Bad loader has made major progress

[NeilM]

My OH's mare has always been an absolute b*gger to load. She had a lot of other issues when we got her and we have never had that much interest in travelling, so it's been a bit of an inconvenience, rather than a problem.

For my 50th my OH bought me a trailer, my boy self loads and would shut up the trailer and drive the car if he could (typical bloke, no patience), so we thought we'd take some time to start overcoming mares problem.

Well, it's 3.00pm on Sunday and we have been out for rides using the trailer with BOTH ponies today and yesterday! The breakthrough came yesterday when I took all the partitions and the centre post out, and my OH led her mare in and out of the box. Some treats and a lot of praise didn't do any harm either. It probably took 3/4 of an hour before she'd walk through, but after that we were able to put the partitions in one piece at a time. We had a great ride around some woods near our home. To return to the field we pretty much had the repeat the process, which took some time, but again we managed it with very little drama.

This morning, she walked straight through the empty box first time

That is major progress for a horse that has reared inside a box and cut her head in the past, so it took about 20 minutes to load her. We met a friend at the other end of a ride we often do, had a lovely ride and it took us about an hour to load, with no real drama, just apprehension at loading in a new place.

The key has been walking her around and around the car and box, then through the box a couple of times until she is relaxed to the point of being bored, at which point another bit is added to the box.

We intend to repeat the process over the next few weekends. Fingers crossed we will have this one sorted in a few weeks.

I can't believe we are home so soon, last time we went to Badminton it took a little over an hour to load at the field and trying to come home, I think we'd still be there now if some heavy lads had not come along and 'assisted'. I think they were rugby players

 

[Rowreach]

That's great progress, it's amazing what a bit of patience will do, rather than brute force and ignorance as some would suggest! I'm having a problem currently with a 4yo since some "helpful" person slammed the ramp up behind her when she was barely inside the trailer. She was never a bother to load or travel up till then, and now we have a problem which will take some time to fix

but time and patience will do the job eventually

 

[NeilM]

We have no idea when the problems began, it was one of many she had when my OH bought her. All the other issues have been long since dealt with.

We have also had a few incidents with people trying to 'help'. Fortunately my OH is fierce enough to keep most 'helpers' at bay, but I have heard some horror stories.

The silly thing is, once loaded, she is as good as gold, no stress, no sweating. She just does not like loading.

We are going to the beach in a couple of weeks. We figure shortish journeys to fun places should help reinforce the positive experience.

 

[TicTac]

Just make sure that in future you always give yourself plenty of time to load her if you want to go anywhere because for sure she will act up again if you 're in a hurry!

 

[ann-jen]

Well done - the worlds your oyster now.

 

[NeilM]

Yes, the OH is getting all exited about taking the neds on holiday

I'm absolutely delighted, as this has been a bit of a cloud for a long time, so although I know there is still work to be done, we really have made some excellent progress.

As an ironic side note: We were telling someone about our success and they said 'Oh Kelly Marks is doing a workshop in Bristol. If your horse won't load you should take her there'. My OH asked how you get a horse that won't load into a trailer, to get it to the workshop for horses that won't load!