horse’s background, and give them
the preparation and time they
need to adjust to your objects of
travel unreservedly.
Let them stand until you start to
see some signs of relaxing: look
for softening ears, softening eyes, a
lick or a chew etc.
After this is established I put
my horse in reverse and ask for
forward repeatedly, simulating my
horse stepping back and the lead
tightening as it would in a straight
load float.
By the time I have loaded a horse
they have stood, walked forward
and walked back on every part of
the float. There is no such thing as
‘in’ or ‘out’ because all I have done
is ask for forward then stand, ask
for back then stand, regardless of
where my horse is in or partly out
of, the float.
and out of the float. It is best to
rub them down like this only
when they are calm.
11) Backing off
Once my horse has engaged the
float and has been fully inside,
and is ready to be backed off, I still
stop on the way out and ask for
10) Rub them all over
a few forward steps and I make
During this in and out process and a habit of doing it more than the
first few trips. I like to keep my
whilst my horse is standing, I like
horses focused with me, pliable
to move around and stand at the
back of them, handle their tail, rub and ready to move as I ask – not
their hind and back legs, getting
predicting whether they should
them familiar with me close to
be in or out. You never know
them and all over them both in
when the situation may change –
imagine a child suddenly running
out behind the float with your
horse locked in reverse.
If you spend time on these
processes, by the time your
horse is in the float, they are very
comfortable with the floor and
are very happy to stand and move
around in the float. This is very
important to your horse’s mental
stability for travelling. Your horse
needs to feel that they know the
float; that they are able to move a
little and that the floor is safe. A
horse can freeze in a float and not
back off because of anxiety about
floor sturdiness.
Regardless of whether I am
loading in an angle load or
a straight load float, I always
teach my horses to back off and
where I can, to walk forward off
calmly. You never know what
float they may end up getting on
s Top
Mark
Tips
and this trust based skill for both
directions is a useful one.
Once you feel that your horse is
happy standing on and in any part
of the float, and can move calmly
in and out, you can practise
standing at the float ramp and
asking your horse to walk ahead
past your shoulder and into the
float by themselves.
This is not a speed lesson. It is about trust
and consistency and safety. Take as much time
as your horse needs to get it right.
a strong separation anxiety, it is wise to travel
with a calm companion for a while. Aim to wean
them at some stage.
Tip 1 To practise and test leading and tying, I
sometimes get a long lead rope (over 7m) and
stand my horse some distance away from a rail,
put the lead rope over the rail and walk off at an
angle behind my horse before putting pressure
on the rope and asking my horse to lead up to
the rail.
Tip 4 Some horses need more room to spread
their feet out; I have come across horses that
travelling on their own with the centre bar to one
side has no issues but travelling with the centre
bar in place, leads to them scrambling with every
pot hole and corner.
For training use your normal halter but for
floating stick to a good, strong, thick web-halter
that will not cut/ rub/ break if they panic.
Tip 2 You can also lead your horse over ramps,
through garden archways, in and out of sheds
and other unusual objects, familiarising them
with what you will be asking them to do in a float
and practising overcoming any resistance – this
is your chance to cement your role as leader.
For your first few trips, after unloading ask your
horse to walk straight back in, stand and then
unload again.
Tip 3 A small dark float will be more
claustrophobic to a horse than one which has a
big window at the front and which feels more
open. Just because your horse loaded easily on
one float doesn’t necessarily guarantee they will
on another. Horses will react very differently to
floats which feel like a box.
For certain horses, especially ones that have quite
40
Everything Horse UK Magazine • February 2014 • Issue 5
Issue 5 • February 2014 • Everything Horse UK Magazine
Tip 5 Some rubber floors become slippery with