How to load a horse into a horse trailer

We wrote about this earlier (see my earlier post on loading a horse into a horse trailer). But most likely, if you are reading this post, you still have trouble with your horse when it comes to loading the horse into a trailer.

A few thoughts:

Like the rest of us, horses have a strong instinct for self-preservation. Being naturally timid, they generally try to flee situations they perceive as life-threatening. If flight is not possible, they will put up a struggle.

A horse trailer is potentially life-threatening to horses. Every large animal veterinarian has seen plenty of trailer related horse injuries and fatalities.

Your horse is not "bad" because he won't load into the horse trailer. He is acting naturally, trying to avoid what he correctly perceives to be a dangerous situation. He is doing what any horse would do--he is acting according to his nature. He is a good horse with the right instincts, even if he won't get in the horse trailer. Approach the problem with this attitude, and a barrel of patience.

Wearing gloves, and non-skid boots, lead the horse, wearing a stout halter and cotton lead rope at least ten feet long, up to the trailer and let him sniff and examine the trailer for about fifteen minutes while you make reassuring noises. Stay on the side of the horse, near the shoulder. Don't get in front or in back of him.

If the horse is stiff, tense, snorting and bug-eyed, you ought to take him back to the paddock and longe him for ten or fifteen minutes to calm him down. If you are used to riding him (safely) when he is in a nervous condition, go ahead and ride him for an hour or more.

After he has been vigorously exercised and is more relaxed, approach the trailer again and let him sniff. Have some of his favorite foods, hay and treats up in the trailer near the front.

Lead the horse in a confident, matter of fact manner up to the trailer, as if you are sure that he will get in. Don't walk in front of him, and don't look back at him hesitating. Stay at his shoulder and lead him right up to the left side stall of the trailer. (Always haul a single horse up on the driver's side. If you have two horses to haul, put the bigger horse on the driver's side.)

Don't get in the trailer with the horse, unless there is an escape door, or way for you to get out fast. There's no point in getting in a trailer with a horse that might go ballistic with you trapped inside, is there?

If you're lucky, the horse gets right in, and you reach through the side and tie his lead to the trailer tie, or unsnap the lead, if you prefer to have them free in the trailer.

Most likely, your horse planted his feet and pulled back when you tried to lead him up to the trailer, right?

It's all right, he will learn eventually. Don't praise him, but don't punish him either. Don't be angry or despairing. You are on schedule.

The next step is to get a strong friend with gloves and non-skid boots, a cotton longe rope at least 25 feet long, and a longe whip.

Some other good equipment to wear, if you have them, is a safety vest, a helmet, and leg wraps or trailer boots on the horse, to protect his legs. A protective trailer hat for the horse is not a bad idea either, as some horse rear up in a trailer and cut their heads.

One method that sometimes works, and is not too traumatizing, is to tie the end of the horse's lead rope, using a square knot, to the end of the longe line. Thread the longe line up through the trailer stall and out the front side, where you want the horse's head to go. Pull the longe rope and lead line gently till they are somewhat taut, and make the line go in a loop back around the horse's butt. Don't get too close, as you may get kicked. Do not wind the rope around your hand or arm, and be sure you not to get tangled in the rope in any way. You should be able to drop the rope immediately at any time and be completely free of the horse. Have your longe whip or driving whip ready. When the horse feels the tug of the lead rope pulling him forward, most likely, he will pull backwards. That's when you pull the loop of the longe rope against his hindquarters, just above his hocks. He may try to kick or sit down upon the rope. You give a little tug and crack the whip or touch him lightly with the whip and say "Walk!" With any luck, he will go forward.

If he does go forward, let up, just a little on the rope--a relief of pressure is how you reward him for the right response. But don't let up too much, as he will most likely try to bolt out of the side of the trailer. Most likely, the horse fights you, sitting down on the rope, kicking or yanking his head back and forth. Ply the butt rope back and forth, and repeat the whip cracking while saying 'walk." Be sure you are clear of the hind legs, and also that if the horse flips over, you aren't going to be underneath. Whenever the horse starts to do the right thing, let up a little and praise him. When he starts to balk, crack the whip, saw the rope and continue the voice commands. Hopefully, he will eventually get the idea that if he keeps moving forward in to the trailer, you are going to let up on the pressure. You will stop pulling the rope against his butt, and you will stop cracking the whip. This concept may take weeks for some horses to learn, especially if they've had bad experiences in the trailer before. The goal is to get him to recognize that moving forward means comfort. Anything else means discomfort.

The other goal is to keep the situation calm. It's easy to get frustrated, because some horses are very stubborn and balky about loading, and it's easy to blow your stack. Keep cool, be patient, the horse will eventually learn.

If these methods are not successful, I will tell you some other things to try later on...