Scarry driving story

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Char Antuzzi char_antuzzi@hp.com
Ok I had to share my story.
I had just finished hauling over to a local indoor arena where
I train, had my kids horse and my clients horse in my 2 horse
slant, it was dark and raining. We were on a very curvy rode
going at a safe speed when all of a sudden someone was in my
lane coming at us, I mean all the way into my lane! He saw us
at the last minute, hit my truck on my side (drivers side), over
corrected and came back to hit my trailer. He tore off my portable corrals and my fender on my trailer. He hit the trailer on the horses head side. Both axles were ripped off my trailer and, broke the frame that holds the floor up into the trailer, so the front horse (my clients horse) fell through the floor. It
is amazing that the horses were ok. The trailer is (was) a newer Circle J. The kid that hit me was driving of all things a Hummer!
To make matters worse, the kid driving left the scene and has still not been caught. We went to DMV and did a search on all the Hummers registered in our county but couldn't find anything! I had only minimum insurance on my truck as it is a 1986 Ford F250 and on my trailer. So I have to pay for my truck myself!
Besure that when you are looking at your trailer, jack it up and
look at the frame that holds the floor, Make sure the welds are good and strong and not cracked. Look at the fenders and see if they were to get ripped of the side of trailer would it leave a big hole with scrap metal exposed. The struts on the bottom of the floor were spaced 12" apart (cheeper trailers are 24") this is why the rear horse stayed up on the floor. I know there is a big debate on wrapping legs for shipping, I don't wrap to give support to the legs although it helps, I wrap in case I do have a accident I stand a chance on not having any tendons slashed from the sharp metal. My trailer was a double wall and provided some protection to the horses. Also my hitch not only bolts onto the frame of the truck but I also had it welded. One of the 4 bolts broke in half, the welds all held. I am very luck no doupt, I feel that I did and still do everything possible to provide a safe ride for my furry friends.