To help your horse get comfortable on the trailer, practice putting him on the trailer and letting him stand tied in it without going anywhere. We do this with our horses at the ranch all the time. After their training sessions, when they’re cooled down, we load them on the trailer. We tie them up and leave them on there for an hour or so. We let them practice standing on the trailer and getting used to being in it. They eat in there, drink in there, and just get used to being on the trailer.
How often do people put their horses on trailers and just let them be? Never. It’s always “load the horse up and hit the road.” No one loads their horse up and just lets the horse get used to being on the trailer. But then we get upset when our horses aren’t comfortable being on the trailer. It’s a good thing to incorporate into your training. Your horse can’t get good at something he doesn’t get to practice.
After a training session, when your horse is quiet and wants to stand still anyway, go ahead and load him on the trailer and leave him alone. (Note: Make sure your trailer is hooked up to your truck or is securely locked in place. You don’t want your horse to step on it and have it tip up or move. That’ll just wreck his confidence.)
If you practice giving him some “friendly time” with the trailer, you’ll be amazed at how much more comfortable he is about being on it. And that will make any trailer ride better for both of you.
Looking for more training tips? Check out the No Worries Club. Have a training question? Send it to us at [email protected].
