Argh bloody horse wouldn't load!

jesterfaerie

jesterfaerie

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Went to pick up my new horse today and he woudln't load. We tried everything (apart from loading with another horse which wasn't an option) and he still would not go in he just kept backing away dispite getting 3/4 of the way in then jumping back out. Does anyone have any suggestions at the moment it doesn't look possible for a lorry or another horse to try with but desperatly trying to sort this out.
So does anyone have any suggestions on trying to get him to load?
(We tried, loading level, downhill, uphill, with a bridle - which he broke, rope tied around his headcollar, with food, lunge lines behind his bum, blindfolded...everything basically). He apparenly loaded first time the oweners picked him up into a trailer the same size as the one we are trying him with.
Help is needed and appriciated.
 
did u get him on in the end? Practice is the only option so that you dont have this with him continuing.
When was the last time he travelled?
 
ditto practice is the only option, if you force the issue you may make more and it'll take longer. Maybe get some natural horsemanship help if all else fails, so you dint' get it home yet? that's a bumma
 
You probably tried all this but here goes:
All ramps open & trailer facing towards his field/stable. Also partition moved over as far as possible.
Horse in a bridle or a comealong halter.
Firstly you could try waiting him out with food to tempt him in - but he only gets the reward when he goes in.
And/Or
Two lunge lines - get him positioned & then cross them over behind him - could try 1 person coming up the ramp rather than round the side of the trailer so that there is less room for him to move around sideways. Then they just stand there with the pressure on until he gives up & goes in.
Or
What worked with my horse recently was a couple of smacks with a schooling whip! I have also seen a broom with stiff bristles used. Neither of these hurt the horse at all - it was more just a slight shock to make them concentrate on what they were supposed to be doing.
Sorry - probably nothing new here!
 
You need to sort this out on the ground with him away from the trailer or lorry, so that he learns to move forward when told to do so - it might take 5 minutes, it might take an hour or two. Only then should you present him to the vehicle, and be prepared for it to take as long as it takes. Any stress or rushing on your part will undo all the work.
 
Persistance is the key, open all the trailer so it is light and airy, with no partition or moved right over, have a bridle on him, have his favorite food in a scoop proceed with leading him to the ramp then whatever you do do not turn him away from it, keep him facing forward at all times, if he is stubborn then apply pressure from a lunge line just above his hocks, but you do need two strong bodies either side... if he stresses keep the pressure on and re assure him, personally i wouldnt wack him as this will just make him more frightened, keep offering the food, i also when having a dodgy loader, take the front breast bar down so you can get them really forward in the box so you have time to get the bar up behind them, it could take you awhile but this method has ALWAYS worked for me! good luck.
 
I always take the front breast bar down as well ever since my Mum broke her finger badly when she ducked down to go under the bar just as the horse decided to pull back.
 
I find the colour of lunge lines makes a difference! My boy will only respect white lunge lines! I think he thinks its eletric fencing!
Also you could try putting another horse at the front ramp, as if its walked through. Or try walking another horse in front of him, walk it straight through the trailer, follow with your horse, but obviously stop when you get inside the partitions.
These might get him on now, but you need to work on it once youve got him back.
Hope something works!
 
I plan on working on him with this problem but I haven't even got him home yet
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Gypsycob I haven't and yes I do I have been searching high and low for one like him and I won't pass him up just because I am having problems with his loading, if worse comes to worse I hack him 10 miles home TBH.

Henmeister we tried the lunge lines with electric fencing whilst the actual lines were found and this didn't make a difference.

We have had all the doors open and the bar down and had it facing his stable (he could see horses through the front ramp who were in the field and this didn't tempt him either). There is no partition in the trailer.

Unfortunatly the person who owned the trailer had to get back so had to call it a day after 2 hours however if I ever get him home I will try sort this out.
 
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Yard broom may do it.

Have you paid for him, cause if he is going to be a pain do you really want him?

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*sigh*

that really isn't the answer. Nearly every horse will load, sometimes they just need a spot of retraining or reassurance.

It just may be that he loaded happily last time but didn't have a very good ride in the trailer and is now genuinely frightened, poking him with the broom is going to do nothing to change his mind.

He may just be obstinate, in which case he needs to learn to do as he is told and do it with enthusiasm, equally using force won't help with that either
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yard broom may do it.

