Trailer training?

[misskatherineb]

I am teaching my horse what a trailer is, she has only been in a wagon and would like some advice please on my next step and what to do. I have taken all the partition out opened front and back ramp and walked her in stopped her where she would need to stand let her eat some treats and walked off the front ramp, she is fine with this now but is keen coming out and not like standing for long in it. I have not closed any doors or been in with any partition yet, what should i do next any help would be great thanks. x

 

[trottingon]

Horses learn best by repetition, so I would carry in doing what you are doing. Once she is happy walking through (bored, sighing, licking etc), then try stopping inside each time, don't stress her, if she really wants to get out then let her but keep doing it until she realises she can just stand in the trailer without anything nasty happening to her (maybe 50 times - sounds excessive but it works). Then again once she is happy introduce the partition, then closing of the ramps, but each time wait until she is appears bored and is sighing and licking and even yawning before moving on to the next stage. It is when they sigh and lick that you know they are fully accepting of what you have introduced. Just keep going, until the horse doesn't react to entering the trailer, and does it as calmly as when she walks into her stable for example.
There are other quicker ways of doing it, but this way will make her trailer happy for life (assuming she doesn't have any bad experiences in the future)
Good luck