A question for those who load & travel alone

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Joyous70

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How do you do it?

I have just taken my youngster to her first party, and i can only assume that the excitement of it all was the cause, but as i loaded her onto the trailer, my instructor went into the jockey door to cross tie her, and she had turned herself around. Once sorted and back in the right way, once she was tied up, she kicked off reversed into the ramp (not sure if she was tied at this point) then proceeded to have a paddy kicking and stamping around until i drove off.

I cannot tie her on the trailer before i shut the ramp as she seems to panic, tried it at home only tied one side and she was off and broke the headcollar.

So for those of you who travel alone, how would you tackle this?
 
I have a 3.5ton lorry and load and travel my mare alone on occasion. She is easy to load though.

One thing that does help is I have a lead rope already tied to the string on the tie ring so I lead her up and just clip the pre-tied rope to the head collar and un-clip the other, saves faffing with a quick release knot if horse is reluctant to stand still.
 
I travel my boy in the trailer on my own quite often (only had trailer a year) but he is generally great to load and travel. As per previous poster, I have a leadrope already tied up in the trailer and clip him in, then walk round him to the back (single Ifor trailer so room!) and pop the back bar on before putting up the ramp. He can be impatient and start stamping a bit until we move off but I know he's not a panicer so I'm happy to tie him up before putting up the back bar an d ramp. If he wasn't such a good loader, I don't think I'd be so happy to do it all by myself.
 
If I have a tricky one I try and set up a bucket where they can eat some carrots etc whilst I am putting up the rear breach bar. It is very difficult on your own and potentially dangerous if they are as bad as yours though. Why did the instructor go in the jockey door, is there no front ramp?
If they are kicking and stamping I just ignore it, they quite often stop when you start travelling anyway and with practice I have found they settle anyway.
 
GLW said:
I have a 3.5ton lorry and load and travel my mare alone on occasion. She is easy to load though.

One thing that does help is I have a lead rope already tied to the string on the tie ring so I lead her up and just clip the pre-tied rope to the head collar and un-clip the other, saves faffing with a quick release knot if horse is reluctant to stand still.
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She loads well enough, it seems to be the panic of being tied up thats the issue, she's fine tied up outside her stable etc., although on the yard i use the bungee panic ropes, not sure theyre a good idea on the trailer at the moment, i do have the ropes ready tied on the trailer so i just have to clip them onto her headcollar, im just wondering how i can maybe practice this at home without her coming to any harm.
 
dixie said:
hy did the instructor go in the jockey door, is there no front ramp?
If they are kicking and stamping I just ignore it, they quite often stop when you start travelling anyway and with practice I have found they settle anyway.
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She went in the jocket door, to cross tie her for me.
 
Have you tried loading her with the front ramp down (but breast bar up)? I always used to do this (when I had a trailer) as it was lighter and more inviting for the horse. It might be this way she doesn't panic so you get time to close the back and get to the front.
 
Fuzzypuff said:
Have you tried loading her with the front ramp down (but breast bar up)? I always used to do this (when I had a trailer) as it was lighter and more inviting for the horse. It might be this way she doesn't panic so you get time to close the back and get to the front.
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This, if you have a front ramp I always have it open. If not maybe try her in someone elses that does have one to see if it would sort your issue.
 
If it were me I wouldn't be going anywhere alone until this panic reversing were sorted.
I would be loading her everyday and every other day, or as often as possible just taking her a ride around the block until she got used to it

It's hard enough on your own if they are good, without having to deal with issues

Good luck I hope you get it sorted soon x
 
After witnessing a hideous accident and the resulting stitch up job, I don't tie mine up until the breech bars are in place.

They load, stand and wait for me to.pop the breech bar up, then I tie up and lift the ramp.

They will also stand with the chest bars down until invited to go down the front ramp.
 
Mine are trained to load into the trailer infront of me.
I walk with them up the ramp, put lead rope over their neck, they walk up to the breast bar, then I put up the breech bar and go to the front, give them a treat and clip them to the trailer tie, and remove the lead rope.
 
