this horse needs to be taught to lead properly.  If the horse will lead, he will load.  She needs to work on leading and then loading.  The loading training depends on if she has access to a trailer all the time and if it is a step up or ramp. 

She is on the right track, we always load train 1 foot at a time, let them stand claim with that foot in the trailer then back them out then ask for 2 feet the next time and back them out and so on.  This also works great with horse that want to turn around instead of backing out of the trailer.  And most important part to remember is to stay claim and always end the lesson on a good note, do not stop if the horse is taking advantage of you or acting up.

If you stop while they are high strung, you will have more problems the next time you start again.

If the horse will not lead onto a trailer, the horse does not lead properly.  Park the step up trailer so he has the least "step" possible.  (back it to a bit of a hill)  Open all windows and doors to make it as bright as possible.  If possible, park the trailer in the gateway of a paddock where you can have just this horse by itself.  Put the hay and grain in the trailer so the horse has to get on in order to eat.  Let him figure it out and he will go on and off the trailer to eat. 

Wow that was kinda rude

I have taught my young horses to load by feeding them in the trailer for a couple of days and never have to put feed in the trailer now to load them. I also do it when I don't have to be somewhere. They are comfortable getting in and out. I don't think it is so much the feeding in the trailer as it is getting them Comfortable about being in the trailer.

This has also worked on horses that are older that I have purchase'd that have had loading issues. I also don't drag the whole thing out once I expect them to load after they are comfortable with being in the trailer and I know they aren't scared.

The most important thing is to load them with feed or no feed 3-4 days back to back, not load them 1 day and then come back 1 week later and expect them to load( especially) with a problem older horse. A nerve line can work wonders as well on an older horse that you know is not scared of the trailer and just being stubborn.

I had a 3 year old that didn't like to unload and feeding her in the trailer got her through this also without putting a bunch of stress and attitude on me or her. She unloads like a dream now.

Out of curiosity, is this a horse that use to load okay, and this is a problem that has developed recently? Could be an issue with something that is bothering the horse while they are in the trailer, and it has scared them.

As far as feeding the horses on a trailer...I have used it twice to work with older horses that had never been hauled. One was a 18 year old stallion that had only been in a trailer twice in his life. The second was a 7 year old mare that had only been hauled twice. Both horses were very respectful, lead well, and were good mannered. The problem was lack of exposure and they were scared being out of their element. Used it on both...grain and hay in the trailer for three days straight. Fourth day moved the trailer and loaded up. Absolutely no issues. If used right, it can be a very useful tool.

Did not mean to sound or be so rude!  Just can't stand the though of people not knowing how to do something with horses the right way, instead they take the easy way out.

Just like not taking the time to teach a horse to back out, to me that is just retarted, lazy and away to get you or your horse hurt.  But I like my horses so I will do it the correct way and stand back and LOL at the one that are having to feed there horse to load them or let the spin around like a top to unload!

BOO BYE!

Last remark on this thread,

Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT!

 Good luck to your friend and her horse, loading problems can be frustrating. I have a gelding that wouldn't load in my slant, he was used to loading into an open stock. We fed him in the front of my slant load for a week, made it real non chalant and he loads like a pro now with no issues, we throw the rope over his back and he self loads. We didn't make a big deal out of the trailer and now neither does he.

My filly that wouldn't get out of the trailer after loading right up is cutting bred and she has a real hard time backing out of the trailer cause she is only 14 hds after being trimmed and my trailer is pretty high, so I trained her to come out leading but she puts one foot on the ground at a time and waits for me to ask her to come all of the way out it'd kinda funny cause her butt will still be loaded.

HTB

Wasn't trying to snarpy (is that a word) just sometimes on these BB's typing does not always come across the way it was meant. Some peoples right ways are not neccesarily wrong ways

Oh for God's sake!  Geez, who peed in your corn flakes this morning!

This is just a "starter" to get the horse used to going on and off the trailer!  Once they are used to doing it, you should load them and take them for a short drive and then lengthen it and so on!    Once you get the horse loading for food by himself, he won't hesitate at going on with you!  Umm, and I DO know what I am doing ........ we haul for a living!

I doubt a horse would have such a bad experince in a tailer from a bug they encounter everday of their lives. It might happen but i suspect your looking for some excuse. I dont' buy it.

Sounds like a simply training issue. On the ground, prepare the horse by asking him to step over something like a pole. If he doesn't go over, tap tap tap with a whip until he does. he will learn that the tapping while not painful, isn't comfortable plus its a cue to move forward. then ask over a tarp then step up and over something larger. Again, if he moves or steps up, do nothing but if he doesn't, tap tap tap until he does not allowing him to back up, turn around...he must move forward or go over to stop the tapping.

After he does well on the ground, move over the trailer and do the samething- ask to go in..tap tap tap until he does then stop the tapping. he will elarn that there is no other option but to go it. Then rest, relax maybe a treat...then back out. rest, relax and do it again. It will take time and patience plus you must be consistant in your cues always tapping when he isn't going forward, no tapping when he does. Never strike or whip hard.

If this has been an ongoing problem, it is a respect and training issue. She needs to work with him. Farmbabe's method is as good as they come. The horse will learn it's limits that way, and that it can't set it's own.

As far as anyone doubting that a bee or wasp can cause it, it can. Had an AQHA Champion in multiple events...a well seasoned 13-14 year old horse...stung by a wasp in the trailer. I had loaded him, went to load another horse, and he started having a fit in the trailer. Turns out he nosed a wasps nest and was stung several times. It took two weeks with everyday work to get him back in that same trailer. This horse was as "bombproof" as any horse can be. It can happen...

I always have two cents for these.

Load a buddy first.  Funny how that breaks the bad habit fast.

We like to circle the horse if he won't load.  do not pull on him he should walk on with a loose lead. he should also unload with a loose lead. If he charges off. Load him again and again.  stop him halfway off and ask him to reload.  talk to him and praise him. All these exercises are important safety and confidence lessons for both horse and owner.  You never know when you may have to return your horse to the trailer before he is half way off.  The question is will he?  He definitely should.

Practice practice practice.

Once he loads take him for a ride around the block.

Our Appy was a nut this past spring.  My wife went skiing across the yard on spring morning.  by the end of the summer He was self loading and self unloading along with his partner in crime.

Nothing makes a horse owner more proud than a pair of horses that load land unload like champs.  Gets you there and home quicker too.

Just keep practicing.  do not hang on the head be patient.

     I've taught all my horses to load with hay/feed.  Once they learn that its comfortable in there they don't hesitate and aren't afraid.  Once they start loading well I don't put feed in there unless it's a long trip.  None of mine give me problems loading after being trained this way.

     I taught both my babies to load by loading mom and letting them watch mom (on a lead so they couldn't run out of moms sight) eat and be relaxed until their desire to be with mom overcame their fear of the trailer.  They learned that mom wasn't upset and they had the comfort of nursing when they got in.  Same with getting out, mom had her face in the hay bag while the baby called and finally jumped back out of the trailer.  After a couple of times of this they didn't hesitate. 

     I don't see a problem with using food as an insentive in this situation.