Safe loading of a horse trailer

It’s common knowledge that horses are notoriously skittish animals, with sensitivity toward sudden noises, movements and strange situations, they can be quite hard to keep under control and comfortable when trying to load them into a horse carrier. For this reason keeping a horse calm during transportation is highly important as feeling worried or scared during a journey in a confined space makes it highly likely they will cause a lot of damage to their trailer and themselves by acting out, and could even cause danger to driving conditions if the trailer is shaking.

Before loading it is important to ensure a horse has the right clothing to prevent distress or injury while on the road, they should always be given good headroom in trailers but a poll guard is always a good idea to prevent head injury. For leg protection it is a good idea to use some kind of protector or bandages to help with rubbing, but it is important to make sure that they fit your horse well and you have fitted them correctly. Similar to legs, protection for their tail can be bandages or a suitable guard that will help with rubbing.

There are a lot of things that can be done to help keep a horse calm during loading, to begin with be sure they are comfortable, you can do this by loading them in a familiar setting where they feel safe and less likely to find anything different or strange to be scary, try not to show the horse any personal stress and be sure you have their full attention by petting or talking to them prior. While loading ensure the trailer is sturdy, as any movement as the horse boards may spook or deter them, a well lit interior is also a good idea, as a horse will be reluctant to willingly enter a dark unclear setting if they are unfamiliar with it. All of these tips will greatly aid in keeping a horse calm, but the most important part of the loading process is to make loading quick and unnoticeable, making the horse feel like it is not a big deal.

Once loaded it is easier to keep them comfortable, simply give them regular checks to provide them with food and water to prevent dehydration, as horses can sweat quite a bit during transportation.