Sometimes circumstances in life are such that we have to give up our dogs. Some of those can include the death of the owner, illness, severe disability, loss of a job or other financial setbacks. Other reasons people have for giving up their pet are less grave. Some are even downright frivolous.

Our dogs rely on us for everything. Unlike people, dogs cannot make choices; they rely on us to choose for them. Before you decide to send your dog to the pound or shelter, please read this and make a more informed decision.

The Truth About Shelters

There are many no kill shelters that will not put any animal down. The pet can stay at the shelter until a home can be found. But do not assume that all shelters are this way. If you must give up your animal find out what the shelters policy is before you take your pet to one.

Why Shelters Were Created

Shelters and humane societies were created to care for stray and/or abused animals. They were not meant to be a drop off place for people who do not want their pets any more. When an owner turns their dog into a shelter, depending on how full the shelter is, the dog may be killed that day. Owner turn ins have far fewer rights than stray dogs. In most places stray dogs are kept at least seven days in case the owner shows up to claim it. Dogs turned in by their owners do not have to be kept for any amount of time and many more are never even put up for adoption. While shelter operators do not necessarily want to kill these dogs, they may have little choice. Space at animal shelters is always limited, so many perfectly adoptable dogs will die. So sending your dog to a shelter in hopes that someone else will adopt him is nave, wishful thinking. It is far more likely that you are just sending your dog to be executed.

How Do I Prevent My Dog From Being Euthanized?

If your life circumstances are such that you must give up your dog, the best chance your dog has for avoiding an untimely death is for you to take a proactive approach.

1.Contact a qualified dog trainer in your area. A dog trainer will be able to tell you better what your other options are for your dog. Further, if a dog requires some instruction a trainer can help you. A trained dog is more valued, more fun to have around and will get into trouble far less than dogs that are not trained. Having your dog trained will open up more possibilities for him to live a long and happy life, no matter what happens to you.

2.Contact a leader dog organization. Maybe after your dog leaves your home, he can get a job. He may not qualify to be a leader dog for a blind person, but there are lots of other jobs dogs can get with police, fire, or even search and rescue organizations. Some organizations also use dogs for pet therapy. Do your homework and maybe your dog can help someone else.

3.Consider a breed rescue. While no kill shelters are hard to find, many breeds have their own rescue for their particular breed. Individuals from their homes operate most breed rescue services. Like traditional rescue services, space is very limited while demand is high. But a breed rescue service can help you place your dog with a new owner by providing referrals to persons who may be interested in adopting your dog. You will have the most success if you follow the services advise and as much of the leg work yourself in finding a new home for your dog.

4.Advertise. Use the classified ads to find your dog a home. Done correctly, its the most effective way to reach the largest number of people. Your advertisement should give a short description of your dog, his needs, your requirements for a home, and of course your phone number. The description should include the dogs breed, color, sex, and whether he or she is spayed or neutered. When listing the dogs age, if the dog is more than two years old list him as an adult dog. Here are a few more tips:

-Emphasize your dogs good points. Is he friendly? Housebroken? Love kids? Have any type of special training? Does he know any tricks? Dont keep these things a secret, list all of them.
-Always state that references are required. This tells people you are being very selective and that you are not going to give your dog to just anyone. This statement alone will keep people with bad intentions from calling you.
-Never use the phrase, free to a good home in your ad, even if you are not planning to charge any fee. In fact, do not put any reference to a price at all. The chance at a free dog will bring lots of calls, but most of them will not be from the type of people you are looking for.
-Your ad should read something like this, Mixed breed large dog. Friendly, housebroken, and well behaved. Better with adults or older children because of his size. Fenced yard required. References and interviews prior to acceptance. Call Harold at 989-555-1234.

Give your ad plenty of time to run. It may take four to six weeks for your ad to pay off with a home for your dog. Be patient, it will be worth it.

To contact the author, Harold Nicoll, call 989-839-8293 or email hgnicoll@sbcglobal.net. You can visit our website at http://www.gettingluckythedog.com.

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Introduction

If you are considering adding a dog to your household, stop and take a few minutes to consider if you are really ready for the responsibility having a dog will entail. And if you are thinking of adding a puppy, you really need to consider if you, your family and your current lifestyle can accommodate a new puppy and if you are ready to expend the time and money needed to properly raise one.

