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The secret to trailer loading is "Make the right thing easy, and the wrong thing difficult." A horse learns not from pressure, but from the release of pressure. Pressure can be simply tossing the end of the halter rope at the horse. When you stop tossing, then that is a release of pressure. At the start you will ask the horse to move towards the trailer. If the horse moves towards the trailer then you release the pressure to reward the horse. If the horse looks into the trailer you will release pressure and reward the horse. The goal is to "look for the smallest change... reward for the smallest try". If the horse moves away from the trailer then you apply pressure by tossing the end of the halter rope.
Remember, if the horse wants to step out of the trailer, or move away from the trailer, let them. You will then need to make the wrong thing difficult (I am not talking about whipping the horse! Pressure just means make them move faster, or move the hind end etc...). The horse will start to learn that the inside of a trailer is a very good place. You can let the horse rest for a few seconds to reward being in the trailer. I have taught a few horses to trailer load this way, and it really works.
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Quarter Horses, nothing is better!
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