hit the skids

Reader's Digest 1月号の記事 Keep Your MARRIAGE HAPPY からの抜粋です。
Luckily, scientists have identified some simple but powerful indicators that can help you recognise marital strife long before your relationship hits the skids.
"hits the skids" は文脈からして、（この場合結婚生活が）暗礁に乗り上げる様な意味と推測します。　辞書で確認します。
・Cambridge Idioms Dictionary: (Australian informal) to get into a very bad situation, especially by losing your money, home, or job: Poor old Dennis has really hit the skids since he split up with his wife.
・Cambridge Dictionary of American Dictionary: to fail His career really hit the skids after his divorce: Usage notes: often used in the form on the skids ( failing): I can't believe that a whole industry is on the skids.
・American Heritage Dictionary: Slang A path to ruin or failure: His career hit the skids. Her life is now on the skids.
・Dictionary.com: Informal . the downward path to ruin, poverty, or depravity: After losing his job he began to hit the skids.; on the skids, Slang . in the process of decline or deterioration: His career is on the skids.
"hit the skids"/"on the skids" は経験したくありませんが、誰にでもあるんですよね。