I have a youngster who is a bit querky to load and travel and have to do it on my own - I have a side loading 7.5 ton lorry - mine would load then try and run down the ramp - I had some help to get her to relax and settle once in the box - I have spent a week loading and unloading her every night and lots of praise and a hay net so she can have a pick at that and relax - second week I clipped her head collar and stood with her and after lots of fuss she was relaxed enough so I could fix the partition and put the ramp up - waiting a few minutes then doing the whole process again 4 or five times every night for 5 nights - last Friday I did all this and then took her for a 15 minute journey and back to the yard and unloaded her, always with lots of pats and praise. I did it again yesterday, and when I got back to the yard I unloaded her and loaded her back up, then unloaded her. I will do the same tomorrow and probably 3 or four more times more and then take her somewhere that will not stress her next week. It has been a lot of work but it has really paid off as she has gone from being worried about loading and standing on the lorry to being very chilled with it. Loading and travelling can be very stressful to some horses and they need time to feel safe and confident. Just divide the process in segments eg loading and standing on the trailer with a haynet - stay with her until she's relaxed without tying her up and then unload her and do the whole process again for a few nights or until you feel she's relaxed enough to go onto the next stage. Always with lots of praise. Best of Luck!
 
I would be loading her every day, or as much as you can, until it becomes boring. Then progress to taking them out and about, two or three times a week, whether that be hacking or lessons.

I teach mine to self load as most of the time I am by myself, repetition will work in the end, just keep everything as safe as you can.
 
Mine is a bad loader and a super reverser! I have the partition out and full width breast and breach bars. Front ramp down when loading. I have him on one of those long lead ropes. I lead him up, loop the lead rope around the front bar (not all the way round), while still holding on to the other end with just enough tension that he knows I still have him. I then walk back alongside him and put up the back bar, while still holding the rope. Once done I will then tie properly, then rear ramp up, then front ramp up. Doing this has been brilliant as if I tie him and go to walk around the outside then he will just snap the string and reverse out at high speed, scaring himself in the process. Using this method he is nice and calm as he has plenty of space and does not feel like I am 'abandoning' him until he is safely shut in. I suppose you could do the same with a partition in but would maybe need a longer rope and to be extra careful that it does not get caught if she does wiz back.
 
Mine walks in with me, front door open, I put breast bar up, give treat, and hay net, walk down the side (inside trailer) and put breach strap and bar up, then go back and tie him up, before shutting doors. I would never tie mine up without breach bar in position.
 
I'm always on my own, so all of mine have to load, stand and wait. It's just training and practice and more practice. I bought a young horse last year, and she had been trained with two people, so it was back to the drawing board with her. Load her on, and wait, if she stepped back step her forward and wait, do up the back bar and door when she was standing. Lots of patience and every time the float was out, she was on it. And off it. And short trips around the block and off it.
 
My horse has been taught to self load pretty much. I walk halfway up the ramp with him and he carries on. I do the back bar up and close up ramp and top door, Run around to the front and tie him up and we are good to go.
It has definitely taken a bit of practice as he went through a stage last year where he wouldn't load or he would reverse out but perseverance paid off and now he is easy. It also really helps to have a handful of horse treats up the front as it distracts him for a minute while I do up the back bars - just in case he gets any fun ideas about reversing out.
 
I go places alone, or sometimes drag along the non-horsey BF. Horse can be a little cheeky on the odd occasion and might pull backwards/ take a step off the ramp to the side. Only does it if I get in front of him so as long as I make sure he's walking forwards with me, we're fine. I load him in a Dually and I usually have half an apple in my hand - he will do anything for food so that makes it a pretty good bet he'll always load! ;) He's perfect to travel, stands quietly once he's on, eats his hay, never feel him move throughout the journey and doesn't make a peep until we get to the event.
 
