No matter what type of used horse trailer you are getting, it is imperative that you know the basics on how to evaluate it. Since it is already used, there will be imperfections. You must know which imperfections are tolerable and fixable, and which are to be avoided at any cost.

If you go to the sellers place you will immediately know if the used horse trailer you are buying is in good condition. If you see that the sellers barn, fences and pastures are well taken cared of, the trailer is most likely in good condition. If not, you should inspect the trailer thoroughly or find another one.

Ask the seller if the used horse trailer has been used recently and how often it is used. If it is used often, then it is good news. If not, the trailer must be rotting. Moisture caused by parking the trail for a long time hastens the rotting of the wood and rusting of the steel.

1. Check the most important part, the framework. Inspect every part of the framework, even the parts underneath. You might see rust on a steel framework, which is tolerable, but make sure it doesnt crumble or give when it is poked or hit. Aluminum framework does not rust but is oxidizes. Ask the seller if it has been treated with acid.

2. Inspect the floor of the trailer and see if there are weak areas. Check if theres any part that is rotting. If its a wooden floor and looks too spongy, it will definitely need replacement. Check the welded area for rust. If its too rusty, it will not be strong enough to hold the parts together.

3. Inspect the fiberglass coating. See if the sidewalls have cracks, holes and splits because it could be weakened. Check the interior walls for water damage, like streaks or stains, that could weaken it. If there are leaks, they must be fixed.

4. Examine the roof. If its a fiberglass roof, check the gel coat if its stringy, fuzzy or worn away. If it is, the roof is not in good condition. If there are thinner areas, it is also not good. Inspect the seams if the roof is pieced.

5. Check the suspensions of the trailer. Trailer suspensions are either leaf spring, suspended by spring hangers from the trailer, or rubber torsion. Look at these trailer suspensions for corrosion. Hangers that are not in good condition can cause the axle to come out from under the trailer.

6. Make sure that the brakes are working well. Trailer brakes could be difficult to handle as this is either a 2 or 4 wheel electric system. Check the power from the vehicle getting to the trailer is engaging the brakes. Stand near the trailer wheels and listen for a faint hum. See how the brakes grab by applying the brake controller manually.

7. Make sure that the coupler and safety chains are in good condition. A coupler attaches the trailer to the truck, while the safety chains keep the trailer behind the vehicle in case the trailer becomes unhitched. Check the coupler if it can be hooked or unhooked easily, and check if it is straight and cranks up smoothly. Make sure that the safety chains are in good repair.

8. Check the ramp as well as the doors or windows. See if the ramp is solid so that horses can walk up with confidence. Be sure the hinges and latches work freely and easily but does not require a great deal of strength to operate. Make sure that the doors or windows open and close easily and smoothly.

9. Make sure that the trailer is comfortable and safe for your horse. The trailer should have escape doors that work properly and sized adequately for you to maneuver. These should allow you to get to every horse during emergencies. The trailer must have sufficient ventilation, and the stall dividers, butt bars and chest bars should be easy to use and safe.

10. Make sure that the trailer has a valid title. The trailer must have a valid title as it may be required when crossing state lines. Do not forget to check if the vehicle identification number matches the title when you buy the trailer. You must also have a bill of sale and a notarized letter of transfer from the seller.

Posted under Horses

There are important things about purchase contract that you should know when buying a horse. You should be aware of what a purchase contact must contain and what your legal rights are.

First, you must understand that when you purchase a horse, you buy it as is. Meaning, the duty to examine the horse prior to the purchase is on you. You cannot sue the seller for any defects gone unnoticed and found after the purchase. However, the as is nature of the transaction can change for the following reasons and situations.

1. If the seller breached the written contract.

Keep everything that has something to do with the horse you are buying in a written contract. If you get a Bill of Sale, be sure that the information is complete. These information should be the name, age, breed, color and sex of the horse as well as other distinguishing factors.

You can only sue the seller if the breach is material or if any of the elements stated in the contract is untrue. For example, you found out that the age of the horse when you bought it was a lot older than what the contract said. This is a cause for legal action because the lifespan of the horse is a lot lesser than you expected.

However, not all breach is material. For example, the Bill of Sale stated that the horse was 6 years old when you bought it when in fact it was only 5 years old. In such case, the law might not find you damaged.

2. If you can prove that the seller made an intentional misrepresentation

A written contract can be overcome if you can prove that the seller engaged in fraud. This can be very difficult because you will have to prove that the seller made an intentional misrepresentation designed to make you buy the horse.

