Training Video Outlines

I'm so excited to be collaborating with a colleague to develop training videos for a class that she is teaching in the field of equine studies. To start, I am developing outlines to guide videos that will be made in the next six weeks. The first is on trailer training. More to come!

Trailer training- This training session will be for a horse that has never been on a trailer. In it, we will go over types of trailers and how they affect the loading process, preparing the horse, asking it to get on and going on practice rides.

Trailer types- Embed photos of various trailer types in the video.

Slant load vs. straight load- A slant load trailer puts the horses head on the left wall of the trailer and its rear back a bit on the right side. The divider then swings closed on the horse so another horse can be loaded. In a straight load horses are loaded straight from back to front. In the case of loading just one horse, there must be more weight on the high side of the road, which is the driver’s side. There is a butt bar and a door that close behind the horse and a breast bar that stops the front of the horse. The horse sticks his head over the breast bar and is typically tied to the side of the trailer. It is a bit harder for horses in slant loads to fly backward and there is no breast bar for them to try to jump over. Some slant loads allow for horses to be turned around to get off. Most straight loads require the horse to back off.

Ramp vs. no ramp- A step up trailer has no ramp and horses must step up six inches to a foot to get on. A ramp is roughly four feet long and the width of the trailer. It is matted with rubber to prevent it from being slippery

      Stock trailers- Stock trailer are step up trailers that are typically entirely open inside. Therefore horses ride together. These trailers have large open sections at the level of the horses’ heads. They tend to be the easiest for a horse to get on because they are full of light and look less confining than other trailer types. However, there is not much that can be done for climate control. Some of these trailers have plexiglass panels that can cut down on the chill in cold weather.

Preparing the horse- Before a horse can be loaded for the first time it must lead very well. It must not only just happily walk next to its handler, but it must go with the handler even when the environment changes. Practice walking the horse through water, narrow spaces, over obstacles, etc. “Where I go, you go.” This also develops confidence in the horse. A horse that is confident in its own body and confident in its handler is far more likely to happily get on a trailer than one that is not.

Loading- Before a trailer loading session the horse should have turnout or other exercise. A short session to engage the horse’s brain is important as well. Lead the horse to the door of the trailer and allow it to smell, lick, and paw the trailer. Encourage curiosity. Praise the horse for putting its head inside the trailer or its feet on the ramp. Every step gets praise. Ask the horse to follow you on. Once the horse is on, allow it to rest and offer some hay or grain. Unload the horse and repeat the process until there is no hesitation. If the situation allows, one might even give the horse its full ration of grain on the trailer.

Practice Rides- Once comfortable on the trailer, the horse can go on a practice ride. This may take one short session or several. Ideally, one person can hold the horse in the trailer from a safe position. The horse should also be tied to simulate future trailer rides. In the case of a foal or a mare and foal, one can forgo tying because the horse(s) will be in a box. The first practice ride should be a mile or less at a relatively slow speed. The handler in the trailer should do as little as possible. If possible, drivers should avoid dirt roads and lots of twists and turns in the first couple of rides, and in general be extra cautious as a fall in the trailer could hurt a horse’s confidence.