Decisions...Decisions...

K

kelly_s1

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 April 2010
Messages
311
Location
berkshire
Visit site
What would you do with the below situation? Or do you have any other suggestions...

I've had my horse 2 and a half years and well we have come on leaps and bounds but unfortunately I am still struggling to get him loaded (this is the only thing that is really letting him down). I went for a lesson today and well he went on and travelled fine, had a fantastic lesson and then when it came to taking him home he was a nightmare, 2 hours of him rearing and running for the hills. I called my friend and she came to the rescue, 30 minutes of parelli and in he goes but it was a bit of a fight (she is amazing and if she could come with me everything I wouldn't have so many problems but obviously she has a life too). I have only been loading him the last 2-3 months trying on a regular basis.

1. Would you keep him and preserve even though competing is really want I want to start doing
2. Sell
3. Loan and get a second

Apart from the above problem he is amazing in every other way so this is a very hard decision to make.
 
I'm not usually one for Parelli but if it works with him then I would get your friend to teach you what she is doing with him and then try it for yourself. Loading isn't something worth getting yourself and your horse in a state over, which it sounds like you are doing; a scared horse isn't going to do anything that you want it to do.

Either that or get a behavourist whose methods you are more supportive of to come and see your horse - your vet might have a contact.

I really don't think selling your horse is the option, but I'm thinking that you're a little unsure of the partnership you have with him if you are even thinking that is an option; sorry if that sounds a little harsh but that is how I read it.
 
either stick with your parelli friend and get her to show you what she's doing - I'm not adverse to parelli I have friends who use it with very positive results myself, I would probably go down the intelligent horsemanship route , and get a IH instructor into her or contact Kelly Mark and see if she could use your horse on one of her courses??
 
I don't know anything about parelli. I use Richard Maxwell's loading training techniques and it is amazing. You need to approach this at home when the pressure is off. Dedicate a whole weekend to just this. Get him going in and out hundreds of times in each session and carry it on for a week. Then he'll be cured.

When my mare was a youngster we spent 3 hours trying to load her which ended up her going over backwards twice and still not going in.

30 mins the next day on my own and I had her going in no problem.
 
My friend has showed me and she is an excellent teacher (im just not as quick as her to react as she has been doing it a long time), I have done the whole feeds, in/out hundreds of times at home for a week I did this back in July and continue to do this on weekends too, the thing is I have had a good few trips out with him at least 5, then yesterday he done this, I do think he is a little scared but also think he is taking the pee. He also travels like a dream and I drive very slowly to make sure he has a good ride.

The thought of selling him breaks my heart as he is this most adorable horse but this is just really getting me down now.
 
I wouldn't give up yet. Have you tried different transport, my oldie was a bad loader for about 27 years in various types, now I have a 510 he loads himself. Could you borrow a few wagons / trailers and try him.

If its not about the vehicle and just him being awkward I would not give up yet. Our other little cob was dreadful to load the first year we competed. She would often load OK at home and them take hours to come back. She also went over etc etc. We just carried on and never let her get away with it. We had a short break over the winter and the next season she was much better. I dont think anything changed, she just gave in. She also loads herself now. One way that did help was actually shown to us by a traveller. Turn the horse in lots of very tight circles at the bottom of the ramp and then break off and straight up the ramp. Not sure why it works, perhaps it makes the pony disorientated, but it didn't seem cruel on the face of it.

Funnily enough the one who always runs onto the trailer is the stressy warmblood. Its the only thing she has ever done easily or right :confused:
 
Try getting intouch with a recommended assoscaite from the intelligent horsmanship website, they are very good and won't cost a fortune.
 
