Bad loader success stories please!

Cheshire Chestnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 October 2013
Messages
2,018
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
Took my boy out in my new trailer today. First ever time he's travelled alone so just went up the road for a hack through the forest and he was excellent on the hack, really chilled and great. The loading however was terrible... Nothing scary, just 30mins at home of being silly; backing up, running off, throwing himself off the ramp sideways. Coming home it took almost an hour to get him in :( Being harsh gets me no where so it's just softly softly. Got a plan with him having his teas in there for a few weeks and then go out and do it again but I was wondering if anyone has any stories where you can now take your horse out by yourself with the trailer and it be less stressful than today! *sips wine*

What were they like to start with and how are they now? My boy is 7 but was a really late starter due to his past owners so he's got the mind of a 4 year old. Just can't wait for the day to take him to the forest on my own for the afternoon if I had a spare couple of hours... Please assure me it will get easier :)
 

Goldenstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 March 2011
Messages
46,020
Visit site
It will if you are determined and have a plan .
Feeding in the lorry is a good idea .
When I have had bad loaders I will spend a day loading and unloading and load them dozens of times .
They have to learn that you say go in and they go in no messing .
Make sure you have the right system set up every thing in the right place every time.
My horses are all taught that they get treats from a crinkly packet all I have to do to defuse a potential confrontation is crinkle the packet .
Fatty took nearly two hours to load when I collected him he now loads himself .
I also think it's practise practise practise and then lots and lots of short trips out until it's just an everyday thing .
 
Joined
8 February 2015
Messages
19
Visit site
It will get better, they just have to realise it's a fun and good thing they're going out! My boy never used to load but we found (hopefully you have the same sort of trailer) you opened the front ramp then the trailer was light and so he didn't see it as a big scary black box �� doing lots of practise, short trips and having his dinner is there is also good, or maybe (if you field isn't slop like ours) leave it in their field so he can have a good sniff and adventure into it himself :) oh and make sure the ramp doesn't clang as he steps onto it- my horse hates that �� lastly, try loading another horse in first and then following them straight up, sometimes they just need to realise it's okay ��with lots of repetition and positive experience he'll be loading in no time xxx
 

Cheshire Chestnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 October 2013
Messages
2,018
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
It will if you are determined and have a plan .
Feeding in the lorry is a good idea .
When I have had bad loaders I will spend a day loading and unloading and load them dozens of times .
They have to learn that you say go in and they go in no messing .
Make sure you have the right system set up every thing in the right place every time.
My horses are all taught that they get treats from a crinkly packet all I have to do to defuse a potential confrontation is crinkle the packet .
Fatty took nearly two hours to load when I collected him he now loads himself .
I also think it's practise practise practise and then lots and lots of short trips out until it's just an everyday thing .

Thanks, that's reassuring - hopefully by the summer I might have a pony who's more confident. He doesn't seem scared, just likes to mess about and then panics if I tell him off. He just needs to learn - he never used the like being left in alone and wouldn't hack alone but in 18 months I've made sure he now does both so hopefully the trailer will come in time too!
 

sarahann1

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 August 2008
Messages
2,674
Location
Scotland
Visit site
It's 100% possible to get your horse loading willingly, with the right training.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YdBreWOhmHk

The horse in the above vid didn't want to load, he was labelled a non-loader, I witnessed folk trying to load Scotty for over 2hrs with him going vertical, sideways, over people, into people, basically any which way but onto the trailer, same with a lorry.

Brandon has taken the time and energy to get him loading really well.
 
