Getting the chestnut mare from a non loader to a good loader in 4 easy lessons!

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Follychoppins

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Bet that got your attention!
My moody chestnut mare of 17 years has always been a NON or BAD loader. My OH has posted about her before.
I am going to give some advice that many of you may not have thought of rather than battling on - get professional help.
I have been working with Kelly, an Intelligent Horsemanship person recommended to me by someone at the local Bridleways Association who was sympathetic when we didn't make it to their fun ride as the chestnut cow bag who had loaded perfectly first time the week before (an unexpected success) TOTALLY REFUSED TO GO ANYWHERE NEAR THE TRAILER.
For over 40 years I have worked with and been around horses - I was not too proud to admit and agree I needed professional help. I got it, and after 4 sessions of between 2 and 3 hours over a 6 week period, loading every session without fail:)
Today she loaded and we took her for a trip on her own, and with our other pony, unloaded her at the side of the road in a lay-by where 3 ponies came hurtling down to see what was going on, let her eat some grass, walked her away from the trailer put her straight back in and took her back to the field!!!!! Holy cow who would believe it. She was perfect.

The best thing is Kelly has trained ME not just the pony so in the event of a b or c, I know what to do. Look out next week, we have homework! Saturday she has to load, go to the woods, I have to take her for a ride on her own and load her back into the trailer and take her back to the field. I feel good :):):)
 
Thats fabulous. We had one session with an intellegent horsemanship perswon a couple of years ago, it was so worth the money, gave us loads of tools to use with outr difficult mare.
 
I'm the OH of the OP: I was there today to do the driving and also to work with my gelding so that Kelly could see how the two pony's react to one another in and around the trailer.

This is a remarkable transformation and to listen to Kelly's explanation of why the Ginger Sausage would not load was an education in so many ways.
 
Well done! Congratulations!
I have been through similar with my old mare and had to get an Intelligent Horsemanship RA to help as I was very worried about our trip when relocating down south. He was fantastic, well worth the money and as you say he trained me not her! She now loads straight away everytime. It has really changed my perspective on Intelligent Horsemanship, and I'm glad I wasn't too proud to admit I couldn't fix the problem. Just wish I had done it sooner!
 
Did you have Kelly Marks herself out to help you with loading. If so, she is fab (so are her RA's). I took my confirmed non loader on her 5 Day Foundation course, she worked wonders, and all in a low stress, low adrenalin, non violent environment. Definitely the best way.

So glad your horse is now loading.
 
Cluny said:
Did you have Kelly Marks herself out to help you with loading. If so, she is fab (so are her RA's). I took my confirmed non loader on her 5 Day Foundation course, she worked wonders, and all in a low stress, low adrenalin, non violent environment. Definitely the best way.

So glad your horse is now loading.
Click to expand...

No, we did not have Kelly Marks, we're not wealthy enough, but the lady who we did use has worked with Kelly Marks and Monty Roberts, she also has a wealth of other experience, so she does not advertise as an IH trainer, just as a trainer and behaviourist. Her insight and understanding of what our mare was doing and why was fantastic and made sense of a lot of other traits that she has shown over the years.

As an added bonus, I really believe that our mare is now happier in general. She seems a lot more content with her place in the world, bless her.
 
Our Kelly is based in Frome Somerset and travelled up to us 4 times in total. She really does have a wealth of expertise and a fabulous kind manner which worked well with both chestnut mare and myself. I now feel confident she will load every time and that's it! First visit we both worked with said nag, we didn't move the trailer so when I did the following day NO JOY so Kelly came back again the following week, we both worked with her again this time moving the trailer ALL round our field. A week later I did all the loading and moved the trailer again Kelly coached me - 100% success. A fortnight later she came back and coached myself and oh, and I handled my lovely loader all on my own who went in the trailer with the partitions set for travelling and with the front ramp up and the window open or closed! Yes really :) :)Homework for next weekend off to the woods and I cannot wait!
 
The ginger sausage was a remedial. That means before starting point, all the "bad thoughts" she had of loading had to be unpicked. Whenever I loaded her before Kelly it was hit and miss, lots of rearing and evasion. Everyone had an idea, no-one had a solution - nothing worked. Once we had our own trailer, I got a dually and that helped as she was hooked on to me and it did to a degree stop the rearing. I could practice and she was getting on really well - in every time in the field but still a pain if we went anywhere to get her back in. ( Sorry all this is important). One Sunday we were going for an excursion, I got sausage in and called for OH to do partitions and he didn't hear so I made the mistake of reaching to move it myself. She shot out backwards and that really was IT. The closest she would get was 2 feet on the ramp, or she would stand all 4 feet on acrossways but any suggestion of going into the black hole (even with everything open) was greeted with a calm but firm NO WAY mum I am not going in. She looked totally relaxed, floppy bottom lip but she would not budge. This is where Kelly came in. She told us as said earlier Folly was a remedial and at 17 the worst sort, one who looks calm as custard on the outside but inside is in a state of total fright and panic. Although she loaded properly with me after the first visit we couldn't move the trailer as I didn't know how to remove the locks. The next day we did our exercises with the stress removal of loads of praise and trotting away from the box 3 times and she was perfect. When the trailer was moved only a matter of 4 feet she would NOT go in it at all. In her head it was all different so the good work was immediately gone. I spoke to Kelly who said just try to get her to walk in with you like we practised but she wouldn't. After 3 days I rang and said we are getting nowhere and I worry I will make her worse. We left it until the end of the week and Kelly came again. She could see Folly had once again internalized all her issues. The expert could see the problem I couldn't. It's like us going for a job interview, outside we have to be "hey, I'm cool" when inside there are so many knots you wonder if you can actually get through it - she couldn't. Off we went again but this time without the dually as the pressure release was no longer "doing it" for her. Kelly used a non- invasive method I am not allowed to put on here in case the method is incorrectly used and a horse or owner hurt as a result but take it from me it was nothing that caused pain but it did give GS the confidence to listen. This is Intelligent Natural horsemanship. We worked together, Kelly trained me and I bought the equipment. Now sausage and I have an understanding and she knows what is needed and not to be frightened - I do too. Her whole demeanour has changed and she is simply wonderful. There have been no whips, lunge lines, food, chiffney, brooms, buckets of water, controllers, be nice headcollars or pain in this process. I hope that answers your question :)
 
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