I have had good luck with working/lunging the horse right outside the trailer. If I have a horse that wont load I start asking it to trot circles around me right outside the trailer. Everytime it passes the trailer door I lay off the pressure, when its thinking about walking I offer it to load in the trailer, if they say no then its back to work. I do not loudly drive the horse around, I just ask them to trot circles. Now if you offer to load and the horse jumps right in, they get a long quiet break, sometimes I will even toss some grain in there for them. After their break I unload them turn them around and ask them to load again if they load then we carry on with our trip, if not then its back to trotting. The idea with this method is that the trailer is a quiet retreat and being outside the trailer means you will have to work, they can choose. Another thing I always make sure my horses lead and back off of a soft feel, I barely have to pick up the lead to ask them to walk forward and I barely wiggle it to get a back. It just helps them from getting sticky feet. Its all in the ground work. I hope this helps you out.

 

This is what I tried before going to trying tapping him with the whip. He doesn't fully know how to longe yet I guess some people think its bad to lunge TWH? I don't think it really is though, so I've started teaching him how. So far I've mainly just taught him how to send though. So I'll send him back and forth between the trailer and I and then I'll try to send him into the trailer. If he goes and puts his head in he gets a break, if he refuses to go to it, then we go back to what we were doing

 

I would not look at using the whip more as a way to solve this, as if he's starting to rear with that kind of pressure, he may actually rear next time, and you'll start him down a road with worsening habits.
something is making him not feel ok about getting into that trailer, and forcing him will work sometimes, but will eventually backfire.

I think the above advice is very good, about working, without punishment or emotion, and then "offering" to go in and all. it's what I would try, though I readily admit to being very inexperienced with trailer loading.

 

Some weird things I've noticed worked for my gelding who doesn't like to trailer. I don't look back at him if I am leading him in, I make sure that I walk confident, I don't ever let him back up (outside of the trailer) or leave the trailer opening, My gelding will throw a little fit and rear, but if I hold on to him, keeping him by the door, kind of ignore it and then ask him to come in he gives it up. I always tie him up somewhere for 5-10 minutes before its time to load, that seems to get the best result. if I seem like I am in a rush, he refuses.... they know if you have a time schedule so pretend like you've got all day! If being nice fails, lunging in a tight trot works so he will want to rest in the trailer.
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Hehe thats actually how a trainer taught me to teach my other horse how to self load! Worked wonders for him! Does NOT work wonders for this horse though

I've tried making him work and resting at the trailer, pressure and release, tapping with the dressage whip to ask him to go forward (also worked well with my other horse), bribery, zig zagging to the trailer...lol! I dunno hes quite stubborn. The second his friend was on though he hopped on no problem at all? So I don't know if its something about leaving his friends? Then when I get home he'll hop right on for his grain in the trailer I'm changing his diet some though, so that may have some impact on it. I think what I was giving him didn't fully agree with him, he just seemed to get a little hotter when I started him on the ration balancer I've been using for years with my other horse.

 

TWH need a longer line, to lunge. Most lunge lines are about 22', they need 30. You can also ask the horse to face the trailer then back him up hard for a good 30' then walk him forward. Keep your focus in the trailer, not him. If he stops, back him up hard again. Backing up is quite tiring. Usually after the second time, which has to be farther than the first, they are more willing to step into the trailer. It may take a third time as it often takes three times for the horse to make the connection. If you decide to back him he has to hustle, no dawdling. Use a crop or whip to tap his chest as you pull with the lead.

 

Who knows why horses will sometimes do something, and other times won't. Without actually being there and witnessing everyone's emotional state, level of excitement, tiredness, ect. it is hard to say.

I want to say something about using food and I say why not? It's called positive reinforcement. A little reward for getting into a claustrophobic, horse eating box does not seem unreasonable. You get paid to go to work, why not give him a little something for his work. I would practice when there is not stress, once or twice a couple times a week then leave it alone. Let him get in the trailer get his treat, and get out on cue, don't make a big production, take your time and let him figure it out. If he already loads sometimes then he can load all the time, but you cannot let your emotions get in the way. By practicing he will get confident and loading will become a stress free thing for both of you.

When I got my two horse trailer my gelding would not get in, I did not blame him. We went from a stock trailer to this little two horse. It took some practice but within a week he was loading confidently. Since he is very food motivated I used treats, and saw no problem using something he found valuable to make it easy for him. Now my horse loads himself into the straight load two horse trailer, I take the lead rope off say load up and he jumps in, one day I did not have the trailer completely hooked up yet and he was already in on his own. He knows there is a little treat waiting for him, and happily jumps in. I put the butt rope up, close the door walk up hook the trailer on and off we go.

 

I guess I feel using bribery doesn't really teach him to do it? But if you don't think its bad then I'll continue because it seems to be what works best for him. He's a very food motivated little dude!

After he self loaded to get to his treat.

I'll just tryyyyy to get to the barn earlier a few days a week when theres still light so I can hook my trailer up and feed him his dinner in there. Hopefully work will cooperate on me needing to feed my horse dinner in the trailer Hate how early it gets dark now

Thanks Saddlebags for that info! I will need to get a longer line then! I want to go over his ground work but I've been starting slow with it because of time/weather/lack of round pen/arena lol. I'll pick up a longer line though before I really start trying to lunge him I'll try the backing as well. I did try that some, but not exactly how you said to. I almost backed him around the whole parking lot lol! My friend was amazed at how stubborn he was being! I just can't believe how fast he hopped in when his friend was in there. Lack of trust/confidence in me that I'm asking him to go into a scary trailer will be safe?

 

I did also just realize, the two times its happened has been AFTER I added pine shaving bedding into my trailer? I meant to grab different bedding but wasn't paying attention and was in a hurry and grabbed big flake pine shavings. I wonder if that could have anything to do with it?