# loading on trailer issues



## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

thebrownfamily98 said:


> Finally after 4 hours we did get her to go into the trailer. When we got her into the trailer she stood nicely but when I went to tie her she freaked out and flew off the trailer hitting her head.


It sounds to me like you are doing a lot of things right. The one thing I would have done differently is I would have unloaded her immediately rather than trying to tie her.

Work her hard outside the trailer and let her rest inside the trailer. Make being in the trailer a reward. Teach her that all she has to do to get out of doing work is jump into the trailer and take a nap.

I'm sure that after spending four hours getting her loaded that this whole process seems kind of hopeless, but in reality I'll bet you are very close to solving this problem. Just keep up your calm approach!


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

thebrownfamily98 said:


> During the first few weeks of having her she was very reactive on the ground. She did not like being crossed tied and would fly backwards. Lounged in side reins and she flipped herself over. She was not respectful in halter. We have worked on this and she will stand nicely being crossed tied and will lounge in side reins.


As I assume you have realized, a horse who has disrespectful ground manners isn't going to respect you enough to go into a horse trailer. 

I suspect her ground manners still aren't 100% and thus that is why you are having difficulty with the trailer loading. 

Are you still working with a trainer?




thebrownfamily98 said:


> The first time we worked on it we were able to get her to put her front legs into the trailer by bribing her with food but I quickly learned Destiny's pattern. She would put her feet in, snatch as much food as she could and fly backwards (rewarding bad behavior). I then stopped with the food and she would not go anywhere near the trailer.


Good for you for recognizing this pattern. 

Personally, I never use food to bribe a horse to do anything. Because what happens when they are not hungry?




thebrownfamily98 said:


> The next time, we took a lounge line and put it behind her to encourage forward movement. This did work and she put her front legs into the trailer again. I let her stand there a few minutes and when I sensed she was going to back up I made her back up (making it my decision not hers). I then made her go forwards again each time she would only stick her front legs into the trailer so, we took a crop and feather tapped her on the butt to be annoying. Finally after 4 hours we did get her to go into the trailer.


You are kind of on the right track. 

Where you went wrong
1) Working on this for 4 hours
2) Trying to make her go on the trailer in the first session

4 hours is too long to work on ANYTHING. You are going to reach a point where the horse is mentally exhausted and they will shut down. They won't learn anything positive at that point. Instead, keep your trailer loading sessions to 15 minutes. Even if you don't necessarily accomplish what you had planned for the day, just end on a positive note. Work on it every day for 15 minutes. 

Your end goal should never to be to get her on the trailer, actually. Your goal should be to control where her feet are. You just "so happen" to have a trailer in front of you. 




thebrownfamily98 said:


> We worked with her to get her back into the trailer but each time she would put her front legs in, stand there for a *few minutes* and then she would fly backwards.


For a horse that lacks ground manners, I find it a stretch to make them stand there for a few minutes. Get them to put their feet where you want them, then ask them to do something else before they start thinking about it (and fly backward).




thebrownfamily98 said:


> I had a guy come out to our barn last week and he worked with her for 3 hours doing the same thing we have been doing and he said she is just use to getting things her way (which I agree).


That's good you had someone come out to help .... but again, not for 3 hours. Working on something THAT long just makes your horse resent it more. 



thebrownfamily98 said:


> He suggested working on ground work. We have been working on this and she is now very respectful until you bring the trailer into the picture.


So then you need* more *work on ground work. :wink: The trailer is an arbitrary obstacle. It should not matter when you bring an obstacle into the picture, whether that be a bridge or a tarp or a log or whatever. 




thebrownfamily98 said:


> Our vet has given me Dormosedan Gel to work on getting her onto the trailer. Others boarders have told me to use ACE. Has anyone used Domosedan Gel and traveled?


NO to drugging your horse. 

You have a training issue. Address the training issue. Don't simply use drugs to cover it up. Take the 15 daily minutes to work on the issue and resolve it. 

I wrote this post up quite a while ago. I suggest you take a read. 
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-training/trailer-loading-101-a-205770/


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## hollysjubilee (Nov 2, 2012)

Excellent advice above.

Don't give up. 

Work her hard, moving her feet where you want them OUTSIDE the trailer, then give her the cue to get inside and let her rest, and if she pulls back off the trailer before you ask for her to unload, work her HARD outside the trailer and let her load and rest inside with a soft brushing or massage until she understands that the trailer is a NICE place to be.

I just worked through all of this with a little QH that would panic and fly back and break the lead as soon as the trailer door was opened. Scared the crap out of me. It was a slantload, and I had to go inside to untie and open the divider before he could back out. A friend told me that they have some horses that do the same thing and that her husband always lets the horses unload that way -- Just stop, open the door and let them fly out! Yikes . . . 
So, all through summer of 2014, we worked on trailer loading (as well as, training him a cue for lifting his hinds to let me trim without kicking . . . 'sigh') Didn't have any problem with my step up, bumper pull, 2-horse the one time I transported him in it, but when I got the slant with the ramp it was a totally different story, but he does fine, now! Once he realized that it was GOOD to be on the trailer, he loaded up, fine. He still, sometimes wants to rush off, but we just reload and I ask for "step, step, drop your head" until he gets off slowly and safely. 

