Tips on Trailer Loading Practice Sessions

Trailer loading, like anything else with horses, requires the human to be in a relaxed, calm, zen-like state before even walking your horse over to the trailer. Be sure you are there first. If you have any fear, anxiety, tiredness, or anger, don’t attempt to load your horse!

 

Once you feel completely present and self-aware, begin by getting into your heart center and sending the idea of what you’d like your horse to do. Be completely clear about why you want to practice. Is it to go fun places? Is it to be sure you can move your horse in case of an emergency? Do you want to move your horse to a new barn? Explain in detail with pictures and words, why you feel it’s important for your horse to trust you and get in this confined space with wheels.

 

Then, once you’ve explained your case, ask your horse what they need from you to feel completely safe. Notice what images or words or feelings come up. If you aren’t able to receive any information back, just notice how they respond when you begin your practice. They will often tell you with their body language quite quickly how they feel about the whole thing.

 

I want you to think of your horse as a young child that needs support from you in a kind and patient way. Be their cheerleader and encourage them to take their time and feel brave. This is the way to connect with love and appreciation. Do your best not to get upset if they begin to tense up or panic. You need to continue to embody the feeling of staying calm, relaxed, and completely confident that getting in the trailer is a safe thing to do!

 

For the trailer:

 

Do a safety check on the entire trailer, especially the floorboards. You might need to raise up your rubber mats to see how they are looking. If there is any question in your mind, have your trailer inspected by a qualified technician. This way you can relax and know you have the safest trailer possible for your horse.

Before you get your horse, be sure your trailer is safely connected to your vehicle and is stationary.

 

If you have escape doors, open them to create the best light possible. If there isn’t enough light, consider moving your trailer to a better area for more natural light to stream in.

 

Check on your dividers and position them so you can create the most space possible in the beginning.

 

Be sure your dividers, butt bars, and/or ramps are easy to negotiate. Basically: Know that you can secure your horse easily once they are relaxed inside.

 

When you step in, notice if anything is clanging loudly. Jump up and down a little to be sure. You might need to rearrange some things in your tack room to avoid the loud noises, especially when you do eventually begin to drive off. The least amount of noise for the horse within the trailer, the better!

 

For the horse:

 

These tips are for the horse owner who already has a good connection with their horse on the ground. Your horse understands how to do the ‘hokey pokey’ when needed. In other words: You can move them from side to side, forwards, backward, and ask them to shift their hind end or front end as needed. Create that connection in hand first, so your slight shifts with trailer practice will become that much easier.

 

Begin with the end goal of the session in mind:

 

Decide where you would be happy to quit ahead of time. If your horse is particularly nervous about getting remotely close to the trailer, you can decide that having them place their nose on any part of the trailer is a win and call it good for the first session. This is where you really need to know your horse and trust your intuition.

 

Ideally, you are going to create a sense of relaxation for your horse around and in the trailer. You can do any of the following to encourage relaxation (meaning your horse’s head relaxes down, they sigh, yawn, relax a back leg, or look like they are getting sleepy).

Once they show signs of relaxation, praise them and offer them more scratches or treats, or whatever encourages them to relax even more. Then just hang out with them, sending them the image of them walking into the trailer easily. Then wait. Breathe. Imagine you are going to be there for three days. Get relaxed in your body and clear with your intention that the trailer is a safe and happy place for your horse.

 

With that relaxed feeling, ask them quietly to move towards the trailer. If they only move their nose and not their feet, praise that anyway. ANY kind of indication that they are trying to investigate the trailer is a win! Be patient and clear. Ask again for them to move forward. If you feel tension in the lead rope, release that tension. Ask them to softly move their shoulders or hind end to feel like you are offering a sense of movement, but not away from the trailer. Just a feeling of swaying side to side in front of it. If they get in a panic and rush backward, go with them and see if you can turn them in a circle and then immediately get back to searching for that relaxation feeling. Also, when I say praise, it can mean using your voice, placing your hand on them for reassurance and/or offering a treat. Totally up to you and your intuition. Each horse will respond differently.

 

Once you find a good place to end, decide that the next session will only go a tiny bit more. Decide that it is totally fine with you if it takes an entire month of sessions to create a relaxed and safe feeling for your horse to load in the trailer. Once you decide that you aren’t in a rush, magic happens. The sessions will get easier and less stressful and it will probably happen way sooner.

 

So the biggest keys: Don’t rush, listen to what your horse needs, ask for less, praise often, and don’t put any unnecessary pressure on you or your horse!

 

Be safe and enjoy the process!

 

May the horse be with you. Always.