Bought a nice barrel mare in February and she's been an absolute dream. However she quickly turns into a nightmare when it comes to the trailer. We have a straight load and she'll get in with some persuading but getting off is the problem. It's every time I get in to put the lead on and back her off she'll get panicking like she just needs to get off the second she sees me. The worst it's gotten was when I took her to practice barrels and my boyfriend got the door open and the butt bar wasn't down yet. She proceeded to try to a rush out of the trailer and got stuck under the butt bar, she was calm once she was under it though and no serious damage was done, just bruises and a week off. I worked with her for three hours today trying to get the trailer to be a safe place for her and she got her front two feet in but refused to get the back feet in. If she did decide to put her entire body on the trailer she would immediately start to get anxiety and rush backwards off the trailer. I am becoming extremely frustrated and would love any advice on how to correct this. Any idea on how to help is greatly appreciated!
If she gives well to pressure try a loop of rope around her butt & up to her hips with the end over her back which you hold while leading. Same as babies are sometimes taught to lead. Also back her & use the rope to stop.
Practice outside of the trailer just walking around. When she's good with that try inside the trailer with the rope used to rate her speed as she backs off. I've fixed a few rushers like that.
First question: does your horse FIT in the trailer? Straight loads tend to be smaller so it's important to make sure it's not too small for your horse.
You have a ground work problem. A leading problem. You are unable to move your horse's feet where you want them to go.
Wen I got my horse Red, he was terrible about trailer loading. So was my aunt's horse Romeo I used last year. I also barrel race and we haul every single weekend, so I need a horse that hops willingly into the trailer.
I wrote this post up a while ago. I suggest you read the whole thing.
It's about improving your ground work with your horse so that trailer loading becomes a breeze. It does not matter what type of trailer you have. Step-up vs. ramp is irrelevant, as is straight vs. slant. If you've done your homework, they'll load into anything.
It's about improving your ground work with your horse so that trailer loading becomes a breeze. It does not matter what type of trailer you have. Step-up vs. ramp is irrelevant, as is straight vs. slant. If you've done your homework, they'll load into anything.
I would love to read this...but it isn't loading correctly, or at least on my computer.
I went through a search and pages of threads showed but which one is yours???:sad:
I've seen some straight loads that are like coffins and some that are like walking into an airy barn. Make sure you open it up FULLY, if yours is more the coffin type see if you can borrow someone elses to practice. Go really slow. I'd really go slow with the going in to, I think the better she is with loading the better she will be with unloading.
If she's antsy just seeing you then stand there for a bit. Hang out, snap the lead then unsnap and walk away, etc, just chill and don't worry about unloading.
If she's concerned about the drop backing her over a drop (not on the trailer) and saying "step" may give her some more confidence. Is your boyfriend a horse guy? Have whoever is behind stand safely to the side but keep a hand on her bum and talk to her, they can also help with "step". (I wouldn't have a non horse person do that though for safety reasons)
I grew up with straight load trailers. We didn't take our big trailer unless we were going overnight, because with just me and Mom showing, it was easier just to take two horses and go.
Then I went to work for a well renowned, old time NRCHA trainer. He had three straight load trailers and again, the big trailer was not taken unless we were staying overnight. I hauled everything for him in a two horse straight.
For me, attitude is a lot of it. I don't baby my horses. They get in the trailer and they get out, end of story. There's no treats or "It's okay, precious...." from me. If they refuse to get in, I thread the line through the window and use the whip until they figure out being inside with their hay bag is a lot better than a whack on the rump. If they won't get out, same deal. I had one that I left with the doors open, untied in horse camp for three hours because she locked up and wouldn't get out. Eventually figured it out, but there's no sympathy from me for unwillingness to try.
With your horse, if I have one who really wants to rush, I'll work them as soon as they set foot off. Scared or not, it's not excuse. You would be surprised how many start to like the trailer if they feel like they are going to have to work when they rush out of it.
Similarly, this is a miles issue. After time and being hauled frequently, I find they settle down.
My very first trailer was a small 2 horse straight load. My mare who had always been great about travelling, started to scrabble in trailer:sad:. She lost shoes,ripped up wraps etc. She never gave me any trouble about loading or unloading in fact she pretty much did it herself :wink:Her scrambling behavior was not good & was worried she'd hurt herself:eek_color:. I finally decided to remove the divider in trailer & that solved the problem. don't know if she felt claustrophobic or what,but that extra space made all the difference!!
As an update, I worked with her today and used some of the advice given to me from all of you. Eventually got her to the point where I'd walk her right in and she'd be fine. However if I got off or simply went to the other side of the divider and got back next to her she'd start to shake and breathe very heavy and rushed out again. Just very confused at this point, I haven't ever been cruel to this horse but she was in two auctions previous to my ownership and when I first got her she was extremely head shy so while I don't know her past I have a slight suspicion that she was mistreated. She did calmly back off once today so happy with that just confused as to why when she sees me she feels the need to fly off. I also tried to see if it was a buddy issue so I put my other mate next to her and she was slower about rushing off but she still did rush off.
She's panicking in the trailer and/or flying off because she's not ready to be loaded all the way yet.
That is the concept of the approach/retreat method I posted. You load (partially) and unload so many times so that you can control their feet 100% of the time, and so they start to crave being in the trailer. Plus, at the same time, you're teaching the horse how to back their feet off the trailer.
It is NOT about getting your horse on the trailer. It's about controlling the feet. If you can't stop her from backing (or flying) off the trailer, you clearly don't have control of her feet.
Her past history is irrelevant. It doesn't matter. Train your horse.
The only times IMO that the horse's past is relevant is if they've been in a trailer accident or had to scramble in the trailer due to a bad clueless driver.
If she's determined to unload as soon as you got off, make that trailer a good place to be---try feeding her in it twice a day for a few days. Also use the approach and retreat method as was suggested so you don't blow her mind----don't close the door until she's calm and just standing in the trailer eating. Then close it while she eats, increasing the time as she adjusts to the trailer as not being scary.
She has had an accident in the trailer before as stated in my original post. I have read the article and I did not get her fully on the trailer, I am training my horse, I just found a different method that works that wasn't the article you posted...
Today I had her step her front two feet in and I had her take one foot to step back and stand. She did very very well just doing that and wasn't rushing to get out. She waited for me to give her the cue to take a step back and would patiently stand until I told her otherwise. Going to keep doing this for a while until I feel that she's ready to be fully loaded. I have been giving her grain in the trailer morning and night with our sessions being in the afternoon, it seems to help a lot.
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