Last edited:

Cheshire Chestnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 October 2013
Messages
2,018
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
It will get better, they just have to realise it's a fun and good thing they're going out! My boy never used to load but we found (hopefully you have the same sort of trailer) you opened the front ramp then the trailer was light and so he didn't see it as a big scary black box �� doing lots of practise, short trips and having his dinner is there is also good, or maybe (if you field isn't slop like ours) leave it in their field so he can have a good sniff and adventure into it himself :) oh and make sure the ramp doesn't clang as he steps onto it- my horse hates that �� lastly, try loading another horse in first and then following them straight up, sometimes they just need to realise it's okay ��with lots of repetition and positive experience he'll be loading in no time xxx

Thank you. He loads fine if there another horse already in there, he just doesn't like it by himself and he thinks I'm being most unreasonable! Good idea about the front ramp, we did that in the end and from then it was only about 10 mins to get him in. We moved the partition fully out too (I have a Cheval Liberte so they completely pull out) and then put it back in place once he's in - which will do for now but a bit tricky to do on your own :-/

Will keep going, thank you for the advice and encouragement :)
 

Cheshire Chestnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 October 2013
Messages
2,018
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
It's 100% possible to get your horse loading willingly, with the right training.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YdBreWOhmHk

The horse in the above vid didn't want to load, he was labelled a non-loader, I witnessed folk trying to load Scotty for over 2hrs with him going vertical, sideways, over people, into people, basically any which way but onto the trailer, same with a lorry.

Brandon has taken the time and energy to get him loading really well.

Thank you, will watch this :)
 

Cheshire Chestnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 October 2013
Messages
2,018
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
Lots of practice and repetition! You are lucky to have the trailer now so you can practice at home in a non stress environment :)

Thanks, will have to have M to show him how it's done - I've heard he's a great loader :) these next few months will be lots of teas in his new trailer. Honestly, I've bought him this nice new present and he's so ungrateful!!
 

lurcherlu

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 August 2011
Messages
959
Location
Cornwall
Visit site
Reward them with food they don't normally get , my horse was a turd ... Not frightened just stubborn and would take hours now 9/10 takes a look and walks on , may need persuading with a lunge line occasionally and Saturday took twenty mi Utes so got some forbidden food (pony nuts send her crazy and she walked straight in ) so use a handful of someone else's food to tempt them in , their own food is boring . I have used her as a loading lure for non loaders knw too . She travels lovely now as well
 

Cheshire Chestnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 October 2013
Messages
2,018
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
Reward them with food they don't normally get , my horse was a turd ... Not frightened just stubborn and would take hours now 9/10 takes a look and walks on , may need persuading with a lunge line occasionally and Saturday took twenty mi Utes so got some forbidden food (pony nuts send her crazy and she walked straight in ) so use a handful of someone else's food to tempt them in , their own food is boring . I have used her as a loading lure for non loaders knw too . She travels lovely now as well

Thank you. Nice to hear you have a good loader now - gives me lots of hope! He had carrots today, he doesn't usually get them a lot as I tend to give him herbal treats and swedes so they went down well. There's not a lot he won't do for carrots (except load it seems!) we will get there in the end, think the lunge line isn't too bad idea - my pony did well with it years ago as we didn't do it in a frightening way. My boy is very clever and a class A p*ss taker when he wants to be so I can never work out whether he's scared or just making a mockery of me!!
 

Spotsrock

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 June 2008
Messages
3,224
Visit site
My old mare (RIP) used to need feed, 3 adults and 2 lunge lines to load her. Before she passed we moved yards a couple of times and took her to a final knees up show, each time she bounced into the lorry or trailer without a second glance.

Current horse refuses point blank for a while. I lift each hoof and move it forward up the ramp until he's on fully then he gives up and walks in, more often than not he just walks on after a pause to psych himself up. He has to have the front ramp down tho so he can see thru it. He also hates back travel boots so I use bandages or tendon wraps.

Think outside the box and try everything (safe) no matter how daft you think it seems

Good luck
 

MileAMinute

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 November 2008
Messages
2,419
Location
Cheshire, UK.
Visit site
Thanks, will have to have M to show him how it's done - I've heard he's a great loader :) these next few months will be lots of teas in his new trailer. Honestly, I've bought him this nice new present and he's so ungrateful!!

