Having trouble with a stubborn horse? Get your horse onto the trailer quickly and easily with this method.

[edit] Steps

Park the trailer in a quiet and calm place so that the horse doesn't get nervous.
Make sure that the horse cannot injure itself before putting it on the trailer.
Place the horse directly in front of the trailer. Walk beside the horse and as you walk you should be in one barrier and the horse in the other.
Talk to your horse so it stays calm. When it is on the trailer calmy speak to it and move towards the back and close the tail bar. Once this is secured, raise the tail gate and go to horse and secure inside.
Before you do any of this though, you should make the time to try to trailer train the horse. To do this, park the trailer in the horse's pasture for at least a week, or more. After the first few days, when the horse no longer seems to care about it being there, start feeding it in the trailer. Start by putting the feed in a bucket inside the door with the ramp down and the doors open. Secure the trailer if you can so that the horse doesn't just dump it. Place the food further and further in each day. Just let the horse go in on its own and exit on its own when the horse has done eating. When the horse is comfortable with this, start closing the ramp while it eats. Have a haybag available in there, too. Get your horse to like being in a trailer. Done this way, it's the least traumatic for the horse and you.
- For horses that are difficult you may consider trying restraints on the horse such a rump rope, twitch or war bridle.

Tip: Sometimes food may be placed just out of reach to motivate the horse to enter the trailer.

[edit] Tips

Have 3-4 other people around, in case you need help.
When the horse refuses to go on the trailer, you can try to get it on with treats. Try carrots, apple chunks, etc.
Having the rear of the trailer as low to the ground as possible always helps. Smaller steps aren't as scary.
If you have an extra horse that trailers well, try having the more experienced one enter first.
Sometimes if the horse still refuses to go on the float, you may need to use 2 lunge ropes that should cross over and just apply that little bit of pressure from behind. Be extremely careful with this technique as it can quickly turn dangerous to both horse and humans.
There are many reputable trainers who have their own style of training a horse to load in a relaxed and controlled manner. John Lyons, Monty Roberts and Pat Parelli are only a few of the better known names in the business. Take time to review some of their techniques before you begin.

Make sure you won't get trapped in the van with the horse. It could panic and start kicking. Never enter a trailer in front of a horse without the side door open for you to exit.
Make sure that as soon as the horse is on the trailer, someone closes the door behind it so that the horse can't get out anymore. And, don't forget the butt bar, the barrier between the horse and the door/ramp.

A safe and warrantied trailer
A horse
Gear to keep your horse safe in the trailer (for example, trucking boots, cover and horse helmet if horse is prone to rearing.)