Step One: Evaluate Your Lifestyle

Are you at home enough for a puppy? Or is your work close enough to your home for you to come home several times a day and let the puppy out or walk him? If the answer to either is yes, then great. You are a good candidate for owning a puppy. Puppies need a consistent schedule with plenty of opportunities to eliminate, where you want them to. Their bladders and bowels are small and they cannot hold it until you get home.

Chewing: Puppies teethe just like human babies and chew while their new little dog teeth emerge. Items of clothing, shoes, belts, electrical cords (which are potentially very dangerous to your puppy) and other household items will full of puppy tooth marks while your new dog breaks in his new teeth.

Sleep: If you are someone who needs 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night, then a puppy is not for you. Your new puppy will be very demanding. For one, he will miss his litter mates. Ticking clocks, hot water bottles and plush toys will not be an adequate substitute and will not be able to make a puppy ball with your new family member. If you have had children, owning a new puppy will be a lot like having a newborn human baby.

Exercise: Puppies love to play. If you or other members of your family have time and energy to play with your new dog, then great, you are in for a real treat. Puppies love to play.

Step 2: What Size And Type Of Dog Do You Want?

Size: The space you have available for a dog will be a prime driver in the size of dog you adopt. If you adopt a puppy, you may not know how big the dog will ultimately grow to be. If you have a single family home with a good-sized yard, the size of the dog will matter less. If you live in an apartment of a high-rise building, the size of the dog will matter more. On the other hand, if you adopt an adult dog, there will be no mystery about what the ultimate size of the dog will be.

Do I Need An Instant Friend? With an older dog, you automatically have a buddy that can go anywhere and everything with you right now.

Bond: Rescued dogs will quickly bond with their new family. Dogs who have been uprooted from their homes or had a tough start in life are more likely to bond with their new people. Those dogs who have lost their families because of death, divorce, or other upheaval go through a terrible grieving process. But once attached to a new family they will be anxious to please. They know too well what losing a family is like, and they will not be interested in going through that again, ever. A rescue dog knows what it is like to be loose and without a permanent home. He or she will appreciate you that much more. Most rescue dogs will make exceptionally affectionate and attentive pets who will make a wonderful lifetime companion.

Dog & Your Home Checklist

Take this quick test to determine the type of dog that best suits you and your familys lifestyle.

1.I have the time to walk and train a new puppy several times a day.
yes no.
If yes, one point for a puppy. If no, add a point for an older dog.

2.I do not mind too much if some of my property gets chewed by a playful puppy.
yes no.
If you do not mind, score one point for a puppy. If you do mind, score one point for an older dog.

3.A good nights sleep is not as important for me because I can nap or I do not require as much sleep as other people.
Sleep not important Sleep at night is important. If you can manage without a full nights sleep, score a point for a new puppy. If you need your sleep, score a point for an older dog.

4.I have the time and inclination to spend time playing with a new dog.
yes, I have time no, my time is limited.
If your answer is yes, then score a point for owning a puppy. If you answered no, score a point for an older dog.

5.The ultimate size of the dog does not matter much because I have plenty of space.
size does not matter, I have room my space is very limited.
If the ultimate size of the dog is not an issue for you, score a point for adopting a puppy. On the other hand if the space you have is constrained, score a point for the known quantity of an older dog.

6.Having a good idea of the dogs personality is important because I need the dog to be a good match for me and my family.
If the personality is less important, score a point for a puppy.
I need to know the temperament of the dog when I adopt, score a point for an older dog.

Score Your Results
If you scored any of the questions for an older dog, you should seriously consider adopting an older one only. While all puppies are adorable, cuteness is not the best reason for adopting a dog. So many people think that dogs in a shelter are somehow inferior. But it is not uncommon for a very expensive, purebed dog to end up in a shelter because people send their dogs to a shelter for lots of reasons, most of which have nothing to do with the dog. The original owner may not have had the money or the time to adequately care for the dog. Often times, divorce, illness or death are why the dog ends up in the shelter. Good rescue shelters will evaluate both the dog and the prospective owner before they are matched.

Conclusion
Choosing a rescue dog over a purchased pup is a decision only you and your family can make. The information presented here is designed to help you make an informed decision. Adopting a rescue dog will help give a potentially wonderful pet a second chance at life, so adopting a rescue will give him a second chance at life.

###

To learn more about the plight of adult dogs who need a home, visit http://www.gettingluckythedog.com. To contact the author, call Harold Nicoll at 989-839-8293 or via email at hgnicoll@sbcglobal.net.

