All Aboard! Tips for Safe Horse Trailer Loading

When it comes to trailering your horse, the way your horse loads into the trailer can make or break your travel experience. A horse that walks calmly onto the trailer with a relaxed demeanor is a joy to transport.

Taking the time to teach your horse to load correctly is an investment that pays off richly over the course of your time with your horse. Keep reading for quick tips and an overview on the topic of loading your horse on a trailer. For more in-depth training information, we encourage you to check out our selection of books and DVDs or speak with a trusted horse professional.

Learn from the Pros

Loading your horse is inherently simple, but let’s face it, walking into a dark, steel box can be daunting for many horses. When it comes to properly loading your horse, patience and understanding are the keys to success.

Lora Hedrich, the owner and head trainer of Rosewood Farm in Greenfield, NH, explains that loading a horse and teaching a horse to load places a large weight on the handler. “People want to do anything to get their horses in and get them in fast. I often encourage them to take a step back and breathe, impatience is the root of all evil when it comes to loading horses. You truly can’t make a horse load, they have to want to get on the trailer.” 

Steps to Success

After you have hitched and prepared the trailer and your horse for travel, it is time to load your horse. Begin by getting your horse’s attention by performing a few simple in-hand commands. Ask your horse to halt, back-up, and then maintain a brisk walking tempo before you even approach the trailer. It is imperative that your horse is listening to you and is responsive to your commands prior to beginning the loading process.

After you are satisfied that your horse is responding to your cues, walk confidently in the direction of the trailer. Walk up the ramp or step up the ramp alongside your horse, then enlist a helpful friend to attach the butt bar or close the partition and close the ramp. After your horse has been secured, attach your horse’s trailer tie to his shipping halter, exit the trailer, and lock the ramp or trailer door. Never tie your horse before the butt bar and the ramp have been closed and put in place, this will prevent your horse from attempting to back off the trailer prematurely. Make sure that you do not slam the door up behind your horse, instead slowly and methodically raise it into position. Slamming the door may panic your horse and make them more difficult to load in the future.

Troubleshooting

Sometimes, trailer loading doesn’t go as planned, even with well trained horses. If your horse hesitates when loading, don’t panic. It is important to remember that horses have limited binocular vision, which makes it hard to see what is happening directly in front of them. Stop and allow your horse to assess the situation, but do not allow your horse to move backward. Then, resume walking and stride toward the trailer and continue the loading process. If your horse habitually tries to back up when faced with loading, it may be helpful to have a barn mate gently tap your horse with a dressage whip or driving whip to encourage forward movement. Never use more force than a gentle tap with the whip, since whipping the horse will elicit fear of the trailer and the loading process.

Sometimes, using a bucket with a handful of grain can encourage your horse to walk up the ramp as well. However, it is important to note that bribing your horse is nothing more than a temporary solution. You should be able to load your horse without the assistance of food and treats because they may not work in the event of an emergency (i.e. evacuation orders or if you need to transport your horse to the veterinary clinic for extreme colic).

Throughout the process of loading your horse on the trailer, try not to look directly at your horse. Eye contact may intimidate your horse and may actually be telling your horse not to come forward. This is often seen when handlers are already on the trailer and are hoping to convince their horse to walk up the ramp or step up the ramp. If you must turn your body toward the horse, shift your gaze downward so that the horse is not confronted with direct eye contact.

Horses tend to read their handlers and their emotions. Try to be in a confident headspace when you begin your trailer loading work. If you are nervous or tentative, your horse will most likely begin to worry about the loading process as well.

If you are struggling with loading your horse, assessing your handling skills may be in order. Lora explains, “When people are having trouble loading their horses, I often ask to watch the process to diagnose where the problem lies. One of the things that I most commonly see is the handler using poor handling skills. Most people stare at their horse and try pulling or pushing them on. Look where you want to go and use pressure and release even if they give a little.” Never wrap the lead rope around your hand in an effort to get a better grip, since this may cause you to be dragged by your horse or even trampled in extreme circumstances.

Load Smart

Throughout the loading process it is essential to keep safety and common sense at the forefront of your efforts. Never place yourself or your horse in a potentially dangerous situation. Whenever possible, load on dirt, gravel, or grass, since horses can easily slip on pavement or concrete. Always load your horse onto a hitched trailer; an unhitched trailer is unstable and may tip or roll easily.

Lora mentions that how you load and position your horse (or horses) has a lot to do with the overall safety and how well the trailer drives. “[Due to the crowning of the road,] load your horse on the left side if you are towing a single horse in a straight load trailer. If you are transporting multiple horses, load the heaviest horse on the left, behind the driver.” 

Towing in a slant load trailer requires its own set of considerations. “Personally, I load my most willing and well-behaved horse first,” explains Lora. “This horse will be spending the most time on the trailer, since he will be hanging out while you load and unload everyone else.”

Unloading

Your horse is safely loaded on the trailer and you have arrived safely at your destination, now what? Unloading your horse takes the same patience and methodical approach as loading your horse. First, untie your horse and make sure that your leadrope is properly securely to your halter. Then, have someone unhook the butt bar and then lower the ramp. Encourage your horse to stand quietly for a moment, you do not want to inadvertently teach your horse to bolt backwards from the trailer.

Apply small amounts of pressure to the lead and ask your horse to take a single step back, just as you worked on prior to loading. By asking for each individual step, you are promoting safe and controlled trailer unloading. If your horse begins to hesitate or resist, it is important to stay calm. Allow your horse to stop, take a break, and assess what you are asking of him or her. Then, continue asking your horse to slowly back off of the trailer or ramp.

If you have a slant load trailer, you may be able to have your horse walk off the trailer. However, the same principles apply. Make sure that your horse is responding to your commands and walking one distinct step at a time. Some horses try to jump or leap off the edge of a step-up trailer. It is important to make sure that you are well out of the way, but still encouraging small walking steps for optimal safety of both horse and handler.

Safe loading and unloading is a skill that every equestrian should possess. Whether you are traveling to a competition or trail ride, moving your horse to a new barn, or transporting a horse in the event of a medical emergency, we suggest that you keep Lora’s advice of utilizing good handling skills, patience, and understanding at all times.

Do you have a trailer loading tip? We would love to hear about it! Leave it in the comments or email us at [email protected].