RarelyWrong 5

06/30/24
This is the 3rd practice session with trailer loading since the truck was able to be hooked up again. After a few weeks of just relaxing at halt outside the trailer, getting in the trailer was no big deal anymore. I give Rarely a passing grade on trailer loading but would need her to stay in for a full 5-10 minutes voluntarily and calmly before I would actually close her in and go somewhere.
There are a million trainers who will teach you how to put a scared horse in a trailer and I have had to do that myself many times. It is always stressful and accidents are far more likely. Allowing our horse the time needed to gain calmness and a relaxation response with a trailer takes no special skills on our part, just patience and observation. I find horses much prefer this method as well and tend to trailer load easily for life.

Kirsten Nelsen, professional horse trainer
developer of Training for Optimal Balance
www.kirstennelsen.com