off shoot from trailer thread re backing out the trailer

[Lucy J]

now, i was just reading on the other thread about the neccesitiy of teaching a horse to back out a trailer. I purposefully bought a front unload and am teaching my mare to walk through the trailer. Well not walk through exactly, but walk in, stop (either with or without breastbar) then lead down the front ramp. I am purposefully NOT teaching her to back out the trailer as I don't want her to anticipate this and rush for 1 main reason....I am always loading myself which means putting her in, tying her up then leaving her there while I rush round to sort the back ramp. I would worry if I taught her to reverse (a move she is not great with anyway and tends to throw her head up with and has previously injured herself this way) then I might risk ending up under the ramp. I see no need to teach her this and I know she is well trained not to even think of barging past me to get out - she always waits for me to be at the bottom of the ramp before she walks out. so is there really a neccesity to teach to back out like mentioned in the other thread?

I always had this problem with my new forest pony - would lead him in, tie him up and he would panic and be out the back of the ramp before I could get there. I changed to a trailer tie which meant he couldn't break that as easily as bailer twine, but he would still panic. he is now fine after using a pressure halter to teach how to load in the back and out the front as above.

just curious, thanks.

[horse__obsessed]

I think its only really necessary to teach them to back down if you dont have rfont unload.

[holiday]

I nearly always travel my horses to competitions on my own, i have a front unload but never use it, my horses are too big to get round the corner!!!!!!! I take two horses out together to competitions (17.2hh shire x and 16.3hh clydesdale x) out on my own, both are fantastic and back out whilst the other just stands and waits.

All my ponies also stand quietly and wait i load them tie them up then go out and fasten up behind them. Just my preference but it works for me. I have the option of front but they are taught from day one they dont shoot out backwards and load when i ask!!!!!!!!

[Lucy J]

how did you teach them not to shoot out backwards on your own? if i could I would!

[KateWooten]

Lucy, just spend lots and lots of time doing loading lessons. It takes a lot of time, that's all. Teach them to go forward one step at a time on cue. With my easy horse, I just stick to a single cue 'hop up' and have his lead line thrown over his back, and send him up into the trailer. If he starts to back out, same cue 'hop up' reinforced with a gentle tap on the butt if needed.

If your horse is running back out, was he really happy with going in in the first place ?

With my more sceptical older mare, the problem is not the going in, it's the coming out that worries her. So, we don't work on loading really, we just work on sending her forward one step at a time. Either into or near the trailer, or even nowhere near the trailer ...send her forward one step, back up one step. Forward, back etc etc. When we do trailer loading lessons, I just ask her to put one foot in, one foot out (yes, we do indeed sing the hokey cokey at times - although it's callled the hokey pokey here :) )

After maybe a week of this she was putting 2 feet in, and 2 feet out ... and then progress was quick for all 4 feet. Once they know they can back out any time (and you can help and reassure them by being there, watching their feet as they back out and saying 'ok, Big step' when they reach the step down)... once they realise that the backing out is no big deal, they're a lot less inclined to rush it. (Especially if being IN the trailer means being quiet and munching hay, and being OUT of the trailer means lots of good healthy exercise).

[Kate F.]

If your horse is running back out, was he really happy with going in in the first place ?


Exactly! No he wasn't.

Lucy, if the horse has problems backing anyway, this is also something that needs to be addressed, not just worked around and ignored. It's a sign of lack of confidence, and does need to be worked on, regardless of trailering practice.

Ask for just one step back at a time, and ask very gently with a light pressure on the halter. Release and stroke her when she takes even a half step, and gradually build it up.

When you can back up comfortably on the ground, do what Katewootton suggests and do one-step-forward-one-step-back on the trailer ramp, then in the trailer itself. Take plenty of time, until she's really settled and happy in there.

You may usually unload at the front anyway - but who knows when you might have to use another trailer in an emergency and backing out might be the only way?

[Lucy J]

hi, my mare doesn't rush out the back, she is quite forward thinking - it was my new forest pony who did this and at the time, yes he was concernd with the trailer. i have spent hours with him and he now loads quite happily, but I haven't taught him to back him out in case he learns he can with or without me - I figured that would be reinforcing his original behaviour. I think that is what I was getting at....if they are taught to back out are they not more likely to try and back out before I am ready (breach bar off, ramp down?) in an emergency with someone else's trailer then I will have help - one at front and one at back and reversing out would not be a problem. My way of loading is purely based on how I can safely do it on my own, but the other thread mentioned you are more at risk when they are coming out the front ramp than the back ramp. i just think trying to safely unload single handedly has to be safer out the front?

[*Sez*]

We bought a front unload trailer, but it encouraged Salsa to bounce out without thinking or waiting and he would start charging against the breastbar as soon as we stopped and he thought the door was going to open. I was told he would NOT rear unload, so I taught him to. Loads of practise, praise and patience, and he backs out slowly and quietly because he's not sure where he's putting his feet and is watching me for guidance. In my opinion, it's much safer (and avoids me being squished and him bashing his head) but I appreciate it won't work for everyone.

[katefarmer]

i just think trying to safely unload single handedly has to be safer out the front?

Not really sure - probably depends on the trailer design. I do everything over the back ramp - and often load and unload alone. To unload, I just untie the horse and put the rope over its back. Then go to the back and let down the ramp, and stand at the side of the ramp (on the ground), undo the breach bar, lift horse's tail and pull gently (signal to back out), horse backs slowly down the ramp and I pick up the rope as it comes out. Unloading by the tail is good - lifting the tail helps them pick their feet up so less chance of stumbling on the ramp - it also helps keep them straight. You can also put a hand on the hip to keep them straight if you need to. If you teach the horse to back out from the tail, I think backing out is the safest for horse and human. :cool:

However, if you are using a "push back from inside the trailer" unload with no-one on the outside, there is the risk of the horse stepping off/slipping off the ramp - so forwards might be safer. Since discovering the "tail unload" I never use anything else - I highly recommend it! :)

Kate
www.harmony-project.net

[Tots N Dots]

I am purposefully NOT teaching her to back out the trailer as I don't want her to anticipate this and rush for 1 main reason....I am always loading myself which means putting her in, tying her up then leaving her there while I rush round to sort the back ramp. I would worry if I taught her to reverse (a move she is not great with anyway and tends to throw her head up with and has previously injured herself this way) then I might risk ending up under the ramp.
now this was my point of view exactly, but having had major problems with loading Pickle, I have had some help from very nice lady ;) , I have now changed my mind, I also have a front unload, he unloads brilliantly, but if I teach him to back out properly when I am loading him he should wait for the comand to "go back" rather than rush out backwards of his own accord? and if there is ever an emergency and I cant use the front ramp to unload he will be just as comfortable comming off the back.

with my old trailer the front ramp wasnt sprung and was too heavy for me to use, when loading/unloading on my own I had a 12 foot line that I would clip onto the back ramp and leave on the floor just inside the trailer, I would walk my mare in, pick up the line and raise the ramp, once up I would walk to the back and do the lock closest to me, I would then tie her up and leave via the jocky door, (very helpfull to remember to open it before hand else end up stuck inside trailer :D as I did), then go round and do other side lock, to unload I would undo the lock on her side, go in and untie her, have the 12 foot line on her but running her side of the partition so if she did try to do a runner it didnt slam me into the breast bar, undo the otherside lock and tell her to wait, push the ramp down from the inside, then ask her to back out. voila! (does all that make any sense? :o )
a bit of a long winded way of going about it, but she then behaved and I felt safe and in control at all times and never ended up with a loose horse :D (she had a bit of a reputation for breaking head collars when tied up)