For example, the seller told you when you bought the horse that it is healthy and sound. And then you found out later that the horse has a disease before you bought it. However, it will be difficult to prove that the seller is aware of the disease.

3. If the seller published a false advertisement.

If the seller published an advertisement which contains specific statements that could be interpreted as part of the bargain, you can have recourse.

For example, the ad said that the horse do not have vices. But immediately after purchasing the horse, you found out that the horse cribs or chews wood. This is clearly an example of vice that the ad states the horse does not have.

4. If the seller has a higher, definite obligation to you.

You may have recourse if the seller is also your instructor. This is because as an instructor, he or she has an affirmative duty to help you buy the right horse above and beyond the normal sellers contractual obligations.

5. If the seller is governed by the UCC

If the seller is a merchant, he or she is governed by UCC or Uniform Commercial Code. The Uniform Commercial Code the governing policy of the sales of goods from merchants. The seller can be considered as merchant if he or she makes a regular income with horse transactions.

If the seller is a merchant, the transaction must come with merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. These two are implied warranties that come with the purchase of horse. Regardless of the contract, the horse must be reasonably sound and healthy, and suited to its purpose. But this can only be excepted if done so in writing.

Therefore, in buying a horse, get as much as you can in writing. It is a buyer beware situation, so do not lose your head.

Posted under Horses

Trail riding is a lot more enjoyable if you put safety first. You should always keep in mind the safe practices and always exercise a good common sense. These are important because your instructor will not be by your side to guide and help you all the time. Also, you would want to ride on your own eventually, which is a fulfilling experience.

Here are the top 7 rules all riders must follow on the trail.

1. When trail riding, do not forget to tell someone where you plan to go and when you plan to return. This is important in case you encountered an unexpected situation. For example, you or your horse became ill, lame, injured, get lost, or get stuck. If you told someone about your plan, he or she will notice if you havent returned yet. And of course someone will come looking for you in the place where you said you will go trail riding.

Young riders and inexperienced riders should always be accompanied by an adult, experienced rider when trail riding. For experienced rider who want to go trail riding alone, always bring a communication device. A fully charged cell phone will be very useful in case of emergencies.

2. Always bring with you a hoof pick and a pocket knife. A hoof pick is used when your horse gets a stone lodged into its frog. If you dont get the stone off its hoof and let it continue to walk, its hoof will get very sore. The pocket knife is very useful in cutting off vines or thick brush that can get wrapped around your horses leg or hoof, which usually happens if your horse has shoes on.

3. Never teach your horse to become lax because they cannot recognize play from work. Trail riding can be very relaxing. But, becoming lax is something you do not want to teach your horse as it will not know when to play and when to work. When this happens, you may not be able to control your horse.

For example, you allow your horse to grab bites of grass as you walk along the trail. Next time when it will be on the way to a show ring gate, it will get aggressive and plunge its head down at every blade of grass. You will be left momentarily without any control and you do not want that.

4. Always ride a respectful distance from the other riders without creating unnecessary anxiety among the horses. Remember that horses are always communicating with each other and they, at times, act violently against one another. So keep at least one horse length between you and the next rider in front of you. However, keep their herd instincts in mind and never make them think that the herd is getting split up.

5. Be careful when trail riding on a terrain you are unfamiliar with. Do not run through an open field that is not familiar to you. You never know when you are walking on an overgrown ditch or a covered up hole that your horse could stumble or, worse, get its leg broken.

6. Know how to handle your horse in case something scares it. Horses typically get scared of foreign objects. In such situation, the best thing to do is to ignore whatever it is that scares your horse. Your horse will most likely do the same. The smaller the deal you make out of it, the smaller the deal it will be to your horse.

Do not force your horse to get used to something that scares it by going back and forth in front of the spooky object. Help it deal with what scares it by letting it look, walk slowly and sniff the spooky object. Then, your horse will eventually learn that the thing is not scary at all.

7. Walk along your horse with comfort, especially if you come across others on the trail, like hikers, bikers or other riders. Your horse will likely react the same way you do. If you are friendly to other people, your horse will be friendly as well. If your horse senses your nervousness, it will get nervous too. And this may cause something unexpected to happen, like your horse may bolt unexpectedly.

To get the most out of your horseback riding experience, follow these top 7 rules. These will keep you and your horse safe on the trail.

Posted under Horse Riding