# Need trailer help ASAP!



## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

A few questions, please: How big is the horse? How big is the trailer? Is it ramp or stepup? Can the divider by removed?


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## raricros (Jun 5, 2015)

He's a pretty average sized QH, probably 15.2. It's a step up, the divider can be swung to the side, but I don't think removed.


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## mkmurphy81 (May 8, 2015)

Do you want to fix this the fast way or the right way? 

If you have the time and patience and you need to trailer the horse frequently in the future, do it the right way. Get just close enough to the trailer to make him a little nervous. When he stands still and relaxes, move away. Repeat the next day getting a little closer. Use a handful of grain if it helps, but only when he relaxes. Get him to put his head in. The next day ask for one foot in. This may take a while.

If you don't have that much time or you won't be hauling frequently, you can use the method used on the crazy mare I had as a kid who was only trailered once a year: two strong men with a rope around her rear.


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## raricros (Jun 5, 2015)

That sounds like something he would respond to. What do I do if he backs up or rears? Just let him, and then bring him back to the same spot?


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## mkmurphy81 (May 8, 2015)

The hard part is reading the horse and pushing a little past his comfort zone, but not too far for you to be able to control it. If he backs or rears, let him calm down a little, but don't reward with too much pressure release. Then try again. Only let him quit when he's calm. It's a fine line between being firm and in control on one side, and starting a fight you can't win on the other.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

I've never had a horse that I couldn't get on my trailer in one hour or less, even ones that the owners insisted that "refused" to load onto anyones trailer.

Sometimes it's fear, sometimes it's stubbornness. Often with many owners they mistake one for the other and treat stubbornness as fear and let their horse refuse to load instead of insisting that they get their arses on the trailer. Once many horses figure out that there's an *option* in the matter, many will take the "I'm not going on there" route. Then the owner gets frustrated, assumes their horse is just scared, they get agitated, the horse gets agitated (or worse, agitation and stubbornness escalate into fear...which is harder to deal with and can escalate into a whole different ball of wax) and then it all just snowballs into a no-load situation.

Being able to read their body language like a hawk is essential. Is it really fear? If it is, then one needs to proceed carefully as forcing a terrified horse onto a trailer may result in a panic situation and that never ends well in a confined area, but *almost always* (especially with a horse like yours that loaded fine onto another trailer) it's just stubbornness, mainly because the trailer is different than what they might be used to.

If it's fear, patience is key, but even then, you should be able to get loaded within an hour.

In the case of stubbornness, you need to remove the options and be quite direct that the horse is going on the trailer, whether or not he/she likes it. Do NOT make it an option. 

Your technique goes a long way here as well. You need to walk on the trailer in one fluid motion, do NOT stop, do not look back, do not show any hesitation whatsoever - if YOU hesitate your horse will hesitate. If the person loading is direct and confident the horse will be too - don't forget, as much as we read *their* body language, they read ours all the time as well.

If they don't load at that point and I'm still seeing stubbornness vs fear, yes, I'll resort to a food bribe as a tactic. Often a rattling bucket of grain is enough to entice many onboard. 

With an extremely stubborn (not scared) hard loader after about 30-40 minutes of traditional options, I'll put the lead shank chain on their gums and play the give and take game. Almost every horse loads within minutes at that point and it's harmless (albeit uncomfortable) for them, but loading is the far preferable option vs playing that game and they soon opt for the easy way out - this is no different than any other training technique where something easy is better in their mind versus something hard. Some will cry foul on the chain on the gums tactic but again, it continues along the lines of the "tell, not ask" method you need to pursue beyond a certain point, otherwise you may never get some horses on the trailer.

I've never EVER resorted to whipping a horse onto a trailer, although two people with a lead providing some forward "suggestion" behind the action will also often help..just stay out of kicking aim, hence two people, one on either side.

Anyhow, in the end, as it sounds like you may not be familiar with trailering, you may want to seek out the help of someone experienced with things - there are all sorts of common beginner mistakes that are both inconsistent with easy loading, but can also lead to unsafe conditions. Often someone with the "been there, done that" trailering T-Shirt will amaze owners at getting their "impossible to load" horses to calmly load in short order.
And concentrate on that body language, both yours, and your horses. :wink:


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## mred (Jan 7, 2015)

Well said Private. I have never felt a whip do any good. I have used a training stick, but not to whip. Rope across the rear, a lot of times. Feed some times. Load every day for a week. If there is an escape door, open it. Open the manage door. But be careful, I had a 15.2 AQHA horse try to go up and out the manage door. She didn't fit. If you need help, find someone. But make sure they know and don't just try to beat the horse in.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

mred said:


> If there is an escape door, open it.


My cardinal rule is that if a horse won't fit through it, it's not open during loading or unloading. I'll open my side door and ramp if I'm trying to load a timid horse or one that loads easier if the trailer feels less confined, but in a panic during load if they bolt out that door, they're going to fit.

Lots of horror stories about horses getting wedged in man-doors in panic situations, so mine is only open for people to go in or out and then immediately closed.


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