Getting horse used to trailer

[chestnut cob]

Any tips for getting my boy used to standing on the trailer between classes at a comp?

He loads ok (99% of the time...has said no once in the last 9 months so I reckon that's a pretty good rate and he went on eventually), travels well and will stand on there fairly quietly for 10 mins or so. Any longer than that and he throws tantrums. He isn't scared at all, he just gets pi$$y about having to stand around. It is pure temper, not nervousness or worry. He really doesn't mind the trailer at all but objects to being made to stand on it between classes, or when we've finished if I dare to leave his side so I can, say, go to the loo!

Do the rest of you just leave your horses to have their tantrums, if they don't settle straight away?!

When the weather is ok I tie him up outside the trailer unless I need to go to the loo or something like that, but when it's peeing it down like last weekend, I can't leave him outside. He is going to have to learn to stand on there quietly... The problem with him is that if I do something like feed him on there, he would stand nicely while he's being fed and then start up the tantrums again once the feed has gone. I can't give him hard feed in the trailer to last an hour or more!

Any suggestions for getting a purely stroppy horse used to standing quietly on the trailer?

 

[bethcandc]

Do you give him a haynet to keep him occupied? or maybe tie a salt lick or his fav lick somewhere where he can reach, to keep him happy. Or you could try keep him in there for 10 mins while he is calm then before he starts throwing tantrums bring him out and praise him and give him a treat. every time he goes in increase his time by a little bit and each time praise him when he is good, he then will remeber standing in the trailer waiting is a good thing in the end as he get rewarded.

 

[chestnut cob]

Yep and he eats his haynet for a bit, then he remembers that he's standing in the trailer and doesn't want to! He is just contrary!

I did think that I'm going to have to go down the route of leaving him in for 10 mins, giving him a bit of feed then bringing him out, then doing it all over again but for a little bit longer.

Thanks for the suggestion, I think it's probably the only course of action

I like the lick idea...he isn't really bothered about salt licks (will only lick it if I hold it!) but he might like Likits. I might see how he feels about Likits and if he likes them, put one in the trailer for him to have just at comps. Good idea

 

[bethcandc]

your welcome

different things work for different horses

 

[chestnut cob]

Any my horse is certainly "different".... though I prefer the term "special"

Will definitely give the Likit a go. I don't usually feed them as I think it's like giving a kid chocolate bars instead of real food but in the short term it might help to keep him occupied.

 

[Ani]

is this the same horse you posted about at the back end of last year, who kept backing out of the trailer? if so you must be doing ok with him. I only know as i was searching loading problem threads the other night and found yours. i have a gelding i am just getting used to trailers ATM. i used to have a mare who would throw tantrums in teh trailer but you could tie her outside with a net and go off and walk an xc course and she'd still be there when you came back happy as larry. if she had to stand in the trailer i used to have the ramps shut but the top doors open and if she created i would ignore her, hide round the corner then go and praise her when she stood quitely for a minute or two. i realise this would not work with every horse as some just get more and more frantic and damage themselves.