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Loading a 10 month old that doesn’t know how to load is a 2-3 person job. One person to lead on a “lead horse,” one person to lead the baby, and one person to “push” from behind and close the trailer door. (Remember, a 10 month old should be trailered in a stall, untied.) This is the kind of task that is best approached with the mindset that you have all day to do it. Be kind, but persistent. Generally, a calm but stubborn 10 month old can be more or less “shoved” onto a trailer in a reasonable manner if you have a few strong people to help you. Keeping a firm but kind and patient mindset should keep things from getting traumatic.
With squirrelly youngsters, it helps to have a bit of a chute, I prefer to back the trailer up to the barn aisle and pull the doors so there aren’t a lot of options as to where to go. Don’t worry if you don’t have immediate success. Safe loading of a difficult horse can take a bit of time, especially if you don’t have enough help. Young horses often give in when they get a bit tired. And, sometimes you do need to be a bit tough–the baby shouldn’t be falling asleep on you.
Is this a step-up trailer? Is there a bit of a hill you can back it up to so that the step is not very tall? Have you tried lifting a front foot and placing it in the trailer? If so, how did he respond?
I find that for step up trailers (more often than with ramps), much of the time you need a good marching walk up to them. Once the horse stops and sniffs around, I have less luck getting them to step up, with the odd exception of that being the easy to load horse’s usual routine. Getting a good march up to it also keeps the horse next to you rather than you being stuck up there tugging away aimlessly. You might need to let him take a look a couple of times and then circle around and march on up.
A second person can try the longe line behind the butt method if he needs a little more encouragement.
It sounds like you tried to PULL him into the trailer? Bad idea. The pressure goes on their butt…swing lead rope at their hind end, tap with a whip or use a butt rope. The last might be particularly effective for a horse this age.
That’s a good idea. It is a step up trailer but I know where I can park it the make the step up smaller.
I did try lifting each hoof on. He thought I was trying to get him to stretch, he’d leave it on the trailer until I’d tug and tap and then he’d just step back onto the ground. He would never back away from the trailer and he seemed fine with the sound of his foot on the trailer.
I definitely didn’t have enough help. It may be worth mentioning he’s a warmblood so he’s really not your average size baby.
He’s a bit lazy so I let him lag behind me on the walk up. That was probably my biggest problem. Thanks!
This reminds me of when we moved and my 3 month old mule foal wouldn’t follow mom up into the trailer. It took me at his head pulling and my husband and his father linked their arms behind his butt and shoved/ dragged him on. It was no easy task because he was a monster at that age!
A chute you can gradually make smaller at the back of the trailer will kind of limit his options. As long as you keep him calm, let him think it is his idea and be patient it might work since you need to get him out asap. Use round pen panels or something similar.
Food helps to motivate and if you have a divided trailer( straight/ slant) remove all dividers to make it more roomy.
Once you are at the new place start training him to load 
Use panels to crowd him up in it, give him some grain in a pan when he’s in so he doesn’t bounce right back out.
Done.
I think a pulley system will work best and most safely. This provides pull on his head and push on his butt.
obviously, it’s best to actually take the time (and have the opportunity) to properly train a horse to give to pressure and lead and load. But it doesn’t sound like you have that kind of time. some of the worst horse related accidents I’ve ever seen have occurred while trying to load a horse who wasn’t trained. It’s unfortunate that you find yourself in this situation.
But I would get some EXPERIENCED horse people lined up to help, perhaps even a vet should you need to sedate him.
Still, I’ve found that if everyone stays cool and calm and uses a pulley/butt rope, you can get them on pretty safely. Just remember that once you get him on this once, you’ll really need to work hard on the training in the future. It’s a skill he needs–whether for emergency vetting, emergency fire/natural disaster, or emergency barn hopping.
This isnt the fastest way, but it worked for me when my horse was a yearling and wouldnt get on the trailer at all.
We were moving and he HAD to go for the trailer ride. to our new place in the mountains. I put the trailer (hitched to the truck) in the horse field. I put his dinner in it, tied the back trailer doors open and left him out there.
For the first day or 2 he didnt eat because he did not want to get in the trailer. But after that, he started stepping in with his front feet, reaching as far as he could to grab some hay and bolting back out of the trailer. (I had boots on him so he wouldnt bang his legs on his fast trip back out.) After a day of that activity, he started to become less scared about the whole thing and was willing to go in and out on his own. He’s fine about hauling now. We dont haul him very often (our equestrian center is a 10 minute hack from our house) and sometimes he’s not really sure he wants to get in. But generally its not an issue.
