How to Haul a Horse Safely

of a vehicle is doubled the stopping distance is quadrupled. Thats right it takes four times longer to stop from 100 kmh than from 50 kmh. Take your horse trailer out on the freeway and youre in for a surprise when you try to stop in a hurry because when the weight and speed are doubled it takes eight times longer to stop!
Always Leave Yourself an Out Ensuring adequate space ahead of you is only half the battle. We never know when well need a way out or where well need to go so protect the space beside and behind you as well. Avoid the driver who lingers alongside the trailer by simply slowing down to let them pass. When nearing a freeway onramp watch for merging traffic and either adjust your speed to reduce congestion or change lanes to allow merging traffic a clear path onto the freeway. Look for spaces not obstructions. By looking for the space we need instead of focusing on the traffic itself we tend to ease towards those spaces we need for safety.
Plan Ahead Look Ahead Looking ahead to anticipate signal changes traffic patterns and appropriate adjustments to minimize slowdowns is one way the real professionals make themselves invisible. We can use these techniques to make the trip as smooth as possible for the horses with us in the trailer. Anticipate stale traffic lights slow down early and in most cases you will avoid having to come to a complete stop. Easing off the accelerator early for turns and curves can all but eliminate the common jerk from actuation of the electric brakes in most horse trailers. The less often those horses need to brace against turning and braking actions the more comfortable they will be and their stress level will be reduced.
Dont Get Zoned We tend to get lazy now and then and stare straight ahead when we drive and in doing so can hypnotize ourselves quite easily. Anyone who has driven a long stretch of straight highway can attest to how easily this can happen. The best way Ive found to avoid this is to keep the eyes moving. Never rest on any one area for more than a few seconds. I get into a routine when Im driving a glance in the right mirror then look ahead a peek in the left mirror look ahead peruse the instruments look ahead again.
I save some time for checking the trailer monitor as well but keep these to short snapshots thereby never averting my attention from the road for more than a second at any one time.