I think he has possibly gone through a floor but the previous owner wouldn't tell me as he has quite a bad scar on one of his front legs, they said it was an over reach scar but its too much round the front and in two different parts. When he came to me he was in a bit of a state, 1300/1500 worth of worms inside him, feet were not great, didn't have any manners. He has been in my friends 7.5 lorry and would go in fine but that was always following in his pal who went in first, I have tried a trailer and nearly had to phone the fire men as he got stuck by trying to turn himself round in my single trailer I had, before that I had tried him in a double with no success, he does seem to prefer lorries. He did have one bad trip about a year ago when I moved yards the person I used drove very fast round bends and he got quite unbalanced (not now with me driving he hardly moves). He does however sweat quite a bit while being travelled but my lorry does get a bit warm, I am going to investigate getting a fan installed.

Thanks for videos I will have a look at them in a bit.
 
Don't give up! if its only loading and your friend can get it sorted in 30 mins then its got to be worth working on. Also you never know what a new horse might throw at you!

Do you think it is the different venue you were at? - he didn't know what was going to happen at the place and going into a dead end box didn't float his boat whereas at home he knows the ins and outs of the place.
Might be worth boxing him up once a week and driving him somewhere local for a hack and putting him back in with the help of your friend?

Must be really stressful for you though.
 
Absolutely, i would persist. i had no end of trouble with my ISH, did not have a float for the first 5 years I owned him, and when I did get a float it took 2 years for him to get comfortable wit it. i ahd some great help with PNH instructors, they taught me what I needed to work on with him, and when i got serious with it we progressed in leaps and bounds. So yes, persist is my vote.
 
I wouldn't give up!!

As others have said - if your friend can do it in 30mins, he is certainly worth persevering with.

Try to find out what is causing him to sweat when travelling - even if he isn't moving when you drive, he might still be scared? Would it be an option to take another quiet pony along with him (one that definitely travels/loads well) for a few trips, to help his confidence?

Keep practising what your friend does. I don't believe there are any valuable 'short cuts' to training them, just time, practice and patience.

Keep your chin up and keep positive. I'm sure they can sense when we feel defeated, even if we're still carrying out the motions.
 
if he is going in sometimes then not others. id say keep working on it.
contact Kelly Marks. or sometimes like your friend who can work on him and you.

i really don't think this is a good enough reason to get rid.
you are meant to form a partnership and you say this is the only probent so don't give up on him.
 
Kelly - I see you're in Berkshire, so might be worth giving Jo Grimes a call. She's a transporter, and is very very good at persuading reluctant loaders that they want to go in. Alf loads amd travels well in a normal box, but couldn't work out what her little rear facing one was all about, so resorted to rearing and tanking off rather than stopping to work it out. She put him in the first time, then on subsequent occasions, she left me to do it, and coached from the sidelines. She's very good, and very quiet. Highly recommended.

Her website is http://www.neddystobbart.co.uk/Neddy_Stobbart_Home_Page.html
 
Thank you for your replies :D I think he is a keeper its just so difficult and I think I put to much pressure on myself and him, he obviously has issues that need some time.

He had been to that venue before on a few occasions but with my friend in her lorry with her horse. The place is amazing so he probably wanted the lush grass.

Unfortunately, I cannot take another horse as I can only travel him due to my licence :( otherwise I would definitely consider this option.

I think I will go back to feeding him in it, going for trips round the block without going anywhere for a lesson/competition, then at the weekend go somewhere local so if needs be I can hack him home.
 
Whilst I agree with what has been said - I would also check your vehicle very carefully. I've had two instances with my tb when he became difficult to load. The first occasion I subsequently found that my floor was suspect and beginning to rot - I had it replaced with aluminium and he was fine to load afterwards. Second time he was difficult my lorry failed the plate shortly afterwards with a snapped shock absorber. So if my boy now won't load I think I must recognise that he's telling me there's a problem with the lorry! Hence - check your vehicle - you never know - your horse maybe telling you something!
 
charmeroo - it's just passed an MOT with flying colours, my boyfriend has race cars and his best mate works on artic lorries, 7.5t and 3.5t as well as servicing them, they both thoroughly checked when I bought it and before the MOT so I am sure there's no problems there :-)
Also, I've travelled others and they all travel fab in it :-)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top