| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Milotkha |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 1:23:53 PM
Hello all.
Mila is a very stubborn Mare.... very clever but very stubborn. She has always been a bit difficult to load, and it takes a while to persuade her.
Anyway.... Liz, Chris and I took Mila and her mum Minnie, to a local 'have a go' show on bank holiday monday. We didnt have to much trouble loading her on the way out, but coming home is another story. to cut it short, we tried for 1 hour 30 mins to no avail... we tried carrots, grass, lunge line behind the bum (she leans on it) tried making her go backwards with the dually and releasing pressure when she walked forwards (to try and make her realsie going backwards wasnt pleasent)
she would walk half way up the ramp and then stop dead, have a look around at the sights and sounds, but wouldnt go in, for love nor money. We had loaded Minnie in first, but nothing, so we took Minnie off thinking that if it looked bigger she'd go in, still nothing.
We tried blind folding her but she tripped up the ramp a few times so we stopped that. We even led another competors pony through the trialer to see if Mila would follow. Now.... this almost worked... we got all four feet on the ramp, but then nothing.... she just walked backwards off it again...!!
Looking back now, when she had all four feet on the ramp we should have used group force behind her to push her forwards..... but I dont think people fancied their chances with her rather nippy back feet..!!
So in the end.. we had no choice but to walk her home... which was luckily only 2.5 (ish) miles away. We did try reloading her on a small quiet lane but still nothing....!!!!!! grrrr...!!!!! 
HELP HELP HELP HELP.......!!!!!
She has travelled a 101 times in the past.... but she is getting worse. She will be getting some training with the other mares that havent travelled so I guess we will have to start form scratch again with her.... but she is due to come home in October..... and I dont fancy walking her the 70 miles to get back to Leicestershire.........!!!!!
Oh....... all of the above aside.... we got placed 3rd..!!! yaaaaayy..!! She snorted with neck arched and tail over her back the whole way around the ring - she looked beautiful..!!!!!!  |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Milotkha |
Posted - 03 Jun 2010 : 5:18:25 PM
Thanks all for your helpful advise.
I wish I could spend every day practising but with her being away at the minute I cant do that. I will do as much as I can the next time I go and visit.. and then continue when she is home (if we break this habit by the time she is due home ) |
| LYNDILOU |
Posted - 03 Jun 2010 : 5:05:30 PM
thata a good idea, all I can add to this thread is patience and repetition usually works for me , ( not much help am I ) |
| flosskins |
Posted - 03 Jun 2010 : 4:55:06 PM
I've had success with horse before by leaving the trailer open in the field all the time so they can see in it all the time, and feeding them by it, and then getting gradually closer until they eat off the ramp, then have to be haflway up the ramp etc until they walk in twice a day for their feed without thinking anything of it. |
| basbob |
Posted - 03 Jun 2010 : 2:51:22 PM
I used Mark Hudson from Redwings Horse Sanctuary. He came all the way down to Sussex and I think charged £80 - He was fabulous! |
| precious |
Posted - 03 Jun 2010 : 11:14:46 AM
what a nightmare for you.
If you cant get a NH or richard out i would go back the the basics feeding on the trailer on a daily basis, mares are alot more stubborn sadly.
good luck i know how frustrating it can be x |
| geegee |
Posted - 03 Jun 2010 : 11:06:24 AM
Arabella - Have sent you a pm  |
| arabella |
Posted - 03 Jun 2010 : 10:42:09 AM
Are there any natural horsemanship trainers in cheshire, that anyone can recommend.
thanks |
| Kharidian |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 8:36:49 PM
I had Richard Maxwell out last month, as Chips wouldn't load. He had only ever been loaded once in his life (to come from the Stud on which he was born, to home with me) and that took 4 of us 3 hours to load a six-month old foal!
Richard never frightened him but is so cued in to a horse's body language that he knows exactly when to put pressure on and when to release. Richard isn't cheap but by golly he's worth it! Look on his website for costs. You get homework i.e. to repeat every day for a week and go for little trips at the end of the week - we did that, then I loaded mid-week last week and again today just to ensure I'd have no problems for HOCON and Chips just follows me up the ramp and stands resting a back leg, completely unconcerned! On only our second little drive around, he didn't even dung on the trip and he'll load again as many times as you like after a drive around.
