Anyone used Michael Peace for loading issues

[Sugar Plum]

As the title suggests, has anyone used Michael for helping with loading issues.

 

[cauda equina]

Yes, he was brilliant, very quiet and unpushy
He got the horse walking on and standing on the trailer with the front open, then in with the front shut and then opening it, and in with the front open and raising the back ramp (horse not tied up) in one session but after that it was up to me to carry on from there

 

[SEL]

Not personally but I saw him in action for a livery a few years back. He made it look easy and if I hadn't seen her horse be a nightmare to load I'd have wondered what the problem was.

He seemed very calm throughout the process and spent a lot of time with the owner making sure they could repeat what he'd done

 

[Red-1]

Not specifically loading, but I watched a demo and was most impressed when he had humility when one of the horses didn't really improve (spooky).

I think most practitioners would have upped the pressure or created a tale as to why it was their fault, but he was a proper gent about it all, gave ideas to help for the future and just thought horses are horses.

This actually impressed me more than if everything had progressed perfectly!

ETA - the other horses he worked with DID make progress!

 

[Horseysheepy]

I really like Michael Peace. I've only watched him online, but I love how he is so quiet and subtle, yet effective with the horses. He has no ego or arrogance and doesn't waffle on for ages, just quietly gets on with things.

 

[Sugar Plum]

Thanks everyone! My horse is quite opinionated and has a lot of 'tricks' up his sleeve and definitely doesn't like being pushed around so Michael sounds like just the right trainer

 

[Tiddlypom]

He certainly helped a friend with a very stubborn Sec D. It was at a demo, and he only had the one session with the horse, but it sorted the horse out and he remained good to load afterwards.

 

[poiuytrewq]

He came out to my work to help with a mare who refused to pick her feet up.
He was really good and I strongly believe he could have actually shod her himself there and then if he had the kit!
I can now pick her feet out daily with out risking loosing my head or life.
The farrier can’t unfortunately but I’m sure if he visited more than farriers do he’d crack it too.

 

[Leandy]

Thanks everyone! My horse is quite opinionated and has a lot of 'tricks' up his sleeve and definitely doesn't like being pushed around so Michael sounds like just the right trainer

Yes, I've had him out twice and thoroughly recommend. We have a large, anxious, sharp horse who can try to intimidate as a means of defense when overwhelmed and on edge. We hadn't had specific loading problems but wanted to start the right way. It was remarkable how calm and quiet he had the horse in just a matter of minutes when it could so easily have gone the other way if someone had put too much pressure on. He is not a walk over, he did start by quietly and subtly making it clear that rearing was not acceptable but no gadgets and it is amazing how he gets them into a calm cooperative mindset. He spent a good couple of hours with us, first loading and then walking the horse in and out of the lorry and making sure we could get the same result, and then the homework is repetition, repetition, repetition and making sure the horse is comfortable with what is being asked of it at each stage of loading, travelling, reloading etc. Not cheap but definitely worth it. Remarkable talent.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I followed his published advice with a large horse that was very difficult to load and it worked straight away without any resistance. I was beyond astonished.

 

[AntiPuck]

He came out to my work to help with a mare who refused to pick her feet up.
He was really good and I strongly believe he could have actually shod her himself there and then if he had the kit!
I can now pick her feet out daily with out risking loosing my head or life.
The farrier can’t unfortunately but I’m sure if he visited more than farriers do he’d crack it too.

Sorry to butt in to the thread, but I was considering getting him out for this very issue, as he's in my area soon - what sort of things did he do with the horse, poiuytrewq?

I've been wavering over whether the issue is "bad enough" to get him out or not, it is a real pain, though. Horse isn't aggressive, just inconsistent and sometimes bolshy.

 

[Velcrobum]

I have not used him personally but many years ago worked with a pony that would deliberately buck is young light rider off. The pony had been vet checked just in case but he was cheeky naughty. He sorted the monkey out and once the bucking stopped he (the pony) went on to be a very very good child's pony.

 

[Barlow]

Sorry to butt in to the thread, but I was considering getting him out for this very issue, as he's in my area soon - what sort of things did he do with the horse, poiuytrewq?

I've been wavering over whether the issue is "bad enough" to get him out or not, it is a real pain, though. Horse isn't aggressive, just inconsistent and sometimes bolshy.

If it helps, I’ve had him out last week to my perfectly nice, reasonably well mannered and definitely not a problem horse. I wanted him to help with occasional bolshiness caused by anxiety, and moving out of my space rather than into it. I was apologetic about it but he was quite clear that there’s no behavioural threshold and he enjoys working with any horse.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Not for loading problems, but I sent a young horse for consolidation training. He was brilliant with her and she adored him. She came home brimming with confidence. He gave me some lessons which were light bulb moments. His instructions were simple but made immediate differences to the horses way of going.
It was expensive, but it was the best investment in that young mares future life.

 

[AntiPuck]

If it helps, I’ve had him out last week to my perfectly nice, reasonably well mannered and definitely not a problem horse. I wanted him to help with occasional bolshiness caused by anxiety, and moving out of my space rather than into it. I was apologetic about it but he was quite clear that there’s no behavioural threshold and he enjoys working with any horse.

Thank you, Barlow, that is definitely helpful to hear. I hope he made a difference for you and your horse!

 

[Caol Ila]

If it helps, I’ve had him out last week to my perfectly nice, reasonably well mannered and definitely not a problem horse. I wanted him to help with occasional bolshiness caused by anxiety, and moving out of my space rather than into it. I was apologetic about it but he was quite clear that there’s no behavioural threshold and he enjoys working with any horse.

Out of curiosity, can you talk about what he did? Maybe in a PM to not derail the thread? He's far from Scotland, so I'm not likely to get him up anytime soon. My youngster has a similar issue. She is far from a problem horse and generally, she's a very good girl, but sometimes, she likes to crash into you when she's worried. We're working on it, but it's not 100%.

 

[rextherobber]

I followed his published advice with a large horse that was very difficult to load and it worked straight away without any resistance. I was beyond astonished.

I have also found his books and videos to be a huge help.

 

[Barlow]

Out of curiosity, can you talk about what he did? Maybe in a PM to not derail the thread? He's far from Scotland, so I'm not likely to get him up anytime soon. My youngster has a similar issue. She is far from a problem horse and generally, she's a very good girl, but sometimes, she likes to crash into you when she's worried. We're working on it, but it's not 100%.

This absolutely sums up mine - and at over 17hh I really don’t want him anywhere near me when he’s worried!!
We worked on timing, both in relation to asking him move and praising him when he got it right, body language and body movements. All really simple stuff and very small things and mostly tweaking and refining what I was already doing but they have really helped give us the push we needed.

 

[Abacus]

I used him years ago and as others have said he was brilliant. He identified the cause of non-loading (anxiety, with also the horse not being sure of where he was supposed to go in a 3.5 ton lorry) and was patient and kind. Problem solved and I could repeat the process in mine or any other lorry.

interestingly another lady at the same yard, who also had a tricky loader, then called him out having seen him work with mine. He worked out that with her mare the cause was different - she basically couldn’t be arsed to go on, but wasn’t worried - and he was, while still kind and patient, more ‘forceful’ with her - lunge line round the bum, which he wouldn’t have done with my worried horse. Worked perfectly.

*please note where I have used the work forceful, there was no force used at all. I couldn’t think how to best express it.