The Complete Guide to Buying a Horse Trailer (Howell reference books) (Paperback)

Product Description
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.

From the Back Cover
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.

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First Sentence
For the conscientious horse owner, the first consideration in buying a horse trailer should be the needs of the horse or horses that will be riding in it. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover

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3 Reviews 5 star:  (1) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.3 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   4.0 out of 5 stars A wealth of Information .... maybe too much!, 10 Oct 1998 By A Customer In the world of horses everyone has an opinion. After deciding to buy a trailer I wanted to do a little research. This book is full of incredible detail about all the possible mishaps your horse could get into and the various design flaws that most trailers have to contribute to those mishaps. It gives detailed explanations of each part of the trailer and is full of opinions about the best design of trailers. The authors do not cite any specific manufacturers but after reading this book I had completely changed my mind about what I wanted. The problem is so much of the information was so scary that I designed my perfect trailer around it, only to learn it would cost me almost $10,000.00 (for a 2-horse). The book is incredibly detailed, well written in layman's terms and has good illustrations and photographs. I learned a lot more about a horse trailer than I ever thought I needed to. It gives you a lot to think about. Mostly I thought about never trailering my horse in someone elses's trailer again. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for any horse owner, 4 May 1998 By A Customer 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. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   4.0 out of 5 stars Make this the first payment on your new trailer, 7 April 1998 By A Customer Imagine trying to buy a car with no consumer reviews (or even trade reviews), and in a world where only a handful of people you know even own cars. You can ask their opinion, but their vehicle is several years old and a totally different type from the one you need. And for every time you hear someone say, "Acme Brand Trailers are the greatest," you'll also hear, "I wouldn't have an Acme Brand Trailer ever again." This is what it's like to shop for a horse trailer. Actually, it's even worse: most horse trailers are practically custom made, so there's a huge variety of options to select. Dealers often only have one brand and are typically far apart - perhaps a hundred miles in every direction. And they may only have a few samples available at any one time. Though no brands are mentioned, the book does a good job of taking one through the many possible features in a trailer, discussing what is available and what is especially convenient, horse-friendly, or inconvenient. Even little details, like door latches, or avoiding high sills on dressing room doors, so that the dressing room can be swept out easily, are covered - precisely the sort of thing that is easy to miss when looking at bright shiny new trailers. I did not agree with all of her recommendations and preferences, but they are generally well presented and reasoned. I would like to see a little more discussion about expected hauling conditions, and how your needs for a trailer and tow vehicle change based on whether you do mostly short local hauling or long-distance hauling, and in warm or cold weather. However, this is an excellent book on an obscure topic, and well worth the money for anyone looking to know more about selecting or maintaining a horse trailer. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 3 customer reviews...		Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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