Ask The Trainer

I am new to trailering. I have had my horse for about 41/2 years but have only trailered her a few times. The 1st time, she did well in a tiny, rickety straight haul, by herself (behind the driver).
2nd time in a nice straight haul with another horse, but on the passenger side and she scrambled after we went downhill and to the right around a corner, slowly too. She cut herself up, but finally was able to get her feet back under her body so she didn't fall down.

3rd time in a 2horse angle haul, by herself, with a partition in the middle, she scrambled after we went down a hill stopped at the bottom for a light, then turned to the left slowly.

We stopped to check her and she was leaning with all her weight against the partition and her feet pushed against the front wall, as if she was trying to climb the wall and couldn't figure out how to bring her legs under her body again. I went in and pushed against her wither and she finally brought one of her legs underneath her and figured out how to stand up again.
This could have been a disaster in a number of ways. Had she fallen to the floor, she would have still been tied with the bungie trailer tie, possible tried to stand up again, but would have been caught under the 1/2 partition. If I somehow got the panic snap undone, we would have had a loose horse on a busy road, thus a dead horse. If I was able to open the partition (which I would not have been able to, with her full weight on it) she would have fallen to the floor then, still tied to the bungie.
How will she learn to balance herself? Should she travel without the partition or with the partition open at the side (or too dangerous). If there was no partition, would she be able to just move her feet around to balance as then she would not have anything to lean against and climb the walls.
Other problem is that she used to rear up when tied or freak out whenever she felt she was tied. I have worked long and hard on her giving to pressure when she feels it on her poll, but am worried that if she was loose (with no partition) in the trailer to give her room to balance instead of leaning, but she was bungie tied, she might try to turn around in the trailer (cause she loves turning around to face the back) feel that she is tied, panic and freak out over that! And what about if I were hauling both by horses? If she went down, she would get trampled!

And besides all of that, if you ever got her out of those messes, she would not have a lead rope on, and me being in the trailer with her would be too dangerous, but you would somehow have to catch her before she leapt out of the trailer and ran down the rode...YIKES...this seems tooo scary, dangerous and complicated. HELP ME and my trailer night-mare.

To help this horse become more comfortable in the trailer I would go back and teach her to load and unload all over again. I would get her so she could load one foot and take her out then two feet and take her out and so on until she were really comfortable with it. Then once she is in I would ask her to pick her feet up in the trailer. So she can learn to balance on three feet in the trailer. Pick up all her feet. I would also make her shift her weight while in the trailer. Push her over to force her to move her feet. You can not teach her to balance herself but you can make it uncomfortable for her not to. If there is room, lead her in a circle both ways in the trailer without taking her out.

How you haul her depends on the trailer. In a straight haul with a partition there is little need to tie her. Unless she is prone to putting her head down under the partition I would leave her loose. If she is more comfortable on the driver's side then that is where she should be. But she will never get comfortable on the other side if she never rides there.

In an angle haul with a partition she will probably be fine not tied. If the angle haul has no partition and she is alone you could leave her loose if you don't mind the trailer rocking a little more when you drive as she moves about. If you leave her loose and are concerned about catching her in the trailer leave her halter on and put a very short lead rope on her. Make it short enough that she won't stand on it but long enough to get a hold of. Do not tie it around her neck in case she puts her head down and steps through the loop you tied. If you do tie her up and she panic's give her time to get her feet under her before you pull the panic snap. If you always free her when she pulls she will continue to pull because she will learn how to get you to free her.

The best way to teach her to haul nicely is to haul her a lot. Take her on a few longer trips on fairly straight roads. Let her learn how to deal with unsteady footing by giving her lots of practice. I would also just let her stand in the trailer without taking her anywhere.

Will Clinging 2004 (c)

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