Have you paid for him, cause if he is going to be a pain do you really want him?

[/ QUOTE ]

*sigh*

that really isn't the answer. Nearly every horse will load, sometimes they just need a spot of retraining or reassurance.

It just may be that he loaded happily last time but didn't have a very good ride in the trailer and is now genuinely frightened, poking him with the broom is going to do nothing to change his mind.

He may just be obstinate, in which case he needs to learn to do as he is told and do it with enthusiasm, equally using force won't help with that either

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I agree just a bit stuck that I still have to get him home haha.
Bless him though I think he was just getting fed up and when we did try poking him and stuff he was very nice about it so at least I know (so far) he doesn't kick or rear!
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i agree with daisychain thats what i done my older horse was a total nightmare to load when i got him we tried everything (other then a broom) he even chipped a bone in my elbow loading him now he is as good as gold he has proberly had a bad experience travelling which i found out in time mine had so when he does travel in trailer im so careful and slow for him give him time
 
A bad experience is the only thing I can put it down to. The owners were trying to load him and they seemed as suprised as we were as he had also been advertised as good to load.

Daisychain, we tried the lunge rope thing but he kept backing his front end up and almost siting on his arse because we kept the pressure on the lines.
crazy.gif
 
I have one 'trick' that has worked on alot of horses that are tricky to load. It's not a quick fix, but it might help you load him quietly and safely so that you can get him home.

Park the trailer in a gateway - every yard has one!! Preferably park close to a fence (on at least one side where the gate closes). When the ramp is down the gate should shut just short of it....

Walk the horse towards the ramp and as he is walking, start to shut the gate behind him, most horses realise they have no where else to go and walk into the trailer. You have to get the timing right and dont rush it, just calmly shut the gate as he is moving. It has worked on numerous occasions for me. (I used to work for a monty roberts rider who taught me this.)

Really, the only thing for a tricky loader is practise, practise, patience!! 10miles isn't so far, it might be worth hacking back. Good luck - keep us updated!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have one 'trick' that has worked on alot of horses that are tricky to load. It's not a quick fix, but it might help you load him quietly and safely so that you can get him home.

Park the trailer in a gateway - every yard has one!! Preferably park close to a fence (on at least one side where the gate closes). When the ramp is down the gate should shut just short of it....

Walk the horse towards the ramp and as he is walking, start to shut the gate behind him, most horses realise they have no where else to go and walk into the trailer. You have to get the timing right and dont rush it, just calmly shut the gate as he is moving. It has worked on numerous occasions for me. (I used to work for a monty roberts rider who taught me this.)

Really, the only thing for a tricky loader is practise, practise, patience!! 10miles isn't so far, it might be worth hacking back. Good luck - keep us updated!

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Thanks a lot I will have a word with the owner and suggest this to them to see if they would be happy trying this.
 
Ive had 3 difficult loaders in the last 18months and this has worked for me EVERYTIME and on my own too . Park your trailer/lorry with ramp down infront of post and rail fence , so there is enough room to just get horse straight at bottom of ramp and fence is about 2 feet from his bum . Tie rope from fence to side of trailer , so as if your walking horse into a mini pen so to speak . Make sure you have bridle on and lunge line clipped to bit , over top of head and through bit ring the other side , don't forget to wear a riding hat !!! you can carry small stick or whip if you like , if the horse backs up the fence hits him up the bum and usually shoots them forward , along with the preasure from rope over poll usually sends them staight in , has not failed for me yet and ive had some right B888ards !!!!!!!!Good luck .
 
Richard Maxwell would not only have him calmly loaded inside 2 hours but the horse would be trotting up the ramp on his own and you would be armed with the knowledge of how to rerpeat that shenever you needed to, ie you could load him any time you wanted in the future. The problem with some solutions are that they are one-offs based on surprise. Get it right through communication and ground work and you've got it right for ever.
 
I agree that it needs to be right through groundwork and communication but I haven't even got him home yet so that cannot start until I do. And I am obviously no Richard Mazwell.

Wonkey - I will give it a go thanks a lot.
 
Ok first of all, getting a horse cornered like that is highly dangerous. If he explodes, someone could be killed! Horses are claustrophobic, never forget that.
Is the trailer dark? Does it have a window? If it is a dark trailer, then that could be your problem. Maybe he would be happier going into a lorry?

