Difficult loader

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Tern

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Okay so I have a very err opinionated mare who is a tricky loader she basically tries to wiggle out of it by going to side of ramp or going up nearly into horse area then going downs as fast as possible. Story behind this is pretty much because she wasn't ever loaded for three years with prev owners so we did some training with her and got her to go in perfect - she goes every week basically but then after about two times travelling she goes all I'm not going in again and I don't have time to do training every week for her to become plain difficult and be pretty dangerous because this training takes an hour and a half or so and also in lorry she stamps her feet which is very annoying and bad manners - she is travelled with nothing or just a rug. So someone usually ends up going behind her to get her in but sometimes she will need to be loaded with only one person so I was wondering if a chifney would help? I obviously know how to use one as have used with things that drag you to and from field.. I don't want to use pressure halter as we have tried rope over nose trick and she didn't respond well and got very Bargy so yeah any other ideas welcome.
 
My mare was possibly the worst I've every come across to load, I broke my heart when I had enough money and bought a trailer and spent five hours trying to load her in a battle of wills that ended up with me giving up only because it started to rain and I didn't want her slipping on the rubber matting. I got a lovely chap out, we manufactured a mini square coral out of three gates and backed the trailer into the open area, pushed the gates in so there was no where but the trailer for her to go, opened up the front and put a line behind her, drove her forward, we repeated about ten times, then took the back gate away and walked her in with the two gates leaning along the sides, did this about ten times, then moved onto parking against a hedge and clipping a line to the other side of the trailer, again we repeated ten times. To begin with, I used to park along a hedge at shows and always take a line, occasionally she would consider refusing, but the second the line was clipped on she damn near put herself in! She was good as gold, sometimes a year or so would pass and she would walk into a trailer like a pro. It may not work for your mare but it was completely stress free way of teaching her to load and I never had a problem after that day. Make sure when you do get her loaded that her journey in the trailer is as smooth as possible, and give lots of treats and fuss whenever she is in the trailer.
 
Also, make sure you load and do some fun stuff, take her to fun rides or to the beach, don't just put her in a situation where her mind tells her trailer = work.
 
Prancer & Vixen said:
My mare was possibly the worst I've every come across to load, I broke my heart when I had enough money and bought a trailer and spent five hours trying to load her in a battle of wills that ended up with me giving up only because it started to rain and I didn't want her slipping on the rubber matting. I got a lovely chap out, we manufactured a mini square coral out of three gates and backed the trailer into the open area, pushed the gates in so there was no where but the trailer for her to go, opened up the front and put a line behind her, drove her forward, we repeated about ten times, then took the back gate away and walked her in with the two gates leaning along the sides, did this about ten times, then moved onto parking against a hedge and clipping a line to the other side of the trailer, again we repeated ten times. To begin with, I used to park along a hedge at shows and always take a line, occasionally she would consider refusing, but the second the line was clipped on she damn near put herself in! She was good as gold, sometimes a year or so would pass and she would walk into a trailer like a pro. It may not work for your mare but it was completely stress free way of teaching her to load and I never had a problem after that day. Make sure when you do get her loaded that her journey in the trailer is as smooth as possible, and give lots of treats and fuss whenever she is in the trailer.
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This i know won't work unfortunately as i have gates on my box that reach pretty much whole way down (ifor williams container) and we have tried lunge line and everything else she is just so stubborn and as for above she gets loads of carrots or pony nuts when she goes in but doesn't make a difference hence why i asked if maybe a chifney would help?
 
Without knowing your mare it's hard to say, but I have a gelding who used to be similarly difficult. Be careful if you start escalating the battle with 'bullying' techniques as if she is really stubborn and willful then she may react even more strongly. I found with mine that any kind of pressure made him shut down and not respond (and I hardly tried anything - a be-nice halter, a lunge line behind and a long whip to guide him [separately and not all together] - he was never hit or hurt in any way). Even so, the only way that has ever worked is patience and giving it loads of time. We had to start with a small reward for each progression - a foot on the ramp, then each step from there - until he figured out that if he walked in he got a bowl of feed. He's ok now, but not always perfect - but it never takes more than about 10 mins - as long as I don't get cross (even without showing it) and just laugh it off, and pat him for every bit of progress. Good luck.
 
Abacus said:
Without knowing your mare it's hard to say, but I have a gelding who used to be similarly difficult. Be careful if you start escalating the battle with 'bullying' techniques as if she is really stubborn and willful then she may react even more strongly. I found with mine that any kind of pressure made him shut down and not respond (and I hardly tried anything - a be-nice halter, a lunge line behind and a long whip to guide him [separately and not all together] - he was never hit or hurt in any way). Even so, the only way that has ever worked is patience and giving it loads of time. We had to start with a small reward for each progression - a foot on the ramp, then each step from there - until he figured out that if he walked in he got a bowl of feed. He's ok now, but not always perfect - but it never takes more than about 10 mins - as long as I don't get cross (even without showing it) and just laugh it off, and pat him for every bit of progress. Good luck.
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We tried this also - I sat at the top - with her at bottom of ramp on a long lunge line only applying a tiny bit of pressure letting her take it at her own speed and shaking some food and this has not worked either :(
 
Sounds like you need to do some ground work. Making sure that you have control of your horse and you do things you want not what she wants.

