The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Anxiety while loading horses...

3K views 20 replies 15 participants last post by  Sharpie 
#1 ·
I try not to say this because I feel like a wuss, but here's my problem.

I have a huge anxiety about getting in the trailer with a horse. Even calm horses like my mare. I had a really big accident involving a normally calm horse pulling back and jumping ontop of me a year and a half ago and since then I've just been really, really nervous. I won't tie a horse in right away, I will shut the divider and then get out and crawl onto the window to tie them from the outside because I'm scared they'll pull back, hit the end of the tie, and panic.

We also had an accident where a horse pulled back, got severely hurt, and had to be put down at a barrel race. She was tied in and the owner got out, only the horse pulled back before she could get the divider shut. I won't go into details but I watched the whole thing and it freaked me out.

Being someone who works with difficult horses a lot of the time, I do my best to power through this. I can still get my horses in the trailer but I'm nervous the whole time and I feel really bad about it. Ever since these things happened I used to never be scared.

I dunno. Just a little voicing of my thoughts I guess o.o
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Many big time trainers suggest that you load your horse without getting into the trailer yourself, so it is possible to do so. I can understand that it's scary getting into an enclosed metal box with a 1,000 lb+ animal!
When I watch LOTR, I still cringe when the horse lays down next to Aragorn!! Please, PLEASE don't squish him!! He's too PRETTY!
You should look into online videos to help you to teach your horses to load themselves, and don't let anyone tell you that this is wrong. =D
 
#3 ·
Subbing to hear what people have to say because I have trailer anxiety yet nothing bad has happened except for my horse pulling back and snapping a rubber trailer tie. It was enough to freak me out, even though nothing horrible happened.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#4 ·
Absolutely normal!!! You have a healthy respect and fear and have a healthy attitude towards horses and trailer safety. The best thing you can do is teach your horse to self load and pop that divider or butt bar up THEN reach in the man window and tie them. Sometimes I don't even tie......wear are they going to go?

I have never liked being in a trailer or any tight space with a horse......I do it if I absolutely have too, otherwise I work a way around getting myself in that predicament:wink:
 
#5 ·
This is why I have to have horses that will self load. Too many things can happen when you're in the trailer and there's no room to escape easily. If I need to be in there with a horse, I'm as fast as possible to get what I need done and then get out of there.
 
#6 ·
We had a couple horses who would load by themselves...But then we just kinda didn't. Selena is a great loader, but my Mom's mare Lexi has been in two (Yes, two) trailer accidents where the trailer has been hit and is very anxious in one. (For good reason!) So I refuse to get in the trailer with her, or if I do, I put her in the second slot and dart out the escape door. I'm not sure if I can get her to the point where she will self load...And I would still have to get in to do the divider, and butt bar too, the way my stock trailer is.

I had been playing with the idea of it with Selena...Thanks for the advice guys.
 
#7 ·
I don't tie them before I have the divider shut either. It just seems like an accident waiting to happen if they were to pack up, hit the end, hit their head...Ugh. I throw the lead rope out the window (slant load) and practice walking out with them standing so they know not to follow me out.

I hate loading into two horse straight loads or loading the last horse on a slant. I'm always afraid they are going to step back while tied and off the ledge and catch their leg under the bumper...

Oh, I also practice her being half in and half out of the trailer.
 
#8 ·
^ Yes, that.

I'm only almost 18, I have been lucky enough to have a two horse straight load given to me to pull behind my truck (It's a little truck), and I always put the horse in with food and a couple cookies up front, throw the lead rope out the window, and hop out to shut their butts in while they're happily munching....Just my own paranoia, give them incentive to stay in there. I don't really have a choice with that trailer.

I agree, I'm scared of them getting stuck under the trailer too. Even calm horses, anything can happen.