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For so many years, and way back in the days before mass produced horse feed, the horse lived off of what was created on our beautiful earth. Grass and Water. Then as man took over, the horse was turned out onto a good quality pasture and was supplemented with hay when grass was sparse or stressed due to drought, over worked by the horses, etc. A salt block was usually put in the pasture or stall and plenty of water should always be available. This is basic for all horses and will for the most part keep your horse in good health. As if you look back to your horses ancestral history, the horse ate and worked in the wild on just that, grass and water. These two items are imperative for proper digestive health as well. They need high fiber. The high fiber supports a beneficial bacteria that normally resides in the horses belly. The equine has a high capacity digestive system which is able to process a huge amount of forage on a regular basis.

So how does one know if there horse is receiving the proper dosage of forage? The rule is that one horse can be sustained nutritionally on no less than two acres of quality pasture. If you are unsure of the nutritional value of your pasture grass you can call your local extension agent or any other type of livestock farmer or agronomist and they should be able to advise you on renewing your grass or if your grass is ample nutritionally speaking.

You also should watch out for the type of hay that you are feeding. Do not over order hay, no matter what kind of deal you receive. Things you should look for in your hay are:

Is the hay leafy? Leaves hold the protein, to be specific, about ninety percent of the leaves are protein enriched. They also contain soluble carbohydrates, so you want hay with smaller and fewer stems.

How is the coloring? Grass hays coloring should be light to medium green with alfalfa being a darker shade of green. You do not want a hay that has too much yellow as most likely it was cut too late and over matured leaving the hay with less soluble carbohydrates.

How is the smell? If your hay has a bad odor do not feed it to your horse. If it arrives this way, make the dealer take it back, always check your hay for smell when it is delivered or when you pick it up, it should have a fresh, sweet smell.

What does the hay feel like? Is it soft and pliable you do not want any coarse or hard stems grab a handful and make sure the hay does not stab your hand.

Check the hay make sure its clean, not full of dirt and weeds and sticks. Check for dead or alive bugs or animals. It should be lightweight and not heavy.

As important as good grass and hay is to your equine animal, you must make sure your horse has a plentiful supply of clean, fresh water. A horse weighing a thousand pounds will consume around ten gallons of water a day. The horse belly will hold three to four gallons of water. As horses grow older their bodies contain less water, unfortunately this makes the aging horse more inclined to dehydrate or colic. Body fluids are required for proper food digestion, this includes; saliva, gastric juices which flood the stomach and intestines. If your horse is thirsty, they will not eat. Most of their water is consumed during or just after they eat, so make sure they have an abundant supply and make sure you keep the waterer nice and clean, especially during the summer months where algae is more susceptible.

These are just a few pointers for your pasture and hay. It only takes a few moments of your time to inspect your hay deliveries, but it is very crucial to the nutritional needs of your horse.

Nanette Hughston is a freelance writer from the southern United States Region. She has a bachelors degree in finance. She rides dressage with Grand Prix Level Trainer, Tracy Masterson at Highlife Farms, Orlando, FL. For more information and articles please see her website at http://www.dressageamerica.com and to visit her training site, please visit http://www.highlifefarms.com for dressage and hunter/ jumper information. Permission for reprint is granted with full bio remaining intact.

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Baking your own homemade dog treats isnt as difficult as you might think. Many dog owners believe that store bought dog treats are the only option for when they want to reward their canine companion with a delicious treat. The benefits of making your own homemade dog treats are both financial and nutritional.

Store bought dog treats can be very expensive and do not always provide the highest quality of nutritional content. However, making your own homemade dog treats can help you to save a great deal of money. The ingredients used in homemade dog treats are usually common household ingredients that you are likely to already have on hand. You may need to shop for a few specialty ingredients but for the most part you can bake basic homemade dog treats with the contents of your pantry and refrigerator. Those who want to provide their dog with nutritious treats at an affordable price may find that despite the time investment homemade dog treats are a great value for the money.

In addition to the monetary reasons to create your own homemade dog treats, these treats can also be a better nutritional value for your pet. Many store bought dog treats use fillers, byproducts and preservatives in their treats but when you make homemade dog treats you can ensure that you only use high quality ingredients that provide excellent sources of nutrition for your dog.

