The Horse

DEC 2017

The Horse:Your Guide To Equine Health Care provides monthly equine health care information to horse owners, breeders, veterinarians, barn/farm managers, trainer/riding instructors, and others involved in the hands-on care of the horse.

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53 December 2017 THE HORSE TheHorse.com catastrophic, always extremely heart- wrenching, and always fatal," Buchert says. "I wouldn't wish this end to any animal." Fortunately, these incidents are preventable with thorough checks and maintenance, says trailer manufacturer Carl Turnbow, of Oilton, Oklahoma. He recommends owners remove matting and examine trailer floors from the ground up at least once a year—more often if you haul frequently. "People don't realize that horses' urine can eat up a floor," Turnbow says. "And if the trailer has an interlocking floor, urine can sit there for months." Once you've removed the floor mats, Buchert suggests taking a close look at the spot welds that attach metal floors and tack welds that attach wooden floors to the trailer. Look for signs of wear and weakness, such as gaps at the weld sites or thinning of welds. Then, he says, inspect the underside of the trailer to see if it needs maintenance. Over time, wooden floors might require a new coat of preservative. If you spot rust on metal floors or frames, scrape and clean it with a wire brush, and apply a coat of rust-preventing paint or other preservative. Place mats back on the floor, and make sure they fit properly. Ill-fitting mats or those that show signs of damage or rot should be replaced. "Then jump around in the trailer to make sure the floor is stable," Buchert says. "Remember, your horses are going to be moving around while you're moving them." 2. Wheels Wearing Well Next, owners should turn their atten- tion to tires. "Getting a flat and having to wait for someone to fix it could mean having your horse in a 107-degree trailer for a long time," Buchert says, because, for safety reasons, you're not going to be unloading horses beside the highway. Before hauling, check each tire for signs of wear, such as shallow or barely there tread. Look also for signs or dry rot or that tires are wearing unevenly. Wear on one side of the tire or the other gener- ally means the tire is "pulling," or riding toward that side. Then, make sure the tire is inflated to the manufacturer's recom- mended maximum pounds per square inch (PSI, which you can find on each tire's sidewall) to achieve even wear. "The maximum for a trailer tire is 50 PSI," says R.J. McIntyre, of Sturdy Built Tire Parts, in Bradenton, Florida. "An overinflated tire will wear in the middle, and an underinflated tire will wear on the sides." Under- or overinflated tires can contribute to tire failure, as well as inef- ficient gas mileage. All tires have a date stamped into the sidewall that indicates when the tire was manufactured. "The first two numbers tell you the week of the year the tire was manufac- tured, the last two numbers are the year," he says. "In places where the climate is hot, such as in Florida, a five-year-old-tire is old and should be replaced." Also consult your owner's manual to see if the truck includes special features, such as a setting that levels the trailer be- hind the hauling vehicle or components that make hauling easier and safer. "When our tire blew, we discovered that all the weight in the trailer was centered at the back," Rogers Smith said. "When we replaced the tire, they told us that there was a button on the truck that leveled out the trailer and improved the ride." 3. Wheel Integrity In addition to checking tires for proper inflation and signs of wear, annual maintenance should include inspecting, greasing, and repacking the trailer's wheel bearings. "Bearings could fall out, and a tire could collapse," Buchert says. "You don't want to lose a wheel while you're traveling; in fact, that's one of the pri- mary causes of accidents involving horse trailers." The latter step—repacking—is crucial because oil breaks down over time. Heat generated by braking can cause oil to break down even faster. Because the wheel bearings carry the trailer weight, greasing them regularly ensures the COURTESY DR. REBECCA GIMENEZ Check metal trailer floors and panels for rust, and replace them if needed. PAM MACKENZIE Check and adjust the pressure on your trailer tires to make sure they're inflated to the manu- facturer's specifications.

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