# Feds are cracking down on horse trailers.



## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

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That is crazy, just another way for the Feds and States to make money.

In all my years I have never personally seen a wrecked Horse Trailer, but I have seen over a dozen Travel Trailers, if the Feds and States need to go after anyone it is the vacationers pulling those Travel Trailers that are twice as big as the vehicle towing them!!! 

That is the real dangers to others, not a Horse Trailer :wink:


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

Never seen a wrecked horse trailer?

Louisiana teen driving tractor-trailer hits and kills 2 women changing tire in Colorado - U.S. News

My hubby has a CDL (so we're legal as yes, he does all the driving when hauling livestock) and let me tell you, when you drive all over heck and back daily, you will see the most bizarre accidents and incidentally he has seen far more wrecked horse trailers or hay bales all over the road then RV's. Course we don't exactly live in a "touristy" area so gigundo RV's are rare and horse trailers and overloaded trailers of hay are normal.

So easy to point fingers in the direction of others... Reality is that whether it's a gigundo RV or a trailer of horses, weight is WEIGHT and all that weight going down the road is extremely hard to stop and easily tipped or smashed into other vehicles or property. I have absolutely no issues with a CDL being required of anyone transporting ANYTHING over a certain length/weight. 

You want to drive massive, heavy loads? Take a test and prove you are capable of doing so. It's not a time-consuming, expensive burden IF you are capable of properly driving a massive heavy load. I think my hubby sent 2 weekends playing around with various commercial vehicles in an enclosed area just for such purposes and then passed his tests with flying colors. Only becomes a heavy burden when you find yourself in need of classes to LEARN how to safely operate heavy machinery with heavy loads and if you are in need of those classes, you shouldn't be hauling a heavy load in the first place!!!


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

I think that everyone should have to undergo some kind of training and testing to be able to pull any kind of trailer. I cringe when I see mom and pop professional pulling two cent Canadian Tire trailer loaded with crap not properly tied, swinging all over the road on dinky toy tires. Or people with campers, boats, enclosed trailers, whatever... and they have no clue how to drive safely with a trailer much less what to do in an emergency situation.

While I don't think a CDL should be required for personal use, I do think an endorsement for trailers should be and maybe it should be one for up to a certain weight and another for over a given weight.


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## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

Great, so now officers who know little to nothing about hauling horses get a green light to pull people over and bully them when they may or may not be breaking very unclear regulations in the first place. I'm not against an endorsement or similar in principle, but this mucky confusing morass is not the way to go about it. Rules meant to be followed need to be clear enough to know what they actually mean in plain English.


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

Delfina said:


> Never seen a wrecked horse trailer?


Not personally on the side of the road, never said it did not happen.

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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Sharpie said:


> Great, so now officers who know little to nothing about hauling horses get a green light to pull people over and bully them when they may or may not be breaking very unclear regulations in the first place. I'm not against an endorsement or similar in principle, but this mucky confusing morass is not the way to go about it. Rules meant to be followed need to be clear enough to know what they actually mean in plain English.


 They do not need to know about horses they just need to know the law which is their job. Why would you assume they would be bullying them?I have never felt bullied when ever being pulled over.


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## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

churumbeque said:


> They do not need to know about horses they just need to know the law which is their job. Why would you assume they would be bullying them?I have never felt bullied when ever being pulled over.


I agree, they need to know the law. Unfortunately IME, when it comes to any laws involving animals (abuse, contracts, transport, dangerous animals, possession, etc) all the officers I have dealt with (save dedicated ACOs) are sorely misinformed, and that is if they even know anything at all. Most the the time, again, just IME, they'll either pawn you off on someone else or bald-faced lie and hope you don't know any better to call them on it. 

In this case, for many of us who would fall in that space between 10,000 and 26,000, when the determination on legal/not legal rests on if you are a 'commercial' operation or not, which even according to these articles is a complete matter of opinion and there are no standards, you're at the mercy of someone who likely has no idea what constitutes a 'commercial' horse operation might be to start with. Tell me that's not a mess waiting to happen.

