The act of loading a horse for ground transport, is an experience that most horses endure at least once during their lifetime. Horses that are reluctant or refuse to load create problems for both owners and veterinarians. The Development and Expression of Trailering Problems Horses are naturally neophobic or afraid of new things and since the average horse trailer has a dark interior, poor or insecure footing and an unstable ramp system, many horses can become paralysed with fear.
Horses acquire trailering problems primarily through improper training or bad experiences.
To some extent genetics will interact with learning and some horses are more reactive or more predisposed to potential problems because of bad experiences or poor training, when other horses may never develop a problem dispite improper training. The experience that a horse has accumulated through past trailering can have a profound impact on how it will perform in the future. When an owner attempts to urge a horse onto a trailer through hitting or any other form of rough handling, the horse will begin to associate the pain or rough treatment with loading. A good non-threatening stimulus like a lunge whip with a cloth tied to the end will encourage a horse to move in a particular direction. The proper technique is to urge the horse to approach the trailer without allowing it to enter.