Float
Loading
written by Mark Langley
www.equineability.com.au
Taking a thorough approach to
the education needed in preparing
your horse for loading and travelling reduces the risk of injury to
your horse and yourself by promoting safety through trust and
clear understanding. To avoid the
nightmare stories of float loading
you will need to ask your horse to
accept and understand different
pressures, requiring a basic level of education – so don’t make
float loading their first education!
Before loading, try to address
these foundation points:
have no problem handling any
part of their body whilst standing.
If your horse has very sensitive
areas, or is still frightened of
you when you stand in different
positions around them, they
will only be worse once they are
compromised inside the float. Try
to ask your horse to step forward a
few steps, stand calmly, then back
some more steps and then from
backwards walk forwards with no
brace in the transition.
1) Soft leading & backing
It is very important that your
horse understands how to soften
and follow the lead rope. You
want your horse calm and relaxed
when the lead rope pressure
tightens. You don’t want them to
brace and jump forward, so when
you teach your horse to lead and
understand pole pressure you
should not use too much force
– just regular repetitions that
focus on forward thought and
softness. If your horse can walk
forward responsively and softly
they should also be able to back