One thing I realized today during Odin's trailer loading session is that only recently have I set clear expectations while he's in the trailer. When I started trailer training, my expectations were a bit fuzzy: get in the trailer and stay there. It's only when I started teaching positive reinforcement that I understood clear expectations because in order to reward at the correct time, the handler (I'm going to use the word "teacher") needs to know what behavior deserves reward. And the horse may have a lot of questions about what behavior earns a reward. A recent session went like this:
Odin: do I get a reward if I only put my front feet in?
Teacher: yes, but only the first time.
O: do I get a reward if I back out?
T: no.
O: do I get a reward if I look around?
T: no.
O: do I get a reward if I get all the way in the trailer?
T: yes.
O: do I get a reward if I look behind me while I'm in the trailer?
T: no.
O: how about if I face forward?
T: yes.
O: how about if I look behind me now?
T: no.
O: how about if I try to back out?
T: no.
O: how about if I take a bite of hay?
T: yes.
T closes the divider at this point and stays in the trailer with O.
O: do I get a reward if I put my face right next to yours?
T: no, and move your face away from mine.
O: how about now?
T: no.
O: now?
T: no.
O: how about if I back up against the divider?
T: no, and come forward.
O: now?
T: no.
O: how about if I face forward?
T: yes.
O: how about if I face forward and take a bite of hay?
T: yes.
T ducks under the divider and shuts the door to the trailer then stands at O's head outside of the trailer.
O: can I have a reward if I look behind me at the divider and closed door?
T: no
O: how about if I face forward?
T: yes
O: how about if I press my butt against the divider?
T: no
O: if I face forward?
T: yes.
O: face backward?
T: no
O: face forward?
T: yes
O: face backward?
T: no
(Repeat 4 or 5 times)
O: face forward and take a bite of hay?
T: yes
T leaves post, gets in truck, starts it and drives a slow circle around the driveway, stops, sets parking brake, turns off truck, and resumes position at O's head outside the trailer.
O: oh hi, you're back. Treat if I face forward?
T: yes
O: face backward?
T: no
O: face forward?
T: yes
O: face forward and take a bite of hay?
T: yes
T leaves post from outside trailer and opens trailer door then stands outside of divider until O faces forward. T ducks under the divider and stands next to him.
O: treat if I face backward and look at the divider?
T: no.
O: face forward?
T: yes.
O: face forward and take a bite of hay?
T: yes.
T holds lead and opens divider.
O: can I back out now?
T: no
Taps him forward with arm extender (stick).
O: face forward and wait?
T: yes
Rewards then backs him out to the edge of the trailer. At the edge, T says "step, step" so that he knows to step down onto the ground.
The clear expectations are questions Odin asks and receives the "yes". The mistakes I made before I realized this were that I dreaded trailer training as much as Odin and if he got in, I'd back him out right away without asking him to wait. He could ask any question and the answer would be "yes, let's get out of this horrible place". That's not the correct precedence and doesn't help him get comfortable in the trailer. Or if we arrived somewhere, I'd let him out without setting the expectation that he would a) face forward, b) wait for my signal to back), and c) back out straight with his face away from mine.
When Odin takes a bite of hay inside the trailer, I know that he has briefly accepted his current situation and it might be time for me to ask a harder question. I am prepared for a "no" answer to my more difficult question, if he says "no, I'm not ready, can't do this right now" to my question we can go back to easier questions, like "can you face forward?" and "can you wait a moment ?".
Odin will say yes if I ask fair questions and that has made trailer training a lot easier for both of us. I think we'll get to go somewhere soon without as much trauma and drama as we experienced in the past.