An odd loading problem

The mad TB

The mad TB

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So tried to get the Useless lump that is my horse out of the yard today and the answer was NO.

He walks into the lorry fine on a loose rope but once he's in he does one of two things;

1) run straight out and squish you out the way if you try to stop him
2) stand there for 2 minutes then run out

So I'm kinda at a loss at what to do. If I push him back in he freaks and then will threaten to rear and if I take him off he just does the same thing the next time...

HELP?!

x
 
yeh feed him in there and do it all slowly!! once he's happy eating for a few days, start closing the partitions! take it one step at a time and have someone else there with you!
 
I would load repeatedly - the first time, just two or three seconds of praise and reward, then straight off because you've asked him to unload. Repeat and repeat and repeat, gradually extending the standing/reward time.

I'd also make sure that life is unpleasant if he drags you off of his own accord - circling, backing up, lots of hard work (I don't mean beat him up :p), so that the contrast between lorry = good and running off it = nasty is stronger.

If it's possible for you to push him back in, it doesn't sound as though he's getting out of the lorry "at all costs", so it should be fairly straightforward to work on.

Does he stand still everywhere else that you ask him to, or does he just hate standing still? Is it a lorry problem, or a standing / boredom problem?
 
No I'm not on my own, I have dad and others at the yard if I need them :)
I'd love to be able to tie him up just like that but I think he'd freak and break free, he's not good with being tied up usually...
The slowly advice sounds good, we started to try that tonight but he's really just a little horror!
He stands perfectly everywhere else, it's just the lorry that does it!

Thanks for your help everyone!
 
its not odd many horses dont like to be shut in in such a small place, he goes in cos you ask him to but it sounds like he does not feel safe in there. take it slowly and you should get there but it will take time
 
I don't contact people, except by prior arrangement, after 9.00pm. My guess is that those people who switch their phones off overnight have neither elderly parents or other family members who might need to contact them in an emergency.
 
Well, if he was mine, I would let him come out if he wants. I certainly wouldn't be tying him. He comes out because he fears being trapped. So you want to convince him that this will not happen. Tying will simply convince him of the opposite.

If he is at all food orientated, I'd hang a hay net on the ramp and let him have his meal there. Just leave him to it.

The next day, the hay net would be hung a bit further in.

And so on.

I'd make no fuss, no encouragement. If he wants to eat, he does it in the trailer and can leave when he wants. Restricted feed outside.

When he appears to be reasonably settled, go in by the jockey's door and hand feed him from the hay net. Perhaps have someone simply walk behind the trailer -- but do nothing else.

Gradually, do a bit more every day. Rattle the bum bar, gently rock the trailer, lift the ramp a few inches and let it drop, etc.

After a while, the trust will return, then you can be a bit more adventurous. Gently take hold of the head collar and try to prevent that backwards exit -- but do not apply force until he seems quite confident to stop with slight pressure. But if he wants to go out, let him.

Work outside the trailer as other have suggested is also a good idea. Loading is about choices. Horses are a lot stronger than we are and if they really don't want to load there is not a lot we can do about it. All we can do is make it easier for them to make the right choice.

Anyway, that is how I see it. I had one of these here. She'd load, grab a mouthful, then exit rapidly. But by letting her see we had no intentions of trapping her, she is now fine with loading and staying in.
 
With my mare I just shut her up and get moving asap, getting her on is the last thing I do before going. She isn't scared, she's just opinionated and doesn't like traveling. She still trashes the inside of the trailer but she has to concentrate on standing up to do too much damage ;)
 
Unless he is a total lunatic it is doubtful he will actually rear up.

You need to work on him giving to poll pressure so that he does tie and tie correctly.

I will not have a horse that does not tie. They are more trouble than anything else.

ut on a good strong halter (a flat one) a strong rope with a strong clip, and tie him to something several feet higher than his head. He cannot get the angle to pull back and break free.
Leave him tied until he is standing quietly and then let him down.
 
