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BeckyBoodle
Gold Member
Australia
795 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Aug 2008 : 9:06:05 PM
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My best thoughts are for you. I saw a Monty demo at the end of last year. There was a huge warmblood with a tiny female owner. The horse had to only lift its head to throw her about 6 feet. It apparently had taken ages and all sorts of brooms etc to load him to get him there.
There were two key things that seemed to come through from that demo. The horse hadn't really been tought manners (or at least wasn't displaying them in this setting)- he had no idea about the idea of stop and also go back. I find this very interesting as (stereotyping) in the UK other than natural horsemanship stuff we don't do much backwards movement. Whereas in the States it is part of their standard repertoire.
Then, what they did was, once he had the idea of stop and go back, keep walking forwards, stop and go back. They did this for 5-10 mins always aiming at the trailer but never getting there. In the end it was almost like - for pitty sake, let me get on the box - from the horse! They then re-loaded a couple of times and it was almost like the horse was so keen to get on that he was in the end, jumping on the ramp from the side! I hope the same amazing result ends up with yours.
I have tried it once and achieved a result. I then had a bit of an accident when tying up, and have gone back to total basics and haven't reapproached loading.
B
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Pauline
Platinum Member
England
3185 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2008 : 9:06:24 PM
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My friend had a RA out to her gelding and it worked so well that he now loads himself.
I use all Natural Horsemanship with my horses.
All mine will load themselves it is so much better than fighting with the horse.
Pauline |
Pauline Higgs
Equine & Human Holistic Therapist
www.thegentlestouch.co.cc
www.endurancegbmidsouth.co.uk
Berkshire / Hampshire Border |
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natntaz
Platinum Member
England
2919 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2008 : 9:23:50 PM
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I also have seen Richard Maxwell at work on a horse that
was on my yard, can highly recommend him. He is so calm
you just get the feeling he will get it sorted. Good luck
with the lady you are using but like i say if all else fails
try Richard Maxwell  |
   
Natalie Pix. Essex. Tariq ibn Radfan and Taroub |
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jools
Bronze Member
England
192 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2008 : 9:58:13 PM
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its so frustrating isnt it!Angelica and i have a super relationship she has been well handled from the day i bought her at 7 months old, weve done tons of shows ive led her out on the roads, i kind of show trained her to a degree, she trots up and does a nice pose lol!! and she backs up is long reined lunged you name it ive done it with her, and she is my best friend, very people orientated little mare, thats why this is driving me mad, in a way i feel shes being a cow, but on the other hand she totallt trusts me, so then i feel theres something wrong and im not the sort of person who will get at her with a whip or chifney, i will stand there for as long as she can and just gently try to persuade her in, but now it just isnt working, and as you all know, you really need your horse to load whether it be for fun, or god forbid to go the vets in an emergancy.
Take this evening, she has only been backed a few weeks, i havent ridden her for two weeks, but i tacked her up tonight and we plodded around the lanes as if she has done it for years, she isnt fresh or silly and completey trusts me, the only problem we have is those really big scary arabian eating wheelie bins!!!!!! have you seen them, they are well frighting and you have to go past them sideways and snort like a camel because that is the only way that stops them eating you hehehehehehehe |
ju xx |
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jools
Bronze Member
England
192 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 6:13:02 PM
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Yay!!!!!!!! my horse loads in the trailer
It was amazing, jo and Theo did a fab job, quietly, with just her head collar and Gels was loading in the trailer within ten mins and was trotting in the trailer within 20 mins, im so impressed and been smiling all afternoon whilst battling through my ironing 
We took her for a quick ride around the block then unloaded her to see if she would reload, and she went straight in, in fact now she goes in and doesnt want to come out shes quite happy in there.
