Darcy Is A Toad. (Long!)

ForeverBroke_

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Well, lets go riight back to the beginning of Darcy and his loading episodes.
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1) Bringing him home. A little hestitant and a small back off, someone standing behind encourages him in. Ramp up, away.
2)Dressage 1 - Calmer added. Drags me all about the show before then loading quietly with rope over his nose. Coming home, he does the same but with rope he loads nice and quietly.
3)Dressage 2- Calmer added. Use of slip with a snaffle bit , loads very quietly , bit pully but never the less, nothing to worry about both there and back.
4) Dressage 3 - No calmer as i was only using it riding wise etc and slip again. Small rear/ pull back going, but then loads straight away. Coming home, the toad arrives
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He went onto the ramp and it was raining..(could've spooked him? rain on the roof etc..and yes he is that way inclined! ) and then persistantly reared and pulled back /spinning etc before continuing to drag me across the show ground and then as i fell when he began to canter, kicking me in the head. Yes, i know. Despite doing some pretty olympic-worthy grass skiing, the kick in the head wasn't quite the prize i had in mind!! Anywho , caught the buggar and loaded him and he had a little pull back and one rear, then loaded quietly.


So! Finally, (the end is near i promise..) What would you do? He's usually got pretty good ground manners.
1) Someone suggested chiffney, but im not sure. Thoughts?
2) Carry on with the slip and just persist until he gets out of this little thing he's possibly starting, but get the calmer back in him.
3) Try out some control halters e.g dually or other suggestions.
4) Try different methods of loading e.g approaching/ reversing.
5) Feed him in there.

Or a combination of them all. I dont really want to end up being one of those people who to load their horse needs dinners, chiffneys, whips , lunge lines ,the LOT. Maybe if i can just find one that works.

Treat of your choice for reading!!
 

MrsMozart

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No idea, but hope your head is feeling okay
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.

When I got Tiggy, I tooke her in and out of the lorry so many times she got gave up
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. Fed her every time we went in, she thought it was brill
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.
 

ForeverBroke_

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I want to do that tehe, just need to find a trailer.. hm. Meh,i have 3 weeks til my next outing! And yep went to a&e to check but all okay !
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Vickey

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I would suggest number 2, maybe some calmer as well, and feeding him in there every night, leave the ramps/ doors open and just hold him in there, he may find it claustrophobic and with time get used to it. ( I just asked about your war woonds on Rollestone..)
 

f_s_

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Glad you are ok
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and no black eye!
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I would just keep practicing until he's so fed up with it he just goes on without thinking. Agree with OP have a bit of feed to offer when he gets on the trailer/lorry, or just feed him in there.
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Harriett310

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Good that you are all okay!

My mare used to be really bad at getting in the trailer, i used the lunge line and it always worked, then fed her when she was in the trailer, only had to do it 5 times, loaded every time after that, but always took the lunge with us.
 

Flint12

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Had similar problems with my lad. . .

I have resorted to a um. . . i think it is called a Robert Maxwell halter. . .

Just a pressure halter really. . . .now i have no problems. .

If he stops i pull slightly on the rope which tightens over his nose and poll and he has to walk on and as he does pressure is released!!

It is magic IMO
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Slinkyunicorn

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Should be working.....
www.rutlandhorseextras.co.uk
Agree with the others - practise until he is sick of it. I have to say for my neices ponies who wouldn't load we got a Intelligent Horsemanship RA out - about an hour with him and a dually headcollar and we haven't looked back.
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Will try agin tomorrow when I haven't had as much wine.....!!!
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Skhosu

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feeding in the box for a long time-no loading=no food.
A rope halter, much cheaper and more effective imo than a dually.
 
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