[Klaycock]

Ok so I have been training horses for a good 12yrs now and this is the first time I have ever ran across a horse that absolutely HATES getting OUT of the trailer! I've owned this boy from day one and still have his momma. I had him loading and hauling as a weanling on up. He is 5 this year. Last year he started this a little but I worked with him and he was going in and out again with no problem. Well he sat all winter with no hauling and when spring come along and shows started he started the whole not wanting to get out. He loads right up with no problems. We can throw the rope over his back and tell him to load up and he walks right in but now whenever we ask him to come out he will just lock up and stand there. It does not look like a game, he has some fear going on I am just clueless as to why! He has only ever slipped coming out one time and that was last year at a show. Nothing major, no injuries nothing. I thought maybe he was affraid of slipping? When he does finally come out he LEAPS out as though there is a jump at the end of the trailer! Anyone have any ideas how I can help him? I can even get a video if that would help so you can see what he is doing as well as what I or my husband am doing but it will take me some time as I do not have net at home right now (we moved) so I have to go to a friends or my parents. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated! Oh and I have a stock trailer and can pull my mare out by walking her right beside him and he wont follow her out either.

Thanks guys

[Klaycock]

If you have any questions that may help with coming up with techniques to try or something please feel free to ask. I've done all the training with him so I can answer anything you may need to know

[Jess!]

Sometimes coming to the end of the trailer and stepping out to "space" can scare them.

I teach them to back out with "back back" then when he's going to step off the trailer I say "step down" and he knows he is going to have a longer "step" then normal.

I also never turn them around and lead them out [when I had a slant load], because then it'd get to where they'd always want to turn around to get out instead of backing out.

[Pirate]

It mite help if you can unload him onto a hill or loading bay so the ramp is flatter, a small slip may seem nothing but for a horse it can be a big deal.

[Klaycock]

Jess,
I did try doing the "back"...he will go back until his feet are at the end of the trailer but then he tenses up and will either lock his legs and refuse to move or he will push his head forward against the pressure in quick, strong burst. He does not push his body through me, just his head. I will never own anything but stock or slant again so that turning to walk out is possible. I completely despise straight load trailers! lol Too many times i've backed a horse out, even the best behaved, and they will miss just enough to scrape the front of their legs on the way down. Yes you can wrap their legs and I do but that does not stop them from disliking the "rub" on the way down. I want him comfortable enough to walk out again before I let him back out. His back outside the trailer is wonderful no matter where we are so I know his issue at this point is fear...figuring out WHY is my problem as like I said in my post, he has never hurt himself or anything like that in the trailer, or coming out of it.

[hermonine]

So are you trying to walk out or back out? Which does he have fear doing?

My horse used to be exactly like this but I hae a straight load trailer. He would load straight in and he would not back out. We found out the hard way at a horse show he would not get out of our straight load. No matter what we did he would just lock up and not back out, pushing forward, etc. We had to take the divider out and turn and walk him out. Anyway, what I did was I did a lot of ground work with him walking going toward the horse trailer and backing over and over. He was great at it. Then I make him take a step into the horse trailer (front feet only) then I backed him out. I did this for awhile till I thought he was getting it good. Then I went a little further in each time with his head going in further then backing out (never fully in). When I finally got his back legs in I did not walk all the way in just that one step in then back out. I just kept doing this until finally he figured out he was fine. Now he backs right on out. Took me months though for he hated backing out.

[meljean]

Sorry not clear if you are in straight load/slant load. One part sounded like it was literally backing off a straight load, but then you said he leaps, which sounds like coming off forward. Has he grown enough, or put on weight enough that his sides are preventing him from seeing behind him well enough to feel safe? Have you tried him on other side of trailer?
Have you tried facing away from sun where he is coming out into less light, or vice-versa, more light? What about spreading some hay behind him, where it would be a contrast for him?
You could try working with him on backing him onto/into different things, like a dark soft cloth, hay, light soft cloth, just on the ground, and not on windy days, make sure whatever you are backing him over is secured and won't blow. Could also work at backing him over poles, with definite commands like step back, or whatever you pick. Just use same command each time. Could also pick up back feet one at time and teach to hold it until command to step down. Only trouble is I hate to get low by hind feet, and don't do this at area where many people will come and offer advice.
Could also try this, and only in non busy area, with safe place. Blindfold him with towel, or blinkers and walk him around. No obstacles, just flat ground, get him used to backing up, and leading forward, again using commands for picking feet up, setting down, and work on that and then move up to walking over obstacles, and backing over them. Don't get pushy/mad, just very matter of fact, and quiet voice, not a lot of chattering.
Good luck, this can be very aggravating.

[tlwidener]

Do you back him out?

Does your trailer have a ramp?

Does your trailer have a rubber bumper on it if doesn't have a ramp?

Is he the first or last horse off the trailer?

[Pally]

Originally Posted by hermonine

So are you trying to walk out or back out? Which does he have fear doing?

My horse used to be exactly like this but I hae a straight load trailer. He would load straight in and he would not back out. We found out the hard way at a horse show he would not get out of our straight load. No matter what we did he would just lock up and not back out, pushing forward, etc. We had to take the divider out and turn and walk him out. Anyway, what I did was I did a lot of ground work with him walking going toward the horse trailer and backing over and over. He was great at it. Then I make him take a step into the horse trailer (front feet only) then I backed him out. I did this for awhile till I thought he was getting it good. Then I went a little further in each time with his head going in further then backing out (never fully in). When I finally got his back legs in I did not walk all the way in just that one step in then back out. I just kept doing this until finally he figured out he was fine. Now he backs right on out. Took me months though for he hated backing out.

This here is how you teach a horse to back out of a trailer calmly and carefully....train it at the same time as you train loading! One foot at a time. Really essential skill if you have a straight load, but still very good for them even if you eventually will let them walk off.

The OP could try this, but I'm guessing he would jump all the way on the trailer before you could stop the other 3 feet (because he's already well trained to do this). Then be afraid to get back off and we're back to square one.

I'm thinking along the same lines as meljean here. Do some in hand "trail" type obstacles. With a focus on moving one foot at a time, forward or back when you tell it. Incorporate lots of poles, a bridge if you have one, etc.....things that will give him confidence about placing his feet.

[Bruce Wiley]

It sounds to me, that too much work was done on getting him to get into the trailer and not enough was done on how he should exit, move over, etc within and out of the trailer.
For sure he needs to be taught, so that he can get over whatever fear he may have about exiting the trailer.

First re establish your position of respect over your horse.
Get the backing up cue done consistently correct and by working him near and around the trailer.
Then, once he fully understand you can apply the same request in which he should respect your request and do so by him taking one step at a time with moving backward in a calm and in control manner, which is the goal.

Work him in silent and without you giving him thatsa good old boy praises and without any negative human behaviors, so where he can have no other option but to turn over his focus, and quiet performance and can discover about his real non fears of leaving the trailer.

I hope this insight helps.