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With so many dog treat recipes available, it can be difficult to choose just one recipe to make for your dog. You may find that you are able to locate so many delicious sounding dog treat recipes that you find several that you would like to make. This does not have to be a problem. If you are out of dog treats and only have time to make one batch of delicious dog treats for your dog, try choosing the one that sounds the most appealing and making a batch from that dog treat recipe. You can then choose a day when you will have more time and set aside the dog treat recipes until you can devote more time to making homemade dog treats.

Most dog treat recipes will last for quiet awhile if you store them in an airtight container and some can even be frozen for additional longevity. For this reason, if you find a number of dog treat recipes that you would like to try, there is no reason for you to not make a large quantity of homemade dog treats when you have the time to do so. You can try several different dog treat recipes and mix them together in airtight storage containers to be used one at a time. This will provide your dog with a great deal of variety and will give you the satisfaction of knowing that you have done something wonderful for your dog in terms of providing them with nutritious, homemade treats.

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Canine Possession Aggression

Canine Possession Aggression……..object guarding, this is the act of aggressively protecting objects such as toys, pigs ears, rawhide chews, bones, or articles that the dog has found or stolen, such as socks shoes underwear tissues and human food.

The ears going back will be part of typical body language relating to this behaviour. The dog then will go into a crouch over the object, displaying a whale eye, that is the head turned away but the eyes are swivelled back towards you the perceived threat to his possession, the whites showing, you may also find the lips are slightly pulled back almost in a grin. Look at pictures of whales and you will see why whale eye gets its name. Mine! All Mine.

So why would the dog want to protect these objects? Simple answer is that its normally a learned experience. Either it is a reaction from their siblings taking and tugging objects away at an early age, or we teach them this behaviour by our actions and reactions. As a puppy, your dog wandered through parts of the house, picking up and investigating any little object left lying around. However as soon as he picked up something we did not want him to have, we immediately snatched this precious possession away.

Before long, our intrepid pup would pick up an object then run away so we couldnt take away his find, he would scamper either to another room, the garden, under or behind a table, settee, or chair anywhere where we could not easily relieve him of his treasure.

So what do we do? We follow him to wherever he has hidden away, shouting leave it, or drop! What does the little monster do, he whale eyes you and starts to growl. He has now learned a couple of very valuable lessons.

1.When you give a command, he does not always need to

obey.

2.If he shows aggression, you back off. And by our

actions, we have successfully taught him to resource

guard.

Advice?
Well meaning friends and of course the inimitable doggy experts. You will find these in abundance in any park, street, pub or internet forum, they will tell you to grab the dog by the scruff of the neck then forcibly remove the object, put the dog into an alpha roll position, or give it a good thump. The tips and advice are endless. If you analyse them all you will find that nearly every suggestion will be confrontational, these methods will inevitably have the exact opposite effect to what you are hoping to cure.

What you will rarely be told is to train the dog so that it wants to give up the object, that the dog will think it is fun and rewarding to let you have these treasured articles back.

Start Early
Your puppies and adult dogs should be used to having their mouth touched, when you then wish to remove something it isnt seen as confrontational. From the day you get your dog, either as a puppy or adult dog, brush his teeth, play with his flews (the floppy bits on the upper lip), open his mouth, check his tonsils, look down his throat, do this in a positive fun way with lots of praise and the occasional treat.

Purchase a long rawhide knot or bone. Hold on to one end of the knot while the dog chews on the other. He may want to play tug, but just hold do not pull away, in time he will get used to your presence and relax and just chew.

It is important for your dog to view you as the provider of all good things. You can do this by tightly controlling the dog’s environment. Keep all but one or two toys up off the floor and take the others down only when you want to play. Make sure you offer an item with a command like Take it. When you are tired of the game (you that is, not the dog), tell the dog to Drop or Dead Give him another item or treat in exchange, and then pick up the first object and put it away.

Do you know your dog’s likes and dislikes? Compose a list of all the things your dog really enjoys including food, toys, treats and activities, rank them in a hierarchical order, In exchange for dropping the first item give your dog a second, better item. For instance, if tennis ball retrieving is third on your dog’s list, reward him with cheese, frankfurter or puffed jerky for dropping the tennis ball. If your dog attempts to pick up a bit of rubbish in the street, command him to drop and then throw or give him his tennis ball.

Give a Cue
Teach the word dead, drop, or give, do it in a fun way with a happy high silly voice. Start by allowing him to have something that is not so valuable then trade with him for his favourite treat, what is his favourite treats or game? Do you really know your dog’s likes and dislikes?

