You might think that the further you have your mirrors out, the better it is. But that only works to a point. After that, problems can start to occur.

The reason to have side mirrors is more than just seeing if something is there. You also want to use them to align the side of your vehicle with other objects when backing. Those objects could be other vehicles you're backing between or a garage you're backing into.

Generally, you want to be able to look into either side mirror and see the entire side of your vehicle from the rear portion of your driver's or passenger's door to the back of the vehicle. When hauling, you want your mirrors to include the sides of your trailer. If the trailer is wider than your truck, the mirrors may have to stick further out to see the sides of the trailer. But don't give in to the temptation to move the mirrors much further out than they need to be or you'll be "clipping" objects when backing or even when driving into narrow spaces.

There are many more requirements to keep you and your horse(s) safe while towing and more articles on this topic will be forthcoming. Remember, your horse's life depends on proper towing vehicle, trailer, and towing driving expertise. Towing horses properly and safely is much more than just driving a vehicle with more weight.

Besides being an avid trail rider, Jerry Tardif is a computer consultant and a horse and nature photographer in SE Connecticut — see his work at: www.jerrytardif.com. He is also co-founder and President of QueryHorse, the largest equine information resource on the Internet.