Sometimes Selena bothers me because while I am confident she won't pull back, she turns her head back to look at me when I shut the door or will stick her head ALLL the way out the window. She's tiny so she fits, but I worry about her getting stuck with her head backwards or hitting her head on the window pulling it back in before I can get it shut. :oops:
 
#9 · (Edited)
I'll add a litle something to the thread.
First get the wheels on the trailer ballanced. Most don't, and if you want to know why, just get into the trailer while it is being towed at highway speed. It shakes and rattles and the road noise is deafening. And we expect the horse to enjoy the experience.

Loading. I never lead a horse into the float its a recipe for distaster, and I never stand behind the horse either. I have been taught to load the horse from behind, while standing well out of the way. Train the horse to self load but first it has to be a good experience for the horse. Teach it that a trailer is its safe place and it will self load.

The two photos are one the young lady a parelli trainer teaching the horse and me to load. You will notice she stands at the left side of the float and the horse is loading on the right. Its a two horse float so there is some considerable distance between them. The other photo is me (not my best side) getting taught by the youngster how it should be done. The other thing is, don't be in the frame of mind the horse is going to back out, because it will. If it does just put it back in again. Once it learns its a safe place to be then close the bar. Once the horse is doing it the way you want, load and unload for 10 days so it gets it firmly into its head.
Good luck.
Horse Horse supplies Vehicle Trailer Mare


Horse Mammal Vertebrate Horse supplies Stallion
 
#11 ·
I trained my guys to load up themselves. That way I have a straight escape out if they do freak. So I'll flip the lead over their back, tell them "load up" then follow behind to close the divider.

Then go out and around and clip on the quick release trailer strap


from the window.

We NEVER tie them with their leads. Well either loop the leads around their necks or toss them over their backs.

Then to unload we go reverse order. Unclip the tie, go open the divider and they're trained to back SLOWLY when we cluck or pull their tails
 
#13 ·
All 3 of our horses self load. Even the 3 yr old. The problem I've had is getting them to back out. I end up having to go in there with them to get them to back out, because otherwise they will turn around and go out forward. Which is great for some trailers and not for others. My mare almost got stuck in a friend's trailer trying to turn around when there wasn't room to turn around. So now I practice backing her out of every trailer she gets into. :-( And the 3 year old is a BEAR to try to get to back out. Sigh.

I also have been in the trailer with a horse (my first horse) who hit the end of the rope and panicked while I was up front in the trailer with him. Being in a tiny cubicle with a thrashing horse is scary and you realize you could die in there. Luckily the horse quit thrashing and I was able to get him untied. But you always remember those experiences!
 
#14 ·
I won't tie a horse in right away, I will shut the divider and then get out and crawl onto the window to tie them from the outside

I get that you are nervous because you had a bad experience, but I see nothing wrong with what you are doing.

It's rare I load alone as I am bad at driving with a trailer. But if I am alone, I do a similar thing. I would get horse in, tie, go back do butt bar, put up rear door, then go back in the little escape door and make sure that I tied with enough length and everything is well.

The only thing that's different is that you are poking your nose into the trailer rather than actually getting in. So what. No big deal. I think that's fine. Do what you are comfortable with.
 
#15 ·
aldebono and OP, I'd like to see you BOTH teach your horses to self- load. But, honestly, horses that trailer WELL are not gonna panic in the trailer. When we were new to horse ownership (and Stupid!!) we used to travel with 5 horses in a 4-horse straight load stock. We'd load the 1st two, then the back left, then the back right, and then, "Toma" would load himself in the middle, in the back.

Toma is the stocky paint, left
Sometimes he'd bite the necks of the other two horses, but I tied everybody. The POINT is that if you have no slip mats, and pull out and slow down S l o w l y, JUST like the semi's do, your horse will load, travel and unload without any drama.
 
#16 ·
She self loads in a two horse straight load. Really no room to walk them in and we took the divider out so it is easier for them to self load. In my 3 horse slant, there is plenty of room to move around but the opening is a single door (saddle rack behind the other door) and not as inviting. She also hasn't been hauled much and is generally not an easy walk on. Self loading in the slant will be another good life skill to practice.
 
