Trailer-Sour Horses

Few things are as frustrating or dangerous as riding a horse that doesn’t want to be where you’re working with him. Whether you’re on the trail or at a competition, it doesn’t matter. When your horse wants to get back to the trailer or barn, you constantly battle his natural tendencies and prey-animal instincts. It requires a calm and controlled leader with adequate training and a systemic approach to work through a horse’s anxiety and build his confidence in the situation.

That’s why Clinton Anderson from Downunder Horsemanship has developed a way to train horses, regardless of their past problems or traumas. It begins with training the owners to gain their horse’s respect and understand how to control them properly. Join Clinton on his weekly endeavors of tackling some of the most challenging situations with problem horses and problem owners. This week, we get a little preview into August’s No Worries Club tips for trailer-sour horses.

Clinton starts this episode by explaining what a trailer- or barn-sour horse is. It’s a horse that constantly wants to run back to the trailer after a trail ride or to the barn after you’ve ridden them away from home. This can be dangerous and frustrating, so taking the initiative to fix the issue is important.

Horses have a tendency to walk away from home really slowly, and as soon as they turn around and head for home, they seem to kick into second gear. In this episode, Clinton covers some tips that you can use to help keep your horse calm and steady regardless of which direction you’re heading. He’ll be working with his colleague Professional Clinician Jeff Davis to demonstrate exercises to use to solve the issue.

We can see how Jeff’s horse is in a bit of a hurry as he’s heading back to the trailer, so Clinton tells him to let the horse hurry back to the trailer. Then, once he’s back to the trailer, Jeff will start trotting circles right next to it. This teaches the horse that even though he can see the trailer, the ride isn’t over until Jeff says it is. In other words, the trailer doesn’t mean it’s time to rest and hang out with his buddies. Jeff uses the trailer like a fence to work the horse’s feet and practice the Rollbacks on the Fence exercise. The goal is to show the horse that getting back to the trailer means hustling his feet. This can help turn your horse’s negative energy into positive energy.

Clinton keeps having Jeff work his horse. Anywhere the horse dives in on the circle, Jeff turns him back the other way. Keep doing this for about five to ten minutes straight. This will help make your horse realize that the last thing he’s going to have near the trailer is a rest. At the end of the exercises, Jeff rides the horse away from the trailer and then lets him rest. It’s very important not to let the horse rest at the trailer or you’ll undo all the hard work you’ve just went through.

Clinton Anderson has devoted his career to creating the best training tools and videos available to horsemen worldwide. Now, you can access the mobile method and get everything at the touch of a finger.

Always have access to the Downunder Horsemanship Method, even when you’re on the go or at the barn. The Downunder Horsemanship app gives you access to your digital training kits and allows you to download videos and training content directly to your mobile device or view them on your computer. The Downunder Horsemanship app also offers over 100 hours of free in-depth training content. No Worries Club members will have full access to Clinton’s ever-growing training library and a massive number of members-only features and information. The best part is that you can view and interact with each lesson on your mobile device or computer, giving you the ultimate access to the method anytime and anywhere.

To learn more about the Downunder Horsemanship training method, become a member of the No Worries Club, or get information on any of the products seen on our show, head over to our homepage and download the Downunder Horsemanship app today!