer away.
Knowing that your horse trailer is sound and ready to travel to horse events in the spring is a
great feeling. Make sure yours is ready to roll by giving it a careful examination before it’s time
to travel this year.
References:
http://www.usrider.org/images/HitchUpMagazine/HUP19springIAPDFstatic.pdf
http://americashorsedaily.com/ready-set-haul/#.VNPTmy6znXw
http://stablemanagement.com/article/horse-trailer-safety-check
http://barrelhorsenews.com/articles/how-to/3534-check-now-or-repair-later.h