#17 ·
Nothing wrong at all with being nervous! THAT will keep you safe because you won't let your guard down. Versus someone who's going about it not paying attention and doesn't see the wreck coming....

I love self-loading horses. It completely prevents the human from having to go in the trailer. Last time I practiced with my 2-yr-old, he self-loaded into the back slant (trickiest, smallest-looking spot). Such a good boy!

Now, if anyone has any tips on teaching your horse to self-unload, well I'd love to hear it! Because I haven't figured that out yet. I'm still having to get into the trailer to unload them. (On one hand, I don't mind that, because they don't rush to get off the trailer when that door is opened. )

But a few basic safety things I keep in mind:
--Horses must have on their breakaway halters to be trailered. I won't have anyone getting "hung" if we get into a car accident.
--Horses do NOT get tied until the dividers are closed and the back door is latched. In the rare event they would bolt backwards, they won't be trapped to their lead.
--Horses get untied BEFORE the back door is opened and before dividers are opened. Same problem averted.
(I drop down the windows to facilitate hooking and unhooking them from the ties.)
--All trailer ties have quick-release snaps on the window side (not the horse side).
--Fly masks get put on after the horse is loaded, and get taken off before they are unloaded. I feel it helps them to see things better and judge distances better.
--Horses are never trailed without hay in front of them, and without shipping boots or standing wraps protecting their legs.
--And as the pictures above that someone else posted depict: Always stand off to the side of your self-loader so you are not in harms way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Corporal
#18 ·
This is a big issue for me too. I've had a horse suddenly try to turn around and bolt out of the trailer while I was in there, and although no one was hurt, it scared the heck out of me. Since then, I've been keen on horses self-loading. I must admit though, that trailering and travelling with horses in general makes me pretty nervous. Really brings out the paranoid worrier in me!

Now, if anyone has any tips on teaching your horse to self-unload, well I'd love to hear it! Because I haven't figured that out yet. I'm still having to get into the trailer to unload them. (On one hand, I don't mind that, because they don't rush to get off the trailer when that door is opened. )
I've taught my mare to back up using voice cues ('back up' to move, and 'woah' to stop). Originally I used it when getting her to square up, give me more space at the hitching rail, or when she was invading my space, but I've realized that it works for unloading too. I feel a lot better not having to go into the trailer to unload, because that's always the scariest part for me.
 
#19 ·
Here are 2 ways to train/practice trailer loading without the trailer.
Buy 3 landscape timbers and create an open box. Use THIS for practice.
Train your horse to go into the barn with a human width (34"-42" wide) door. The concepts are the same to the horse.
I used to lead my lesson horses into the building where I kept hay, and had extra tack, etc. when I taught. Small width doors never bothered them. It was almost pitchy black in there, too, so they got used to a small door and a dark place. My current barn has a 34" wide door and I lead through THAT all of the time. My horses will load themselves in my 4-horse slant, with a 1/2-width opening in the back, no trouble. It's just a matter a familiarity.
 
#21 ·
I wouldn't say I'm anxious about loading horses myself. I'd call it a healthy desire not to get hurt or killed. I will go in a trailer if I must, but have trained my horse and myself such that it isn't necessary. I stand to the driver's side corner, lead rope in hand and tell my boy to load up. As he does, I toss the lead over his back and follow him in a step to latch the divider in my 2H slant. Then I shut the door and walk around the outside to his head and clip the quick release trailer tie to his halter. To unload, I unclip his halter, open the door and unlatch and open the divider. He'll either turn around and unload himself, or I will tell him to 'whoa,' go into the trailer (on the left, to his head, avoiding his butt) and back him out.

The part I hate is unlatching the divider. If he chose that moment to fly backwards, I would either be run over by his rear or hit by that thing. I don't like it a bit. Maybe I'll see if I can unlatch that from a window... hmmm.

Your anxiety isn't abnormal- it's your brain trying to keep you safe. Listen to it. I've seen people and horses injured too often going in and out of trailers, and the only good way to avoid it is to do lots of practice so it's low-stress and everyone knows the (safe) routine.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top