Following on from Bargy Horse

[Clodagh]

But a very different problem! My horse is lovely to lead, but if she doesn't want to do something - for instance not come out of the stable (I know, shes wierd!) - I have a real job. It has now extended to not loading if she doesn't feel like it, and from being able to load her myself I now need a helper. Its not my driving, honest!
Would a rope halter/dually thing help here? Does it also encourage them to come forward towards you? When shes in mule mode she just plants. Drives me nuts!
I would prefer to nip the not loading in the bud, so help please!

 

[MagicMelon]

Yeah, one of mine was super bargy to begin with which also included him going on a power trip sometimes and simply putting his hooves into the ground and not moving when Id be leading him in from the field or into the stable etc.

I bought a thin string one (not a dually, cant remember who makes it but it is very thin string) which tightens up round his head if he pulls. So if he stopped Id simply keep walking and put some pressure on the halter until he walked forward (which then released the pressure so he basically rewarded himself!). Worked a treat, he doesnt do that anymore.

You can try this for loading - occassionally my boy will go to the top of the ramp and then stand for just a minute looking at the scenery! This got quite boring and was just stupid, so the halter works a treat for this - I just pull on it and he'll feel it tighten and walk straight in. If I forget the halter (like at a show or something) then Ive used one of those squirty sports bottles full of water, get someone to stand behind and squirt it at him as he's lined up - they're usually so surprised they jump in.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Lunge whip. My mare stopped loading, for no apparent reason (Probabaly hormonal) anyway having stuggled several times with helps, decided to sort it. Parked lorry near school and spent about 2hours loading and unloading till she was very bored - now loads on her own again perfectly. Opened lorry right up and just kept walking her in and back out. Carried lunge whip (not to hit her, but to guide and tap her if she stepped backwards). Took 30mins 1st time, but after about 5 goes she was going straight up for a treat.

Would a 'Be nice halter' help as has metal pimple on the poll area that would dig in if you put pressure on the rope and the horse planted its feet.

 

[Chex]

I used a be-nice halter to get Chex to load. He just planted his feet at the bottom of the ramp and refused to move. It worked really well, I don't even need to use it anymore.

 

[Twiglet]

I used to use a Dually on my horse after reading the Kelly Marks loading book and watching a demo - I thought it was a wonder tool. But didn't have it one day and he did exactly the same in a headcollar - I just kept my body language and signals the same, and he responded the same way.
Since then have tried the same with other horses, and the Dually has been an optional extra rather than a necessary tool.
i'm not a massive Monty person or anything, but I hated the stage we'd got to with loading - lunge lines, gates, etc etc - and needed something to change.

I'm not really a fan of the Be Nice personally, I think the poll pressure can be a bit extreme in the wrong hands/situation.

 

[pagancluf]

Lunge line permenantly tied to back of trailer now!! Nothing else will make him go on..

 

[0]

I have never used one of these rope halters, so i'm guessing rather than speaking from experience but often, when loading, if the horse plants itself and the handler is ahead and pulls it forward the horse will rear up. So, if this halter tightens when you pull it to get the horse onto the lorry I would be sure that your horse is going to act desirably (walk on) rather than rear up.....There are some nasty accidents when horses rear whilst loading. I never find pulling a horse onto a lorry/trailer works - even in a rope thing they are stronger than you, your problem seems to be that your horse has stopped respecting you as the boss and so if it feels like it does not want to do something it won't (epecially as it sounds like it will load when it suits it). You need to re-establish yourself as the authority figure so that when you come to load, it knows it has to go on rather than messing around pulling it on.

 

[Tia]

I try to get her to move from behind to be honest; rather than pulling her, have someone with you to help encourage her forward. Lunge rein behind her bum to push her into the trailer.....or go back to basics and start to feed her every feed in the trailer.

 

[Lucy_Ally]

Lol! This is Spring's other problem! When she chooses no to do something she refuses to move or goes backwards. A tried and Dually and it didn't help however the pressure halter does work. When she plants or goes backwards then I just keep the pressure on and as soon as she takes a step forwards I release it as a reward. Works brilliantly and she rarely tries this any more.
I have a Be Nice but I am sure regular rope halters work as well, for me and my horse it is a miracle bit of kit!

 

[Clodagh]

Sorry for not replying to these earlier...
They all sound like good ideas, I think she is just being a Trog. She is only 5 and has never worked this hard before! I will try to get a string/rope halter - am too mean to buy a dually! I will also try the lunge whip on my own, at the moment I have been using an extra person, which is a pain as I can't go off whenever I want to and I hate being reliant on others. If I park next to the barn it may work, though. The lunge line on the trailer is good, but sometimes she won't even go close to the ramp!
I will feed her tit bits when shes in, which I never do, so have been avoiding it!
Thanks all, will try it all out next week.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

I honestly thought my friend was barking mad when she suggested it, but it worked much better than lunge lines and helpers waving whips behind etc... She had used this method before on both her youngsters when teaching them to load. I had an old lunge whip with no lash, which was perfect, but would wrap lash round whip if not, so it can't get caught. I just held the lunge whip at my side, so when my mare planted I could tap her gently on hind legs to encourage her forward. This is were a lunge whip is great as you can reach, while still facing forwards and staying at shoulder. It is much better than helpers IMO as you are in control, so can descide when it is appropiate to tap and when to wait. I only had to do one 2hrs session and now she walk up the ramp without hesitation. I still carry a lunge whip in my lorry just in case. I should add that I did start my loading session with a little in hand work in the school, getting mare to halt when asked and then walk on again, carried lunge whip to back up request to walk on, with a little tap.

Edited to add - I have a treat bucket on the luton of my lorry and the horses are given a treat every time they are loaded, but only when they are in and standing quietly. Its about the only time my mare gets a treat - bless.

 

[Lucy_Ally]

If Springy decides that she doesn't want to come in from the field then this is usually when she plants her feet. Before I got the pressure halter I used to take a lunge whip with me, stand at her shoulder, not face her and walk purposely forwards flicking it round the back of her to encourage her forwards which worked for a while, however she developed a new trick of running fowards and in front of me then p*ssing off in the opposite direction so just be careful! I used to have to ensure I had a 2nd person at all times to help me get her in which was a nuisance. Now despite her best protests I can always get her in on my own just using the halter.
Spring can also be a troll to load, I have got her on eventually but she will quite quickly whip round and drag me back off again. I haven't practiced recently but hoping that the pressure halter will help with this too.
Good luck, willful mares - who'd have them?!!

 

[Clodagh]

Mares are best, aren't they, but they're no pushovers, like us!!

Will update you when I've had time to do it!