Welcome to this months training tip.
(Please keep in mind that these are methods I use most everyday and have worked for me in the past. However all horses are different as well as peoples feel and timing are different from my own. Please exercise safety first for both horse and handler.) Of all the training questions I have been asked over the years, trailer loading is the most persistant problem for both horse and human. To the horse the trailer is a cave with one way in and one way out, a place where the ground disapears behind them, and something that for the broke horse also means work. To the human the trailer is just what it is, a means to get our horses from one place to another, a way to get some down time outdoors away from customers, clients and the office. Offten times in our rush to get going we hurry the horse into a tight closterphobic area and once they get their back feet out of the way, slam the door and be off. After a while the horse resents the trailer for what it stands for and for the young horse a fearful thing that takes them away from all comfort.
Ive heard literally hundreds of ways to load a horse, from a butt rope and 5 strong guys to beating them if they don't load. We don't have to be professional horsemen to realize that all we really need is for our horses to crave the trailer and trip as much as we do. How do we do that though without confusing, forcing or luring with treats? Preperation.
The thing I have found to be lacking in a lot of trailer loading problem horses is that they don't know how to yeild to pressure correctly and down right fear of being trapped. So in this 2 part article we will work on both the prep work and the actual trailer loading. I hope you enjoy and get some new ideas.
Equipment needed: Good rope halter, 14 ft lead line, protective boots for the horse are recomended, some trees and your trailer.
Time spent: As long as needed usually within an hour they are ready for some down time to let it soak in.
In the first set of pictures you can see the proper placement of the halter. You want the throat latch area to be behind the jaw line or just at not hanging down. Also the halter should fit well enough that the nose peice is about 5 inches from the tip of the nose. Any higher and you won't get the same response as that part of the nose is less senstive and any lower and you could cause damage to the soft cartliage and create scar tissue. Also the protective boots should fit the diamiter of the horses legs to prevent the horse from hitting himself or something hitting him. If he experiences pain he will remember the pain not the lesson. You can saddle your horse if you are working on saddling issues or just getting a young horse use to wearing it.
In this set of pictures you can see the proper way to tie your rope halter. This is very important as it will keep you from having to pry loose a knot at the end of the lesson. If tied properly, even when pulled tight, you should be able to push and wiggle the section that crosses over the bridle path and easily work the knot loose instead of having to find a flat head screw driver to simply turn your horse loose. For these excersises I can't stress enough how a 1 inch nylon halter with buckles will hinder your progress. I have found that the Clinton Anderson rope halters really stand up to the test because they are a more rigid rope. Its also common if the horse is really trying to pull you around or test the halter that he will get scuff marks on either side of his jaw from the halters normal slipage.
In the begining stages of this use a wide open space where the horse won't get tangeld or too distracted. Its very important for them to understand this part completely before moving on to the more difficult part. Here is how I hold my rope should I send him off to the left. I want to hold it loosly so that I can feed him rope if he needs it but at the same time holding it this way gives me more power should I need to pick up on him. I can bring my hand in towards my belly easier than if I had my hand the other way. Its actually pretty easy to remember after a few times when you remember to point your fingers in the direction you want your horse to go as though holding a gun.
Here I am going to stand infront of Shadow to ask him to move to the right. Many people make the mistake of walking to the shoulder or hindquarters when getting a horse to lounge. If your horse starts circling you yeilding his hindquarters instead of walking forward and around then step in front of him and give it a try. When I am going to send him to the right I have my right arm up and pointing the direction while with my left I am asking him to move his shoulders away. You can do this by twirling the lead rope or by using a training stick. Horses that are new to this will try every way but the right one the first few times so be patient and give them a moment to think it through. Most horses will try to run backwards or move INTO the swinging rope. If this happens stay with them and once they take even one step across on the front release all pressure and start walking back. This brings the horse to you and is less intimidating than you walking straight at your horse. Give him a good pat and do it again. What this is also reinforcing is that you can make them move away but you are also going to release the pressure and bring them back to a comfort zone.
