Fall fairs, circuit championships, and club awards banquets signal the end of another horse show season. So how did it go? Did your shows, rodeos, or competitive trail rides meet your expectations? For the majority of horse owners, the answer to this question will likely be no. Stuff happens. And so we look toward the next year. But with chilly fall and winter weather looming, we all need some goals to motivate us to get off the couch and out to the arena on those cold nights!

Given the various components of fitness, conditioning plans can vary widely from horse to horse. Some need a program of mostly therapy-based exercises to address coordination, postural, or mechanical deficits before moving on to aerobic and gymnastic gains. Others need a restructuring of their workouts and plenty of good hard efforts to push past performance plateaus.

Every interaction we have with a horse involves principles of learning, whether we are aware of it or not. Problems arise when the wrong technique is chosen, or a correct one is applied incorrectly. In such cases, the horse can become confused and respond with behaviours often labelled as stubborn, unwilling, naughty, or even dangerous.

Helping horses load into a trailer with confidence is a common challenge, and I am often called upon to assist with both young horses learning to load and those struggling with trailer anxiety. Over the years, I’ve shared insights on horse trailer training, covering why it’s essential and how to approach it with the right techniques. However, this time, I want to shift the focus away from technique and explore the underlying factors that influence a horse’s willingness (or refusal) to load.