Transporting your horse to and from shows, can be a harrowing experience. But, says AA spokesperson, Gary Ronald, there are many things you can do to ­reduce the chance of mishaps along the road.

"The first thing to look at in terms of legal aspects of towing horse boxes," he says, "is the weight ratio between your towing vehicle and horse box. That would determine what type of braking system you would need on the trailer.

"Invariably, if you look at the gross vehicle mass of a horsebox carrying two horses, it is going to exceed the 750 kg limit, which would make a service brake compulsory. Service brakes are usually either hydraulic brakes or vacuum-assisted brakes."

Most horse boxes are equipped with simple overrun brakes, which are not as satisfactory or safe as vacuum-assisted brakes, where the driver can brake the box via a lever inside the towing vehicle.

"If the horse box starts to swing, for example, the driver can apply the vacuum brake of the box from inside the car, instead of having to accelerate to straighten out the box."

"Your average road user has no appreciation of horse behaviour, and would not even think of the possibility that their own behaviour might have an adverse effect on horses in a horse box. So horse owners have to take every possible measure to ensure the safety of their horses."

The right to tow

Previously, drivers who passed their drivers' licenses under the old code system, could automatically tow trailers legally. If, however, you only got your drivers' license under the new dispensation with the credit card license system, and you have an EB license code, you are not allowed to tow a trailer heavier than 750 kg. In order to legally tow a horse box, you would therefore need to do another driving test.

It is a good idea for any trailer to have a band of reflector tape on the sides and rear. In addition, you need to have a chevron board on the tailgate of the trailer, spanning from side to side with no more than a 400 mm gap from the side of the trailer to the edge of the chevron on each side. The chevron must face upwards, in other words the "v" must be upside down.

"A very good idea," says Gary, "is to replace your trailer lights at the back with LED cluster lights. Apart from the fact that they are brighter and last so much longer, they have the added advantage that if a few bulbs go, the light still works.

"One of the biggest issues that I have with large trailers and horse boxes that certainly falls into this category, is that the tail lights and indicators are invariably inadequate. They would pass a roadworthy test, but in unclear conditions such as rain or mist, you just cannot see those lights. It would be our recommendation that another piece of reflective material be put a little bit higher up on the back of the box, so that you can give warning to motorists coming up from behind."

It has also been legislated that one needs to carry warning triangles for both the trailer and the towing vehicle, and that these must be placed at least 45 metres in the direction of the oncoming traffic. A good yardstick in terms of human steps, would be about 60 steps.

"Although the law prohibits a passenger in a trailer, I think most law enforcement agents would realise that horses might need a groom travelling with them. For that reason, the drivers need to be very sure that they do not speed and that they take corners very cautiously.

"You would also definitely need some sort of communication system between driver and groom in the horse box. With cellphones, make sure that the groom has enough air time. There also are cheap two-way radio systems available that should do the job adequately."

Speed

His personal experience, says Gary, is that if you tow anything, whether it is a horse box, boat or a caravan, the maximum speed should not exceed 100 km per hour. Relative to the speed, obviously, is the weight of the trailer (horses included) as well as the condition of the tyres.

Safety of the trailer is a big issue. Regular maintenance of the horse box is absolutely crucial. Generally horse boxes are left outside in the elements, and are very seldom looked at. It has to be ready when needed.

"I would suggest that the box be checked at least twice a year by taking the wheels off and having the tyres checked properly. Check that the wheels are balanced properly, have the hubs and bearings serviced or replaced at least once a year, have the shackles and bushes on the suspension checked, and also check the integrity of the floor.

"Then check the brakes at least twice a year and have them adjusted so that they work evenly. Also check the rear lights regularly and clean the lenses. Be sure to check that the wiring is fine and that no wires are hanging from underneath the trailer, as they could get snagged. Obviously, be sure that the license disk is displayed properly."

Depending on whether your horse box has one or two axles, Gary recommends that you carry at least one, but preferably two puncture repair cans with you to ensure that, in the event of a flat tyre, you can get to the nearest safe place to unload the horses. He also recommends getting a separate bottle jack with a four ton capacity for the horse box.

Driving

"When towing a vehicle, the driver should change his driving behaviour completely. The heavier the trailer that you are pulling, the more careful you need to be. The braking characteristics of your towing vehicle change completely when towing a heavy trailer. Apart from the weight pushing into the car, the animals will create surge as well, as they shift their weight in the horse box.

"Around corners you have to be excep­tionally careful to avoid creating a whiplash effect by accelerating before the horse box has cleared the corner. The horses cannot see in front, so they don't know to expect a ­sudden change in direction."

Gary recommends a minimum following distance of about eight seconds so you can stop fairly gently, even in a sticky situation.

"Also make sure that you can see behind the trailer, in other words that your mirrors are adequate. If need be, attach some of those extended caravan mirrors. It is also a good idea if you set the mirrors in such a way that you can see the wheels of the horse box."

When towing at night, it would also be a good idea to change the angle of the headlights, so that you don't blind oncoming drivers.

"You have to anticipate traffic and traffic signals. The golden rule of thumb when towing a heavy trailer, is that you don't want to stop. Try and anticipate traffic lights so you don't approach a green light just to find that, when you are 50 metres away, it turns yellow. If you have to stop, start applying the brakes a long way away."

When it is raining, touch the brakes regularly to make sure they remain dry and increase your following distance to at least 15 seconds.

When you have to brake suddenly and you don't have brake assistance on the horse box, cadence braking is the most effective way to go. This means applying the brake repeatedly with a release in-between. Under no circumstances should you allow the horse box brakes to lock and the box going sideways. In such an event, let go of the brakes and try and find an alternative escape route.

"The golden rule when towing a horse box, is to expect the unexpected. You have to concetrate and give yourself room at all times, so that you can avoid emergency situations. Obviously you have to make sure that your tyres are always in good condition."

Blow out

In the unlucky event of a blow-out on the horse box, try and keep the box in a straight line and gently bring it to a standstill. Don't brake harshly. Also, don't steer the vehicle off the road before it is virtually at a standstill. The last movement that you make just before you stop the car, is to leave the road surface. Leaving the road surface too soon, will result in a rolling horse box.

"When a blow-out occurs, you will hear a big bang. The trailer might start to swing a little, and the car and trailer will feel unstable. You will also see the smoke coming from the affected wheel. The golden rule is to do everything gently."

Reversing

When you have to reverse, the best is to put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel (six o'clock position) and, looking in the mirror, turn the wheel into the direction that you want to go to.

"It is a good idea to open both the driver and passenger side windows, to make sure that you can hear the person giving directions from outside. Also make sure that the person can see your eyes in the mirror. This way you make certain that you can see the person, and the signals that he is giving you.

"This goes for following distances on the road as well. If you can see the face of the driver in front of you in his mirror, he can see you. If you can't, he can't."