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