| I would tie my horse in a trailer only for two reasons: | | | | back until the halter breaks. In some cases it may be |
| 1. Your horse tries to turn around. It really is our | | | | good the halter breaks, but every time it happens, |
| responsibility to make sure the horse is OK with the | | | | your horse has (sub)consciously learned he can do |
| trailer. This means to me he feels safe enough to not | | | | this. This will make it worse. Every year horses and |
| want to climb out during the trip. The way to | | | | even young foals die because people just tie them |
| accomplish this is described in my E-book. Another | | | | without proper preparation. This is very sad and |
| thing which is really important is to drive the trailer | | | | unnecessary. |
| considering the horse. Imagine having a full cup of | | | | As long as you are not sure, just don't put a knot in |
| coffee on your dashboard and don't spill any while | | | | your leadrope when you tie a horse. Use a long |
| driving. That will take care of your horse not liking | | | | leadrope and just wrap it around a strong object. |
| the trip with the trailer because of inappropriate | | | | This way the horse can pull back without feeling |
| driving. | | | | much pressure. Because of the long rope he will still |
| 2. So that horses can't dominate each other while | | | | be tied and everything stays safe. Another great tip |
| driving. Sometimes we have to transport two or | | | | is to tie them high. By doing this they can only pull |
| more horses in a trailer, who normally wouldn't | | | | with their own weight. When tied low, they can use |
| stand next to each other with hay in front of their | | | | all the power in their hindquarters, which is a lot. |
| noses. This can lead to severe dominance games. | | | | I will definitely devote an article on teaching your |
| And the only thing they will be able to use is their | | | | horse to be tied. This post was about what halter to |
| teeth. I have seen horses with deep bit marks and | | | | use to tie your horse in the trailer. So that question is |
| this could have been prevented by tying them just | | | | not easy to answer. Because when everything is |
| short enough that they can't bite. It's just for the | | | | perfect, you don't need to tie them at all. Which is |
| trip, they'll survive being tied (when you have | | | | also the best scenario when you would be involved in |
| prepared them for it). | | | | an accident. I hope this will never happen to you, but |
| What halter to use in the trailer to tie your horse. | | | | I know a few stories where they were really happy |
| As usual you get a lot of advice in the horse world. | | | | the horses were loose on the trailer. The trailer |
| Very few are based on truth. To load a horse into a | | | | actually landed on his side and the horses where |
| trailer, I always use a rope halter. They are | | | | standing straight up in it, wondering if this was a new |
| comfortable yet don't invite to lean on for the horse. | | | | exercise. If they would have been tied, it could have |
| I don't see any use for traditional web halters. They | | | | ended differently. |
| have been invented because the look pretty and you | | | | So what to do? If you are not sure, just use the |
| can leave it on the horse, so he is easy to catch. I'll | | | | web halter. If this gives you a secure feeling, this will |
| get into this in a later post. As far as educating the | | | | benefit the horse and you for the trip. There's an |
| horse, traditional web halters only have | | | | even better advice, which may not be what you |
| disadvantages. They are wide, soft and can break. | | | | want to hear: if you can't load your horse in the |
| Three reasons why not to use it to teach your | | | | trailer by just sending him in out in front of you … if |
| horse to yield from pressure. Your horse always | | | | you can't load your horse by yourself … if they only |
| learns something, also when you're just leading them | | | | way to get your horse on the trailer is by force (this |
| around. The place behind the horses ears is very | | | | is where the horse has no choice), then it is probably |
| sensitive and most horses have big opposition to | | | | better to stay home!!! No type of halter is going to |
| pressure in this area. It is important to teach your | | | | save your horse when he panics. The main reason |
| horse to yield and be tied. Many times horses are | | | | why horses are restless on the way is because they |
| just tied and when something spooks them, they pull | | | | didn't choose to go into the trailer by themselves. |