posted 08-08-2002 03:35 AM           

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Hello I have a horse that I think is afraid of small places. I just built her a new barn and she freaks out when you try to put her in it. She reacts the same way when you try to trailer her. Do you have any suggestions at all?

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posted 08-08-2002 03:36 AM           

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whistle first then hand out the bribe, mollasis normally works.

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posted 08-08-2002 11:17 PM           

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Had a horse once who freaked when using a closed trailer. Try using a stock trailer, or a biggger slant load trailer. My last horse, just would walk in these kind because you have to remember, they see in a weird way, tunnel type vision, so, they have to see light/opening, some more than others, or they freak. DO NOT FEED him, let him wait a few hrs, then put food in trailer, he will go! REward with a treat too after you allow him time to eat, munch on hay, relax, then walk him out. Next time, do this again, then take him for a short ride. Reward him. You'll see, he'll be fine. Patience and prayer! LOL! Good luck.

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posted 01-24-2003 11:13 PM           

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I don't know if you've had this horse it's entire life or not, but if not, maybe it's had some bad past experiences. Spend time with her first of all to gain trust. When she trusts you, she will be more willing to enter these scary places with you. Also if areas are well lighted, with windows maybe horses usually are not as afraid. I know my horses used to be horrible about going into this little dark trailer we had. When we got the bigger more open and lighter stock trailer the horses walked right in no questions asked. The most important thing is trust. then just work slowly. Keep in mind that a lot of horses have negative trailering experiences. Good luck

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New Member

Posts: 9
From:Berwick, ME, US
Registered: May 2003

posted 05-01-2003 12:39 PM            

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The best way to get a horse to load in the trailer and feel safe there is if posible load them and drive with them any where... the longer they are in the trailer the better as long as it is moving!!

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New Member

Posts: 1
From:Clinton, Indiana, USA
Registered: May 2003

posted 05-17-2003 12:00 PM            

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Hey Christina, I had the same problem with my 16 y/o gelding. Now i got him when he was 14 and I took him to a show, and he would not load at all, he would do anything to not be loaded. We have a 2 horse trailer. Anyways we were loading him on the side of the trailer with out the excape door, and he too i think is chlostorphobic, so we tried loading him on the side with the escape door, one thing you should keep in mind never FORCE a horse that is leary of little spaces to go into a trailer, it makes matters worse. Trust me I found that out the hard way. So just make sure your horse is relaxed and not stressed, if he starts getting stressed while trying to load him let him back out and walk him around for a little while. Also when hes in the trailer, if he starts to back out let him, so he knows he isn't going to be stuck in there and he can back out. Then he will get comfortable with the trailer and find out it isn't a horrible place to be.
I hope this helped
Britt

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