| Mistake #1: | | | | It seems there will always be at least once a horse |
| "Here, Kitty Kitty..." | | | | owner cannot load his horse into a trailer. But the |
| Unless they have been educated, new horse owners | | | | secret is to teach a horse sending signals so he |
| often think a horse is like a cat or dog. They figure if | | | | knows what you want him to do. It's partly how man |
| they tap their thighs and say, "C'mon,...C'mon,...C'mon..." | | | | and horse communicate. |
| the horse'll will simply jump right in the trailer like a | | | | If you ever find yourself frustrated with your horse |
| happy dog or cat. | | | | because he won't get in, here's a quick solution. |
| Mistake #2: | | | | Get a long rope and loop it over his rear and let it slide |
| "Using Food As Bait" | | | | down to about the top of his back legs. Let the rope |
| Putting hay, grain, apples, or whatever at the front of | | | | hit around his back legs and note his reaction. (Be |
| the trailer to tempt a horse to step in and eat almost | | | | holding this rope in your right hand and hold his halter |
| never works. If it did, it would be a fluke. I've seen | | | | with your left hand) He may kick at the rope on his |
| horses lean forward to try and eat the food but | | | | back legs or he may not. If he doesn't, it means he's |
| wouldn't step into the trailer if their life depended on it. | | | | likely okay with the rope being back there. |
| Mistake #3: | | | | If he kicks at the rope then he needs to get used to it. |
| "Forgetting To Hook The Trailer To The Truck" | | | | Just let the rope kind of hang there and touch his back |
| Don't forget to hitch the trailer to the truck before | | | | legs. The horse may get jumpy and try to move from |
| getting a horse to go in the trailer. If a horse steps into | | | | it. He may move forward or in a circle. While holding his |
| a trailer that moves around unforgivably, you will have | | | | halter stiffen your left arm a bit and make him go |
| a harder time getting that horse in later. He'll remember | | | | around you while holding the rope and halter. You, the |
| it - especially if this is the horse's first time. | | | | handler, are acting as an axis. |
| Mistake #4: | | | | Fairly quickly the horse will realize the rope isn't hurting |
| "The Classic Tug Of War" | | | | him and you can move to the next step. |
| Here's the scene. Man (or woman) pulls lead rope to | | | | Pull on the rope to get the horse to move with you. |
| desperately drag their horse into the trailer. Horse | | | | When he moves forward from your pull, release the |
| weighs 10 times more than man or woman and has | | | | pressure. The idea is for him to move when you exert |
| far more strength than the man or woman. Final score | | | | the pressure. He should catch on pretty quickly to |
| of this battle is: Human - Zero...Horse - Won | | | | what you want. |
| Mistake #5: | | | | Now lead him to the trailer and guide his head into the |
| "Going Trail Riding Before Horse Is Good At Loading In | | | | trailer if necessary. With the lead rope attached to his |
| A Trailer" | | | | halter, pull on the lead rope while pulling harder on the |
| I've seen it time and time again. People go trail riding | | | | "butt rope". |
| and when the ride is over the horse won't get back in | | | | Your horse may or may not jump in the trailer but |
| the trailer. Amusingly, the horse owner comments, | | | | chances are he will. Also, be careful doing this because |
| "Dang horse, he got in their last month". Remember to | | | | he may pop in the trailer very quickly and you could |
| get your horse to practice this so it gets fixed on his | | | | get hurt. |
| brain. | | | | |