Obtaining roadside assistance from USRider, the national provider of roadside emergency assistance for equestrians, is a piece of cake for its traveling members. They simply call the toll-free number on the back of their membership card. But what if you're in a rural area and your cell phone has died?

"Quite frequently, we hear from members who have a roadside emergency that point out that the battery is very low on their cellular phones," said Mark Cole, managing member for USRider. USRider is in its ninth year providing emergency roadside assistance to horse owners.

"A cellular phone is of no use when the battery is dead, and worse yet, we cannot assist if you cannot contact us," added Cole.

For this reason, USRider recommends that horse owners purchase and carry with them a 12-volt plug-in power adapter for cellular phones when traveling with their horses. Be sure to plug in and test the power adapter to make sure that it will work in an emergency. Perform this test in all vehicles that you travel in–this will ensure that the 12-volt accessory socket in your vehicle is working as well