Trailer Safety Chains

["Brian W. Silcott" <silcott@southwind.net>]

	I read your post and thought I would submit my two sense woth. I am a
firefighter in Wichita Kansas and have had the unfortunate luck of making
numerous vehicle accidents involving horse and livestock trailers. I am no
engineer but I have seen and had to deal with the affect of this events
bith with patient care (animal and human) as wellas extricating the
patients. Just this past Monday there was a '98 Doge Ram V-10 and a
Sundowner 4 Horse slant-load trailer that flipped and caught fire, trapping
both of the occupants inside the truck that had come to rest under the
trailer. The trailer was of goose neck design. Both of the occupants were
dceased onthe scene and when we went to open the trailer, we found nothing
inside but cedar shavings. Ifn my opinon, if your trailer is a goose neck
your odds for survival go down. If your trailer is a bumber pull your odds
for survival are better than average. Most trailer accidents occur while
cornering, such as an clover leaf entrance/exit ramp and the US DOT has
linked this with the degree of speed that one is traveling. The next cause
for trailer accidents is road conditions, usually wet or icey.
	To answer your question, assuming that you are using a bumber pull
trailer, if you do not have heavy duty chains on your trailer I would
purchase a set. I would also advise you to known the bumber/hitch capacity
of your vehicle, anyone who is qualified to place the chains on your
trailer can probably tell you. Regardless of your decision, drive within
your capabilites and known the road conditions. I never haul my horses
traveling the speed limit, I take my time and enjoy the journey. If you are
in tight with your DVM, I wouls always carry enough medication to euthinize
your animal, it is a terrible thing to bring up but I have set on scene for
up to three heart wrenching hours for a USDA vet to get on scene to
euthinize several horse that were in a great deal of pain and this was in
Wichita a city of 350,000. Just imagine the amount of time having to wait
for a USDA vet if you are away from a populated area. In Kansas it is
highway patrol policy to contact a USDA vet, which is unfortunate for the
animals involved.
	Well, I didn't mean to run away with the keyboard but I thought you might
be interested in these matters since everyone trailer their beloved
animals. I pray the precautions I take will keep my horses safe and ready
to ride when we arrive. I hope that I have helped to resolve any
uncertainties that you may have had, if you have any questions email me
personally or contact me through ridecamp, I check it every day that I am
not at the station.