horse kicking

Question
I bought a mare a couple of yrs ago {11yrs old} and she working out as a good trail horse-the problem I have is she has started kicking in the trailer-with both feet-she does this is a bit in a stall-she walks on trailer fine-is with another horse-we only have 2 and they travel together-we have tried changing sides-it is a step up steel trailer-not sure how to curb this-very unsettling going down the road when she gives a boot-she appears to me to not like confined spaces

Answer
Hi Joan,
Your horse starts kicking once in the trailer. This is a very common problem. They kick and they paw after they are loaded. This is a "symptom of a cause". The symptom is the upsetting behavior in the trailer. The cause is "the horse does not want to be in the trailer". Horses are claustrophobic by nature. They don't like close in spaces much like you would not like being locked in a closet. There are two ways to "fix" the problem. First, try putting a hay bag with a little hay in it for the horse to munch on and take it's mind off of being closed in a tight trailer. That is the easiest and simple solution. But, it is only a band-aid to the problem. The other solution is more permanent but takes longer to fix. Train your horse to "like" being in the trailer. You do this by "making the wrong thing hard....and the right thing easy". By this I mean, make being outside the trailer work and being inside the trailer easy and restful. This means teaching your horse to load and unload all over. It's pretty simple really. Take your horse to the trailer and lunge the horse outside the trailer. Make your horse do loads of change of directions. Make them sweat and breath a little heavy. Then let the horse load and relax. Just pet it once on the trailer. Let it just stand there and do nothing in the trailer. Then unload it and work it some more out of the trailer until it is tired. Then load it again and let it relax. It will soon find that it prefers being in the trailer because being outside the trailer is just way too much work.
This might take a little time on your part and alot of patience. Don't get frustrated. Take your time and just work through it and I think you will see a difference.
I hope I have been able to be of help. Stay safe and have fun with your horse.