| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Bluesixteen |
Posted - 07 Jun 2010 : 2:35:32 PM
Hi, Has anyone got any idea's to help me load my horse? He has been in a trailer before a year ago and has always been fine to load. I tried yesterday as i have a show in 2 week, and i thought just walking him throught the trailer would be a good idea as he wouldnt go in with the front ramp up. When he gets inside he rocks and jumps around like panicking and the jumps out of the front!? How can i get him to be calm or stand in the trailer if i cant get him in with the front ramp? :( I dont think hes scared as once hes out he is not scared, more bolshy,and taking the p**s! Iv'e even tried with food, and pressure halter and it didnt work. and previously tried with whips, riding him in, lunge line.. im running out of ideas? |
| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| zelus |
Posted - 15 Jun 2010 : 1:50:09 PM
Guisburnfeefee....Im going to try the forward and backward thanks for the advice |
| guisburnfeefee |
Posted - 15 Jun 2010 : 1:17:12 PM
lots of time - agree maxwell is brilliant and my friends horse would laod to go - wouldn't travel well and then wouldn't load home. Maxwell suggested loading and then travelling forwards about 50 fet stop reverse the same - forward and back - by then they have a foot in each corner and are balanced. As for loading itself - takes a lot of time and patience - mine self loads after spending about an hour and a half every dauy letting him walk in by himself and comiong out trill he went in and stayed - then I shut everything up fed him left him on for about 20 mins and then took him off. never had a problem since and that was 3 years ago. |
| Theo |
Posted - 14 Jun 2010 : 9:24:43 PM
Shame you're so far away, otherwise I'd offer to lend a hand. (We're in the South East).
But by the sounds of things, you're taking the right positive steps. Ignore the bad and praise the good! Keep it up and keep us posted! |
| Bluesixteen |
Posted - 14 Jun 2010 : 11:31:27 AM
Hi, Theo im from Mossley 'Nr Manchester'. Thank for your advice guys, I tried him in trailer, no whips etc, just pressure halter and a feed bucket. I put the bucket near breast bar in trailer and had some treats in my pocket. For the first half an hour or more he just kept standing on the ramp and i tried the backing up method many times. Everytime he nearly went in the trailer i give him a treat, only when we made progress! In the end i got fed up and was stood in the trailer whilst he was at top of ramp just stood looking at me, I kept offering him food and then all of a sudden he just walked in...So i just put back bar and ramp up and fed him in trailer with lots of praise. Hopefully hel go in first time this wk, may give him a calmer just because he was sweat up and nervy! :) thanks |
| Kora |
Posted - 12 Jun 2010 : 10:30:52 PM
Hi, I had similar problems myself earlier this year with HT Orient. I eventually sought Richard Maxwells help and yes he did use a special pressure rope halter and it is brilliant. It was pennies worth spending, what a lovely chap. I now have no problems. If all else fails then try him or try and find someone who knows how to use these special halters , you won't be disappointed.
Good luck.
Kora
x |
| rasaljadi |
Posted - 12 Jun 2010 : 9:04:43 PM
Buy yourself a pressure halter, i have the rope type, i spent 2 hours 2 weeks ago stuck at a show it was a knighmare.
my friend had used one and brought it for me to use, just fantastic soon as they feel the pressure they walk straight in. within 5 minutes we had him first time i tried it, i do still use it as its early days but he just walks straight in now ..amazing....
well worth the money and there only £10ish.
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| alistair leslie |
Posted - 12 Jun 2010 : 6:25:53 PM
Some times the trailer is not stable when they first enter and it unnerves them . |
| Anne Harris |
Posted - 12 Jun 2010 : 11:44:37 AM
Oh you have all my sympathy...here I am at home when I should be at the Classic show due to a 2 year old filly who wouldn't load this morning. I eventually got her in and reversed her out about a dozen times but it all boils down to practice and not force.
The trouble with my filly is that she travels like a seasoned traveller never moves or sweats but just has issues actually going in.
Although I am gutted to have missed the show - I am feeling pretty pleased with myself for not giving in and persevering until she happily went in & reversed out. We are going to repeat the process all over again tomorrow - blisters permitting..
Good luck and I find if you keep smiling that does help!
Anne
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| Theo |
Posted - 12 Jun 2010 : 09:02:13 AM
Bluesixteen, what area are you in?
Rgds Theo |
| Cinnypony |
Posted - 08 Jun 2010 : 07:19:24 AM
Again agree whips and lunge lines are never the answer - would you want them used on you to make you do something you were scared of?