Also a pressure halter is not the same a rope over the nose- correctly used is a good piece of kit. What are you trying her in?

I'm guessing its an agricultural trailer and you cant have the front open? As haven't seen sides on ramps on anything else?
What if something else is on the trailer does this help?
 
And she is great on the ground - If you send her away from you then she goes - if you ask her to come back to you then she does.. It's just loading and we have had to be more err forceful to get her in a few times which may include a broom with instructor behind :/ Sometimes i just don't have the strength to fight with her so..
 
I have to open the front ramp on my trailer and just walk her through a couple of times and she gets the idea. Also Dually head collar worked brilliantly with her, but did take the time to do the basic ground work first with the Dually. Good luck
 
I had a mare just like this, i used a Richard Maxwell controller halter BUT i did all the groundwork in it so she knew what it did. It was magical, she had one attempt at running backwards, then walked on to the trailer and I never had a problem again. My Old TB is also capable of not loading from time to time but if I put the controller halter on, he just walks straight on. Neither horse was frightened of loading and travelled well once they were in.
 
Just a thought - have you tried to load her in any other form of trasnsport?

We had a similiar 3.5 t lorry to yours and the ramp was quite steep. Also as the body of the lorry is high up there can be a lot of sway. We had a cob that hated travelling in it with a vengance, and would take hours too load, however as soon as we tried a trailer he was fine. Equally he was happy loading in a renault master 3.5t, and again assume that was because it was closer to the ground.

I have had a lot of sucess with the Monty Roberts dually halter but you do need to do some ground work with it first. It isn't the same as a 'rope over the nose' and far more effective.

If really stuck I would be looking at getting professional help, as sounds like it could be a potentially dangerous situation for you, and her.

Good luck!
 
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Thanks guys. Hi Sidney no i have not tried with any other vehicle as we had a trailer but other one won't travel well in it but in this will.. I'd like a 7.5tn but i live in a village and horses live in meh garden - narrow lane and won't get a 7.5 through :/
 
Abacus said:
There is a loading aid you can buy -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solo-Harn...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item2c786b1579


I have no idea if it is effective or not, but it claims to do what you say - i.e. enable you to load her with just one person. Worth a look?
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I think these look very good and will work very similarly to how I approach bad loaders I long rein them and in time train them to accept this from the side and load them that way .
Using one of the above will be easier .
If your mare will not accept wearing such a thing the not loading is only a symptom of a wider issue the horse is not trained to be compliant and accept what the trainer wishes and you need to get to grips with that issue .
 
Tern said:
I was hoping to teach her to free load would this help in any way maybe?
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Well what you need her to do is load when you want anytime anywhere so really you need to get her to load in a headcollar or bridle as free loading is not going to work in public .
There is no subsistute for practice , time consuming it may be but that's what you have to do.
In winter it's worth considering feeding daily in the trailer when the horse is hungry no trailer no bucket food she will get the idea .
Perhaps you should consider getting some help with the issue .
I have seen Richard Maxwell work with a bad loader he was excellent .
 
Outside Cirencester FM. Goldenstar i have actually looked at Richard Maxwell - But i don't have the money to pay 300 + quid :o Although i would love to afford it i can't. But i will try the feeding inside :) I know she will need to get loading first before free loading though..
 
Just to clarify, I didn't get Richard M to come and train the horse, I bought the halter with a video and followed all the instructions on the video..but it was about 20 years ago. Still use the halter though, it's great for dealing with anything that's bit bolshie.
Tern said:
Outside Cirencester FM. Goldenstar i have actually looked at Richard Maxwell - But i don't have the money to pay 300 + quid :o Although i would love to afford it i can't. But i will try the feeding inside :) I know she will need to get loading first before free loading though..
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Goldenstar - Loading herself - I point her at it and she goes.

Oldie48 - I didn't think you got him out, was just saying i'd prefer to get him out as she's soo well ughh but i can't afford. :)
 
Have you ever seen a professional horse transporter with a winch? 5 mins, any horse loaded, no fuss.
They're some piece of kit!
(Obviously you don't have one, just these threads always make me think of them!)
 
fill me in soloequestrian :) I'd just prefer to load more err au naturel as she is a bit stubborn and im not sure she'd really appreciate your invention - Though it does look very good to be very honest! :D
 
Id probably feed mine on the ramp, then a bit more up the ramp, then finally in the trailer, then just groom her in there to make it a really enjoyable place to be. Then don't go anywhere - unload and put away/turn out. But this would need to be a longterm habit. You really don't want to just force her. Who knows why... maybe she feels unsafe in trailer occasionally and so next time is reluctant to load.
 
How big is your horse?

Does she have enough room in the box?

The only box similar to yours I have seen was very small and a lot of horses hated the height combined with it being tight.

Can you take the partition out? could you try her without?
 
Cheiro1 said:
How big is your horse?

Does she have enough room in the box?

The only box similar to yours I have seen was very small and a lot of horses hated the height combined with it being tight.

Can you take the partition out? could you try her without?
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Yes; mine doesn't travel quietly in a trailer. Which is unfortunate and costly! Grrr
 
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