Jo came to the conclusion that Gels is fine in the trailer and that she was taking the p.... which is what i had suspected as i am a bit soft on her, but i wanted to cover all avenues knowing she had had the fall etc....
theres no stopping us now, we have our first sponsered ride in two weeks and i was dreading it but now i really excited because i feel confident i will load her to bring her home,
Jo and Theo used the monty roberts method of pressure and release that many of you suggested to me and it worked really really well and i am going to use this method to get the madam through muddy puddles |
ju xx |
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Karon
Gold Member
England
1411 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 6:17:00 PM
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| Brilliant! Pressure and release works well in so many different situations, it's very useful to learn and perfect your timing with it. Glad she now loads OK!! |
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Crystal Fire
Junior Member
England
43 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 7:12:31 PM
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| Jo and Theo are great, and what nice people as well. Theo used to be an Intelligent Horsemanship RA, but hasn't kept up the registration for a while now. They are great with horses, and have a particular shine for arabs, as I'm sure you discovered! Theo wants to steal Celebrity. |
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jools
Bronze Member
England
192 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 7:20:33 PM
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yes i was really impressed with how friendly and approachable they are, and it was an added bonus to discover they like arabs as arabs have such bad press!
it was an amazing experience and me and Gels both really enjoyed it, gels takes to anyone who pays her attention lol...... shes all me me me hehehehe
She was only backed 8 wks ago and so she has gone through a few new experiences lately and i think the trailer thing was a bit of rebellion maybe
who knows, but the good thing is she didnt fight or worry it was all so smooth and so quick, it made me feel a bit of a fraud really |
ju xx |
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moatside
Platinum Member
England
3224 Posts |
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trisha
Gold Member
United Kingdom
914 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 7:48:37 PM
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hi crystal fire
ive got to agree with you theo and jo are great people i have known them for some years now and they have always been great to me ,they both have alot of time and patience so pleased all went well for you trisha |
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jools
Bronze Member
England
192 Posts |
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Alex1605
Silver Member
England
290 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 8:45:03 PM
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Have been following this thread with much interest and I'm so pleased that you have resolved your mares travelling issues
Now can anyone recommend someone to come out and help me and my gelding in Norfolk 
I'm having real problems - he will load at home after a couple of minutes, he sweats excessively whilst travelling, is calm at venue to show / ride etc but won't load up to come home I've only been taking him out for the last few weeks, loading up is taking longer each time - yesterday I finally had to give up after 8hours and stable him at the venue overnight ! Everyone had a different tecnique / approach to try (I didn't ask but so many people think they know best!) one "instructor" frighten the life out of him (and me) and he was so wound up a vet couldn't adminsiter anything to sedate him. He loaded this morning after 15 mins with quiet handling, but was very stressed travelling - I'm dreading taking him out next week  |
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Edited by - Alex1605 on 03 Sep 2008 09:32:19 AM |
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jools
Bronze Member
England
192 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 9:22:23 PM
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alex1605 im so sorry to hear you are having such a hard time with your boy.
that was my biggest nightmare, that i would get her somewhere and not be able to get her home.
I found with Gels that a crowd of people around her didnt help at all, i could get her in the trailer if we were left to our own devices, everyone just wants to help you, but sometimes their help just hinders.....
He sounds like he gets in quite a state travelling, the technique that jo used today would suit him well i think, she took Gels to the trailer and taught her to back up and come forwards, as Gels backs well anyway this didnt take more than a minute, she put the lead rope across her nose and round under her chin then clipped it to the ring on the throat area of the head collar this gives you the pressure points that the halters use when you buy the be nice type of halter, basically Gels learnt very quickly that to pull back was uncomfortable as when she pulled back jo kept the presseure on the lead rope, but as Gels came forward jo quickly released the pressure and rewarded Gels with a rub between her eyes on her forehead, this saw very quick results and within ten mins gels was willingly following jo into the trailer, perhaps you could quietly try this with your gelding at home.
