At the end of my tether!

cundlegreen said:
It's all about time and endless patience, and not getting emotional about it. Getting after a horse with a lunge whip, broom or whatever will only work one or twice. The important thing is that he moves his feet when you ask, and keeps square to the ramp. I usually load everything on my own, and have a system of a lunge line clipped to the off side of bridle or whatever, coming around the backend to my right hand. Lead rope on nearside. I then ask to go forward from the backend rather than pulling at the head. The front end can be directed by the lead rope. The trouble is that your horse has discovered that he can just tank off with you, so that's the first thing that must be addressed, even if you don't want to load him. Ask for one step at a time. If he offers you two or three, make a fuss of him with your voice only, then back him up several strides, and ask to come forward again. As long as you can hold him on the back end, and keep him straight, he will go. But it may take time, and you or your helpers may not be strong enough to out wait him. If you say its after a journey that he becomes awkward to load, then I would be taking a long, hard look at your trailer floor, and whether you have a stability issue. I take it that when you load, you have the jockey wheel down at the front, and stabilisers/feet down at the back? That can make a big difference, especially if he's a heavier type.
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Thanks for the reply cundlegreen. When I load the box is attached to my land rover so it is very secure and it doesn't move at all, hes 14.2 but 430kg so not a heavy type really. It doesnt bang or make a noise when he gets on it so that doesn't scare him. I have travelled in the trailer myself beforewhen he freaked out and it seems and sounds totally normal, you can just hear the wind noise and the road like the rest of them. I've had other horses that have travelled in it no problems at all? I really dont think its the trailer and i get it serviced yearly, its a 2008 ifor williams 506 with the aluiminium flooring? Now i'm paranoid maybe its the trailer? I'll look into it. I like the idea of the lunge line and a leadrope, he is ace at long lining and I can do a entire dressage test with him including canter and 10m circles with long lines. I'm just thikning though if i put it around his bum and asked him to walk on, if he backed off the lunge line around his um would instantly pull on his mouth? I havne't ever tried loading with a bit in his mouth, worth a try? just worried he may rip it out of his mouth by how he acts! Many thanks!
 
Aimeetess said:
Thanks for the reply cundlegreen. When I load the box is attached to my land rover so it is very secure and it doesn't move at all, hes 14.2 but 430kg so not a heavy type really. It doesnt bang or make a noise when he gets on it so that doesn't scare him. I have travelled in the trailer myself beforewhen he freaked out and it seems and sounds totally normal, you can just hear the wind noise and the road like the rest of them. I've had other horses that have travelled in it no problems at all? I really dont think its the trailer and i get it serviced yearly, its a 2008 ifor williams 506 with the aluiminium flooring? Now i'm paranoid maybe its the trailer? I'll look into it. I like the idea of the lunge line and a leadrope, he is ace at long lining and I can do a entire dressage test with him including canter and 10m circles with long lines. I'm just thikning though if i put it around his bum and asked him to walk on, if he backed off the lunge line around his um would instantly pull on his mouth? I havne't ever tried loading with a bit in his mouth, worth a try? just worried he may rip it out of his mouth by how he acts! Many thanks!
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When you take the line around his backend you then hold it in a loop with right hand holding the start and end, so little pressure at the offside front, if that makes any sense? The right hand should then be in the middle of his chest to keep the pull straight. I'll have to go and do a demo and put it on youtube. You then have full control of both ends. You need to stand in front of his eye though, or he will try to run through you to the left. I hope that makes sense? You say your trailer is very secure. If you don't brace it front and back, it WILL move under his feet, and that may be what he doesn't like. Its an IW, they are mostly alloy, and very light, he will feel vibration through the ramp and floor, so very important to brace it for loading. Try sawing a piece of wood just holding it still, compared to clamping it down, then you'll see what I mean.
 
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