This is fine for teaching young pups or dogs that are not presently guarding but what about ones that are already way down the road of resource guarding. Training a young puppy is relatively easy. Re-training an older dog is more difficult, but not impossible.

Trade and Reward
Firstly take away all objects the dog is guarding, that could be toys, tissues, chews, bones, pigs ears or sleeping places, that includes beds, sofas or chairs. You may not be able to move the latter but you can cover it, put a box or something else on it that will restrict access. Do not allow access to these precious resources a number of days.

You need to prepare for the next stage if the guarding is articles such as toys chews bones etc, prepare some of the dogs really favourite treats, cheese or frankfurter tends to be high on the list. Then get a low value object, it may be a tissue or a sock, a pigs ear for instance may be perceived as high value. Try to be slightly to the side of the dog rather than face on and relax, take the tension you may feel out of your body as the dog will both smell and sense your fear and this could trigger a reaction.

Offer the object to the dog but try and keep hold of it as the dog takes it, use whatever release command you have decided on it could be dead drop leave or trade immediately produce the tasty treat from behind your back and exchange. Praise when the exchange takes place and give back the object you first exchanged.

Set scheduled times to repeat this exercise at least four times a day but also just do it in opportune moments. Gradually up the anti of treasured goods. Over a period of time the dog will start to look forward to your approach and game. It is at this time that you give your dog the object and walk away, at first come back immediately and trade gradually making the time and distance you walk away longer, until you clearly see the dog is having no problems with your approach whatsoever. Then only give a treat every third time, then every tenth, take the object away and immediately give it back extending the period on this until the guarding behaviour disappears.

As with food guarding, you want to build a positive association around people approaching the objects being guarded. The dog needs to understand that approaching people and the removal of objects can be positive and rewarding. Location or Bed Guarding

This is not always as simple as it may seem, as the severity or incidence may be related to who is approaching. It may be that a woman can approach the bed or sleeping place but not a man, an adult but not a child. It is not always tied to the object being guarded, but more to the relationship or lack of it of the person approaching the resource.

Sometimes this behaviour manifests itself when we try to move the dog off a sofa or when we handle or stroke the dog. It is worth in these cases making sure the dog is not ill or in pain as this could stimulate aggressive reactions.

As with other forms of guarding, make this a positive experience. Gauge how far you can approach before any aggressive reaction occurs. Initially keep to this distance and as you pass throw a treat, praising the dog at the same time. Make sure you do not praise or treat if there is growling or any show of aggression. Gradually decrease the distance over a period of time, do not rush the exercise, if the dog starts to react go back a few steps and start again. Change your angle of approach and the person who is approaching. Always try not to approach head on come in at an angle from the side give lots of verbal praise for a calm and passive reaction from the dog.

Maintain the Status Quo
Over time your pet will come to realise that your approach is a positive experience and the guarding will hopefully cease. However if it starts up again repeat the exercise. You should practice once a week exchange or trade, for the remainder 0of the dogs life.

If you are already at the point where the dog has actually bitten you, then I would suggest you get professional help. This should be from a behaviourist or a trainer who understands aggression. You should look for one that comes to your house. I never understand how professionals can assess your dogs behaviour from the confines of a vets or an office. The dog reacts very differently when out of its own environment. Stan Rawlinson

24 July 2005

Stan Rawlinson.
Dog Behaviourist & Trainer
www.doglistener.co.uk
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161

Stan Rawlinson Dip MTCBPT. PAACT
Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer, who has owned and worked dogs for over 25 years, starting with gundogs then moving to the behavioural and obedience side of training companion dogs. He now has a successful practice covering Greater London, Surrey, and Middlesex.

Stan is recommended by numerous Vets, Rescue Centres, and Charities. He writes articles and comments on behavioural issues and techniques for dog magazines including Our Dogs, Dogs Monthly, K9 Magazine, Shooting Times, Pet Talk and Pet Owner Magazine. He is also a behavioural spokesman for Disney and has appeared on Television, Radio and in National Newspapers on many occassions

Stan Rawlinson
Telephone: 0208 979 2019
Mobile Number: 07976 153161
E-mail:enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
http://www.doglistener.co.uk
Founder Member
PAACT
Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers
Membership Number 101
http://www.paact.co.uk

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Creating homemade dog treats can be a fun activity for children. Children enjoy taking care of their pets and having them assist you in creating homemade dog treats can help them to feel more involved with the care of their beloved pet. Older children can help you to search for recipes for homemade dog treats and can help you to prepare the homemade dog treats in your own kitchen. They can help you with some of the more complex aspects such as chopping and measuring the ingredients.

