Advice on loading & loading issues

[Joyous70]

Im looking for advice on my mare and her loading issues.

Before i begin i will give you a brief overview, she is almost 9 now, i have had her since she was 2.5, loading has always been an issue. She has been seen by two "professionals" neither one has given me a solution, the first made matters worse in my opinion by shutter all trailer doors and let her have a meltdown, the second told me i needed someone to help me to load her, this is not always an option and i did explain at the time i needed to be able to this on my own. I have spent week upon week, loading and unloading going for trips around the block, but loading is still a sticky issue. She will load slightly better if the front is open, however, will load with it closed as well. I am not able to load her and tie her up before i do the back bar up and she knows she can and will pull back and break whatever she can to get out, (she will stand tied anywhere else without an issue) however, once the bar is up she stands quietly and always travels well.

So i suppose my question is, how can i get her to self load, so i am behind and in a position to do the back bar up without her reversing out.

We have been out and about to train, but loading is always an issue, and can take from 30 minutes to 4 hours sometimes.

 

[holeymoley]

Is she not interested in eating the haynet while you go round the back? I left a bucket with a token gesture of pony nuts in it for mine while I go round the back.

 

[SeptemberRain]

I use bribery. I clip a bucket with a high value feed, that he doesn't get at any other time but in the trailer, to the hay net and he walks himself in to get it. I can then get the bar on and ramp up before he's even come up for air. Sometimes it takes him a minute but he's very food driven so it's working so far.

 

[windand rain]

Get Richard Maxwell to help he teaches them to load by themselves

 

[Joyous70]

Is she not interested in eating the haynet while you go round the back? I left a bucket with a token gesture of pony nuts in it for mine while I go round the back.

She will eat her hay once travelling, but not whilst you are trying to load, bucket of food makes no difference either, she isn't daft, she knows bribery when she sees it, that will work once in a while once she is wise to it she wont even look at the bucket.

 

[Twohorses]

I know how I solved this issue with a horse I raise from birth but not everyone is in a position to do what I did ---- I got rid of that claustrophobic 2-horse trailer and bought an open stock horse trailer.

Never had a loading problem after that.

We have 4-H clubs in the U.S. and most of those family horses don't do much traveling until the annual fair in the summer. I hauled several "unloadable" horses to the annual fair, who willingly walked onto my open stock trailer, and the trailer was a step-up --- no ramp.

I still have a stock trailer -- the only time I've ever had a horse refuse to load was a few years back - one of my well seasoned haulers. Turns out the bottom floorboards were rotted, so that's something else --- check the floor boards with a hammer and screw driver

 

[be positive]

Will she load and walk straight through if you put the front ramp down before you start? I would be doing this until she is loading with no hesitation so she can go round and round, the next step is to let her load herself and walk through once she will do that willingly you should be in a better place to put the front up and let her go in by herself so she is in front of you and you can pop up the back bar.
I have recently had 2 mares with similar behaviour, not too bad but definitely taking control and making the owners wait, both had a bit of a strop but within 10 mins were going in in front of me when asked and standing quietly until invited out.

 

[Joyous70]

I use bribery. I clip a bucket with a high value feed, that he doesn't get at any other time but in the trailer, to the hay net and he walks himself in to get it. I can then get the bar on and ramp up before he's even come up for air. Sometimes it takes him a minute but he's very food driven so it's working so far.

Doesn't work with my girl unfortunately

 

[Joyous70]

Get Richard Maxwell to help he teaches them to load by themselves

Unfortunately do not have £400 cash spare

 

[Joyous70]

I know how I solved this issue with a horse I raise from birth but not everyone is in a position to do what I did ---- I got rid of that claustrophobic 2-horse trailer and bought an open stock horse trailer.

Never had a loading problem after that.

We have 4-H clubs in the U.S. and most of those family horses don't do much traveling until the annual fair in the summer. I hauled several "unloadable" horses to the annual fair, who willingly walked onto my open stock trailer, and the trailer was a step-up --- no ramp.

