Advice needed - Loading

[CrazyHippo1]

Was wondering if I could pick your brains for a bit of advice on getting my mare to load.

She's got a very nervous temperment so the best approach is the calm, slowly slowly one - if you pick up a lunge whip she just goes up on her hind legs.

The box we have is a side loading lambourne racer. It was originally built to carry racehorses so it can, and will take 16.2hhs - however Deanna (15.2hh) seems quite nervous about the size as she will walk up the ramp, take a few steps inside the box, then panic throwing her head up and running backwards down the ramp. The minute she puts her head up I loosen the leadrope so that she doesn't hit her head, and then once again try to tempt her in.

But the problem is I don't know how to 1) Get her fully into the box. I've had all her feet in there - but she needed to turn het bum so that she could come out properly (head first!) but the minute I touch her side she throws her head up and runs out backwards 2) I think once she's been in there, and stood, had some dinner ect she'll be a lot better (she was with the last rear loading box!), but I'm really stuck as to how to get her in there in the first place.

Anyway, any comments, tips, advice, critism welcome! I just want her to happily load!!

Thank you

 

[Accy]

Lots of time needed with this i would say, she needs to feel safe stating the obvious im sure, try feeding her at each level of the ramp for a few nights and as she settles then feed in the box, this is what i would do.

Good Luck

 

[Kelly1982]

Have you tried lunge reins??

Not to push her up using brute force but just to add pressure if she decides to go backwards??

 

[Safina]

Patience patience patience is the best tip I can give. Who could blame a horse for being wary of a confined space like that (they are flight animals afterall). You sound like you are doing the right thing re: being gentle and encouraging with her so I would suggest more of the same as often as possible. Keep using food to tempt her and lots of praise and encouragement.

When she does get on the ramp try to have someone run their hands over her so she gets used to being touched then gentley pushed so when you try that once she is up the box it is not too much of a suprise.

Give yourself small goals and don't keep trying to get her "one step further" once you have acheived that sessions goal.

You could try using a pressure halter/bridle when loading to help keep her head down but that might scare her.

Good luck

 

[CrazyHippo1]

Have, just like the lunge line she panics when she see's in and jsut winds her self up. When lunging however, the lunge line and stick are both fine - but she completly over-reacts when they are brought out when she's by the box...I'm thinking those methods have been used with her before! Thanks anyway!

 

[holly_and_ria]

My pony was just like that even though she is 13 hh and will fit in a box so easily!!! try getting some grass/lunge riens, food , a strong head collar so that she doesnt break it, and a hand.

At first just use the head collar and food! Get two of three people to help pulling her in and another person holding a feed bucket with some pony cubes and shaking the bucket so that it makes a noise.

If this does not work add in a hand. All you need to do is give her a couple of smacks on the bum just to give her a little more urge and confidence!

And then if this does not work get the grass/lunge reins out. Get 4 people behind her 2 on each side and hold the grass reins behind her. Pull at her back end.

This worked for my pony and she was the most stubborn in the world we thought. She HAD been on the market though so you could understand this!

When she is finally in the trailer give her loads of praise and plenty of treats.

Try practicing this just going in and out of the trailer 5 times a day for a couple of weeks! This should get her used to it! At the end she should be as good as gold.

P.S, maybe put straw inside so it looks more inviting. Also maybe you could try getting another horse in there before her. Add a haynet maybe, ALSO to make it look more inviting!

I hope this has helped!

GOOD LUCK.

And write back to me soon to tell me if this has helped! xx

 

[kick_On]

my advice would be:
time, food and more food
Make sure that she is use to seeing trailer, once you try and loader, stay calm with, slowly slowy does it, using food . If she goes forward great BUT don't let her go back, but calmly calmy does it.
And just practise, practise and it will come right.
good luck

 

[Safina]

[ QUOTE ]
My pony was just like that even though she is 13 hh and will fit in a box so easily!!! try getting some grass/lunge riens, food , a strong head collar so that she doesnt break it, and a hand.

At first just use the head collar and food! Get two of three people to help pulling her in and another person holding a feed bucket with some pony cubes and shaking the bucket so that it makes a noise.

If this does not work add in a hand. All you need to do is give her a couple of smacks on the bum just to give her a little more urge and confidence!

And then if this does not work get the grass/lunge reins out. Get 4 people behind her 2 on each side and hold the grass reins behind her. Pull at her back end.

This worked for my pony and she was the most stubborn in the world we thought. She HAD been on the market though so you could understand this!

When she is finally in the trailer give her loads of praise and plenty of treats.

Try practicing this just going in and out of the trailer 5 times a day for a couple of weeks! This should get her used to it! At the end she should be as good as gold.

P.S, maybe put straw inside so it looks more inviting. Also maybe you could try getting another horse in there before her. Add a haynet maybe, ALSO to make it look more inviting!

I hope this has helped!

GOOD LUCK.

And write back to me soon to tell me if this has helped! xx

[/ QUOTE ]

sorry but apart from the "give her loads of praise and plenty of treats" and the comment about practice I would not take this approach.

Smaking and man-handling horses into boxes may be necessary on some occassions (I have seen small ponies lifted and put in boxes when its been dark and the showground staff are waiting to shut-up) but I think a more gentle approch is appropriate.

Following this advice you might get her in the box once and it could work but IMHO you are more likely to scare her and someone be it equine or human could get badly injured when you start trying to pull and push half a tonne of scared animal into a confined space.

 

[Kelly1982]

Have you tried it with just you and her??

I know this sounds crazy but my friends pony would not go near a box if he had even one person near him other than his owner and as soon as someone went behind him he would go mental.

If it was just her and him though he would load within minutes.

She tried everything before she realised this including patience, brute force, using a bridle and riding him in, chifineys, leadropes round his nose, lunge reins, whips, feed. You name it she done it.

It did take a while but its one more thing to think about.

 

[CrazyHippo1]

Ok thanks everyone, Holly_and_ria, to be honest I don't think your method would work for my mare. She's not stubborn, she's un-confident, and like Safina said - I wouldn't want to scare her more. Thanks anyway, it's a different approach that could of been taken.

Kelly - I'll try today with just me and her, if too many people are around she looses interest and doesn't stay focassed! Generally there's lots of people walking around or joining an audience to see if I can her in!

 

[Happytohack]

I had this problem with my older horse years ago. He had quite a distrustful temperament and was very wary. The first sign of a lunge line and he was off. He was not being naughty, just fearful like your mare. I bought a Richard Maxwell halter and spent 2 weeks working with him in it on the ground, never going near the box. The halter must not be used as a punishment, it teaches the horse that you are their comfort zone. My chap enjoyed his lessons with the halter, and when I went to load him (just him & me - no one else), it took him 25 mins and then he calmly walked in and out of the box with me. This was 10 years ago, and I can now do anything with him. Patience is the key and you will get there!