# First time trailering to the trails



## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

So today was Lizzy's first time trailering out to trails. We usually just ride the road until we get to trails. But today we took them to a new place.

Getting in the trailer took a little convincing but she apparently loads in fine but does not get out so easy. That step just terrifies her.

Any tips for tying? She ties fine if there's no grass under her but if there's food she has to have it. The goof even fell on her butt because she wrapped her feet up. But not to worry she knows if she can't get her feet free to just wait for me. And I was only 3 feet from her. She was tied to a tree so she could still eat but she wanted the grass that was out of reach of course. I keep looking for somewhere on property to tie her to that has grass under it for practice but so far no luck. Eventually she did give up and just stand.


----------



## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Snub her up tight so she can't get her head down. Doesn't take long for all but the dunderheads to figure out they can't reach the grass when snubbed tight. Of course the next thing is pawing in frustration about not being able to reach the grass...

Congratulations on taking her for her ride after trailering. If she liked it she'll quickly be hoping in and out of the trailer.


----------



## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Thanks. She goes in good. Throws a bit of a fit if not moving but nothing major. She just can't get out lol. She hates not seeing that step but that will take time. 

I didnt realize it but we went 20 miles so no wonder she was wanting back in the trailer hehe. 

Pawing, yes, my highest pet peeve next to horses that don't tie lol. So far no pawing. With the miles we put on I'm hoping eventually she will just be thankful for a moment of rest.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## peppersgirl (Aug 24, 2012)

Im jealous, that trail is so pretty! 

If your tying her to where shes getting her feet tangled, you are giving her far to much rope( what a gem for standing there waiting for you to help her, i had an older arabian X mare just like that). You want them to be able to put their polls at wither level for comfort if you are tying for a long period of time. but no further. I think all horses are like that when you ty them over good grass. lol they WANT it! until that is they learn they cant have it and no amount of pawing is going to get them that grass! 

I discovered my mare pepper had that backing out issue (same thing, terrified of the step down) when i bought my two horse straight load - Until the first time trying to back her out of it, it never occured to me that in larger trailers i ALWAYS turned her around and walked her out. 

What I did to cure this backing out problem was pressure and release. first of all i chose a day that i could devote sometime to this with out any time constraints( ended up taking me about three hours from start to finsh. I started small, and would just let her take a step back (you have to release at the very moment they even throw their weight back.) and pat her and talk to her, repeat asking for a little more each time. I just kept at the pressure and release until she would step down (i would also say step when it was time for the step down). at first she would freak and jump right back in the trailer ( at that point i was back a square one and had to start over at the beginning). after a few go arounds of this jumping back into the traile (took less time inbetween each go around to get her back to the step down point), i did finally have to just throw my weight into the lead rope to stop her from jumping back in. SHe still had her front feet in the trailer at that point but me making her not able to jump back in gave her a moment to think about what she just accomplished and the fact that i had NOT just asked her to back off a cliff... along with alot of petting and good girls. it was easy peasy from there, you just have to prove to them that they are capable of that step down. Now that i have a bigger trailer that i can turn and walk out of, i still make my horses back out of them to keep up on the backing out thing.


----------



## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Ha my dear girl can untie any knot I make. She hadn't eaten a whole lot since she was so nervous in the trailer ride and while tacking up that she didn't munch too much so I had it long enough for her to eat grass. I had her loose but she kept trying to eat our food so she had to be tied up. I don't know if she wrapped her feet up or just crossed her own back legs. She got up and looked around like nothing had happened. 

I think I'm going to work on backing her up over stuff and around stuff so she gets used to listening to my voice. The trailer belongs to someone else who shows alot so I don't always have use of it.


----------



## Failbhe (May 8, 2012)

That trail does look awesome! I'm trailering Éowyn to a group trail ride in a couple weeks, I hope it goes as well for us as it did for you! I can't wait until we have our own trailer. It's a little difficult trying to train a horse to get in and out when you don't have one...


----------



## peppersgirl (Aug 24, 2012)

oh you have a houdini (also like my old mare). lol. 

you might try tying with a trailer tie then, one of the ones with the safety release. she wont be able to get herself free, but if there is a need to get her free in a hurry it can be easily done. just a thought. 

yeah i can see how that wont work for you with out actually owning the trailer. Backing her over stuff seem like a darn good plan as itll teach her to trust you.


----------



## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Oh I bet Eowyn will do great. I had only practiced once getting Lizzy in a trailer and that was without the divider. It was a 2 horse straight so with the divider she couldn't get her head around enough to see where she was going.

I was thinking about using trailer ties. Unless there's something made just for tying to a tree lol. 

The trail runs along side a paved bike trail. She never flinched at the hundred of bikers that went by. Apparently yesterday was the day for everyone to be out. We ran into a bunch of horses as well, even two fjords pulling a wagon. She only spooked once and that was at a large rock. I guess she still holds that fear of large rocks....


----------



## Failbhe (May 8, 2012)

yeah those rocks'll get ya...


----------



## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Of all the things to be scared of, she chooses rocks. Some days I question her.

I wonder what would happen if we went riding in the mountains....


----------



## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I use those trailer ties with the quick release hooks. At home, we have loops in trees and light poles with those ties permanently attached to them. I always have a handy place to hook a horse.


----------



## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

I think I'm going to have to get some trailer ties. I will need them eventaully when I get my own trailer anyway. 

She will tie to the hitching post for hours and not move except to swat flies. But there's no grass under her there. She also will not try to eat when being led unless told she may. So I know she can resist the temptation haha. She also ground ties pretty well when there's no grass under her.


----------

