Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

most trailer loading and unloading problems can be solved by doing lots of work with your horse before you ever put them on the trailer.  your horse should stop, start, go left, go right, walk by obstacles, over concrete, up an embankment, down a dropoff, etc., in hand, on a leadline before you try to load him on a trailer.  if you take the time to teach them to move forward when you ask, and pay attention to you, it will make trailer loading much easier.   also, you cant expect a horse to be confident backing off a trailer if you dont spend time teaching them to back on the ground, on command.  do lots of it, most people dont do that enough.  practice backing through gates, around obstacles, etc.      ed