I actually just use a baby monitor. We no longer need it for human children so I repurposed it. You do need to be able to plug it in, but I have an outlet in the trailer tackroom that I use, and a window from the tackroom to the horse compartment.
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I have been stopped on I-75 in Kentucky just to ask for Coggins and if I remember correctly a health certificate too. Not even at the border, just south of Lexington. We had everything, but I bet if they stop enough people they catch some without. I’m not sure what happens if you don’t have one.
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We’ve been stopped while passing through New Mexico, pulled over roadside to go over our paperwork – and the inspector really checked out the broodmare we were hauling to her date with a stallion in another state, taking his time matching her to her paper description.
There was nothing special about our rig or us to cause us to be stopped, except our out-of-state license plates. The inspector was very polite and professional, although I wished that we hadn’t had to pull over on the side of the road – a relatively narrow, twisting, turning road – that was what surprised us. Would’ve far rather been in a parking lot, or at least a wide spot, well out of traffic (not that there was much of that).
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Mine came with a screen of it’s own. However, the attachment was for a 12v (cigarette lighter thingie) and my 2024 truck does not have that!!! I have a regular three prong outlet on the back of the console in the back seat area, so the manufacturer sent a different cord for that (and now they know about the issue, plus you cannot use the USB/lightning plugs because they don’t supply enough power). The only issue is that I have to plug it in back there and there is a long wire. It wirelessly connects to the camera in the horse area and is pretty easy to use. The brand is RanchCams Camera Systems for Barns and Horse Trailers - RanchCams. I have not used it much yet though.
@IPEsq I will take you up on that!
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I have found that the more comfortable I am with my route, the easier the long distance drives are.
Knowing where the gas stations are that I can get into with the truck and trailer take a load off my mind, particularly once I know there are more on my route than I actually need.
The lists posted above are great and I now have a few things on my shopping list before show season arrives.
I really like to have a passenger with me if I am travelling longer distances. It give me peace of mind that I have someone with me that can help if I run into a problem with truck, trailer or horse.
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Looks like there are apps for that: How To Find RV Friendly Gas Stations (5 Apps & More) | RV Lifestyle
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I get really nervous hauling: my biggest fears are narrow driveways and tiny parking lots with no turn arounds. I usually look at satellite images of the the destination and various gas stations along the way, sometimes will Google streetview the intersections, and generally over think every little thing. Something that has really helped my confidence is driving around pulling the junky little stock trailer we use to pick up hay bales. Last fall I hooked it up and forced myself to drive everywhere for a couple of weeks towing it. (It’s already in rough shape, so I wasn’t too worried about damaging it. ) After a few days, making wide turns and backing it up became automatic. This may be too obvious, but I also struggled to tow when I had to use our old farm pickup with standard mirrors and mechanical seat adjustment. I’m fairly short, and most pickups are just not built for small short people. When I upgraded to a truck with fully adjustable pedals and seats that would height adjust and tilt as well as move forward and back towing got infinitely easier and more comfortable because I could sit in a way that allowed me too see and use the mirrors correctly with fewer blindspots. ( Who knew you had to be able to see lol?) Mirrors can also be swapped out pretty easily and make a big difference in what you’re able to see from the drivers seat.
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OMG! This will be so helpful! I wrapped myself around a pump once and it took an half hour to get unwrapped so this is my biggest fear!
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always remember GOAL. Get Out and Look. There is no shame in that. My husb is an OTR semi truck driver and he does it all the time. Get out and see what’s what. Then figure out where are you trying to get and how to get there. Take your time. If other drivers or whomever get pissed off, well they just need less caffeine in their lives and can get over it. As far as the bubble mirror thing, you can buy what’s called a fish eye at almost any auto parts store, they just stick on the bottom of the mirror. I have an older truck so i have those and they work just fine to see blind spots and what’s next to you a little better. And just remember that a gn is going to turn INSIDE of the truck whereas a BP follows the truck, so wider turns are necessary.
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Well, if i were where you are and wanted to come to St. Louis area i’d avoid Kansas City like the plague. GAWD i HATE hauling through I-70 in KC! I stay north and drop down at Columbia MO. But that’s just me. I’m not a city dweller, not even a suburban dweller! And the confusion of a spaghetti bowl of highways makes my palms sweat just writing this!
I’m also creeped out by all but one or two bridges across the Mississippi @ St. Louis. I always sweep around N on I270 to the New Chain of Rocks or down S on I270 to I255 and cross the river on Jefferson Barracks bridge.
I once had four large, wild mustangs in a 14’ bumper pull, in crazy rain and missed my exit and had to go across Mississippi on that MLK Bridge. Omg…i went about 30mph and didn’t care one bit who or how many were stuck behind me. It was a nightmare. The rain the wild horses and the bumperpull… I still can’t believe i got that one done.
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My first F250 had dual tanks, and while i really liked it, usually i have to pee way before we get to that point so i just combine emptying me and filling the truck as it were lol
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These are all very good suggestions. I rarely trailer more than 2 hours one way, but when I do, my husband makes sure my trailer is stocked with a battery operated impact wrench, a nice car jack (in addition to my Trailer Aid jack), and a variety of other useful power tools (like the little machine that plugs into the truck and can put air in tires. I also travel with an extra battery and jump box.
It gets easier the more you do it. I never thought 15 years ago when I bought my first trailer that I’d be confident enough to make the 17 hour trip (split over 2 days) to Florida, alone. But I did it last year and I’m planning to do it again this month. This year’s addition to my peace-of-mind kit is a trailer camera system so I can see what happens inside the trailer.
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I love your approach here, and wonder if it would help the OP: List each specific worry and identify a solution or at least a partial solution. My personal wretchedness comes from vague uneasy feelings. Naming the little life-suckers and figuring out solutions always helps diminish them.
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There are good suggestions on this thread.
You should know the state health requirements for every state line you cross. It differs state by state. There are inspection stations with mandatory stops at most states in the west. A coggins, health cert, and proof of inoculations on your phone are not acceptable to the state inspector. Hard copies only. All of the info is available on line on the state’s agriculture web page.
I remember sitting in a 2 lane road pull out. The road was closed due to an avalanche up on the pass. A couple of cowboys were there too. Trailer loaded; horses still had their saddles on. It was snowing very hard. They’d just finished moving a herd ahead of the storm but the avalanche had closed the road. I wasn’t hooked that day. I walked over to say hi. No, I didn’t know them from Adam. They were going to wait it out. An isolated area, not a lot of shelter options in the area. They said the horses were tired and wanted to get them home. Tires were chained, ready to go as soon as the DOT cleared the avalanche. Their calmness and acceptance about the whole situation was a life lesson I’ve never forgot. I bid them God Speed and drove 20 miles to find a room for the night. Some 25 yrs later I talked my own daughter through chaining up our rig so she could get home.
She was with me the day we pulled into a wild land fire zone to rescue horses at a breeding stable. The winds were awful; sparks and ash flying everywhere. We had to yell to be heard over the wind. We ended up loading 4 yearling colts into our rig. The head groom had one over sized halter for all four. We basically lifted each of them into the trailer one at a time, slamming the door shut and high fiving every time we got another one in. I remember calling my husband to tell him we were on our way. He said 3 broodmares had just been unloaded and he’d open a paddock gate so I could just back the trailer up and open the gate and let the colts out. I could feel them moving around the trailer loose, but bless their hearts, they kept their cool.
We have the opportunity to learn from every experience or hide from the unknown. Learn to change the tire, back up in a tight spot, jump the battery, and there are worse places to sleep than in the gooseneck. 
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