I still have a stock trailer -- the only time I've ever had a horse refuse to load was a few years back - one of my well seasoned haulers. Turns out the bottom floorboards were rotted, so that's something else --- check the floor boards with a hammer and screw driver

The trailer is 2.5 years old, with a solid floor - i dont have the option to buy a stock trailer

 

[LaurenBay]

I could not load mine on my own. It was always a 2 person job. Like yours she would only go in if the front is down. But she needed someone at her head with bribes to stop her running backwards, I couldn't leave her to do the bar at the back (once that was in she was fab) in the end I just accepted that it was a 2 person job and always made sure I had a helper.

Failing that Richard Maxwell or Michael Peace

 

[Joyous70]

Will she load and walk straight through if you put the front ramp down before you start? I would be doing this until she is loading with no hesitation so she can go round and round, the next step is to let her load herself and walk through once she will do that willingly you should be in a better place to put the front up and let her go in by herself so she is in front of you and you can pop up the back bar.
I have recently had 2 mares with similar behaviour, not too bad but definitely taking control and making the owners wait, both had a bit of a strop but within 10 mins were going in in front of me when asked and standing quietly until invited out.

I can load her and walk through, however, i have to jump out of the way quickly otherwise run the risk of getting trampled on the ramp and its not that she runs out, she is just very powerful, i really don't like walking her through if im honest, especially after my SIL had a nasty accident, so if i do this i only do it once or twice.

 

[Joyous70]

I could not load mine on my own. It was always a 2 person job. Like yours she would only go in if the front is down. But she needed someone at her head with bribes to stop her running backwards, I couldn't leave her to do the bar at the back (once that was in she was fab) in the end I just accepted that it was a 2 person job and always made sure I had a helper.

Failing that Richard Maxwell or Michael Peace

Unfortunately if i need help to load every time i want to go out, im not going to be doing very much, so i do need to do this on my own, without the help of Richard Maxwell or Michael Peace, as i dont have that sort of money.

 

[be positive]

I can load her and walk through, however, i have to jump out of the way quickly otherwise run the risk of getting trampled on the ramp and its not that she runs out, she is just very powerful, i really don't like walking her through if im honest, especially after my SIL had a nasty accident, so if i do this i only do it once or twice.

That is part of the issue then, she is taking control of the situation and knows it, she must walk out at the pace you dictate, stop when asked and only move forward or backwards if allowed, the various experts that help with loading issues base everything on being in complete control of how and when the horse moves its feet, it is not using any magical powers, despite appearing to at times, and is all to do with having complete control before even trying to get them on a vehicle.

 

[Identityincrisis]

I couldn't even load my boy a single time for 3 years, I also didn't have a 'spare' £400 but I got to the end of my patience and got RM out, best money I have ever spent and I said I would have paid him double.

Like you, I'd had several 'professionals' out before RM and none could load him, one didn't even attempt to! But within 20 mins of presenting him to the trailer my boy was loaded

 

[cauda equina]

Mine used to back out before I got the breech bar up (I was also loading on my own)
We solved it by passing the lead rope round the front of the partition so that even if I was behind him, I still had hold of him and if he went to back out the pressure on the rope was forwards
We did a lot of stop/go practice away from the trailer beforehand so he got used to standing or moving off with very little pressure

 

[Leandy]

Have you considered side load trailers such as equitrek or herringbone ones such as fautras or cheval liberte? I think fautras ones also have funky loading aid where you can somehow close the back bar via lever from the front or something similar (I haven't actually seen one).

 

[HeyMich]

Have you considered side load trailers such as equitrek or herringbone ones such as fautras or cheval liberte? I think fautras ones also have funky loading aid where you can somehow close the back bar via lever from the front or something similar (I haven't actually seen one).

Yep, I have a side-load EquiTrek and I can easily load 1 or 2 big horses by myself. It's no bigger to tow than a normal IW, plus it has the handy tack room at the front. Love it!

 

[Joyous70]

Mine used to back out before I got the breech bar up (I was also loading on my own)
We solved it by passing the lead rope round the front of the partition so that even if I was behind him, I still had hold of him and if he went to back out the pressure on the rope was forwards
We did a lot of stop/go practice away from the trailer beforehand so he got used to standing or moving off with very little pressure

I load with a lunge line, and once she is on without putting any pressure on it i trail it with me through the partition, however, if she decides she is coming off and you use the rope to say no! she will throw herself out backwards, rearing and take you with her.