Younger children can also help you to create homemade dog treats for the family dog. They are capable of helping you to mix the ingredients for the homemade dog treats.

Also, if the recipe calls for the dog treats to be cut out of rolled out dough; many young children will enjoy using cooking cutters to cut out shapes for the homemade dog treats.

Baking your own homemade dog treats is an activity that can be enjoyed by the entire family. The parents and children have the joy of creating treats for their dog that are both tasty and nutritious and the dogs enjoy being pampered with homemade dog treats that were made specifically for them.

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Using homemade dog treat recipes gives you unlimited flexibility in the quality and variety of dog treats that you provide to your dogs. Chicken, beef, lamb and rice are some of the more popular flavors of commercially prepared dog treats and foods but when you use your own homemade dog treat recipes your flavor combinations are limitless. You can use peanut butter and honey to create sweet treats that do not include meat or you can substitute any meat you choose into your homemade dog treat recipes.

Many traditional homemade dog treat recipes included meats such as chicken, beef and lamb but when you create your own homemade dog treats you have the option of substituting other meats into the recipe as long as the meats are safe for your dog. Homemade dog treats are already usually more cost effective than commercially prepared dog treats but the flexibility of these recipes provides you with additional cost savings. You have the option of shopping for meats that are on sale or that have reduced prices when you are following a homemade dog treat recipe. You also have the option of reducing or increasing the meat content to suit your dogs tastes and needs.

Another advantage of homemade dog treat recipes is that they can be tailored to suit your dogs nutritional needs. Recipes that call for peanut butter can utilize reduced fat peanut butter if the treats are being prepared for an overweight dog. You can also eliminate any ingredients to which your dog has a known allergy. The flexibility available in homemade dog treat recipes makes it possible to create a treat that is right for every dogs.

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Homemade dog treat recipes can be excellent gift ideas for friends or family members with dogs. Many of them may not be aware that homemade dog treat recipes even exist but they will most likely be very excited to learn that creating their own homemade dog treats is very simple. There are a number of ways to utilize homemade dog treat recipes as gift ideas for the dog lover on your gift list.

One cute way to give a gift of homemade dog treat recipes is to include the ingredients in an attractive jar similar to those used to give cookie recipes and ingredients as a gift. For this gift, you include all of the dry ingredients necessary and provide instructions for creating the homemade dog treats. The instructions should include any necessary ingredients that need to be added as well as the temperature of the oven and the cooking time required. You should also include a list of ingredients that were included in the jar in case the recipients dog has any allergies that you are unaware of. You can complete this gift by tying the jar with a dog inspired ribbon.

Another way to give a gift of homemade dog treat recipes is to create a recipe book. You can search for homemade dog treat recipes and compile them and print each one out on attractive paper with a dog theme. You can categorize the homemade dog treat recipes into different categories and place them all in an attractive three ring binder.

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Theres a horse show across the state in a few weeks, and youre planning on being there with your horses. However, its been awhile since you last pulled a horse trailer, and youre a little concerned about your trailering skills. After all, you want to arrive at your destination safely, with the horses as calm and relaxed as possible.

Guiding a loaded horse trailer down a country road or highway requires practical experience and know-how. Theres very little room for error. What do you do to ensure a safe, uneventful journey?

How to Ensure Safe Trailering

If youre out of practice, or if youve never towed a trailer before, obtaining adequate personal experience prior to the actual event is of the utmost importance. Just as if you were learning to drive for the first time, you should begin by practicing basic driving skills before getting out in traffic with the trailer.

The more experienced you become, the more prepared you will be for anything that may potentially happen. With more confidence and a higher level of awareness and preparedness, you should be better able to handle any unexpected situation that comes along.

Find a level field or a parking lot in which to practice. Mark your course with several highway cones, then, set out to work on the following driving skills:

Ready for the Highway

After youve practiced all the basic driving skills while pulling your horse trailer and you feel confident in your ability to handle the rig safely, youre ready to test your skills out on the road.

Try towing your trailer for short distances, at first. Make sure that you feel comfortable with turning corners in traffic, with backing your trailer, with parking on a grade, and with being able to stop your trailer quickly (should the need arise). Once you are confident in your towing abilities, youre ready to travel any distance with your horses.

Just remember to always be alert when out on the roads. Drive defensively and be prepared for any possible situation.

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