# Backing out of trailer before door can be closed



## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Well, I tie my horses, so my advise would be to first get her solid on being tied, before ever tying in the trailer.
I have never had a wreak with horses being tied, and also haul a lot, including both to shows and to the mountains.The only horses I have not tied, are foals, when trailering their dams to be bred to an outside stud
Since you don't tie, I have no advise except to get your horse more solid on giving to pressure, thus not backing out un -asked.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

If you are using a slant load, try loading with a helper to catch her through the window. Then when you're out and settled hook her up to the trailer tie and close the window. Not a permanent solution, start weaning her off it it helps. We did this with some 'special' loaders.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Smilie said:


> Well, I tie my horses, so my advise would be to first get her solid on being tied, before ever tying in the trailer.
> I have never had a wreak with horses being tied, and also haul a lot, including both to shows and to the mountains.The only horses I have not tied, are foals, when trailering their dams to be bred to an outside stud
> Since you don't tie, I have no advise except to get your horse more solid on giving to pressure, thus not backing out un -asked.



I agree, even if you do not want to tie in the trailer, a horse should not disrespect the pressure.
Another thing you could try is making her work outside the trailer, then letting her rest inside. When she backs out, make her work again. Repeat it as many times as she backs out, or if she is really persistent, maybe just look for a few minutes of staying in by herself and increase the time by a few minutes every day until she wants to be inside. If she is playing games, then maybe she will not want to play any more because she keeps losing by backing out.


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## blackminx18 (Aug 12, 2014)

Thank you. I'll give working her more a try. To be fair to her - she ties just fine but I've done very little ground work with her. I've left her tied several times and haven't had a problem. 

Not tying a horse in a trailer is a personal choice not anything to do with this particular horse. The one time I tried it with her, she reared in the trailer and I was still in it - not a safe situation for anyone which is why I generally try to train my horse to just walk in the trailer by me just pointing and them walking in so I can close doors behind them without me ever getting in.

I, too, used to always tie in the trailer since at that time, I had a stock trailer. Then I had a horse spook while tied in the trailer (just one of those crazy things), go down while still tied. It was a total disaster. If you have ever tried to get back into a trailer to get a horse untied that is flailing around (I couldn't get to it from the outside, I tried that first), it's not a pleasant experience. Horse got hurt, I got hurt but everyone healed. Amazingly, that horse would still load great in a trailer unless you tried to tie her, then all bets were off. I haven't tied a horse since. I realize this is totally personal experience but I don't ever want to be in the that situation again.

I've been focusing a lot of my time on one of my other horses but I'm going to make an effort to work with this mare a lot more on ground work and translate that to trailer work. I agree, I need to make it a lot more uncomfortable for her to keep backing out of the trailer.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I just wanted to say that I doubt the horse backs out because she is 'playijng a game'. there is , no doubt, anxiety about being IN the trailer, and closing in or tying a horse that is anxious about being closed in a trailer is a possible catastrophe.

I'd let her exit, if she thinks she must, then bring her back in. stay inside and as soon as she exits, "ask' her back in. if she can change her mind and come back in before totally exiting, then maybe she'll only take a step or two back, then change and come back in. or, she may need to exit to the point of having all 4 on the ground. but, is you put a bit of forward feel on the rope and she will come back in, you do that, and hang with her in the trailer, petting her and letting her know it's good IN the trailer.

if she exits hard, fast or, when asked to step back in she is resistant, then let her exit, and go out yourself, take her out a bit from the trailer and work her a bit , then move little by little closer to the trialer, then ask her to step in again. and see if she'll stay in while you step in, too, to pet her and hang with her. (have food in there for her to munch on, maybe some grain?)

I can feel for you. I have the same problem with my lease horse. he is SURE that it's not good to stay in the trailer. he'll go in, but as soon as he thinks he's going to be trapped in, he bolts out. very frustrating. 

and, seeing as how I am at about a 50/50 success rate, my advice must be taken with a huge grain of salt. but, my main point is that I doubt she is atually playing 'games'.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Why is it taking so long for you to shut her in? Just be faster than her, sounds like she walks in and stands (however briefly) and that is your chance to shut her in. Then stand there with her for a minute and tell her what a good girl she is. A little grain as a treat would be better than hay (though I would give her a net either way)


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

If you have a slant load, don't you have a divider you can close before you get all the way out the main door? 
I'd lead the horse in and wrap your lead once around the bar or ring, then throw the lead end out the window. Even if the horse backs up, this will slow her for a moment while you close the divider. Then go outside and unclip the lead rope. I assume you have a window you can reach down inside?

