Name: Antiquity
State: Currently somewhere in MN
URL: http://www.geocities.com/antiquity_00/
Email address: antiquity_00@yahoo.com

Trailering! The very word strikes fear into the hearts of our four-hooved friends! I mean, who in their right minds would want to get into a small, metal thing on wheels that shakes and makes all those spooky sounds?! Sure, sure there’s a hay bag and maybe even the tempting smell of grain, but still! Horses can be claustrophobic, too!

Well, as much as we can try to persuade and beg, some horses just won’t get into a trailer, and/or throw a tantrum every time they even see a trailer, which can result in injury to both the horse and the handler(s). And so, I will discuss what I do when loading up the horses.

First, the day before I plan on trailering the horse, I walk him around the trailer on a lead rope, letting him sniff the sides and the wheels. Depending on the horse (especially if he’s a spook or if it’s his first time trailering!), I’ll have a friend actually hitch the trailer up and drive it in and out of the “drive way” a few times, letting the horse get used to the sounds and movement. Then I’ll have a friend hold the horse while I myself go into the trailer, walk around a couple times, letting the trailer squeak and groan as much as it wants, that way the horse won’t freak when it sets hoof on the floor.

That night, I’ll put the horse into an enclosure, usually a coral, a small paddock, or an outdoor riding arena, with the only “exit” being the trailer. I’ll provide ample water and some hay, of course; don’t want to be inhumane. But half the grain will be in a bucket in the trailer, as will be extra hay. I’ll leave him there all night to let him get used to the presence of the trailer. In a few instances, the horse went into the trailer by himself—no doubt to get the grain! Once, the horse was in the trailer when I arrived at the stables in the wee hours of the morning. Didn’t even have to do anything besides stick in another hay bag and secure the horse inside the trailer.

But, in the event that the horse does not go in of his own accord and remains steadfast in his decision, I’ll try putting another, willing horse into the trailer first, all the while talking to the anti-trailer horse saying “how it’s not so bad” and “look, if s/he did it, so can you!” and other such talk. Of course, you still might have a horse who couldn’t give a golden shoe whether or not other horses go in; he still won’t. Then you can try more grain and more hay, maybe throw in a couple horse treats, apples, and carrots, too. Of course, it’s probably a good idea not to overdo the treats, given some horses will eventually figure out what you’re up to.

And if that doesn’t work . . . well, there’s always the lunge whip. When doing the lunge whip, it’s best to have at least two people; the handler and the one with the lunge whip. The handler will lead the anti-trailer horse toward the trailer, actually getting into the trailer him/herself. If the horse balks or refuses to move forward, the lunge whip should be tapped gently against the horse’s rump or hindlegs. This action usually causes the horse to flinch, sometimes forward. If so, then the handler has to be careful that s/he doesn’t get run over and trampled on, but still be able to encourage the horse to keep moving forward before it decides otherwise. If gentle taps don’t work, have the lunge-whip snapped—behind—the horse, but be careful that you don’t whip the horse, as many horses will freak or become even more steadfast in their out-of-the-trailer-position. Do that a couple times, along with encouraging babble and maybe a handful of grain (in the handler’s hand, obviously.). I would advise that all three go at it for an extended limit of time (maybe five to ten minutes, depending on your schedule), and then take a short break or rest. If the break’s too long, the horse may become distracted and begin to look forward to the breaks. Of course, with some horses, it’s best just to keep going until the horse is safely in the trailer.

Sometimes, it just takes time and perseverance to get the horse into the trailer. Take a day to dedicate time to “train” your horse to go in, complete with lots of praise (and maybe a handful of grain) if your horse obeys. However, I do NOT agree with the beat-the-dang-horse-into-exhaustion-so-it’ll-go-into-the-trailer theory. I consider it a form of abuse (whipping horses into submission is NOT a positive method of learning for a horse), not to mention it isn’t very fun for the horse or the handlers (unless you’re some insane, sadistic person and if you are, you shouldn’t be owning horses!). It can also result in injury, both to the horse and the handler, and very stressing to all. It is also a chance that the horse will still NOT go in, and by beating it, it may never go into another trailer. Ever. So why take such chances? Why not just convince the horse that he wants to go into t! he trailer? After all, it’s so much less stressing on all parties!

I hope this helps!

All graphics/plus border created by and copyrighted to:

Email Me  with your tips and win my "Appreciation For Share Tips Award"!!!!!

Click Here  to go to Share Tips Page3
Home