I, also, tested him by staying with him inside the trailer for grooming sessions, putting alfalfa cubes (small) in with the hay in his haybag and letting him search them out while he was groomed, then, shutting him in the trailer alone for a short period while I waited outside the window or walked around the trailer talking to him, then for short rides around the property, then for 4-5 mile rides, then for some long hauls. 

He had done really well for a couple of long hauls, both loading and unloading, but one day, after loading up, heading to OSU vet hospital, unloading like a charm, and loading up nicely to come home, when we got home and I opened the door and went to untie and back him off, the panic switch went off and he flew back and landed on his rump on the ramp and rolled onto his back at the bottom. Since then, he's been more careful. I'm sure it was embarrassing for him. 
Silly horse.

As an aside, and maybe you do this, but I lead him on and toss the lead rope over his back and hook him with a separate lead that is run through a Safe Tie Clip (The Safe Clip at EquiGear). It gives me a lead rope to grab just in case he regresses to pulling back and breaking hardware, again.

Glad the horse is so good for you under saddle. You'll get her good at trailer loading/unloading, too.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

I'm Usually a very big proponent of "telling" vs "asking" when it comes to trailer loading – if a horse is being stubborn or uncooperative, after about a period of of asking nicely... it's time to escalate to "telling" instead. There various methods I've detailed in other posts, but I escalate (and to be clear, never including whipping a horse on...) until successful. 

That said, that tactic doesn't work when there is a legitimate fear situation with the horse. What is the horses body language while you were attempting to load – are you seeing all the signs of simple stubbornness, or are there signs of fear as well?

I wouldn't believe anything the previous owner told you as I've experienced countless times over the years that they will tell you what you want to hear (or what relieves them of any issues post-sale) seldom what was reality. 

If this horse has had a very negative trailering experience and it's past, that could be what's coming back to haunt you now.  

In such a situation I agree with others – patience and making the trailer a safe, happy, and relaxing place to be is going to need to be re-learned....and that WILL be time consuming 

And then of course you need to work on and reward that on a step-by-step basis – at the very beginning I agree with what others have mentioned, consider standing in the trailer for 30 seconds a successful load, and then patiently and carefully unload the horse and reward for the success. Don't try to tie, don't try to move the trailer - load, reward, unload, reward (assuming both steps are successful and done respectfully by your horse), and repeat. 

Once you have crossed that mountain you then need to proceed to actually towing the trailer, and THAT part can also be a make it or break it situation. Careless or aggressive driving that rattles the bejesus out of the horse in the trailer is often what leads to these very situations you are now experiencing, so think long and hard about how you drive when it comes to that point otherwise you may quickly find yourself back at square one again. If the last part isn't clear to you seek the assistance of a professional hauler for advice on how to drive carefully while hauling stock. A lot of people are very oblivious to this part of the trailering process and they pay a lifetime of difficulty loading or panicked unloading as a direct result.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## thebrownfamily98 (Jul 7, 2015)

PrivatePilot- 

"That said, that tactic doesn't work when there is a legitimate fear situation with the horse. What is the horses body language while you were attempting to load – are you seeing all the signs of simple stubbornness, or are there signs of fear as well?"

She does not appear to be fearful when we are asking her to load. She will stand, rest her backleg, lick her lips and had even rubbed her face on her front legs. Now, when she is inside the trailer she is very tense.


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## thebrownfamily98 (Jul 7, 2015)

We work on ground work everyday before my daughter tacks up to ride and after riding as part of her cool down time. It is a good way for them to bond and my daughter enjoys it. We board at our trainers barn so all training is done with her help. Our trainer is our Pony Club's region Horse Management Delegate so pretty much everything is done by Pony Club's standards. We did not plan for my daughter to show this year so that we can take our time and work on this issue the correct way. I am a person who is always second guessing what I do. I want to make sure that what we are doing is the correct way. We worked for a long time period because I thought that if we didn't get her a little further each time we would be rewarding the bad behavior. 
Thank you for all the advise. We will shorten the time and keep you posted.


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## livelovelaughride (Sep 13, 2011)

I have a TB gelding that did not want to load and would rush out. This was in my 2 horse angle haul. Last year we only worked up to two feet in the trailer before he would back out; we had to stop trailer training when he got injured (suspensory). 9 months later we have just returned to trailer training.

This time around I removed the partition to make it more "stock trailer". I mentally told him exactly what I wanted him to do (enter, turn around, and stand). Imagine my shock as he did exactly that. Once he realized he didn't have to back up rushing, but could easily walk forward when cued, he became much more calm about loading. 

I installed a chain guard at the back of the trailer which he respects. His only issue is he pushes his nose on the door as we either open or close it. But he doesn't push through with his body. I ask him to stand quietly as I unclip the chain and then he walks off. I don't tie him and won't unless I find he moves around too much. Its my first horse and my trailering experience is zero. Thankfully I have some helpers at my barn as well as my trainer.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Amazing how the mental telling works.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

the one thing that isn't mentioned here, thought it's common knowledge to most experienced haulers, is the "never tie your horse until the divider or butt bar is up."

and don't open the butt bar or divider until he is untied.


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## livelovelaughride (Sep 13, 2011)

Yup. That is our issue from a previous owner's error!


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