Take good care of your trailer and it will take good care of you.

  1. Condition your horses on all different kinds of footing.
  2. Cold winter days are the perfect time to plan for the upcoming season.
  3. Bits and Biting
  4. When learning new things, take baby steps.
  5. Cross training is great for horses of all disciplines.
  6. The Dump and Run
  7. Got pesky skin fungus or rain rot?
  8. Time to get organized!
  9. My horse won’t drink. What should I do?
  10. Like braiding sprays but hate the cost?
  11. Take good care of your trailer and it will take good care of you.
  12. 15-minute sessions with your horse from Perfect Partners Equine
  13. How to fill your hay net the easy way.
  14. Stay positive
  15. Putting Effort Into Relaxation
  16. Does your horse get anxious about jumping?
  17. Be Sure to Smile and Breathe When You Ride.
  18. Travel With an Extra Set of Horse Shoes
  19. Warm-up Strategy for Excitable Horses
  20. Sunscreen Isn’t Just for People.
  21. Hoof packing tricks of the trade.
  22. Expand your horizons.
  23. Save money by cleaning your own blankets.
  24. Keeping skin disease away.
  25. Make your own brush jump
  26. Whoa means whoa and go means go!
  27. Quick and easy manure stain remover.
  28. Nutrition matters!
  29. Do-it-yourself tire changing.
  30. Hey, wait for me!
  31. Do you have a horse that is struggling with skin issues or even thrush?
  32. Keep a journal of what you have learned
  33. Need a dressage arena to practice in but you are on a budget? Make your own.
  34. Seek out a new perspective once in a while
  35. How to shim a half pad with a yoga mat

Stanfield-Pro-Tip-11b

By Reese Koffler Stanfield, USDF gold medalist, FEI-certified instructor, owner of Maplecrest Farm

Trailers are a big investment, so it is worth your time and money to take good care of them. Before you hit the road for the season, arrange to take your trailer to a qualified mechanic for a check-up.

Inspect the following at least annually, more often if you use your trailer often.

  • Tires
  • Brakes
  • Floor boards
  • Trailer frame
  • Hitch
  • Lights

Replace and repair any worn or broken parts.

Deep clean your trailer at least once a year by removing floor mats and power washing the interior. Wash and wax the outside as needed.

When you use your trailer, remove manure and soiled bedding after each use. Dry out wet spots. Clean out hay bags and nets regularly so moldy hay doesn’t accumulate. Dump and air out water containers between uses.

Organize and clean your tack storage area at least weekly to ensure that you can always find what you need when you need it. Keep your trailer first-aid kit well stocked in case of emergency.

Sponsored by: Elevate® natural vitamin E

Fight back against transportation stress that suppresses your horse’s immune response with Elevate natural vitamin E. An essential antioxidant, vitamin E scavenges and converts free radicals to relatively stable compounds and stops the chain reaction of free radical damage. Research shows that even short trips in a trailer result in a decrease in immune function and elevated stress hormones. Antioxidants are critically important for maintaining a strong immune response when long and short distance hauling stresses your horse.

About Reese:

Reese Koffler-Stanfield is a lifelong professional horseman and United States Dressage Federation (USDF) bronze, silver, gold, and gold freestyle bar medalist. Reese operates Maplecrest Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky, a state-of-the-art training facility dedicated to boarding, training, care, and sale of performance horses and sport horses. As a USDF/FEI certified instructor/trainer, she works with a host of talented riders and horses. Reese is also the host of the Horse Radio Network’s Dressage Radio Show. If you have questions for Reese, you can contact her at reese@horseradionetwork.com.

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