[QUOTE=BuddyRoo;8425422]
I think a pulley system will work best and most safely. This provides pull on his head and push on his butt.
obviously, it’s best to actually take the time (and have the opportunity) to properly train a horse to give to pressure and lead and load. But it doesn’t sound like you have that kind of time. some of the worst horse related accidents I’ve ever seen have occurred while trying to load a horse who wasn’t trained. It’s unfortunate that you find yourself in this situation.
But I would get some EXPERIENCED horse people lined up to help, perhaps even a vet should you need to sedate him.
Still, I’ve found that if everyone stays cool and calm and uses a pulley/butt rope, you can get them on pretty safely. Just remember that once you get him on this once, you’ll really need to work hard on the training in the future. It’s a skill he needs–whether for emergency vetting, emergency fire/natural disaster, or emergency barn hopping.[/QUOTE]
It is important I get him out soon but he is not in life threatening danger where I want to force him on the trailer like before when he was weaned. I want to take a little time with him and let him decide he’s ok with it. I totally agree with you. I should have started working with him sooner. He was completely wild when I got him at 6 months so we’ve been playing catch up. I’m so lucky he’s as laid back as he is!
I’m not in fear the BO will do anything to him or I’d have him out already but my horse is underweight and he won’t listen to a professional. He thinks his way is the only way. It’s just not going to work out with the BO and I’ve got to get him out and fatten him up.
Let me count the ways! :yes:
Easiest is Linda’s method, if you have the time and space. Having to load by myself #1, put the easy loader in first. Or #2, hook up the longe line to the horse’s halter, run it through the front opening/tie chain, put the end of it across the butt, and stand where I can push and pull at the same time. Or #3, Hook up the horse as above, and stand behind the horse and tap his fanny or wave my arm so he can see it in his peripheral vision.
If there’s help, I lead up to the open door and helper taps the fanny or waves arms. Or, build a chute with panels and have helper shut the door as soon as he’s in.
As Bee Honey said, this is a 2-3 person job. You need one strong steady relaxed but quick person leading. If necessary use a chain, again a knowledgeable person. Two people behind, with longe whips. The lead person faces front and applies steady even pressure unless he pulls back or threatens to go up. The two behind tap, tap , tap with the whip. keeping him straight and just making nuisances of themselves. The longe whips give them safety space. It might take an hour but sooner or later the annoyance is too much and in they go.
Only then are treats offered and given.
Looks like he made a fool out of me lol. He walked on like a pro. Absolutely zero hesitation. I’m so proud of him! Thanks everyone!
[QUOTE=Melissa.s.9924;8425713]
Looks like he made a fool out of me lol. He walked on like a pro. Absolutely zero hesitation. I’m so proud of him! Thanks everyone![/QUOTE]
lol, yup they will do that. It’s the ones that you think will be no problem that end up being a big one. Had a yearling do that to me last week, 2 1/2 hours later in the pouring rain he got on. I wanted to kill the forking bastard. Just me and the T-T driver. Not many are willing to put that much effort into it.
When loading a difficult horse/weanling with only 2 people what I have found works well is take a long thick rope, lunge line and 2 Carabiners. Most trailers, GNs have a place to clip the carabiner on either side of the door/ramp. Tie the rope to one carabiner, bowline knot, loop the rope behind the horse about mid butt and clip through the other carabiner. One person at their head the second at the horse’s side pulling/winching the rope and “controlling” the horse’s side motion. Slow and easy with patients “winch” the bugger on. They can’t back up, but they will go inch by inch, baby steps on. Takes less effort with the rope through a pulley attached to the carabiner. I always give a couple of ccs of Ace with first time shippers also.
Understand, I don’t run a hobby farm. I am not paid enough to school them before the time comes. My own horses I do and they walk right on. Most of the time.
I work by myself with a driving whip. I first teach forward with whip,then forward over a tarp and logs. Then I march towards the trailer tapping gently with the whip.
I often combine this with clicker and treats. I have a slant load step up.used to have a stock trailer. I’ve trained lots of babies,usually a total of 30 min to 2 hours.
Trailer loading is easy. You just need to train him to go forward when you lightly tap him with a dressage whip, then he will go right in. Takes about 15 minutes.