on a thread on page one of my post is a link to the list of people who practice the monty roberts method, have a look as there might be someone local to you, i highly recommend you try him with this method, it amazed me today, lots of luck to you with him, let me know how you get on xx |
ju xx |
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trisha
Gold Member
United Kingdom
914 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 9:32:54 PM
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hi jools sorry im getting the names mixed up i am so glad your horses load ok now it is nice to have a happy ending well done
trisha |
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jools
Bronze Member
England
192 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 9:39:10 PM
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| hehehe thats ok Trisha, i knew what you meant lol!!! |
ju xx |
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Alex1605
Silver Member
England
290 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2008 : 08:35:01 AM
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Jools, thanks for sharing the technique, unfortunately there doesn't seem to be anyone who covers Norfolk - terrified of getting an "expert" who'll do more harm than good again :-(
Had a go last night and although the pressure and release method gave me more control he still wouldn't load :-/ But, oddly at the last attempt, after 3 hours, I tried the front ramp and he jumped in but was in such a panic at being in the trailer.
Think the incident at the weekend has really reinforced the fears he had about travelling :-( |
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jools
Bronze Member
England
192 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2008 : 7:18:08 PM
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alex1605, although it probably doesnt seem like it to you, the fact that he jumped in the trailer was a big thing for him and a step in the right direction, when he was in there, you need to give him lots and lots of praise, jo told me, that the tiniest of steps in the right direction require lots and lots of praise, keepon with the pressure release training as he will soon learn that its more comfortable to stay with you rather than fight you, im no expert i only picked up what jo and theo explained to me on sunday, i will ask jo whether she will talk to you over the phone if you like, she might even know of someone closer to you up in Norfolk.....it does seem to me from what you describe that it is more being in the trailer rather than the loading that is scareing him so much, Gels is fine once shes in, its the going in she decided wasnt for her so once we had mastered that bit, all was well, but your poor boy sounds like the problem is once hes in there, i will speak to jo for you |
ju xx |
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phoenixbruka
Gold Member
England
1190 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2008 : 7:53:43 PM
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Alex105
Seriously , Try Richard Maxwell, he did my mare ( who'd taken me 4 hours to get back on at keysoe  ) and she was loading herself in 25 mins - no whips lines etc etc etc.
I couldn't recommend him highly enough - and he does norfolk - in fact he does the entire country, and it's not someone he's 'trained' its Max himself that comes - everytime. |
   
www.liveryatcordwell.co.uk |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2008 : 8:19:55 PM
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I would load him at home, give him a tasty little feed feed while he is in the trailer and then lead him out. Do that several times and then shut the ramp while he is feeding. Do that several times until he loads for his feed and is happy in the trailer with the ramp up. Then just take him round the block and home to unload so he knows he is at home. Once he is doing that then load him several times in succession. It will take time to restore her confidence but she should eventually stop thinking of it as a negative experience if you take it slowly.
Good luck.
Barbara |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2008 : 8:21:36 PM
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Another vote for Max. I've seen him work, and was so impressed. Apart from anything else, he's a really nice guy! It'll be the best money you ever spend.
Ros |
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Alex1605
Silver Member
England
290 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 09:33:50 AM
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Thanks for all the helpful replies and advice sorry Jools for hijacking you thread 
Jools - thanks, that's ever so kind of you If Jo knows of someone who can come to Norfolk that would be excellent! Yes he is so frighten of being in the trailer. I have written to two of his previous owners, as listed in his vaccination record, to see if they can cast any light on the problem.
Phoenix and Ros - Agree Richard Maxwell is brilliant did see him some years ago at a demo - ironically at the same venue I was stuck at over the weekend ! Will call him if Jool's lady is unable to help.
Barbara - Sadly he's too scared to eat, even tidbits, when near or in the trailer Taking things very slowly - have cancelled the next couple of fun rides but it's more important he's happy and comfortable to travel than going just for the sake of it. |
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jools
Bronze Member
England
192 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2008 : 11:43:29 AM
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| alex1605 jo is more than happy to talk to you and said she could even have a trip up to you when i work out how to pm you i will send you her number lol or you could email me on robcoppin@aol.com |
ju xx |
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jools
Bronze Member
England
192 Posts |
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