Enforcing/knowing proper animal interstate transport requirements (coggins, brand inspections, etc) is already a joke. Aside from the officers who actually do it regularly at the state line check points, most officers know nothing about what the rules are, and again, I've run into a few who will try to 'make up' something and push it on you to cover their ignorance of the subject. The guys who do it regularly are good. But the state trooper who is bored and following me down the highway for 15 miles in the middle of no-where TX is NOT one of those. Maybe it's a regional thing, and I haven't seen it here in TN yet, but where I used to live it was a running joke- hooking up a trailer was like catnip, you were gonna get pulled over for nothing anyway, so make sure all your paperwork was easily accessible every time.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

How much more power should the government assume?

Why are people so quick to give away individual liberty?

We have enough laws and regulations without ever creating more.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Gunslinger, I am usually one of the last to ask for more regulation, but in this case, I do think that ignorance is the big problem and requiring more specific licensing requirements would at least ensure that people know they have to know more when driving a trailer. Doesn't mean they'll all instantly be good trailer haulers, but I do think it would help improve safety.


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## towboater (Aug 19, 2013)

I remember a saying about giving up freedom for safety. But I can't quite remember how it goes.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

I don't know I can see why you would want/need a CDL but I can honestly say for people who just trailer to trails, vets, or even just to move it could be very inconvenient and unnecessary. I think there should be the option of getting a certificate of some sort or trailer driving classes but for the horse people in my area most have been trailering livestock for most of their lives. Over a certain limit I can see a CDL (and that goes for RV drivers/campers). As for the certificates/registrations of animals... give me a break. I own no registered horses and bought them off of people who just wanted rid of them. We have a hand written receipt SOMEWHERE but don't pull it out because it may or may not be needed. If a cop was to ask to see my horses registrations I would have to say, sorry officer, all I've got is my vet's word to say yes I do own my horse. Like I said I see the why but not necessarily do I agree with it. In some ways it even makes me nervous that I (and others like me) could lose my horses because we purchased a 'nag' off of old farmer Billy and never looked back. But then again my area is awful odd about this sort of stuff so that could just be the rural part of me talking! lol A lot of farmers/horse people out here are the old 'cowboy types' and don't hold a lot of stock in what license you do or do not have, but what experience you've had.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

When I talked to the NCDOT, they were very clear that if you do not make $$s by the use of the truck/trailer, you are not involved in commerce and do NOT need a CDL, regardless of weight.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## paintmefree (Aug 29, 2013)

Total b.s

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Ike (Sep 1, 2013)

Actually they can declare you "out of service" but when live animals are involved they can not detain you more than 12hrs due to the animals needing care and rest as well as a suitable place to unload.

Ike


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

I don't personally agree with it. I mean accidents happen whether youre trained in something or not.
you could have millions of $ of training and have tons of hours of experience...but nobody can factor for all the other crap that's can and will happen. 

ive never had "training" or got the license from the armys 5 day 40hr trailer course but I still an pull/back a trailer much more safely than 5/6 of those that did go to the last training.

I don't see how making us get this license will help make roads any more safe. you either can pull a trailer or you cant. even if you can you cant prevent all other factors in it.

I feel much more safe with a 1 ton dually driving next to me fully loaded then with a tiny little suv with NO towing power trying to pull a big camper.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Roperchick said:


> I feel much more safe with a 1 ton dually driving next to me fully loaded then with a tiny little suv with NO towing power trying to pull a big camper.


That's kind of my point. The person in the 1 ton knows enough to get proper equipment. The person in the SUV is an accident waiting to happen and (s)he has no idea of that. It's not about the license, its about the education. Right now anyone can pretend to know what they're doing and in their ultimate ignorance have no idea what they actually are doing. I don't know that an actual road test should be required, but knowledge needs to be demonstrated.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

In CA if you have a large truck and large trailer over a certain weight you have to have the commercial lic, the number on the side of the truck etc. REGARDLESS if you haul for a living or personal. IT goes by weight period.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Weight dictates it. 

And even if all you do is win points, ribbons or trophies or are in hopes of it? That means you are commercial.

And was told by FMCSA people that if Saddlebag and I are going trail riding and she has given me fuel money? I am then considered "for hire" at that point.

Sadly, much depends on who pulls you over as much as how much they know too.

And 12 hours in a horse trailer parked in the sun on the side of the road, with horses with no moving air will not bode well for your stock either.

I see this less as a safety issue and more of a "oh they have money so let's take it" issue.

One more way to make us poorer.


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