Hello my name is Emily. I have just got a new seven year old gelding. He has big problems loading on the trailer, we have tried a lot of things but is there any advice you could give to me to help me? Thanks.

Emily

H&C's expert Jenny Rudall replies:

Hi Emily,

It is not uncommon to have problems with loading. These can stem from a horse having a bad experience in a lorry or trailer, or simply the horse knowing he can get the better of you and refusing to go in, as he thinks he is the dominant one in your relationship. If the latter is the problem, make it very clear that you are not afraid and if you are nervous, then get a more experienced person to help you load. Either way, when getting a horse into a trailer, you must be calm and assertive.

It is important that the horse does not associate the trailer with bad experiences, and you need to take time to practice even when you are not going anywhere. The moment you HAVE to load to get somewhere it puts pressure on you and the horse,  plus you can be nervous before a show and the horse can sense this and refuse to cooperate.

To start with, just lead your horse to the box then away. Then you can place some feed on the ramp for him to eat, putting it higher each day. You can do this daily, maybe getting a couple of feet on the ramp then leading him away again with no pressure of putting him in.

If he has a best friend or a sensible horse who is easy to load then use the other horse to your advantage. When loading in a trailer, put down the front ramp as well and lead the friend straight through. See if your horse will follow and practice this, taking your time.

With a lorry, put the friend on first to encourage your horse to go in. Then take them on and off bit by bit till they go on easily. When they are on just do the ramp up and take it down so they learn that they are not always on there for a long time.

For the first couple of journeys take them somewhere to hack so travelling is not always associated with a stressful show.  

There is no quick fix, there are other methods used by professionals e.g. Monty Roberts but these are difficult to use without proper training. If in doubt get someone to help you and most of all, take your time. 

Good Luck and I hope this helps,

Jenny