I can't recommend him highly enough and he's coming back to the yard next week to work with a horse that wont unload(!!!)
Caryn |
| moatside |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 8:32:22 PM
Having been owned by a non loader (4.5hrs each time) I can def recommend a RA - cost me about £135 but my little horror now loads within about 10 mins. I use a Dually Halter with any difficult loaders and so far not had any who won't go in.
Good luck - nothing more frustrating. |
| arabella |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 7:46:14 PM
does anybody know how much it cost to get somebody out. ie parelli instructor to help with loading issues etc . |
| sab2 |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 3:40:23 PM
I can recommend the Monty Roberts Dually, i had a mare who would throw herself on the floor rather than go in, found this out when i went to pick her up. My friend had spent time with the Learning to listen people in Masham North Yorks and hey presto within 20mins in she went both forwards and backwards never was she a problem again, best thing i have ever bought.Good luck i hope you get sorted out. |
| Nut |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 3:19:21 PM
I cant recommend richard maxwell enough, he has changed our lives - sounds dramatic but its not always shows you want to get to, sometimes its an emergency vet visit and if you cant load them...myself and Kora on here used him within a few days of each other and I can report happy relaxed loading still continuting. Have a search for our threads.
I know your fustration  but it can be all with the right help. |
| Milotkha |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 2:21:00 PM
Thank you all for your advice.
I will start from scratch.. as I dont want her to find it an unpleasant experience. |
| LesleyA |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 2:02:44 PM
I have had similar problems with a mare in the past and the only thing I can recommend is to keep loading and unloading at home until she is walking in and out confidently by herself. I have found it can take hours of patience but it does pay off. I usually put a little feed in a bucket and just keep encouraging her up the ramp without trying to let her go backwards but relax the pressure and reward when she does go forward. When she does go in give her some feed and let her stand for a bit and then take her off and do it again. I would repeat this every day for a week or until she is loading without thinking about it. |
| natntaz |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 1:58:44 PM
Try Richard Maxwell, i have seen him in action on our
yard and have to say i was very impressed. He is totally
calm. He will also leave you with the knowledge of how
to keep it going if all goes well |
| KittyB |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 1:56:23 PM
Sounds like my mare. I have given up trying to take her out for the time being. Following lots of threads on this site, purchasing a Dually, Richard Max halter/video (years ago), loading her 20+ times a day every day for weeks in my yard. Last Saturday when I'd arranged to meet a friend a few miles away for us to ride home, guess what? She wouldn't load. I honestly thought I'd cracked it, especially as in the yard she'd wander quite happily in for me (and carrots), then wander happily out again, which we did many many times. The one day I have arranged to go somewhere and she won't load. Just plants two feet on the ramp and that's it. Stands there 'gazing out of the window' and will NOT go in. I have given up. Life is too short for such stress. I'll just ride her from home. Perhaps I should also respect her - she obviously has an issue with travelling, so who am I to make her, simply for my enjoyment? Other's opinions welcome!! |
| Callisto |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 1:54:08 PM
Unfortunately the only way forwards with this is lots of patience (I have spent 4.5 hours at a show trying to box up to come home, and it was too far to walk/ride home or I would have done). You need to spend lots of time encouraging her into the box with no pressure. Using force only makes it into a battle that you are never going to win. Lead her through the trailer several times and then get her used to being shut in before you take her for a short drive. Some horses are claustrophobic and travel better on their own with the partition removed and a specially made breast bar in place. The little perisher who wouldn't load at the show is now absolutely fine, but our older gelding has always been difficult and you have to allow plenty of time before an event just in case he decides to be difficult. We do have a be nice halter for him. The same horse will load himself to go home It is very frustrating, but you have to stay calm. Good luck. |
| Milotkha |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 1:48:25 PM
Yes Lisa you are 100% right, I want her to want to do it. I have thought about NH... I dont want her to be frightened in anyway.
Thanks
Kim |
| geegee |
Posted - 02 Jun 2010 : 1:44:04 PM
Other members on here have had success with RA's (Recommended Associates from Intelligent Horsemanship i.e Monty Roberts and Kelly Marks)
Others have had success with Richard Maxwell.
Any NH trainer would be able to help you by coming out and showing you. As tempting as it might be to use group force, it won't help in the long run as you need her to want to go in.
Good luck |