I understand your hesitation to tie after having had a previous accident. However, it is very convenient to tie, and there are ways you can do it safely. For instance, you can use one of these quick release ties and hook the horse to it instead of tying with a lead rope. It's a lot safer to use safety ties rather than tying horses with a lead rope. If you need to get a horse loose, you just reach in the window and release the tie (the quick release end goes on the trailer side, not the horse side where you may not be able to reach it).








Other people I know use tie blocker rings in their trailer so the horse is never "hard tied." 








You can also attach a ring inside the trailer with a zip tie, which will break if a horse falls or pulls back.


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## Emoore (Sep 14, 2015)

What if you were to lead her into the trailer and have her hay or dinner in there waiting for her? `For a week or so, feed her her dinner in the trailer. The first day or two leave it open so she can back out if she gets nervous. Then start closing the gate when she goes in to eat. The last couple of days leave her in after her feed is gone. The idea being to get her happy and comfortable standing in the trailer for a while.


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## blackminx18 (Aug 12, 2014)

Thank you Emoore and Tinyliny - that's the kind of advise I was looking for. Tinyliny, I very much empathize with you having had horses that panic in the trailer especially when they feel confined. It's very frustrating and scary!

I'm going to reiterate here - I will not tie my horse in a trailer. I'm not trying to be snarky or come across that way at all. Yes, I have tried several of the above devices - tie blocker rings which my horse just backed completely out of (different horse by the way - the one who was in an accident and would panic if tied at all thats when I just stopped tying in the trailer) and the quick release - those elastic quick release become a really marvelous sling shot when they break). Again, I have been trapped in a trailer with a tied panicked horse. Hands down the scariest thing that has happened to me around horses. 

A honest question, again I'm not trying to be sarcastic or snarky so I apologize if it comes across that way, for those of you who insist on tying a horse in a trailer - why? I can understand a stock trailer or a trailer where there are no dividers to keep the horses from moving around but most people I know and most trailers seemed to be compartmentalized. I'm really just curious. I always did it previously because that was just how it was done but I had to adapt my thinking later because my horse required it. I learned a lot from that horse in a lot of different ways.


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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

I have a horse that rides loose in the front compartment of a small stock trailer. When he rides in a single compartment (slant or straight), I have to tie him. He has gotten his head down between his front legs and panics and can't/won't bring his head back up. He rides nicely loose in the front of our stocker .. coincidently chooses to do so standing backwards.

It sounds like you are walking in with the filly and then she's backing out when you try to go back out and shut the door? Have you tried teaching her to go in without you. Then you can send her in and shut the door before she decides to back out.

It's hard when you're by yourself and I feel so blessed to have easy loaders and a husband with me most of the time.

Keep us updated on her progress.


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## blackminx18 (Aug 12, 2014)

Thanks Texasgal. And you're right - I have to walk her in and then she backs out with me when I try to get out. I just haven't had the time to teach her to go in without me. Totally my fault and I just need to make the time to work with her more and that will likely solve most of the issues. 
Interesting about your boy liking to ride backwards - this mare prefers the same thing.


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## ChitChatChet (Sep 9, 2013)

We have a horse that use to panic while being hauled. I used 2 halters and 2 lead ropes on him so he stayed where I put him as he has bailed ship before. He is fine for traveling now. I also made sure he had hay to eat while traveling, it made a difference for him and another of our horses. Keeps their mind busy.

All our lead ropes are tied where they can be accessed from the outside and we all carry pocket knives.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

gottatrot said:


> If you have a slant load, don't you have a divider you can close before you get all the way out the main door?
> I'd lead the horse in and wrap your lead once around the bar or ring, then throw the lead end out the window. Even if the horse backs up, this will slow her for a moment while you close the divider. Then go outside and unclip the lead rope. I assume you have a window you can reach down inside?
> 
> I understand your hesitation to tie after having had a previous accident. However, it is very convenient to tie, and there are ways you can do it safely. For instance, you can use one of these quick release ties and hook the horse to it instead of tying with a lead rope. It's a lot safer to use safety ties rather than tying horses with a lead rope. If you need to get a horse loose, you just reach in the window and release the tie (the quick release end goes on the trailer side, not the horse side where you may not be able to reach it).
> ...