The only good use for a lunge line in loading is as an extra long lead rope.
Intelligent horsemanship RA's are usually good with loading issues - one of my friends had loading issues with her new pony and with the help of an RA has got it loading nicely.
Good luck |
| Quarabian |
Posted - 07 Jun 2010 : 9:44:02 PM
Do plenty of work away from the trailer on leading and going through narrow gaps. Most of all don't be a predator!!! Chill out and adopt the attitude that it doesn't really matter if he goes in or not. (obviously not on the morning of your show) Walk him up the ramp half way and back him off before he decides to do it. |
| debs |
Posted - 07 Jun 2010 : 8:32:18 PM
Ditto Richard Maxwell, when he came to my old boy he had him up and down the ramp about 100 times!!!
He is brilliant! |
| mogwai |
Posted - 07 Jun 2010 : 8:21:02 PM
I have a filly who really reacts badly to pressure too. I stood and watch hospital staff at Leahurst try every trick under the sun to force her into a trailer while i stood holding my other mare (one of the mnost unpleasant 4.5 hours of my life, and hours i have appologised to my girl about time and time over!).
I went up with my husband and 2 childrfen the next day and sat on the ramp with her, without the "help" of the vet staff and waited until she came in. It tookm us 2 hours, but i had a calm, happy filly all the way home.
Once we got home and settled back in we started doing some bits and peices, just building up her confidence and making positive associations with the trailer. We went slowely and did 5 mins every other day, but within 7 sessions she was happily loading in and out of the traailer with the partitions in. We have been keeping up the practice ever since. I'm sure Richard Maxwell suggests doing lots of reps.
Long term, force is never the answer.
Good luck
Ros |
| geegee |
Posted - 07 Jun 2010 : 3:40:41 PM
Originally posted by Bluesixteen
I dont think hes scared as once hes out he is not scared, more bolshy,and taking the p**s!
He is not scared when he is out of the trailer because he has a problem being inside, hence the jumping around and rushing to get out. Horses can and do get claustrophobic. Using force, by any means, is not going to make your horse want to go in.
The key factors are time and patience. Break everything down into tiny steps. Is your horse happy to stand next to the trailer, is he happy to walk across the ramp, will he stand on the ramp side on and is he relaxed whilst doing so? You can only progress when he is.
As well as Richard Maxwell, there are Recommended Associates (RA's) from Intelligent Horsemanship who will also come out to you.
It may be frustrating for the owner but it is more of an ordeal for the horse. We are asking alot from our horses to go into a trailer and the least we can do is to take time and show patience. Please don't use whips and lunge lines. It is so much nicer to have a horse that wants to do things for you because you asked and not because you TOLD them.
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| Bluesixteen |
Posted - 07 Jun 2010 : 3:30:17 PM
Thanks, Sorry i did forget to put that at the last show he was at a year ago he just decided not to go in, thats why we needed the food, lunge line etc as he has never had a problem before and nothing i can think of was there to scare him and put him off loading.When i eventually did get him in with the breast bar up and front ramp open he started panicking. thats why yesterday i thought leaving breast bar down would show him that he can just calmly go in and out. Which dint work. :( Thanks i will try reversing him etc, and see how i get on |
| pinkvboots |
Posted - 07 Jun 2010 : 3:17:36 PM
You say he goes on if the front ramp is open but you should still have the bar across the front to stop him running out, once his on I would reverse him off straight away and keep practising that way he may not feel so trapped, I never use the front ramp to unload as I find most horses see the exit and make a dash for it and its dangerous.
I would practice reversing him away from the trailer so he understands what you want from him, then load him and reverse him straight of and keep practising then leave it a bit longer before bringing him of each time, he might learn to realise there is no need to panic.
I don't think whips or food work when loading I also find once they are at the ramp don't turn them away, and if they wont walk forwards send them backwards. I would also recommend Richard Maxwell have seen him load a couple of horses with great success. Good luck. |
| moatside |
Posted - 07 Jun 2010 : 3:01:02 PM
My thoughts are much the same as Kharidan - I have a nightmare loader and putting pressure on her is the worst thing you could do. He obviously has "issues" and needs to go back to basics.
Good luck I know how frustrating it is. |
| Kharidian |
Posted - 07 Jun 2010 : 2:42:45 PM
You say he's always been "fine to load" but also say you've used whips/lunge lines and riding him in - I would not call loading by any means of coercion "fine" so your horse has obviously got "baggage" around the issue.
I would go back to basics and get professional help - I recently used Richard Maxwell and can't rate him highly enough.
Caryn |
