Trailer Training - Horse Won't go to the Trailer

This QH gelding will not approach the trailer to load, so our first task is to get him comfortable to walk to the trailer with me.
He was very anxious and pulled me away. Good groundwork skills come in handy here. I circled him around me and kept his shoulder away from me by bending him and sending his hip and body away from me.
The bending helps him to relax a bit, taking the brace out of his back, but it also gives me an advantage by weakening the horse so that I don't get dragged. A straight horse is a strong horse. If we can put a bend on the horse, we have a better advantage on the ground.
When we get to a place where the horse is below threshold, we stop. I give him a moment and then we walk away. This release helps the horse to become more confident in me, knowing that I won't push him further than he can manage. However, I also think his confidence comes from my ability to handle him in the ground work. By showing strong leadership and being fair, he feels safer with me.
Later in this session, he loaded into the trailer with me, but the battery in my camera died and the camera did not capture it.

[@erinkinsey8831]

Great job on your videos

[@mary-annsavage447]

Nice horse

[@hhlagen]

That’s interesting .

[@rhondaskiles5740]

😮😮😮they are naturally cautious and costrophic its ideal if the breeder can get the foal in the trailer with moma ad much ad possible

[@mary-annsavage447]

You need my Pivo, you can borrow it if you want

[@solutionstohorseproblems5858]

Thank you. I may take you up on that. Then there wouldn't be empty frames looking at a trailer. LOL

[@rhondaskiles5740]

😮😮😮😮id you have room park the trailer in the pen let the horses get use to it and gopefully walk in and pou tof it put some treats and sweet hay in there

[@sallypenno164]

Not teaching the horse proper leading skills is most of the isaue here

[@cathycoffman5479]

Horse needs more work in learning to lead you need to set up a better area to teach this horse. Some panels or side of a barn

[@solutionstohorseproblems5858]

We are working with what we have. Panels don't teach him anything. They just prevent the behaviour. Part of his problem was separation anxiety and part of his problem was anxiety about the trailer. I reward him with a release every time we get closer and that gets him close to the trailer and then eventually in the trailer. I hope you watched the whole video and saw the progress he made and the learning and confidence building that occurred.