 

[Joyous70]

That is part of the issue then, she is taking control of the situation and knows it, she must walk out at the pace you dictate, stop when asked and only move forward or backwards if allowed, the various experts that help with loading issues base everything on being in complete control of how and when the horse moves its feet, it is not using any magical powers, despite appearing to at times, and is all to do with having complete control before even trying to get them on a vehicle.

So how do i get her to not run over the top of me ?

 

[Bernster]

Hmm, I've not had an issue with a trailer but have worked with some sticky lorry loaders. I think do give you a particular issue when you are on your own as you start at the front normally and then need to scoot round the back for the bar. I'd want to understand if she might have an issue with the trailer set up and try other options. I'd then be focussing on ground work generally using a pressure halter. And then the fairly tortuous process of trying to transfer that to the trailer with all the myriad options that people have mentioned.

Unfortunately this is one that takes a fair amount of expertise initially, and time and probably money. Otherwise, given what you've tried already (which doesn't seem to be working), you may be stuck with it. Not what you want to hear but something significant needs to change and it doesn't seem like that's going to be easily done with what you have currently. I invested in some sessions with an IH practitioner. It took me a while but I spent what I would have spent going out, on those instead, to help us in the long run.

 

[Landcruiser]

How not to be run over: Use a rope halter and a long line and practice having her walk where you want, no pressure whatsoever when she's where you put her, big pressure (albeit a pointy elbow flapping in her face, a rope end spun at her, a pull back on the halter - timing and the right amount of energy essential). You don't want her in your space - have an invisible bubble as big as YOU want, and be consistent.
How I load my non loader runner out backwards horse on my own: No partition in trailer, front ramp down with a chain stall guard across it that I have added myself - it just clips in. My horse is 14.3. He'll come on with me pretty much these days, but leading up to this point I used to clip a long line to his halter and run it round the back of him - a lunging roller makes this easier to control. Then I'd use both ropes to load him. Then once on, I keep him coming and literally flip him round me so we are facing the rear. Then I clip in the full width back bar. Then we flip round again and I do up the full width front bar. Then he gets a treat - apple or some such, the ONLY time he ever does. Quirky but it works for us, and these days he pretty much loads OK without the rear rope. It's taken a lot of years though, he was a 4 person 2 lunge line 4 hour non loader when I picked him up 10 years ago.

 

[Twohorses]

The trailer is 2.5 years old, with a solid floor - i dont have the option to buy a stock trailer

I know - many people don't - even if a person could afford a stock trailer you would need a bigger vehicle to pull it

 

[D66]

If you aren't confident leading her through the trailer make yourself a small pen, with hurdles or pallets, on the ground and use that to practice the moves you'll want when you get to the trailer. Lead her through, stop, let her stand and eat from the haynet, faff around at the back, get her to walk through on her own, etc. Make it more challenging by laying down a tarpaulin, plywood or plastic sheet.
When you and she can do all that easily transfer to the trailer. when she will stand and eat in the trailer, move around, bang the sides and groom her so that she gets used to noise and movement.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Is she not interested in eating the haynet while you go round the back? I left a bucket with a token gesture of pony nuts in it for mine while I go round the back.

After many years of loading issues and Grant Bazin telling me my horse is not frightened or in pain just trying it on, which reassured me, I have found that a small bucket of feed works miracles. I am a bit naughty wherein once in I squeeze between my horse and the partition to get out the back to put the ramp up, but I know her like the back of my hand and know she is wouldn't rush out, or it is highly unlikely she would. I also have a 3/4 / 1/4 set up in the trailer so I have more width in order to move between her and the partition. Been doing it like this a long while now and its a tried and trusted method.

Once in she travels fine, and its quite rare now that I have issues.