Good info on tying a horse safely in a trailer, Trottin-you beat med to it!


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

I like a slant load, with no dividers.
My present trailer is a three horse goose neck. When I still hauled a stud with other horses, I had dividers, but now don't need them. Horses can balance so much better that way, and don't feel trapped.
I don't want horses tap dancing back in that trailer, when hauling, esp on mountain roads. I don't hang hay bags, as horses have developed respiratory conditions, doing so, but will hang one, if stopping somewhere on a long haul, for supper, ect. Had to 'wean' my girl friend of that habit, when she travelled with me, as she felt her horses always had to have food in front of them, even when they were way over weight!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

blackminx18 said:


> I'm going to reiterate here - I will not tie my horse in a trailer. I'm not trying to be snarky or come across that way at all. Yes, I have tried several of the above devices - tie blocker rings which my horse just backed completely out of (different horse by the way - the one who was in an accident and would panic if tied at all thats when I just stopped tying in the trailer) and the quick release - those elastic quick release become a really marvelous sling shot when they break). Again, I have been trapped in a trailer with a tied panicked horse. Hands down the scariest thing that has happened to me around horses.
> 
> A honest question, again I'm not trying to be sarcastic or snarky so I apologize if it comes across that way, for those of you who insist on  tying a horse in a trailer - why? I can understand a stock trailer or a trailer where there are no dividers to keep the horses from moving around but most people I know and most trailers seemed to be compartmentalized. I'm really just curious. I always did it previously because that was just how it was done but I had to adapt my thinking later because my horse required it. I learned a lot from that horse in a lot of different ways.



I think it would be pointless to tie a horse in to a trailer if the horse is worried enough to want to back out. if they are that worried, they will panic about being hard tied. however, like Gottatrot said, if you loop the line around the bar of the window (if there is one), but keep the tail of the rope in your hand instead of out the window, you have a way to 'suggest' to te hrose to come back in if it starts to back out. if the horse will respond to that suggesstion, and come back in without needing to take itself all the way out, (out of deep anxiety), then it shouldn't take too much to get the hrose ok with staying in, and using a 'flexible' restraint , like she described would work.

but, if you use her suggestion with wrapping the line around the window bar (you have the tail in your hand so you can give a bit of resistance/suggestion "no, step back forward" at just the right time) and the horse feels that and panics /bolts backward, then you know that tieing is not an option for that horse, yet.

but this would only be doable (looping around a bar in the window and keeping the tail of the rope in your hand) if there IS a bar in the window.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I don't know if you've tried 'sending' the horse into the trailer rather than leading him in? It can help with a horse that's tuned in to following its handler all the time so when the handler comes out of the trailer the horse thinks that's what its supposed to do - follow the handler back out and with no form of restraint (and I get your concerns) the horse doesn't understand that he's supposed to stop in the trailer
If that's what's happening and the horse isn't actually afraid of the trailer then you could try training him to do that and also training him to 'stand and stay' to command
In the UK we mainly only have two horse 'side by side' trailers and as standard advice is to never tie the horse until at least the breech strap/bar is fastened behind it, if you're on your own its much easier and safer to have a horse walk on by itself and stand while you fasten the bar behind it and then you can go into the jockey compartment to tie the horse
If your horse is actually acting out of fear of being in such a confined space then you need to work on that problem before even thinking about tying it up, fastening it in and moving the trailer or you could have a real wreck on your hands


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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

blackminx18 said:


> Thanks Texasgal. And you're right - I have to walk her in and then she backs out with me when I try to get out. I just haven't had the time to teach her to go in without me. Totally my fault and *I just need to make the time to work with her more* and that will likely solve most of the issues.
> Interesting about your boy liking to ride backwards - this mare prefers the same thing.


Just look at it this way .. the same 15 minutes you spend going in and out and in and out of the trailer could be spent teacher her to be sent into the trailer without you .. EVERY minute you are with a horse you are teaching it .. something.


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## CrossCountry (May 18, 2013)

Okay, I don't have much experience training "problem" horses, but I've trained several to trailer load.