Cragrat said:
Mine are trained to load into the trailer infront of me.
I walk with them up the ramp, put lead rope over their neck, they walk up to the breast bar, then I put up the breech bar and go to the front, give them a treat and clip them to the trailer tie, and remove the lead rope.
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I do this with mine too. I load with the top of the front ramp open so the trailer is light and airey, but I don't leave the front ramp down - what if they tried to jump over the breast bar to get out. Really, it is just a matter of quiet practice and reward.
Try just getting her to stand quietly with you by her side, breathe very slowly and deeply, and give her a feed out of a bucket with her head over the breast bar, until you can do it easily and quietly. Time spent in practice now will pay dividends in the long term.
 
I do the same as cragrat and others. Mare is trained to walk up the ramp and into the trailer by herself, I stand behind her, put up the breeching bar and rear ramp then nip round to the front to tie her up. Even if we are eventing there is always a tasty net of haylage to nibble on whilst she is waiting for me to do this ( it might be tiny if xc is close to dressage and we are not going far!)
This is a case of practising at home, ad infinitum until your horse cracks it. It will be useful forever, even if you then gain a travelling companion.
 
99% of the time, I load and travel alone. I have done a heap of work with my boys so they both (most of the time) self load. I always do the bum bar up, then the ramp before tying them up to the float. On the rare occasion they are being painful and not loading, I will put a feed or some hay up front for them and if that doesn't work, I will tie up the one I am taking then load my other horse, load the proper one then unload the one I loaded first. By the time the horse who is going somewhere realizes what is happening, He has a face full of hay and we are on the road so he can't protest.
I don't have a front ramp, but I find if the side doors are open and the center divider is pulled over I am much more likely to get my horse on than If everything is closed in.
 
Im afraid i cannot multi quote - but thank you to all of you who have taken the time to reply.

My mare will load perfectly onto her trailer, i walk up the ramp with her and to the front, once she is in she will stand perfectly still, i can walk off the back of the trailer and do up the ramp, we have been doing this every night for the last few weeks she will stand on the trailer without me eating her haynet with the back ramp down.

I think the excitement of the show was all too much once she got into the trailer and she wanted to see what was going on so turned herself around before we could manage to get in to tie her up.

I will do some more practicing at home, but sometimes it is difficult as there isn't always someone around to help if i need it.

The other week i had got her stood on the trailer as calm as calm can be, but the minute i clipped one of her cross ties onto the headcollar she panicked, usually when the ramp is up and she's tied she is as good as gold.

Back to the drawing board with some of your suggestions, thank you, however the issue that concerns me most is her turning herself around in the trailer, i think i will give it a try over the next few weeks, putting her on then putting her back bar up.
 
Try not to go in the trailer with her, get her to go in on her own if you can and then you can safely shut her up first. Try tying a Haynet in such a way that she can't quite manage to wiggle around and that it distracts her too
 
If she is turning around, try running a lunge line from headcollar through the tie ring in the front of the trailer and back to your hand so you can keep some tension in her after she is on the trailer and stop her from turning until you can get the bar/ramp up. If she pulls back or panics you can either let out the line or drop it altogether.
 
^^^ That, I leave the lunge rein all ready through the tie ring and clip on to that and a panic snap for those that are unknown quantities, I also do that with the lorry as it's a pain when one whips round and squashes you as you're trying to move the partition.

Most of mine are very well-mannered when loading though.
 
Cortez said:
If she is turning around, try running a lunge line from headcollar through the tie ring in the front of the trailer and back to your hand so you can keep some tension in her after she is on the trailer and stop her from turning until you can get the bar/ramp up. If she pulls back or panics you can either let out the line or drop it altogether.
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I like this idea thank you, i will give this a go,
 
jemima*askin said:
^^^ That, I leave the lunge rein all ready through the tie ring and clip on to that and a panic snap for those that are unknown quantities, I also do that with the lorry as it's a pain when one whips round and squashes you as you're trying to move the partition.

Most of mine are very well-mannered when loading though.
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Where do you clip the panic snap onto? sorry if this is a daft question?
 
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