FEATHERLITE TRAILERS Horse Trailer, Owner'S Manual

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Section 4 – Loading The Trailer
R6 3/30/2017 Page 47
Close the drop ramp door and secure the trailer door
catch using a linchpin or other locking device, so
that the catch and door cannot open while the trailer
is being towed.
^ WARNING
Always secure the door latch after closing.
Place a linchpin in the catch.
If the door opens, your cargo may be
ejected onto the road, resulting in death or
serious injury to other drivers.
4.3 L
OADING
H
ORSES
(H
ORSE
T
RAILER
)
Couple the trailer to the tow vehicle before loading.
This is essential for the bumper pull trailer because
the tongue of a bumper pull trailer can rise during
loading, before the cargo is properly distributed.
The cargo-carrying portion of a horse trailer is
designed only for carrying horses. Do not transport
people, livestock, containers of hazardous
substances, or containers of flammable substances.
^ WARNING
Never transport people inside your
Featherlite trailer, even if it has living
quarters. Besides putting their lives at risk,
the transport of people may be illegal.
^ WARNING
Do not carry “loose” livestock in your
horse trailer. They can cause the trailer to
become unstable and can result in loss of
control.
You must use a trailer designed to carry
“loose” livestock.
Before loading a horse in your trailer, inspect the
interior of the trailer. The interior of the trailer
must be smooth, and have no protruding objects.
There should be no loose objects that could move
about and startle or injure the horse. Check the
walls, floor, dividers, etc., for loose and broken
parts, welds, hinges, etc.
4.3.1 Preparing the Horse Trailer for
Loading
Open windows and vents to provide ventilation. If
feed doors are opened for ventilation, the safety
bars or netting that covers the feed door opening
must be closed. Consider the weather and
transport conditions (i.e. on warm sunny days,
maximum ventilation is required). Do not carry a
horse without providing ventilation, even in coldest
weather. Ventilation is critical for the well being of
your horses. Know your horses and adjust
ventilation for your horses’ comfort.
Be sure pivoting window latches are in a flush
position, so they do not present a protrusion that can
injure your horse.
Tighten any loose or protruding screws in the walls.
Remove or secure loose objects, (i.e. butt bars,
saddles, tack and equipment) so that items will not
move during towing.
Inspect for cracks at the welds on the divider
hinges, and the welds on the tie rings. If you are
able to open any cracks in or near these welds by
lifting the dividers or by twisting the tie rings, have
the weld repaired before loading your horses.
^ CAUTION
The interior space of a trailer may contain
hazards that result in serious injury or
death to a trailered horse.
•
Inspect the interior of the trailer before
loading a horse.
•
Adjust or repair all loose and
protruding features such as handles,
loose or broken parts of the trailer, etc.
•
Lock all stall dividers before towing
trailer.
•
All saddles, tack and equipment, as
well as horse(s), must be prevented
from being thrown about before towing
trailer.