horse wont go in trailer

Question
I have a nine year old mare which I bought the end of July.  I didn't have my own trailer at the time and borrowed a stock trailer used for hauling hogs.  She stepped right into it.  I have since bought a four horse/slant trailer and she absolutely refuses to enter it.  What do I do?

Answer
Hi Regina!

Congratulations on the purchase of your new mare!  Please don't be frustrated.  The problem is not loading it is leading.  Your mare needs to be obedient and willing to follow you anywhere even into a sparkling, clean brand new trailer!  Scary!  I was going to tell you to contact the auction yard and offer to transport hogs to break in your trailer...(kidding)you always have to embrace the humor and enjoy the journey...aah horses! :)

Heres what to do, and it starts with a story, this is what Ray Hunt told me...If I were to come to your house for a visit and I came in and sat down, as a good host you would offer me a cup of coffee or an ice tea and maybe a cookie.  I would feel welcome and comfortable in your home and I would want to come back.  Same thing in a trailer.  I want my horses to feel comfortable.  I'm NOT going to bribe them into the trailer, but once they are in, I'll make it a comfortable place for them to be.  In a brand new trailer, I would add some used shavings from your horses stall. Something that smells like home.  Then a good safe hay bag  with a flake of your horses hay, if your trailer does not have a manger.  Now  you are ready for your leading lesson.

I call it leading as opposed to loading.  This I think helps aliveate some of the anxiety for the human.  I have several different ways of leading into a trailer.  Use a good rope halter with a 12' tree line lead. The rope halter offers the horse a different feel that is more difficult to brace against unlike a nylon webbed halter.

Walk your horse out to the trailer just like you are leading him into a halter class.  Keep a good even rhythm, and step right into the trailer like you mean for her to go with you.  If she stops, you can turn and face her, take a firm feel of the lead and hold.  Just enough for her to be uncomfortable, but not a feel that says you are trying to drag her into the trailer.  The SECOND she so much as shifts her weight forward toward the trailer, RELEASE the pressure and rub her.  This is really important.  You are teaching her to lead not dragging her.  Now, pick up that feel again.  Add just enough pressure to make it uncomfortable and release the moment she makes the slightest try toward the trailer.  If she pulls back or moves backward, stay with her and do NOT release the pressure.  Follow her back.  As soon as she comes still and moves forward, release.  Pretty soon you will get her to step one foot into the trailer, rub her, let her know she has found the answer.  If she as to step out of the trailer that is fine allow it to happen, then start the process again.  When she steps one or two feet into the trailer, I want you to back her out.  Let her know that it is okay to follow YOUR feel either forward or back.  You will need her to back out of the trailer anyway and this is a great time to build the whole skill set not just the getting in part.  

I like to lead a horse up to the trailer and then back a few steps and then forward again.  Get their feet really free.  Step the front feet up into the trailer then back out.  Can you see the pattern developing here?  Pretty soon one hind foot will want to step up.  It will feel smooth, that is what I want you to look for.  Rub your horse to get her to stay.  If she can't stay, try to smoothly back her up BEFORE it is her idea to leave.  Then start all over again.  

Some other things to do to prepare for the trailer is to really get control of the feet.  Your answer to most anything with a horse is in the feet.  Try  stepping her across a log on the ground, over a tarp, onto a piece of plywood, over a trail horse bridge that is raised.  If you have a trail horse bridge, walk her onto it and back her off.  Using a raised bridge will solve a ton of leading problems.  

Regina, try these things out.  If I have used terms or information that you do not understand, let me know and I will clarify for you.  Keep me posted on your progress!

Smiles!  Denise