Loading A Horse In A Trailer

[crazyhorse]

What is the trick in loading a horse in a trailer? When we put one of our horses in a trailer, it will take us hours for it to safely enter the trailer. But even if its safely inside, its is uncomfortable and wants to get out by kicking and bumping.

So how do you load a horse into a trailer?

[UmYes?]

Hey, personally I don't know how.. I'm new to horses.. But I googled it for you!
http://www.horses-and-ponies.com/training/trailer.shtml

It should help.. If it doesn't, however, then someone more experienced with horses will have to let you know

[Willow]

One of the biggest mistake, people make, is facing the horse, it's like telling the animal: stop right here. It would take too long to type how to load and deal with problems. There are a few good sites on the net, which explain how to and what not to do. Just google for horse loading problems or similar. I bet you'll find valuable info.

[QuarterHorses]

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.

[BlackStallion]

I see some movies on loading a horse on a trailer and sometimes I also see this when they let out a horse from a trailer.

What I see and I think the best way to make a horse enter a trailer is for it not to see it. Load the horse with its tail first while talking to it and caressing its face while loading. I guess it give them security that you are there talking to them instead of pushing it into the trailer head first.

[Gizmo]

I have witnessed three times the loading and unloading of a horse from a trailer. Two of the times were not nice, lot of tension, both with owner and horse. The other time it seemed the horse and owner knew what needed to be done and it was done quickly and smothly.

I asked the owner how he managed to get it right, and he said he had spent alot of time to allow the horse to get to know the trailer the first time, and he just let him stand in the trailer for some time and then take him out. After a while the horse was sort of used to it...