# Loading a stubborn horse into a trailer



## MegzzKid (Jul 14, 2013)

Hey everyone

I have a 4 almost 5 yo cob who is majorly stubborn, especially when it comes to loading him into a trailer. He's not afraid of going in. A lot of the time he takes an hour to load, and am trying to find an quicker way to load him. Tried heaps of methods. But open to hear all your ideas. Please help!


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

There are many threads about this. Do a search and you should find lots of suggestions. 

My method has been to feed the horse only in the trailer for as long as it takes for the horse to go in when told, without being led. This has gotten me through a couple of trailer traumas that caused injury and my horse loads without a problem. Now she goes in the trailer when I'm cleaning it, just because I'm in there. And when she sees the trailer, she comes to the gate as in, "Where are we going today?"


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## ConnieSB (Jan 9, 2012)

You may find this link helpful. I believe Julies posts on here also, I saw her trailer loading video on HF. Great tips on her website

http://slaterhorsetraining.com/training/


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

NorthernMama said:


> There are many threads about this. Do a search and you should find lots of suggestions.
> 
> My method has been to feed the horse only in the trailer for as long as it takes for the horse to go in when told, without being led. This has gotten me through a couple of trailer traumas that caused injury and my horse loads without a problem. Now she goes in the trailer when I'm cleaning it, just because I'm in there. And when she sees the trailer, she comes to the gate as in, "Where are we going today?"


This works, but you may need to keep the trailer hooked up to a truck when you do it. Basing this on a lady's experience I knew of years ago.

As pointed out, there are many threads and ways to go about getting a horse to load better.


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## princessfluffybritches (Aug 10, 2012)

The best thing I've found is to create a pressure on the lead rope. Don't pull back, just set it. The horse has to take a step forward to relieve the pressure. My philosophy is that I can wait longer than my horse. So she can stand there with pressure on the lead, or take a step forward, but NOT a step back. Make sure you have a lot of time. This does take less and less time. Tell the horse he can stand there all day with pressure on the lead, or take a step forward. Then after the horse stepping, take a step back putting pressure on the lead and wait. Just keep going, eventually, horse will learn that he will have to step forward to get the reward of relief. If you just constantly pull, there's no reward.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

I never use bribing to get a horse to load. I also don't like to lead the horse in. For your safety, you should remain outside until the horse is in. 

There are two methods I use to teach a horse to load. However, before I try to teach them, I make sure the rest of their groundwork is in order. They need to lead well, lunge well, yield both the front and rear end and most importantly, know how to back on command. You don't want to get a horse in a trailer and it won't back out, like in a straight load where it isn't possible to turn around. 

First method I do is apply pressure with tapping their rear to go forward. By the time I train to load, it usually only takes a single tap for them to know to move forward. Tap and slowly increase how hard you tap until they step forward or check out the trailer by sniffing it. Quit tapping, wait a second or two and repeat. 

The second is to work outside and rest inside.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## TessaMay (Jul 26, 2013)

when my mare decides she doesn't feel like getting into the trailer I use a butt rope on her. The only downside is that it takes three people to do. 

Take a long rope and tie each end to the back of the trailer, so that it makes one big loop out behind the trailer. You will want it to be longer than the horses body by several feet. Lay the tied rope out on the ground behind the trailer and lead your horse up to the back. Have your two helpers, standing behind and to the side of the horse each take the opposite side of the rope so that it crosses over behind the horse. Have them keep the rope snug on the horses butt, but only tighten if the horse tries to back out as you lead him in. When he realizes there is something behind keeping him from backing up he will probably walk in.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I just had a trainer help me with a similar issue with my horse. He'd lead right up to the trailer and then just stop and refuse to get in. I'd get him in eventually but it would take a LONG time. 

The trainer realized that his problem wasn't so much in getting in, so much as that he didn't like getting out. He'd kind of leap out and, since he's shod on the front, would end up sliding a bit on the pavement. To get him in, we found that what worked best was to lead him up to the trailer, then walk into the trailer whether he was following or not, keeping a light but steady pressure on the lead rope. If I got about halfway into the trailer without him making an effort to follow, all I had to do was turn around and swing the end of the rope (12' lead with a leather popper) at his shoulder (not hard, just enough to brush him), and this was enough to convince him to get in. We ended up spending most of the time working on his unloading. By the end of the hour, he was following me right into the trailer, standing still while I closed the divider on him (another big issue he had), stopping halfway out while unloading (back feet in the trailer, front feet on the pavement), and backing BACK into the trailer from that position. He's still a little unsure when unloading, but now I let him take his time and reward him for taking slow, thoughtful steps instead of leaping out.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

I know, to each their own, but ...

If you had him back out of the trailer, he can't leap out. Also, I try to never be in the trailer while the horse is loading for safety sake. Once the horse goes in and is standing nicely, then I enter to tie them up.

What if all you had was a straight load that he couldn't turn around in? Since he's used to turning around, it could end up with him stuck in there. Just saying. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BreakableRider (Aug 14, 2013)

I teach trailer loading as I teach everything else, making the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult. Your horse should have a solid groundwork foundation and should be able to lunge without lugging on your hands as well as yield his hind end and move his front end over. 


Stand near the trailer and lunge him around, it doesn't need to be fast as you aren't out to tire him out physically, a jog will do. You'll be working on his mind here and getting him to think that being near the trailer is a pretty cool place to be. Jog him around and do changes of direction away from the trailer. On the side of the circle that he is close to the trailer as for a downward transition to a walk. Being near the trailer will be a resting place and away harder work. 

Since he is comfortable being near the trailer you can start to walk forward while lunging him till you are standing next to the open trailer. At this point you will be working on 3/4 of a circle since you'll be standing by it. As he goes away from the trailer have him trot as he's going near it a walk. If he'd like to stop and sniff the trailer, great! Give him a nice big rest and let him hang out there, if he gets distracted put him back to work. Any time he wants to go near it awesome! 

You are NOT trying to force him in, you'll just get into a big fight that you'll lose. 

If he locks up on you at any point, do NOT increase the pressure on him, just keep very light pressure on his halter and wait him out, as soon as he gives you even a teeny step, release. The same if he's backing up, just hold that pressure and go with him, as soon as a hoof steps forward release. If you keep pressure, even after he has tried, there will be no point in him trying. 

You'll find that he most likely jump in and out a few times too, that's fine, let him get comfortable in there. A very good thing to do is when he does start to get in, only allow one hoof. Then back that one out. When that's good ask for both front hooves etc. This will prevent an anxious horse that rushes out of the trailer because he will be confident in backing out. 

I hope this helps.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

As you are English, do you have access to a trailer with a side ramp? If so, borrow it, and put the ramp down. It's the tight spaces they don't like. 

Once your horse loads every time, and it should be easier, then move to a trailer without the side ramp.


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