Trailers and marine · TM-02

Horsebox and Livestock Trailer Check

A free printable horsebox and livestock trailer checklist — floor, ramp, partitions, ventilation and water, plus the pre-travel walk-around.

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2 pages. Choose your paper size — both versions are laid out identically, so neither one gets shrunk to fit.

Print it and write on it

A4 58 kB US Letter 58 kB

Fill it in type and save

A4 99 kB US Letter 99 kB

The fillable versions have real form fields — open them in any PDF reader, type into them and save. Printing help.

What this sheet is for

Check the floor properly before every trip, and run the same pre-travel routine each time so the animal side is not left to memory.

Who it is for

Horse owners, smallholders, livestock keepers and anyone towing a trailer with animals in it.

How to use it

Lift the mats and look at the floor — from above and from underneath.
Work through partitions, ventilation and water before you load, not after.
Finish with the coupling, tyres and lights walk-around before pulling away.
Sign and date it; keep the sheets so the floor's history is visible over years.

What is on the sheet

2 pages, in this order:

Page 1

Printed under the title: A pre-travel check for a horsebox or livestock trailer, starting with the floor — which is what actually fails on these — and ending with the walk-around before you pull away.

Animal transport rules are local. Rules on transporting animals differ by country, and often by whether the journey is connected with a business: journey times, vehicle and trailer standards, and any authorisation or certificate of competence are all set locally. Check what applies to your journey before you load.

Write-on lines: Trailer / horsebox · Registration or ID · Date · Towing vehicle · Journey · Checked by

Floor — check this one properly

Mats lifted and the whole floor seen dry, in daylight
Floor probed for soft spots, especially at the back and along the sides
Underside inspected from below for rot, corrosion and failed sealant
Cross-members, bearers and floor fixings sound
Rubber matting flat, with no lifting edges or exposed fixings

Ramp and doors

Ramp boards, hinges, springs and any lifting aid
Ramp catches and jump flaps engage positively on both sides
Groom's door opens from inside as well as out
Rear doors, breeching gates and their hinges and pins

Page 2

Partitions and the inside

Partitions, breast bars and breeching bars secure and quick to release
Tie rings and their fixings sound — a tie ring should hold, or break safely
No sharp edges, protruding bolts, splinters or torn lining anywhere
Interior lights work and are protected
Bedding down as you intend to travel, and the surface not slippery

Ventilation, water and the journey

Vents and roof lights open, and set for the weather on the day
Airflow not blowing directly onto a travelling animal
Water containers filled, secured and reachable at a stop
Hay nets tied high enough that they cannot be trodden on when empty
Journey time, rest stops and a breakdown plan agreed before loading

Before you pull away

Coupling seated and locked; breakaway cable or safety chain connected
Jockey wheel raised and clamped; handbrake released
Tyre pressures, condition and age, including the spare
Wheel nuts tight; hubs not running hot after a short run
All lights and indicators checked with someone watching

Signature strip: Signed · Print name · Date

Ruled lines: Notes and anything specific to yours

Questions

Why is so much of this sheet about the floor?

Because the floor is what fails on these trailers, and it fails from underneath where a quick look inside will not find it. Mats hold moisture against the boards, and a floor that looks sound from above can be rotten below. Lifting the mats is the single most useful thing on this sheet.

Do I need a licence or authorisation to tow animals?

Requirements differ by country, and often depend on whether the journey is connected with a business, how long it is and what you are carrying — journey time limits, vehicle standards, authorisations and certificates of competence all vary. Check what applies to your journey with your own authority before you travel.