He is, he's certainly fine with trailers :)
Always the way, my friend has just splurged out on a saddle that was M2M...horse now lame!
 

Tandr

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 September 2013
Messages
168
Location
Horwich, bolton
Visit site
I have to use a dually seems to be if he has that on he knows i mean business and after a few goes off basically doing anything bar lie down to get out of it because he couldn't break my hold on him he gave up and loads no problem
 

Vodkagirly

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 August 2010
Messages
3,639
Visit site
Mine was terrible, often took a couple of hours to load after events. Not scared, no interest in food just stubborn. He would charge, rear, bolt backwards, plant anything but load.
Once I cracked the use of the control halter and body language (didn't work till it was perfect) things changed. Now he is perfect loading and waits happily alone Between classes.
Check the trailer is in perfect order and there are no physical reasons such as sore hhocks and get started.
Good luck
 

Hoof_Prints

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 October 2012
Messages
2,261
Visit site
my mare used to be horrendous to load, she still has the odd moment but usually goes straight on now.
bought her as a 5 year old and she used to stop infront of the ramp , then rear and just leg it broncing in her travel gear! leaving me with ropeburnt hands. We used to book lessons and get there 2 hours early to try and get her on the trailer, but nearly always had to cancel it as she just wouldn't go near the ramp in the end. She would then get on the ramp, and just lean back and reverse rapidly and go up again.

We tried food bucket, pressure headcollar, lunge lines, removing partition, opening all the doors, removing travel boots, blindfold, whip tapping her heels, blocking the ramp sides, following a horse in and off the front... none of this worked.
In the end I had to stick normal headcollar on, hold a carrot and just lean my bodyweight on the rope- but not enough to make her resist and rear/leg it, she just stood there for an hour. I was falling sleep as it was 28 degrees that day, but she then decided to just walk on out of nowhere! so took her straight on and off, then in the same 10 minutes I could take the headcollar off and she was following me without an pressure at all.

She then went really bad again after I bought my other horse, she started falling down in the trailer and badly cut herself. I found out she couldn't travel on the left and had to swap sides and she is now fine and travels quietly. She still won't load in the dark but big improvement as it is usually straightforward now
 

Highlands

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 May 2012
Messages
2,409
Visit site
Could be a nightmare not a fantastically happy one but tolerates it on own or with another. Agree positive attitude, control halter, dually for me and food!
 

buddylove

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 January 2011
Messages
1,757
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
Mine was a stubborn loader, would plant at the bottom of the ramp. If people tried to "help" he would react violently, on one occasion he reared and went over on a concrete yard. So we bought a Richard Maxwell training halter and dvd and followed it to the letter, did all the groundwork and now he loads onto a trailer and stands perfectly so I can do all the bars and ramps without any assistance. Would certainly recommend it!
 

googol

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2012
Messages
855
Visit site
When I got my boy he was a terrible loader. His old owner beat him dreadfully to get him loaded when I collected him. If the same thing ever happened again I would beat him senseless! Then I took him to get his saddle fitted and the man and his son beat him with a driving whip. My boy got so worked up and came off the side of the ramp so many times its a miracle he didn't hurt himself. Looking back, how and why I didn't step in I will never know. Getting aggressive doesn't work with any horse IMO. His loading issues are solved now more or less but it takes at least 2 people to load him. 1 to lead him and 1 to walk behind him carrying a whip. Never use the whip though or he gets worked up. I don't know why it works it just does! It took practice and patience to get there which I feel is key. Loading, or should I say not loading, lol, can be very frustrating which makes for a difficult situation.
 

Cheshire Chestnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 October 2013
Messages
2,018
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
Thanks everyone - feel miles better! It didn't help that the odd 'do gooder' at the forest kept popping over to tell us how to load him, they were about 2 minutes away from a whip to the face ;)

Definitely going to do more ground work with him and concentrate on having positive experiences in there, like tea :) I'm sure we will get there in the end - one day I will be posting on here that we went to the forest alone and had no issues!!
 
Top