Try putting some of his droppings in there before you load. It will make it smell familiar. Try pressure and release...when they partially load, they are trying. As soon as they try, even 1/2 step, reward by releasing pressure on his lead rope. Let him back away if he wants to, and then bring him forwards again. Don't loose your temper, don't hit him...you are creating problems for many years to come and he will associate fear with trailers. If you are in Suffolk, I would be happy to come and help...
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ok first of all, getting a horse cornered like that is highly dangerous. If he explodes, someone could be killed! Horses are claustrophobic, never forget that.
Is the trailer dark? Does it have a window? If it is a dark trailer, then that could be your problem. Maybe he would be happier going into a lorry?

Try putting some of his droppings in there before you load. It will make it smell familiar. Try pressure and release...when they partially load, they are trying. As soon as they try, even 1/2 step, reward by releasing pressure on his lead rope. Let him back away if he wants to, and then bring him forwards again. Don't loose your temper, don't hit him...you are creating problems for many years to come and he will associate fear with trailers. If you are in Suffolk, I would be happy to come and help... [/quote


It is light we had the jockey door and the front ramp open, we tried the pressure and release approach and nothing worked someone is coming to see him today. No sorry I am in Yorkshire but I appriciate you being happy to help. Thanks.
 
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A bad experience is the only thing I can put it down to. The owners were trying to load him and they seemed as suprised as we were as he had also been advertised as good to load.

Daisychain, we tried the lunge rope thing but he kept backing his front end up and almost siting on his arse because we kept the pressure on the lines.
crazy.gif


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If he was advertised as "good to load" and clearly isn't I'd be tempted to question everything else he was advertised as good at...

However, if he's good to load then that must mean the owner has been travelling him. Why don't you ask the owner to load him and deliver? That way it's someone he knows doing the loading, he's in a box/trailer he knows etc. It might be as simple as him thinking he didn't know the trailer and didn't know who the hell all these people were... Also, what was the trailer like you were trying to load into? My Welshy was really particular about loading - he wouldn't go in anything with a wooden floor, would get on, have a feel of it and back off it. He did it once and we spent about 30 mins trying to get him on....when I looked down at the trailer floor, it was sagging and rotten, so no wonder he wouldn't get on it. Always had him in something with a metal floor afterwards and no problem.
 
The owners seemed shocked that he didn't load at all as he apparently loaded and travelled fine when they bought him, it was them who were trying to load him yesterday not me sorry didn't make this clear.
The trailer had rubber matting down both inside and on the ramp, it also was bedded down with straw which we then put onto the ramp to see if that helped which it didn't.
 
two long reins put one either side of lorry cross then round the horses bum pull tight if he gets up on to the ramp give him a handful of favourate food if he backs off dont just keep doing this he will go in after awhile just be patient and calm
worked for my shire that had never boxed before and told but a horse whisper / riding school owner
 
A vote for two lunge lines. Ty started to decide that he'd really rather not load (thank you very much) and would rear on the ramp.....he now gets 2 goes without lines and then they come up and he goes straight in. Apparently he loaded 3 time (without lines) when he came home so it does help....
 
If I were you, and if it is possible to do it safely, hack him back to your yard. Maybe have a friend box their horse over to where you are collecting new horse from to ride back with. There is no point forcing the issue if there another way around it.

I feel quite strongly about loading, having had numerous horses who were awful to load. I completely agree with all of you who have mentioned monty robert and richard maxwell. My mare who I have sold recently was awful to load - and no amount of bribery or force would get her to load. However, after some hints and tips from Monty Roberts and chatting to Dan Wilson, one of his riders at his demo, I had the mare loading up into the box. After that it was practice practice practice, and going to the beach, or local riding school to ride in their sand school every week.

However, as others have mentioned there is plenty of ground work that needs to be done before you can reach that point.

If your new horse is safe to hack on the road then hack him back. Or even better ask the people who are selling him to hack him back.

I have recently taken on a rising 4yo - and I was quite friendly with the previous owner. She had told me that George had been upset the last time they tried to load him - so me and my dad walked him back to us - that was about 5 / 6 miles I guess - and up some of the steepest hills going...
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But we got him back safely, and relatively stress free. (And at least I know now that he is absolutely fine with cars / water / and generally walking on the road!!)

Just my 2p worth!
 
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