- Horse refuses to go anywhere near the trailer.
- Horse gets on the trailer but will not back off of it.
- Horse walks up to the trailer but will not step into it.
- Horse was in a bad trailering accident and wants nothing to do with the trailer.
If you’re dealing with any of these scenarios, you’re not alone! Trailer-loading troubles are some of the most common issues all equestrians experience at one point or another with their horses.
In 2018, Clinton released a video series that explains how he builds a horse’s confidence about getting on the trailer and being comfortable with the experience. To make the series the most educational for horsemen, Clinton worked with three horses with longstanding fear or dislike of the trailer. The equine students include: Easter, a 13-year-old palomino, Redbird, an off-the-track Thoroughbred, and Dolce, a 3-year-old blue roan Quarter Horse.
The detailed how-to series is split up into two parts. In part one, Clinton works with Easter, explaining how he builds a horse’s confidence about getting on the trailer and craving to be there. In part two, he works with Redbird and Dolce. In Red Bird’s training session, Clinton explains how to teach a horse to load confidently on and off a trailer without a ramp. Working with Dolce, Clinton demonstrates how to quickly load a horse that refuses to go in the trailer in an emergency situation.
No Worries Club members have unlimited access to the entire series and can view it by logging on to the No Worries Club website or the Downunder Horsemanship app. Part two of the series is available to the public on the Downunder Horsemanship app. Once logged in to the app, click on the Training Kits and Premium Content category, and then scroll down to the Trouble-Free Trailering series.