Theocat said:
I would load repeatedly - the first time, just two or three seconds of praise and reward, then straight off because you've asked him to unload. Repeat and repeat and repeat, gradually extending the standing/reward time.

I'd also make sure that life is unpleasant if he drags you off of his own accord - circling, backing up, lots of hard work (I don't mean beat him up :p), so that the contrast between lorry = good and running off it = nasty is stronger.

If it's possible for you to push him back in, it doesn't sound as though he's getting out of the lorry "at all costs", so it should be fairly straightforward to work on.

Does he stand still everywhere else that you ask him to, or does he just hate standing still? Is it a lorry problem, or a standing / boredom problem?
Click to expand...


This advice, and dont shut the door until he really is able to stay 20 minutes without coming out. I used to leave my bloke, go and make a cup of tea and he would be still waiting in the float wehn I came back (not tied up)
, but would be looking to see where I was. I knew once he could do that that the next step was shutting the door.
 
jeeve said:
This advice, and dont shut the door until he really is able to stay 20 minutes without coming out. I used to leave my bloke, go and make a cup of tea and he would be still waiting in the float wehn I came back (not tied up)
, but would be looking to see where I was. I knew once he could do that that the next step was shutting the door.
Click to expand...

Exactly!:)
 
Just a word of warning to all those who advocate "just tie them up and get them shut in quick" my gelding was like this when I wasn't stood at his head (all confidence lacking) and I was told by a well known "horse trainer" to loop the lunge line off the pressure halter through a tie at the front of the trailer so I could leave to shut him in. He panicked and the clip caught and he smashed his nose in!! No-one at the referral hospital had ever seen such damage! They could not operate as he had crushed all the cartilage below the bones. Luckily with time it all healed straight and he has only been left with a high blow noise when exercising but can still gallop fine :-). So please think about your horse-mine has been retired to a hacking home as something about loading was just too stressful for him. (Btw he travelled perfectly!)
OP sounds similar to your horse- will he stay on with you stood with him? Can you load then groom him (easy reach bits only)
Good luck I know the frustrations (5yrs of trying everything!) sometimes things aren't meant to be and we only travel them for our reasons!
I have since bought another horse to compete and she loads/travels like a dream and we have had more outings/competitions in 6months than I managed in 5yrs with my gelding.
 
Work in a stable wearing hat and gloves using a blanket or something to gradually "enclose" him as you are wishing to do in the lorry (partition and ramp). Get Richard Maxwell's train your young horse and deal with both the tying up and the loading issue. Job done.
 
I have a mare that will load and unload fine but would throw herself around the trailer once the trucks engine started and we moved.

Someone stood in the trailer to be with her and we found a number of things she was doing so have addressed them.

1) She needed more space at the back of the trailer, so we moved that part of the partition ,giving her more space.

2) She was kicking with her back legs ,trying to get her boots off. We first took the boots off and tried her with bandages. She still did not like that either so we took them off.

3) We travelled her on the inside (left hand side) even if she was on her own.

4) Finally we now give her a syringe of instant magic about an hour before we travel her.

All this has helped and we can now travel her for long distances with out a problem.

Just a word of warning DO NOT TIE A HORSE UP BEFORE THE RAMP IS UP .I have seen some nasty accidents when this has been done. A horse that panics will be worse if that is done.
 
Right everyone, thanks for all your help! I used a mixture of opinions and we've got our little method sorted which seems to be working. He is fed in the lorry with the option of moving out if he wants to but as of yet he hasn't actually felt the need to leave the lorry, just a few steps towards the exit before deciding that he's chilled with everything.

Took him all the way to Penrith (from Ripon) and back with no problems at all.
Thank you everyone!!
 
Foxhunter49 said:
Unless he is a total lunatic it is doubtful he will actually rear up.
Click to expand...

The internal roof of the lorry is cracked from where he once reared and smashed a light. :o But in fairness someone did spark him off a bit too much. :rolleyes: Think you're right that he wouldn't now :)
 
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