 

[bubsqueaks]

You have my every sympathy as this issue is so frustrating & sometimes has no logic to it at all.
As its a long standing problem she has now learnt how she can evade & using that to her every advantage! They are very clever.
We too have had loading issues with our mare following her trying to jump over the breast bar - we solved this by purchasing the equi travel safe!
Then she decided she would stop loading at home especially knowing when she was plaited up etc she was off somewhere!
With her its not dangerous but pure obstinance & I would say she isnt scared of travelling. She will quite happily go straight on with a companion which we did for a while - have you tried a companion?
I too didn't really want to spend out £400.00 on Richard Maxwell so firstly I bought his book (2nd hand off ebay) then bought his halter. Then I watched numerous videos on his facebook page & those of Michael Peace. I also went to one of his demos.
He explains it as them adopting the "brace" position & there are 2 types - obstinate & sensitive! She is obstinate which he thinks are hardest to overcome.
Anyway we have spent months doing his groundwork & are finally getting somewhere.
Then she decided she wouldnt load coming home from outings! We worked out if we untack her, tie her up outside she then becomes grounded again so what works with her for the moment is to load her straight onto lorry without untacking her.
It is soul destroying, frustrating, & at times dangerous.
Good luck.

 

[Alibear]

If she's running backwards off again then its usually a case of setup at home, once on if she wants to back off that's fine do so calmly but she goes back on again, and again and again until she shows any hint of stopping on there calmly then unload her and put her away. Keep on repeating that and she should pretty quickly associate that if she stands calmly the exercise is done. Then you work slowly add to that by putting up the breach bar, if she goes to rush off that's fine no rus, she just goes back on again until she stands calmly put her away. Then come out and try the bar again. It sounds like it will take years but you can do more than one session a day , even putting her away for 20 mins then do the next session can work.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Im looking for advice on my mare and her loading issues.

Before i begin i will give you a brief overview, she is almost 9 now, i have had her since she was 2.5, loading has always been an issue. She has been seen by two "professionals" neither one has given me a solution, the first made matters worse in my opinion by shutter all trailer doors and let her have a meltdown, the second told me i needed someone to help me to load her, this is not always an option and i did explain at the time i needed to be able to this on my own. I have spent week upon week, loading and unloading going for trips around the block, but loading is still a sticky issue. She will load slightly better if the front is open, however, will load with it closed as well. I am not able to load her and tie her up before i do the back bar up and she knows she can and will pull back and break whatever she can to get out, (she will stand tied anywhere else without an issue) however, once the bar is up she stands quietly and always travels well.

So i suppose my question is, how can i get her to self load, so i am behind and in a position to do the back bar up without her reversing out.

We have been out and about to train, but loading is always an issue, and can take from 30 minutes to 4 hours sometimes.

Darn it! There is a bar that fits the length of the trailer with a right angled breast bar and right angled bar across the bottom, when the horse is loaded you swivel the breast bar and the back bar also comes up at the same time. But no matter how many times I google it I can't find it.

 

[Joyous70]

After many years of loading issues and Grant Bazin telling me my horse is not frightened or in pain just trying it on, which reassured me, I have found that a small bucket of feed works miracles. I am a bit naughty wherein once in I squeeze between my horse and the partition to get out the back to put the ramp up, but I know her like the back of my hand and know she is wouldn't rush out, or it is highly unlikely she would. I also have a 3/4 / 1/4 set up in the trailer so I have more width in order to move between her and the partition. Been doing it like this a long while now and its a tried and trusted method.

Once in she travels fine, and its quite rare now that I have issues.

We tried the feed tied in the trailer, unfortunately she is not interested.

 

[Morgan123]

I've sorted this issue with my guy who is a notoriously bad lifelong loader, by doing daily practice as follows:
Let horse go in and have feed etc in the trailer ready, ideally on a bucket on the bar. Start with whatever they're comfortable with - e.g. to start with you might only be able to step away one step, that's fine. Take one step, scratch horse, practice walking one step away and back, etc etc.
When horse is comfortable with this walk two steps away, scratch neck, walk back etc etc. Gradually you'll be able to walk to their bum. Practice picking bar up and just putting it down, return to thier head - and so on. Break it down into micro steps and just help them build confidence.