Instructions
Back the truck towards the trailer coupler. Use the side and rear mirrors. A second person can stand next to the trailer and use hand signals or voice commands to help the driver maneuver the truck.
Drop the coupler by using the crank. It should fit snugly over the truck's hitch ball. Slide the metal sleeve down over the coupler. Insert the locking pin and clip. The clip looks like a bobby pin and secures the locking pin.
Attach the safely chains to the sides of the truck hitch or the bumper, depending on the type of hitch. The "S" hooks slide into any opening on the hitch.
Insert the electrical plug into the receiver---next to the hitch---on the truck. This transfers the blinkers and brake lights to the trailer.
Remove any blocks of wood or large stone behind the trailer tire wheels and below the coupler. These keep the trailer from rolling backwards without the support of the truck. In older models where the coupler does not support itself, trailer owners use blocks of wood to support the front of the trailer.
Adjust your mirrors, so you can see the sides and rear of the trailer. Put the truck into drive and ease forward.
How to Hook Up a Horse Trailer
Hooking up a horse trailer is a multi-step process that requires several attempts to perfect. Horse trailers come in bumper pull and gooseneck. Bumper pull trailers range between 10 to 18 feet in length. Gooseneck trailers exceed 20 feet in length, largely due to the higher weight rating of a gooseneck hitch. Because of the location of the hitch for a gooseneck trailer, gooseneck trailers require more precision to connect to the truck. Start with a bumper pull trailer and practice regularly before attempting to hitch up a gooseneck trailer.