What I always do is park the horse trailer in a small area (arena in my case), in case they react badly and decide to go running off. I make sure the horse knows how to give to pressure and then I take the horse in and out of the trailer hundreds of times. If the horse backs out when I'm asking her to stay in, I back her out hard and quick. Whe she ignores my ask, I make her choice much more difficult than if she had just listened. If she stays for even a millisecond, I ask her to back out calmly and collected, because that was my decision. As soon as she gets all four feet in the trailer, ask her to back out. Make it your decision for her to back out. Doing this over and over again can teach her that the trailer is not the box of death, and they will always be able to come out - they won't be stuck in there forever.

My newest filly liked to run out of the trailer backwards, but after three or four trailer loading sessions, she's a pro.

One more important thing is to ALWAYS praise when they do the right thing. Even if it's just a thought in the right direction, or a move. Praise them and let them know what they did right.

Make the right thing easy, and the wrong thing hard.


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## blackminx18 (Aug 12, 2014)

Thank you Crosscounty - I will try that.

Just a quick update - Found out today that she will load and stay quietly if she's allowed to face backward. She'll even stay there when the divider is moved and she can get out. A little strange but I can build off that. Will keep working with her so I can just send her in - her ground work just isn't too that point yet.

I do have to brag on her a little bit - remember she is only 3 yo and I haven't had her very long. Took her on her first trail ride today with a group I often ride with and she did AWESOME! 1st trail ride with a group as well and the weather turned to crap pretty early on - cold with really high winds and rain. She kept it together and stayed relaxed even when some of the other horses in the group started to come unglued (these are usually super calm reliable trail horses which is why we were with them). 

Plus at the end of the ride, she jumped right in the trailer turned around to face the back and waited for me to close the divider - at that point is was raining pretty hard and the wind was howling. Maybe she was just as ready to get out the weather as I was.

We still have a long way to go but I'm pretty pleased with her right now.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

blackminx18 said:


> A honest question, again I'm not trying to be sarcastic or snarky so I apologize if it comes across that way, for those of you who insist on tying a horse in a trailer - why? I can understand a stock trailer or a trailer where there are no dividers to keep the horses from moving around but most people I know and most trailers seemed to be compartmentalized. I'm really just curious.


No worries, there are lots of people who say it is safer to trailer horses loose. Just wanted you to know there are options to tie safely and avoid the type of accident you've experienced. I've had some incidents in trailers with panicking horses, so I understand how frightening it is. Those mesh feeders and many hay nets are very unsafe, as horses can get tangled up in them and panic. I agree that I am against having anything that can blow around inside the trailer and get into the horses' eyes or lungs. 

Pros and cons: Depending on the trailer, a loose horse can go under the divider and get stuck or end up in a small compartment with another horse, injuring both. Loose horses often do better in wrecks because emergency crews can get them out. Conversely, loose horses sometimes do worse in wrecks because they get away and run into traffic. Loose horses in open trailers have been known to jump out and get killed. 
My personal opinion is that either way has risks, it probably comes out about even depending on how safe the trailer set up is, so is up to personal preference. My preference is to tie because we often have several horses in the trailer, and I don't want any horses to back out before I'm ready to lead them out in a strange place. I feel having the head tied can help a horse get back up if they do slip, versus rolling around in a confined space or getting stuck.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Having had a young untouched horse traveling loose that got itself in a real mess trying to turn around and losing its balance ended up on the floor panicking and nearly tipped a horsebox over (UK -sort of like an RV for horses for anyone who hasn't heard that term) I always tie if that's an option. I use trailer ties that have got quick release snaps on both ends and leather headcollars/halters to minimize risks


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## livelovelaughride (Sep 13, 2011)

I also have a 2 horse slant with the divider removed.my horse has issues with running out backwards due to a previous owner that forgot to untie him. He is better if I leave him untied and turn him around to face backwards. He is actually too long to be in the slant side. 

I installed a covered chain just inside the trailer that once he is in, I clip up. There is a quick release and a carabiner on each side. I run a lunge line from outside the window that I clip him to. Once I have hold of that line I can keep some pressure on if needed as I close my rear door. My door is wide and to make it easier I have a small rope attached to the handle and duct taped to the inside within my reach. It's pretty efficient and no fumbling.
Onice the rear door is secured I reach in and uncle my lunge line. 
My trailer camera shows he travels quietly at a 45 degree angle and he backs up to the inside corner.

At our destination I don't need to reclip the lunge line, just grab his lead rope. I trailer solo and have found this fairly stress free.


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