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

I've been watching those fire reports down in Texas. There have been times the bush was that dry here, but we have been lucky. There are lots of reasons you might need to move horses in a hurry. Are you ready? I know not everyone has a horse trailer. My neighbour has a horse trailer, and I have not seen it move for at least a couple of years. If you transport your horses regularly, your probably ready for an emergency. If you don't use your trailer regularly, do you keep it ready for your horses, with a written list of supplies that you might need to load in a hurry? Do you load your horses once in a while to keep them "up to date", Do you have to unload a bunch of stuff before you can load your horses? Do you use it once in a while, check the lights, check the floor, and keep it in working order? Do you just let your trailer sit and collect dust?

Public Comments

1. 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.
2. 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
3. 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.
4. 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... :)
5. 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.
6. 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.