Loading - help please

[DITZ]

Would anyone mind giving me step by step instructions on how to load my horse as I've never done it before. I have a single trailer rear load and unload and a 15.1 TB. I have had the trailer a while yet but havent plucked up the courage to try it yet. I cant get my head around where I am supposed to be when leading him up and cos its a narrow one how I get out. What do I tie him to. Can I use shavings instead of straw on the floor. And what about unloading what the process there then?

He doesnt seem too bothered by the trailer I have shown it to him and he has willingly walked halfway in.

Any help would be great.

[virtuallyhorses]

It doesn't sound like your horse needs any help at all, just lead him in. Loading a horse into a trailer is simply leading him - since your horse shows no signs of fear, then you are the one who needs to be careful. If you are nervous then your horse will pick up on this and wonder what there is to be scared about. So you need to simply lead your horse into the trailer as if you were leading him anywhere else.

You haven't said what the problem is, but it sounds like this may be a single horse trailer, with no (people) door in the front and you're not sure what to do. If that's the case you have two choices - first lead him up with a longish lead rope, sort of stand off to the side of the ramp and encourage him to walk past you, just like you are going through a gate. If he gets half way in and then stops, make sure your rope isn't putting pressure on his halter. Cluck him and ask him to walk on, if necessary put your hand on his butt and stand on the ramp behind him where he can see you (as long as he's not the type to kick out) give him a gentle tap on the bum if required and cluck him up until he's in.

If there's no door in the front you're going to have a problem with getting in to tie him up\or even to get the lead rope off once he's in, so you're either going to unclip the lead rope as he goes past - again think of this like putting him through a gate into a pasture - or you're going to have to squeeze past him once he's in. A little treat like a couple of apples will help if you want to do the unclipped entry - once he sees food in there he'll be hard to keep out :)

Alternately, simply lead him in and tie him off, then squeeze past him to get out and put up the butt rests and tailgate.

Coming out - if you've left him untied, then just undo the butt rests and ask him out, be ready to clip his lead rope on as he comes out but don't 'rush' him or he may shy.

Just take everything easy, have a couple of practice runs using a stall if you like and work out what you need to do - or use the trailer. If you've got time before you need to use it - feed him in there. Put his feed in the trailer and then let him eat in there - he'll associate it with nice things and you'll be able to unclip him and send him in anytime.

These articles and photos may help you

http://www.lesliedesmond.com/articles/us/kids4.asp
http://www.todayshorse.com/Articles/Floating.htm

[ponytude]

If your horse does not want to load be careful but you can blind your horse with a blindfold and carefully lead him up the ramp. You could try that or just give him a bucket of oats while loading to keep him stuffing his face and be loaded carelessly. But I agree Virtullyhorses. Your horse should not have much trouble going up and in the trailer. It sounds like a very placid/mellow horse. Good luck and happy Trailering!!!


PONYTUDE

[DITZ]

Thanks to you both it sounds quite straightforwards. I am always wary when I have to try something new for fear of making a total mess of it and either injuring one of us or just putting him off doing it again. I think I will try this evening. It is a single trailer and it does have a front groom door. So I guess I lead him in then go thru that to tie him up? What do you tie him to and do you HAVE to tie him? If so will his normal headcollar and lead rein do or do you need special gear?

[virtuallyhorses]

Tieing is dependent on how the horse stands up when being trailered, its not mandatory. Take him for a test drive and see how he does :)

Yes, use normal halter and lead rope, where you tie off to depends on the design of the trailer a little. If there's no tie off in the front of the trailer, tie to the chest bar (using a piece of twine). The only reason to tie off is for horses who insist on gawking out the back of the trailer the whole journey, this puts them off balance and then if they get bumped, they tend to get a bit panicked and its a whole bad cycle. When you tie off, make it sufficiently tight to stop him taking his head around to the side, but not so tight that its claustrophobic.

Some people also prefer to tie off horses, that like to shoot out of the trailer as soon as its stopped and opened - but you can train for that instead and it sounds like your horse knows what's what when it comes to trailers - trust him and see how you go.

[LindaAd]

I go in ahead of the horse, and duck under the breast bar...I don't think I'd leave any horse untied - they could try and turn round and get stuck - but I make sure the rope is long enough so there is plenty of room for them to move their heads.

[galadriel]

If you have a human sized door at the front, you can just walk all the way in with him--lead him like you're going through a narrow opening and don't worry that it's a trailer.

If you don't have an escape door in front (I will never again buy a trailer without an escape door in front--boy I love 'em) then you can just send him on into the trailer. If there is a window that runs up the side of the trailer, you can put his lead rope through the window and continue to lead him as normally; that's how I loaded my horses into the step-up with no escape door I had before.

I tie mine because they like to look at each other and out the windows, and around the trailer. I worry about them getting their heads hung up on the divider--I've watched one, when untied to unload, turn her head all the way around and about get hung up on the divider that runs from floor to ceiling. I tie them short enough not to be able to get a leg over it, so they can't get their heads in position to get stuck to anything, and they can't put their heads down, get the lead over, and come back up--effectively wrapping the lead around their necks. A "trailer tie" is usually a good length for this, and has a panic snap which is useful in case of emergency--but you can tie him with a regular lead and halter.

I trailer mine in shipping boots and a head bumper (since you asked about special halters). The shipping boots keep them from injuring their legs on the trailer or by stepping on themselves; the head bumper keeps them from banging their heads on the roof hard enough to hurt. I usually use a leather halter that will break if needed; the last thing I want, in case of an accident, is to be unable to get my horses out because their halter is snagged on something and won't break. I also always carry a utility knife.

Be sure that when you are practicing loading and unloading, your trailer is hooked up to a vehicle. The jacks in front of a trailer are not designed to take the weight of the trailer AND the weight of a horse, and they're not as stable as being hooked to a vehicle.

So once you get comfortable with loading & unloading, where are you going to go? :)

[DITZ]

Thanks everyone youve all been a great help. Fortunately my trailer does have a person sized front door so I will be able to clamber out of that. I think I will have a go tomorrow and perhaps just go for a drive around the village first - something short and sweet. When I am ready which shouldnt be too long I'm going to head off into Sherwood Forest which is only about 10 miles from me and just fantastic hacking - lots and lots of sandy tracks and the occasional log to jump. Cant wait!!! And hopefully later on in the season and with a few more jumping lessons under my belt I will try a local show I think but if I miss this year I'm not worried, I'd rather wait and get it right..

[galadriel]

Sounds like fun :) Good luck!