IT'S NOT ABOUT THE TRAILER

By Linda Parelli

Typically, a horse trailering problem isn’t about the trailer. It’s more about a horse’s overall confidence and hits almost every point in the dimensions of confidence – Nature, New, Learner, You:

Nature – A horse that is self-confident by nature is likely to be more curious about the trailer than afraid of it.

New – Prey animals greet all new and non-natural things with skepticism. Remember, they are always on the lookout for danger.

Learner – If the horse has never been in a trailer before, you have to patiently teach him all about it.

You – How you handle your horse, the situation, how you come across in terms of your own energy and confidence will profoundly affect your horse’s mental and emotional state. If your horse does not see you as his leader, he will not trust or respect you or your decisions especially in a challenging situation like being asked to get in a trailer – the scariest trap he’s ever seen Worse still, he might have been forced into a trailer against his will, the door slammed behind him and kept in there for hours.