Free tyre checks for horseboxes in Bolton

HORSE owners in the Bolton area are this month (March, 2012) invited to a leading tyre specialist in the town to have the tyres on their horseboxes or trailers checked for free.

People are being offered the complimentary check by Bolton Thistlethwaites Tyres, which is located on Burns Street, to ensure their tyres are safe and roadworthy.

Jamie Cole, Manager of Bolton Thistlethwaites Tyres, which is part of the Protyre Group, said: “During the spring many horseboxes and trailers will make their first trip after being stored away for the winter. Not all people are aware that tyres can deteriorate when left unused for extended periods of time.

“Also because some trailers and horseboxes are only used occasionally, often for limited miles, they remain on the vehicle for longer. This can be a problem as tyres become time expired after seven years. We suggest to customers tyres older than seven years should be considered for replacement, even if they appear to have adequate tread depth.

“The reason for this is that tyres will deteriorate over time and the chemicals that keep a tyre in good condition can leech out and they are also susceptible to ozone degradation.”

Bolton Thistlethwaites Tyres is offering a free spring tyre check for horseboxes and trailers, which will include a check on the age of tyres.

Jamie added: “Owners of horseboxes and trailers can undertake a series of simple checks themselves to check the condition of their tyres. We suggest people carefully examine tyres to ensure that there are no cuts, lumps or bulges and that the sidewalls are not affected by cracking or distortion through being left standing for an extended period.

“Tyres must also have a minimum of 1.6 millimetres (mm) of tread, although we recommend that tyres with less than 2.5mm of tread should be considered for replacement.

“Tyre pressures are equally crucial to the safety, stability and economical running of a horsebox or trailer. Under or over inflated tyres can not only affect the handling, but can at the extreme result in a tyre failure. They will also wear more quickly and use more fuel thereby creating more CO2 emissions.”


For more information, please visit Bolton Thistlethwaites Tyres, which is located on Burns Street in Bolton, call 01204 524 392, visit www.protyre.co.uk, follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/protyre or log on to www.facebook.com/protyre.

Taking the fear out of fireworks

Bonfire night is drawing near, and it's a worrying time for all horse owners.

Fireworks can frighten even the most sensible horse, so to help the British Horse Society (BHS) has issued the following advice for owners:

Fireworks must not be set off near livestock or horses in fields or stables

It is best to keep your horse in its normal routine

Risk assess your stable yard and plan to limit disturbance

Ensure you find out if there are any displays planned nearby

Warn local organisers, councils and schools that there are horses in the area

Organise your plans in advance

Remain calm and positive yourself as horses will sense your unease

Keep your horse in a familiar environment

Safety for everyone is the key – do not put yourself in danger

This advice is available as a downloadable poster, along with further information from horseaccidents.org.uk

The BHS also supports the Blue Cross guidelines on Fireworks and Animals which is available at bluecross.org.uk and in paper format from both the Blue Cross and the BHS.

It is not just horse owners who need to be careful. People organising firework displays should inform local horse owners and it is also a good idea not to let off fireworks anywhere near fields or farms. Most people don’t realise how much suffering fireworks cause animals, particularly horses. Those who really want to have fireworks in their back garden should think carefully about how it will affect local pets and animals before they do so.

By being proactive in planning for fireworks and Bonfire Night, you can make the annual celebrations less stressful for you and your horse.