"Is your rig 'road ready?' Are you prepared for the 'what if’s' on the road? If not, here’s your chance to prepare your rig for the heavy, hot, cold, and rigorous hauling miles ahead."

"As 'America’s Singing Cowgirl,' one of the most common questions I receive is, 'how do you prepare your rig for the road?' I wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me this question. In 2022 alone, I hauled over 40,000 miles with my rig along with thousands of dollars of music equipment and merchandise in tow. This year, I’m well on my way to hitting 6,000 miles in just the first two months of being back on tour, but this time, my trusty steed is alongside me."

"Preparing your rig and ensuring that your best friends are well taken care of for a short or long haul is crucial when maintaining a schedule, making the most of your time, money, and investments. You may not always anticipate having an emergency, needing to stay overnight, or having to reroute your travels due to construction, a wreck, or in my experience, there being no roadway thanks to flooding, but it’s in your best interest to plan ahead."

"For the purposes of this blog, I will be covering some practices and products that I always have on my rig to ensure that my rig is 'road ready.'"

Trailer Maintenance

"Unfortunately, many horse owners do not maintain their rig like they should which results in majority of horse trailer accidents. Personally, my rig sees the service shop once every six months to ensure that the brakes, tires, axles, and overall integrity of the trailer is intact and working properly. I also have my service shop check all interior operating systems such as A/C and heating units, propane lines, electrical, and all appliances to ensure that each system is working properly. This is to ensure that there are no leaks, shorts, or anything else that could become problematic or contribute to an accident while on the road."

You'll want to thoroughly clean the interior of the trailer, removing any dirt, debris, or manure. Look over the trailer floor for any signs of weakness, rot, or damage, repair or replace any compromised areas to ensure a sturdy and safe floor. Inspect the tires for wear and tear, and make sure they are properly inflated and verify that the wheels are in good condition and lug nuts tightened. Go ahead and test your exterior lights (breaks, turn signals, clearance lights etc) to be sure that electrical connections are properly secured and attached. 

It's essential to consult with a professional trailer service or an experienced horse hauler if you're uncertain about any aspect of trailer maintenance or if your trailer requires specific servicing. Companies like NTS Trailers can provide valuable guidance and ensure your horse trailer is in optimal condition for a long-distance journey.

Maintenance Tools on the Road

I’m sure at some point you’ve had a flat on the road; naturally, it was not in a convenient location or close to a service shop. Did you have the proper tools to make this tire change only take a few minutes verses a few hours? Let’s find out.

1. Trailer Buddy or Trailer Chock

2. Breakover Bar

3. Socket Wrench Set or X Jack

4. A set of 4x4 blocks: Great for stabilizing or adding additional height to a jack if the truck/trailer is in an awkward position.

5. Jack

6. Fully inflated spare tire: check your spare regularly as air can seep out over time.

7. Tire gauge

8. Portable Air Compressor

"Are all of these on your checklist? If so, fantastic! If not, I would highly suggest  investing in each of these tools to carry on your rig at all times. Another few tools/items you need to have include the following:"

1. Extra oil

2. Power steering fluid

3. Brake fluid

4. DEF Fluid (If your diesel truck requires it.)

5. Box of fuses

6. Electrical & Duct tape

7. Hose Clamps

8. Full tool kit (screwdrivers, wrenches, socket heads, etc.)

9. Battery Charger

10. Generator: Personally, I carry an external unit to power my rig while on the road.

Equine Necessities

During my travels, I stay overnight frequently at events and want my equine partner to be comfortable during his stay, so here are a few items that I always have on hand.

1. Carri Lite Corral Panels (10) These fit quite nicely under my toolbox of the truck when hauling.

2. Extra water buckets and bucket straps.

3. Hay and hay nets

4. His allotted amount of feed for the trip plus extra just in case there’s an emergency.

5. Fly boots, sheet, and mask

6. CoolAid Boots or wraps to prevent stocking up.

7. Extra halters and lead ropes

8. Extra tack in case something fails and I need to swap out.

9. Medical tote: Banamine, needles, syringes, Bute, Buteless, Electrolytes, gauze, saline solution, Wonder Dust, poultice, vet wrap, and ice wraps.

"Overall, I want to be prepared for the unexpected. I would rather have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it."

Personal Necessities

"As I mentioned above, you want to be prepared for the unexpected. With that, I always ensure that the following is on the rig for my guests and myself:"

1. Prescribed Medicine: I always take an extra day or two worth just in case I run into a problem.

2. Over-the-counter meds: Cold and flu, sinus, eye drops, ear drops, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, nose spray, Milk of Magnesia, and of course some cool patches for those extra hot days.

3. Drinks: water, Body Armor, and Gatorade

4. Food: Snacks, meals to prepare, and quick treats for when they’re calling your number to run.

5. Proper Attire

6. Extra Boots

"Overall, these are just a few items that need to remain on your trailer. How you choose to prepare your rig all depends on your interests, where you are going, what you will be participating in while on the road, and how many guests/horses you will have in tow. Always remember that you cannot prevent every 'what if' from occurring, but you can help reduce the likelihood of those 'what ifs' from becoming a reality."

Product Spotlight : Carri Lite Corral

"Carri-lite Corrals provide a safe resting area for horses that work or travel, from trail riding to eventing. This portable stall also provides convenience in transporting as corral collapses down to 1/5th its size. This portable corral can fit in the mid-tack area, bed of truck, even back seat!"

This 8 panel portable stall makes apprx 12 ft. “stand alone” round pen or larger area of confinement if attached to a trailer with included trailer brackets. Carri Lite Corrals have four rails for maximum containment, security and visibility.  Horses cannot get heads through rails preventing unwanted accidents.

Made of high impact engineering grade HDPE resin. HDPE resin is resilient and provides flexibility so panels will not dent, crack or chip (not pvc).  Metal panels can dent and will not store compactly once dented.  Panels connect with simple rod and any panel can become a gate just unpin and swing open. Carri Lite Corrals come with complete 30 day customer satisfaction and a 1 year manufacturer warranty.