Have You Ever Taken Your Horse Trailer to a Weigh Scale?
Most owners haven’t and many are surprised when they learn how much they’re actually towing once horses, tack, water, and equipment are added.
Safe and legal towing hinges on the manufacturer‑assigned ratings on your vehicle and trailer, including GVWR, GCWR, GAWR, payload, and tongue weight. Understanding and staying within these values helps ensure the tow vehicle-trailer system is matched correctly and operated safely.
If you have ever had trouble making heads or tails of the alphabet soup of anacronyms while trying to figure out your towing capacity, Equine Guelph has some very useful information sheets on TheHorsePortal.ca. They also have a special promotion on their Trailer safety short online course, set to begin May 4, with guest expert Dr. Rebecca Husted instructing. Husted is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to safety, emergency preparedness and large animal emergency rescue.
- Horse Trailering Safety – Part 1: Decoding the Letters and Numbers
- Horse Trailering Safety – Part 2: Hitch Systems
A common mistake is hitching up a combination that exceeds safe limits, which can compromise braking, handling, and overall control.
In a featured video on trailer safety and weight regulations, police sergeant Denise Leonard explains how weight determines the appropriate driver’s license class and other safety considerations.
Horse Trailer Safety – Online Course
Special Promotion — Only $45 (Regular $95)
Course Dates: May 4-15, 2026
Instructor: Dr. Rebecca Husted
Save your spot: https://thehorseportal.ca/course/horse-trailer-safety-spring-26/
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Notes to Editor:
Equine Guelph is the horse owners’ and care givers’ Centre at the University of Guelph in Canada. It is a unique partnership dedicated to the health and well-being of horses, supported and overseen by equine industry groups. Equine Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry and government – for the good of the equine industry as a whole. For further information, visit www.equineguelph.ca.
Story by: Equine Guelph
Photos: (images available upon request)
Photo caption(s):
Last image: Dr. Rebecca Husted of Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue, is an expert in emergency preparedness
Web Link(s):
Story Link: https://thehorseportal.ca/2026/03/weigh-in-on-horse-trailer-safety/
Other web links:
Trailer Safety Pt 1:
Trailer Safety Pt 2: https://files.thehorseportal.ca/portal/uploads/2025/08/Horse-Trailering-Safely-Part-2-Hitch-Systems-updated.pdf
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0jFnZ-8bmQ
Course link: https://thehorseportal.ca/course/horse-trailer-safety-spring-26/
Media Contact:
Jackie Bellamy-Zions
Communications
Equine Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
519.824.4120 ext. 54756
jbellamy@uoguelph.ca