MOGirl07 - 2015-09-17 2:28 PM Fairweather - I tried to quote you but my phone won't let me all of a sudden even though I just quoted someone else. Weird. I do think this is a LOT of the problem. She tends to get a bit emotional (worried) when loading/unloading and that's just not like her. I've gotten her to the point where she actually backs out like a lady and waits on me, instead of backing like a madwoman. I've never started a colt from scratch and I've never started a horse loading in the trailer from scratch...so let me ask you this, if you don't mind. When doing this, and I get her to put one foot (and then later on two feet) in, do I have her stand there til she's relaxed, then back that one foot out? I would think if I didn't wait til she relaxed some then she may get into a habit of putting one or two feet in and then backing right back out? For the record I feel like such a nincompoop for asking this but I guess it's how you learn!

Fairweather - 2015-09-17 3:41 PM


 Don't feel like that! :))

Don't try to keep those feet in there. If she needs to back off, come out at any time let her go out until she stops, however far that is, but immediately ask her calmly to put that foot/feet back on and then wait. If she comes off again, ask her to go back on.

If she feels the need to escape, let her but immediately ask her to go back to it. When they feel trapped is when you have the problem, and that's the whole problem with trying to make a horse get on and stay on the trailer..When they stop feeling trapped, they can start to realize that what you're wanting is for them to be on the trailer and that's where you leave them alone. That's when they'll also start slowing down on backing out. 

Another thing too, the first time she goes even partially on without a fight and she's calm, quit right then and take her away from the trailer. That way you're quitting on a good note and not over-stressing her about it.