We had gone about 30 miles on country roads before we turned onto IN-37, a four lane divided highway with a speed limit of 55. About two minutes after getting it up to 55, I heard a bang, and looked into my side mirror in time to see my driver's side trailer fender flying down the highway, knocked loose by a trailer tire whose tread flew off.
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| Still aired up but minus tread - I checked them all before I left. |
Luckily at just that moment, a police officer pulled up behind me. He walked up, saying, "I think I scared your horse when I walked up, I'm sorry," and I laughed and said, "Don't take it personally, everyone scares him."
He struggled with it for a while, and finally got it loosened. At that point, a 20 year old kid pulled up in an F350 with farm plates, and good thing too, because the tread was wrapped around the axle. They tried cutting it, they tried pulling it, and it was not budging. Finally the kid went back to his truck to look for sidecuts and came back with...sticky rubber mechanics gloves. He put two hands on the tread, sat down, pulled and it was out. Thank goodness for corn fed Indiana farm boys.
I inspected it, and realized the tread had severely damaged the electrical components under there, and a wire would be rubbing against the tire if I didn't do something. I asked the cop his opinion, and he asked if I had zip ties. I said no, and he said, "I got something for this." He left and came back with...
Yes, that's a set of handcuff zip ties! He used my knife to cut half of them off, and looped the other half over my electrical box with the wires back where they were supposed to be. With that, we were back on our way to our lesson.
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| Handcuffs visible between the tires |
I was annoyed with myself - for a few minutes before then, something about that tire hadn't looked right to me in the side mirror, but I chalked it up to seeing mud go around on it. Also, this is the first time I've remembered to put Connor on the left (better stability on our crowned country roads), and the tire whose tread came off was on the left. Finally, it happened almost immediately after we got up to 55 for the first time. Should've seen that coming.
One last thing: these are tires with good tread depth, no rot, and were properly inflated before the trip, during the incident, and after. Even the shredded tire is still aired up. Stacey of The Jumping Percheron pointed out that they are the same brand (Hi-Run) as hers from her epic tire saga from earlier this year. So, these are going to get replaced. I'm hoping these will get me through two more short hauls to the HHP this year (mostly country roads less than 45mph), we'll see.
Thankful you and Connor stayed safe thru the incident and help can at the right time!
ReplyDeleteMe too! I was very happy to see that police officer.
DeleteUgh, tires delaminating seems to be the way trailer tires meet their end. Glad everyone was OK!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm happy to have experienced it and handled it so I don't get so stressed next time. It was no big deal.
DeleteThank goodness you guys are ok, and thank goodness for helpful people! I love those 'faith restored in humanity' moments.
ReplyDeleteMe too! I was very grateful that they both came along when they did.
DeleteTire problems while hauling is my nightmare -- so glad you had help from good Samaritans!
ReplyDeleteMe too, but honestly, I'm happy to have experienced it once. I think I'll be less stressed next time.
DeleteI'm so glad you are both ok, and that you ended up with helpful people stopping.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Me too.
DeleteGlad you guys are okay. Your Indiana roads are what killed my tire last year, though mine frayed and the wire cut one of my brake wires. We have US Rider for the horse trips and they saved our butts.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I have US Rider too, but it would have taken them longer to get out there than it would for me to change the tire. Good peace of mind though!
DeleteSo scary! Thank goodness you and Connor were ok and that help arrived!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yeah me too, no kidding!
DeleteZip ties are amazing! Glad you were both ok!
ReplyDeleteRight?! I feel like the list of shit I need to keep in my trailer just got longer. Gotta fly Paige's dad out here to pimp out my tack room!
DeleteGlad you are ok and you had good help!
ReplyDeleteThanks, me too!
DeleteScary! I'm glad you had some good people stopping by to help you. That would have made me panic in a major way.
ReplyDeleteI was definitely a little freaked out at first, but I'm honestly glad to have gotten my first trailer incident out of the way successfully. I know that's weird, but I feel better equipped to deal with it in the future now.
DeleteGah! So scary -- glad everyone was okay
ReplyDeleteThanks, me too!
DeleteYikes. Atleast you had someone help. I have had my horse on a trailer that came unhitched... A) I'll never put my horse on someone else's trailer if I am at all hesitant B) people are jerks. Multiple people passed and the only person that stopped was again a younger maybe even teenaged boy.
ReplyDeleteGlad you guys were okay!
Yeah, I have already turned down a couple of opportunities to haul horses for other people. Partially because I don't trust my rig with that much weight, and partially because I don't want that kind of responsibility. I was nervous just being in sole charge of the herd doing stalls on Sundays, let alone being responsible for someone else's horse on the road.
Deletethis is my nightmare
ReplyDeleteMine too, but less so now. It gets a little more...manageable? after you've survived one.
Deleteugh. that is scary! I'm glad that you had people stopping to help! It reminds me to put some baling twine in my trailer.....
ReplyDeleteTotally! My list of trailering must haves got longer after this trip.
DeleteWow - that incident could have ended badly. Glad you and Connor are okay. Great luck finding gentlemanly assistance.
ReplyDeleteAlso glad to read that someone else (whose equine related opinions I respect) agrees about loading a single horse on the left side for better stability.
;D
This never went on the blog, but I firmly believe that loading our big fat draft cross on the left side of the two horse prevented us from going down a 30ft embankment in the snow last winter. That was a slide and not a crowned road, but it's almost superstition for me after that.
DeleteThis all happened BEFORE your lesson?!?! ugh so stressful!!!
ReplyDeleteYes! I wasn't even late either due to leaving exceptionally early. Go team!
DeleteThat is so scary. You're really lucky to have both the police officer and the farmer to help you out.
ReplyDeleteTotally, I was really grateful.
DeleteHow lucky you had help pull over for you! What a nightmare!
ReplyDeleteFor sure! I literally laid on the tire iron and couldn't get that lug nut to budge.
DeleteSo glad you had good people stop to help. That's pretty scary.
ReplyDeleteHoly smokes, how scary!!! So glad it all worked out ok and that everyone is alright!
ReplyDeleteScary. Glad you are ok and that you had such nice people willing to help you out.
ReplyDeleteEek! Glad everyone is ok.
ReplyDeleteScary!! Were you able to get the fender back, or no?
ReplyDeleteNah, it's gone forever. It was mangled to hell anyway.
DeleteThat is one of my worst nightmares. Glad everyone was ok and that you ended up having several good samaratians to help you!
ReplyDelete