The Complete Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Servicing a Horse Trailer (Howell Reference Books)

By Neva Kittrell Scheve and Thomas G. Scheve

Book Overview

Trailers are a fact of life in the horse world. Sooner or later, everyone who owns a horse will have to deal with a horse trailer in order to haul to shows, races, hunts, and perhaps even to veterinary clinics. Up to now, when horse owners wanted information on trailers they had to rely on magazine articles or word-of-mouth recommendations. Not anymore. The Complete Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Servicing a Horse Trailer is the first and only book for both owners and buyers of horse trailers. It's a resource that gives prospective buyers, faced with hundreds of models to choose from, the means to make the right choice. It's a manual that gives current owners information on maintaining and caring for their trailers. Foremost, they will learn from lifelong horsewoman Neva Scheve and Thomas G. Scheve, both respected industry insiders, that the safety and comfort of the horse should always be the primary concern. This authoritative book, with more than 175 illustrations, addresses a number of important topics, including how to:
* Determine whether to buy a new or a used trailer.
* Ask the right questions of the dealer or owner.
* Weigh the options and select the best model for your needs.
* Evaluate tow vehicles and hitches.
* Master pre-trip preparations.
* Care for your current trailer.
* Load, drive, and use a trailer safely.
* Deal with typical exterior, interior, electrical and mechanical problems.
* Assess the work of repairmen if the job is more than you can handle.
"Complete" is not just an idle word: this book has an appendix that gives the names and addresses of the major trailer manufacturers to contact for literature. In all, the Scheves have given horse owners everything they need to make an informed purchasing decision that will benefit themselves and their horses.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0876056869
• ISBN13: 9780876056868
• Release Date: February 1998
• Publisher: Howell (TP)
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Many questions answered

I have started looking for my own trailer and this book has really answered a lot of questions that have been going through my mind as I have been shopping. It also has valuable information on the safty aspects for the horse. I have learned a lot and have been with horses for around five years. Highly recommend to anyone who currenly owns or is going to buy a trailer.

Rave review of very practical book.

This is truly the complete horse trailering book. Whether you are looking for a new or used trailer or already have a trailer, whether you like what you have or want to improve it, this is a very valuable reference you'll return to frequently. It considers the horse's viewpoint as well as yours - safety, good investment, ease of towing, loading, maintenance .... Its well researched, full of pictures, diagrams, hints, lists....

The Complete Guide to Buying, Maintaining and Servicing a Ho

Very thorough and easy to read. We are new to horses and had shopped a little for a trailer before reading this book, but found the whole process very overwhelming. We didn't really have any idea what we should be looking for and talking to all the different salesmen at the equine show proved to be just too much. This book covers everything from A-Z and points out the pros and cons of different types of construction materials, styles, options, etc. Much emphasis is placed on the safety and comfort of the horse. I feel that I am much better equipped to acquire the "right" trailer now that I know the "right questions".

The Complete Guide to Buying... a horse trailer

As a novice in the horse world I had no idea where to start looking for a safe and reasonably priced horse trailer. This book was a wealth of information covering all the main topics (slant load or straight load, gooseneck or tag-a-long; steel or aluminum construction)and offered lot's of details I would not have considered (hay bags, nets or mangers; ramp or step up's; windows open or closed). I completely changed my mind about what to look for in a trailer and believe I have now have the information necessary to buy the safest trailer available and the most appropriate tow vehicle for my choice of trailer. The authors are very knowledgeable and have written from experience. The only problem I had with the book is that it is almost too much information but it will continue to be a resource for any questions that arise in the future. I highly recommend this book.

A must have for any horse owner

I bought this book because I'm shopping for a horse trailer. What a find! The author covers every possible topic which gave me a whole new list of questions to bring to each dealer I visited. She stresses safety of the horse first, the owner second; she describes trailering from the horse's point of view; she covers many topics I would not have even considered as a first time trailer buyer.This book is a must for any horse owner because your horse, at some time or another, will be trailered somewhere. After reading this one, you will know if you want your horse riding in a friend's trailer that may not be as safe as she thinks it is.Without this book's information I would have been woefully unprepared for my trailer buying duties.