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Trailering: stage two

2K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  Saddlebag 
#1 ·
Hello all,
I have a 16 yr old Arab mare who is a very inconsistent "trailer-er." Allow me to explain. For a long time, getting her on the trailer could take HOURS of your time. I have worked with her extensively on this, and for a year had her self loading. After that we lost access to a trailer that we could work with consistently and she regressed quite a bit. Some days she's a peach, other days she's a...witch or something like that ;)
At this point I have her loading regularly with a few issues: issue 1. she will load up and then shoot straight out of the trailer before anyone has enough time to latch her in or clip her halter. Issue 2: if you have a second person around, she refuses to load. She "sees the trick coming" and does NOT want to be latched in there

Interesting fact? She is perfectly sane and calm once she's latched in. No issues while in transport at all.

While I appreciate all advice and opinions, please save yourself the trouble if you have any food motivated tips. She simply does not care about oats, hay, her favorite treats, etc. Sometimes a peppermint can work to stall her from backing up about a second longer once already loaded, but clearly this is not a solution, just a patch job.

Thanks everyone!!
 
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#2 ·
Questions that came to my mind were, when she's been loaded in the past, what percentage of the trailering excursions were

to the vet
to a show or ride
to a breeder

I've known horses who have trailering issues after one negative experience that they equate in their own minds with loading up. If such is the case, maybe it's something you can recall and connect the dots.

You can try facing the trailer, if possible, so that her head is facing her paddock and home base, when you load her. That may help.

If you think the loading issue is due to something she equates as a bad experience and involved travel, even if you have to trick her to get her in, just toodling around the block and heading home, unloading her, and repeating the little jaunts that aren't "going anywhere" might help her develop a new and more positive memorable experience. ?
 
#3 ·
she never trailers for the vet-- that would be a full day of work-- I'll take the barn fee lol. It's always for a show or ride or for little jaunts as you mentioned. I was on the same page with you originally but it hasnt seemed to phase her. As I said-- once loaded she's an angel, she just doesn't like the initial experience of being locked into place. She'll walk on and off the trailer all day or ride it all day but trying to get her to stand to be locked in is a rough deal! lol I may try backing her in but it sounds a little dangerous on a ramp if she were to trip but she's calm enough that I will certainly give it a shot!!
 
#7 ·
Work her hard outside the trailer, either riding or on the ground. Make the trailer her place of "rest". I'm not an NH fanatic and I don't follow any particular NH trainer but this is one of those things where I would really suggest looking at some of Clinton Anderson's stuff. He has a really good trailer loading video out somewhere (I saw it on RFD quite a while back where he was working with a mare that sounds a lot like yours).

Basically the idea is that every time she resists loading or shoots back off the trailer after she loads, put her to work immediately; lunging, changing directions, backing up, sidepassing, anything to get her sucking air. When she's breathing hard, load her again and so long as she stays in the trailer, let her stand and catch her breath. If she comes running back out the trailer, put her back to work and start again.
 
#8 ·
I wonder if you simply didn't tie her if she would stop backing out. I don't know what type of trailer you have, if she wants to ride loose and you don't feel it's unsafe for her, maybe that's the only solution. She may even want to turn around if she's able to in your trailer and ride butt forward lol, some horses are more comfortable riding that way. ?
 
#10 ·
I get done working my horse he runs to the trailer and paws at the door. If she shoots off the back of the trailer keep right on backing her, HARD, back back back at a really fast walk. Walk up to the trailer, if she stops making forward progress, repeat.
Alot of these issues can be worked in the round pen with some creative obstacles. GAry Lane's videos really worked well for me on this. I can teach a horse to load without ever seeing a trailer. You teach the horse to go where you point. Make him step over logs, up steps over steps, over and around car tires. Over a ditch, on a tarp, through a sprinkler. I do it all the time. Gets the horse to trust I wont hurt him and to go where I point. When you get to the trailer it's just another obstacle to navigate.
 
#11 ·
At this point I have her loading regularly with a few issues: issue 1. she will load up and then shoot straight out of the trailer before anyone has enough time to latch her in or clip her halter. Issue 2: if you have a second person around, she refuses to load. She "sees the trick coming" and does NOT want to be latched in there
I learned a long time ago that person #2 owns the straw broom that whacks them in the butt when they don't get right on and stay on. The longer you take, the harder it is.
 
#12 ·
I give the horse about 5' of lead and start moving it's hindquarters laterally. It's easy for me as I'm walking straight ahead in small circles while the horse's hindquarters make large circles. They aren't designed to move this way so it's harder work. At first the horse will move readily then will want to quit. Walk it to the trailer straight on and ask it to load. A brief hesitation is ok but the moment she turns her head away, repeat with the lateral work. You are making it her choice to work her butt off or load. If she backs out before you want, just repeat the exercise. She will find the trailer is a place to rest.
 
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