Trailer Loading – It doesn’t have to be hell on wheels

My method of trailer loading is simple – if the horse is thinking about going inside the trailer then I leave the horse alone, but as soon as the horse stops thinking about going in the trailer then I start to bug
them.

Remember to do some before preparation by making sure your trailer is safe, clean, inviting, and not cluttered.

Practicing some ground work so your horse understands the cue for sending forward, and so the horse understands your tools are friendly is important for the success of trailer loading.

Timing is crucial because I want to reward the horse for thinking about going inside the trailer (just by standing still and leaving the horse alone to explore the trailer), but as soon as the horse stops thinking
about the trailer I start to bug them by keeping the horse’s nose pointed
toward the trailer and gently applying pressure behind the horse to start to
drive the horse forward.

You know the horse is thinking about going into the trailer when:

· The horse is intently looking at the trailer

· The horse is sniffing inside the trailer

· The horse is leaning into the trailer

· The horse is doing any movement towards the trailer

You never want to add pressure to a horse that is already thinking about going in the trailer – this is because the horse is already thinking about going in the trailer but is not comfortable
yet… if you force the horse in the trailer before the horse is ready, then it
will make for a panicky trailer ride and the horse may be even worse for
trailer loading next time.

If you take the time to allow the horse to thoroughly inspect the trailer and then allow the horse to offer to go into the trailer for you – the horse will be much easier to load the next time because of the
positive experience.

You know the horse is not thinking about going into the trailer when:

· The horse is exit seeking (trying to looking away from the trailer, as if searching for an exit to get away)

· The horse tries to pull away from the trailer

· The horse starts to go backwards

· The horse is looking anywhere but towards the trailer

It is super easy to get horses to trailer load – but it takes patience. You must put your partnership with the horse first, be patient for the horse to be comfortable, and then you must let the horse come off the
trailer and practice reloading until there is no hesitation when the horse
loads.

If you horse can load comfortably and without resistance, you are more likely to have a calm and relaxed trailering experience, which means your horse will be easy to load next time.

Handlers that force their horse onto the trailer may discover that their horse is:

· a nervous wreck on the trailer,

· flighty when exiting the trailer,

· nervous and anxious once unloaded,

· not wanting to be with the handler,

· exit seeking, and

· even worse to trailer load next time

Your goal is simple: ‘Keep the horse thinking about going in the trailer.’

Do this by rewarding the horse for thinking about going in the trailer, and making it uncomfortable when the horse isn’t thinking about going in the trailer.”

Rewarding the horse happens by simply standing quietly and not bugging the horse at all. Just stand and be patient. Allow the horse to think about the trailer and explore the trailer by sniffing, looking, and
eventually touching with his feet.

Never use treats to bribe a horse into the trailer!!! You can give the horse treats once they have successfully loaded onto the trailer. This is because you don’t want the horse to train you to give them treats – and
horse’s that are genuinely scared of the trailer won’t be bribed by treats.

A horse needs to feel safe – treats won’t make a horse feel safe. Allowing the horse to explore and think about the trailer will help the horse feel safe.

Giving a horse treats once the horse is on the trailer can help make the trailer seem to be a happy and positive place – but this is only after the horse has loaded into the trailer and realized that they are safe.

Here are your steps to safe and happy trailer loading:

1)Use a rope halter, 12 ft line, and arm extension stick with string.

2)Approach the trailer

3)You stand at the side of the trailer, right next to the trailer (so there is no space for the horse to go in between you and the trailer). You will be sending
the horse onto the trailer without you – this is the safest way because if the
horse panics or jumps onto the trailer, you will not be trapped or at risk of
getting hurt. This also builds confidence in the horse because they will have
to trailer without you – so the horse needs to be comfortable in the trailer
without you.

4)Observe your horse – if the horse is thinking about going in the trailer then leave the horse alone and do nothing. When the horse stops thinking about the trailer
follow these tips:

a.Keep the horse facing the trailer. Use your stick to block the horse from entering your space, and use the rope to correct the horse if they start to look away
from the trailer. You want to keep the horse’s nose facing the trailer.

b.If the horse backs up, keep a little pressure on the rope to direct the horse forward, but primarily drive the horse forward using your stick and string
putting pressure behind the horse. Remember as soon as the horse steps forward,
you need to stand still and do nothing to reward the horse.

c.If the horse is just standing still and not thinking about going in the trailer, start gently tossing the string over the horse’s hind end and/or flicking the
string behind the horse. The goal is to make it uncomfortable (NOT painful) –
being uncomfortable enough to cause the horse to start thinking about ‘what can
I do to get this annoying flicking to stop?’ The horse should then think ‘maybe
it has something to do with this large box’ and when your horse starts thinking
about the trailer again (by looking inside, smelling inside, etc) you leave the
horse alone again.

5)Unload your horse and reload: practice taking your horse off the trailer calmly, and then reloading the horse again. When you back the horse off the trailer be
careful NEVER to restrain the horse as they back up (that means don’t pull the
horse forward to try and slow down the horse, and be very sure the horse is not
tied at the front before the horse starts backing up. This can cause panic and
the horse may pop their head up to resist the pressure which means the horse
may hit their head on the ceiling of the trailer. Always allow the horse to
back off freely from the trailer. Reload the horse until the horse both enters
and exits the trailer calmly.

I have never seen this method take longer than 45 minutes the first time, and every other time it gets easier and easier because you have built trust.

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