# He unloads himself so softly!



## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Okay, maybe it's just me and I've never seen it, but I've been doing a lot of ground work with my yearling (Shotgun) the past few weeks, including trailer loading. 

He has already been on trailer rides to the farrier and vet in my parents' huge stock trailer, and he hops right on that and travels fine.

But the horse trailer I was borrowing for the time being was a slant load with rear tack (and just like the one I bought today!). So that's difference to load in than a wide open stock trailer.

I was so proud of him. First time I asked him to load, he followed me right up, no questions asked, and back off super! Twice! I was so happy with him I called that a sesson. The next time, I close the butt bar and the windows. No problem. He's doing great. Next step will be to go for a ride.

*But, I am just amazed at how naturally slow and calm and SOFT he backs himself off the trailer; especially his front legs.* 

He locks the opposite leg, so that he can lower the other leg to the ground, and unlocks it at just the right time to quietly step down. I had to take a video of it yesterday, I am just so amazed by him. 

Maybe lots of other people's horses do this, but so far, none of mine have been real "graceful" backing off!

Excuse the dumb iPhone format. 





 
Edited to add that yesterday I was just working on front feet on and off into the back stall so he learns not to just leap onto the trailer.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Training him to load and unload like this is going to pay you back BIG in the future. He's doing a great job and doesn't appear to be the least bit worried about it. Good JOB to both of you.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Thanks!! Yes, I figured it's not too early to start him on going on and off the trailer. Especially loading up, and then not going anywhere. 

I plan on taking him along for every event I take my other horse Red to next year, so that Shotgun gets lots of "practice" standing tied to the trailer and going places. I want it to be a no-big-deal kind of thing, and keep it calm too.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

beau159 said:


> Thanks!! Yes, I figured it's not too early to start him on going on and off the trailer. Especially loading up, and then not going anywhere.
> 
> I plan on taking him along for every event I take my other horse Red to next year, so that Shotgun gets lots of "practice" standing tied to the trailer and going places. I want it to be a no-big-deal kind of thing, and keep it calm too.


That's a great idea and will give you a nice mannered, calm, pleasant horse. I wish everyone would do that with their youngsters!


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I want to congratulate you for your hard work. *Agreed--he'll be no problem loading/unloading in the future.* 
I have a 4-horse slant load with the tack room which takes up 1/2 of the back, too and I wanted to point out another way to help load a horse in this situation. If you have any "people" doors practice leading or sending your horse through it. I never thought much about it, but when I taught lessons I would often stop at the building where I kept my hay and grain to grab a crop or some other piece of equipment. It had a 32 inch, 6 ft. opening, and the building was fairly dark. ALL of my horses would willingly follow me inside of it--probably bc they smelled the feed!--but I never had a loading problem with my horses, even after I sold the stock trailer and switched the new one.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Well done
Taking the time to teach a horse to load is time well spent, like everything else its about establishing trust between the horse and humans so when something new comes along they are willing to give it a go. 
When people rush and get impatient, things go wrong and thats the lesson the horse remembers.
The 3 horses we brought here had only ever been taught to load in a side by side UK trailer with front unload and a ramp yet they left our house at midnight and happily hopped onto a totally different horsebox no questions asked, from there they went on a ferry and then into crates for an air flight and at the other end onto a step up herringbone trailer that they had to reverse out of - all new to them and with strange people yet they never once hesitated. We were complimented on out training so made it all worth while to us to know our girls hadnt let us down.


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