Welcome to Warwick's
Trailer Loading Masterclass
Video #1:
Overview
In this introductory video, Warwick works with multiple horses and discusses his philosophy when it comes to trailering. Consider this: You might have a lot of “away from the trailer” work before getting to the place Warwick shows his horses. That’s okay! You’re here and you’re willing to learn and that’s the most important part. Horse training is a Journey!
Video #2:
Case Study
In this more in-depth video, Warwick works with a horse in real-time and explains all of the subtleties that can be a factor when you are working on trailer loading. Big takeaway here is: When you are training your horse to get on/off the trailer the point isn’t to get them on the trailer. Of course, that’s the end goal, but during the session (and there will likely be multiple sessions before your horse loads perfectly) you are purely focused on improvements, not perfection.Â
Video #3:
Case Follow Up
Warwick comes back to help out Vicky and her horse. There was a lot of improvement over the last session, but Warwick also dives even deeper and discusses some of the little things when loading (like the use of dividers).
Some Key Takeaways
- Work on loading before you need to use the trailer. Rushing the process will only result in a more traumatic experience for the horse and will lead to further issues down the road. Take the time to work on the process well ahead of when your horse needs to be moved.
- Notice where your horse is at mentally at all times. Only proceed with the trailering if your horse is calm and controlled. If your horse is in a fight/flight/freeze response, take a step back and get them back down to a relaxed state before proceeding with the process. This could take your entire training session, or could take a couple minutes depending on where your horse is at.
- Set the situation up for success. Lighting, food, surface, weather, all of these factors can contribute to the experience. Make sure you have done everything you can to ensure a smooth situation for you and your horse.
- Â Release your expectations of what should happen. A big part of the issue horses have with trailering: us. We often get in the way of our own success because we have expectations, which usually lead to disappointment, which leads to tension in our bodies, frustration, and other impediments to our horse’s success. Expectations also cloud our vision as to what is really going on in front of us. We must remain present and deal with issues as they are in a calm and collected manner.Â
- Improvement over Perfection. If we spend enough time supporting our equine partners through this training process, there will be improvement. Celebrate the little wins, they all add up to create the final product.
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