Do this until your horse moves away from you and can make a few circles without stoping to look at you. When you are asking for the forward movement also remember your body placement. Once the horse is moving try and keep your belly button at the girth line or just behind when you are driving them forward and when you step out in front and back to bring the horse to you you will be stepping in front of the drive line or girth line. When you are consistent your horse will see the slightest movement and stop. What you are looking for is that when you point in a direction your horse moves that direction without a second thought. Also when they are starting to really get this then you can step back and let them walk to you a few steps and then send them in the other direction without stoping.
If your horse is trying to pull you around the arena by running sideways every time thats ok too this next step will help cure that problem. Chances are that their buddy is in the direction they are pulling you or the gate is there. Often times I will take them to the place they want to go and really work them there and take them to where we started for the release. Gate and buddy mean work, out here with me is reward. Starting to see how this will help other things as well?
Now we can step it up a little once they get the basic concept and for those horses that really wanted to pull on you and not yeild to the halter, this is what helps. I use a couple of trees that are limbed up (limbs are cut up high so that horses dont poke an eye out) and not too big around. For the horse that wanted to bolt around you and try to beat you when you asked for the direction change without stoping forward motion, using the trees like this not only saves your back and arms but gives them a reason for moving the other direction when you ask.
I will point the direction and at this point I expect them to trot the circle. Let them go around once and then move just enough so that the tree comes between us. In the first picture I have him moving to the left. As he hurrys around me not paying too much attention just yet he will hit the end of the lead, wich I can feed more should I need to and at the same time step to the left and cue for him to change directions with the end of the lead. Now he doesn't have much choice but to change directions and move where I am pointing. Its ok if the horse bumps his nose the first few times it just shows they aren't paying too much attention to whats going on around them, just moving.
After letting him rest a few moments and getting a good rub I change it up a bit. A horse has to know how to back up, be it undersaddle, backing out of a trailer or getting off of your foot. I start this usually in the arena or on some flat ground and really get them good at backing up then I can step it up again by taking it out to the real world. Here I am going to ask him to back a full circle around this tree and for that he has to move his hindquarters away from me and keep moving over uneven ground. Its a real challenge for him but its something that helps build the horses confidence to back out of a trailer when they often seem to think that there is no ground beyond the trailer floor. The more I can get him to do out here the more the trailer will seem like an easy task. Start small and reward them for taking a step back. Before you know it they can indeed back a full figure eight around the trees just like Axle is doing in these pictures.
picture one: Giving him a moment to settle and focus Picture 2 I've started backing him and his hindquarters go too far over so I helped him move back into frame. Picture 3 ending the backing once he is moving with some energy and is relaxing into the task.
Once your horse can back over uneven ground take them to a small hill. Ask them to back down and really praise them when they take a step. When they can back all the way down turn them around and back them up it again rewarding the slightest try. At the end of the lesson really give them a good scratch and take them to the trailer. This is where most people get greedy and try too much in one day. The horse is tired, I bet he'll load...sometimes yeah he might but you also risk undoing all the confidence and trust you have been working on. Instead try taking him to the trailer and letting him stand either tied to the side or tied so that he can look in and sniff it if he wants. Don't make a big deal out of it just tie open the door and bush him down and let him stand to soak in the lesson for at least 15 minutes to an hour. Don't untie him until he is standing with a foot cocked and looking bored out of his mind. If he is pawing or pacing let him stand a while longer or take him back out for a short lesson on the things he knows really well and then let him try to relaxe at the trailer again.
The direct and drive where we point and the horse knows to go that direction translates into so many things. If we stand at the trailer entrance and point up into the trailer the horse will know that is the direction we are asking them to go and that there is a reason even if they can't see it because we have conditioned them mentaly. Also now the horse has a conditioned response to the direct and drive where they know that the direction we are pointing is the only option so if you are riding and the horse won't cross a creek or wants to really jump, you now have the option of getting off and sending them over the creek as many times as it takes to get them to walk through it. This takes time though but builds trust between you and your horse, but more importantly it builds the horses confidence in your leadership. He's learning that you arn't going to place him in a situation that will get him killed or injured.
If you do this every day for a week always leting your horse rest at the trailer where he can either see in or be near it you'll be surprized at how fast your horse starts craving the sight of the trailer. In the next article we will work on actually geting your horse into the trailer safely and back out safely which can also be a problem, but until then stay safe and have fun with your horse. Remember safety first for both horse and handler.
Thanks again,
Sheila