Lately there has been dissension at the
rancho. I have overheard murmurings in the barnyard, in particular
regarding my stock trailer. The grumbling animals enlisted my teenage
daughter to present their complaints.
In
my defense let me describe my trailer. I felt like it was a real
bargain when I bought it. Let's see, in 1986. It's an eighteen foot
Hale, '92 model with a bumper hitch. Upon purchasing it from a reputable
Hereford breeder who guaranteed it would haul up to eight full grown
cows, I made a few minor repairs.
Three
of the wheel bearings needed replacing but the left front still spun
good. We welded a jack on the tongue, built a new wooden panel for the
end gate, put plywood over the rotting floor and bought inner tubes for
the two new recaps that didn't have any tread left.
I'm
still working on the wiring and have got a good coat of primer on the
front panel which covers about six square feet in the shape of Utah. The
greenish primer almost matched the original scour yellow.
Recently
I put down a rubber mat on the slick plywood after a horse came loose
in transit and slid from front to back goin' up a steep grade. Every
improvement an investment, I always say.
Jennifer's
list of complaints seem trifling. The horses, she claims, are
embarrassed to be seen unloading. She suggested I repaint it. Trying to
get along, I pulled it down to the sand blasting guy for an estimate. He
recommended against it. Apparently he was afraid it would cause
structural damage. To remove that much rust would weaken the steel.
Admittedly there has been some erosion where the sheet metal sides
attach to the frame. This complaint was brought up by the cows. They
worried about sliding a foot through the four inch gap that circles the
trailer. I have always looked on that gap as good drainage to prevent
manure buildup. I take it the boys at the sale barn agree since they've
named my trailer the Valdez.
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