TEXAS VET NEWS By Dr. Bob Judd, DVM and the Texas Farm Bureau Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network

All horses need to be able to load into a trailer.  Even if you don’t routinely take your horse to shows or other events, your horse may need to be hauled, especially if there is an emergency.  Although your vet may come to your farm, some procedures require hospitalization and every horse needs to be trained to load in a trailer before an emergency occurs. 

First of all, Dr. Sharon Crowell Davis indicates we need to remember that it is not natural for a horse to walk up a ramp in a small enclosed box and then cope with the motion of moving.  It is important to gradually introduce your horse to a trailer and this should be started early for foals.  Load the mare and the foal will follow. Foals should learn to load at an early age.  For older horses, walk them close to the trailer and give them treats as they get closer to the trailer to show them it is a good place.  Forcing the horse by yelling and whipping only reinforces the horse’s belief that the trailer is a dangerous place.  Time and patience are required to teach a horse to load, especially one that may already be afraid of the trailer. 

Clicker training is very effective.  This training involves using a device to make a clicking sound followed immediately by a treat to eat.  After a while, you can decrease the treats and only give them after some clicks but not all.  In this manner, the horse doesn’t know which clicks will be followed by a treat, which is very effective.  Once you do get the horse loaded, reward with a treat.  Also, it is recommended to leave them in the trailer only a few minutes so loading is a pleasant experience.  If your horse will not load easily, start training your horse to do so now.         

Date Published: 8/11/2009 10:26:00 AM