Aaaaaagh!!! What can I try now? Long sorry

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Louby

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Last week we tried my boy in his new trailer and he was so good we went for a short drive, hadnt planned taking him anywhere. He was great, a little aprehensive but so much better than I imagined as he has only ever been in a wagon and travels great but last year in my Ifor he shook and freaked out that we never got to leave the yard so I sold the trailer.
Today we tried him again expecting to load him and set off but he was having none of it. He would load but kept running out backwards straight away. This is my fault as I unloaded him backwards last week as I couldnt mess with the breast bar and keep him still at the same time so it was the easy option, more fool me. Had non horsey hubby with me who trys bless him but isnt much help really and theres never anyone else arround to help.
I then opened the trailer fully and started again just trying to walk him through but he either ran out backwards or legged it at full speed out through the front.
I did eventually get him to stand in it and unload backwards
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at my speed but when we tried to do the breach strap up he freaked so i just stood him in it a few times and left it at that.
He doesnt seem scared at all, just naughty and I admit I have been too soft with him from day 1.
Something has come out of all this, I am determined to get him to respect me and Im starting again with him. Tomorrow we are having a hard schooling session, he can go out and later we are going to try the trailer again. Hubby needs car in the morning so I cant try him til later on.
Do you think I should just feed him in it for a week or two and progress from there. Any suggestions?
 
You have to start with groundwork away from the trailer..walking on when you ask, and stand when you ask too...always with lots of praise as soon as he complies, then take it to the trailer, walk him in, ask him to stand and give him masses of praise. When you are ready, back him out and do it again.

Be very generous with praise and fuss..I would save food or a hay net for when you are ready to close up the back - get somebody else to do the breeching and ramp, stay with him, reassure and then keep him busy with food , initially only for a minute or so..and progressively getting longer. Each time you want to unload, take him out backwards at your speed.

It WILL get better and eventually you can do a short local drive.
 
Thanks for that. So you would keep unloading him backwards? Or would you insist he stood quietly long enough for me to remove the breastbar and bring him out frontwards?
I have removed the partitions and have a full length breast bar which is a bit fiddly to remove with an anxious horse, hence me resorting to rear unloading him.
 
there is nothing wrong with rear unloading, and many horses seem to prefer it...if it is working for you I would continue with that. The danger of rushing out forwards is that either you will get trampled or the horse will bang itself and you are back to square one
 
My horse loads well so sorry i cant help with that. Judging by what i've seen of others loading i would say patience and persistance is your best bet.

Travelling (moving) however is a different story my horse would nearly fall over round corners, no matter how slow
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, i was advised to remove the partition which i did and she now travels brill.
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Good luck with it and im sure with such an understanding owner your horse will be fine.
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Its a lot easier coming out backwards
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He crushed me last year coming out of the Ifor, mind you the ramps a bit wider on this trailer. He keeps falling off the side of it though in his haste but Im sure that will get better.
Its just so annoying, when he was on the trailer he stood looking out of the top door which was open at the time without a care in the world, then decided he'd had enough and flew out backwards.
I did in the end get him to walk in calmly, back out, stand and come straight back in. Felt like I was some sort of parelli expert lol
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(Watched that on Horse and Country the other night)
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