Advice on loading issues please.

[henry herbert]

Hi all,
I currently travel my 16.1 boy (Henry) in ifor Williams 510. He usually loads after around 20 ish minutes, some days better than others but he doesn’t really like traveling in it and does look big. We thought that due to the fact that he has spent the last 4 years hunting and from his passport has travelled from Ireland to Scotland back to Ireland and then down south that maybe he just prefers travelling in a box. So saved up and purchased an old 7.5 ton high roofed box. (I also travel out at least 3-4 times a week so thought a box would be easier)
Today I went to put him in it, thinking that we were going to have it sussed and after the same 20 ish minutes finally got him in. Closed the partition and he freaked! His eyes were rolling, front legs flying out and the true look of shear panic on his face.
Where do I go from here, try him in the box on a daily basis, go back to the trailer, just really confused by his reaction that I am stomped.

Any thoughts or advice please

 

[Cortez]

I'd keep using the trailer, and load him on and off the box a few times daily until he's used to it. Feed him in there (and in the trailer too perhaps?) and generally let him get used to the whole thing. 20 minutes to load is just taking the pee, 'tho. They really should do what you ask and just get on with it.

 

[Cortez]

Oh, and have you got a partition in the trailer? If so, take it out, and make the stalls wider if possible on your lorry. How old is he, BTW?

 

[henry herbert]

Thank you for replying

He is 12 I realise that 20 mins is unacceptable but it is also a vast improvement on the original 45 mins

The partition is wider in the box than the trailer as there is space to do so, but I need to be able to travel my daughter’s horse with him on occasions so taking the partition out in the trailer would make life difficult.

I will defiantly try the feeding though, thank you

I am sorry I was just really shocked by his reaction; I honestly thought he would take one look at the lorry and go straight in and be much happier the amount of travelling he must have done. How wrong was I!

 

[winterwood]

Ask him to load on the lorry as often as possible and within a training session take him on and off a number of times. Initially without closing the partion on him. This should lead to him being less hesitant to load. When you feel that he is more relaxed and willing to load, start to work on closing the partition. Work in small steps when doing this to build his confidence.


Good luck