Backing Out Of The Trailer

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His whole life he has had a slant load trailer and I have a straight load :( .  He can get in but to get him out we have to pull the center divider to the side and let him turn around.  It is kind of a tight squeeze and I am worried that one day he will turn and his back foot will fall out .  He doesn't like backing out at all and will do anything to avoid it.

I was thinking about putting the target on his chest and having him back up to put his nose on it.  Starting on flat ground, then working on a hill, then on a bank where he has to step off it, and then in the trailer.  <_<  

Any thoughts? Input? Has anyone had this problem in the past?

[Sarah B]

Just a thought but how good is he at backing up away from the trailer?  If he is good, or once you have made him good, take him up to the ramp, stop him and back away, then forward again so that he has one foot on the ramp and back him away, then 2 feet on the ramp and back away and just keep going, gradually increasing how much further you bring him up the ramp.  He should eventually be able to stop at any point of the loading process and change direction, in and out, out and in, nice and calmly!

Good luck!

   

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Well, our trailer doesn't have a ramp either, it is a straight drop.  (I'm not rich enough to afford a newer type like that :( ) This is gonna really take confidence and trust which is why I was wondering if anyone has delt with this before.  You can get him near the trailer though, he is really nice about it.  However its the backing out of it that scares him.

[christuris]

I would absolutely agree with Sarah B about the gradual extending of the amount of backup that your horse has to do.  Same principle with or without a ramp.  Just put one foot in at a time, stepping forwards a little more each time, but NOT letting him go all the way in.  When he gets as far as getting ready to put his second hind leg in, ask him to come back out before he sets it down.  I would do this from outside the trailer with a nice long lead rope.  I usually tug on the tail hairs to let them know I'm ready for them to back out, so once he gets beyond you enough, you can start using that cue in combination with a feel on the lead rope.  I'd be clicking and rewarding liberally too!  And just do a little each day -- don't try to accomplish 100% loading/unloading all in one session.  He'll feel less threatened if you break it up into different days and has some time to reflect on how easy it all was.

Good luck, and just take your time.

Christina
Indian Hills, Colorado
www.AlphabetRanch.com

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Thanks for all the input!  As soon as I have the truck back I'll hook it up (don't want the trailer rolling away now do we ) and well give it all a go.