Help!Advice needed

Jmillwood

Jmillwood

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31 August 2010
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Harlow, Essex
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Hello all

Had THE worst night last night. I have just got a new horse (beautiful ex racer) lovely manners, very clever, very chilled - a really nice person. Learning very quickly so I thought I would take her out to a little unaffiliated intro last night to get her used to the sites and sounds of her new job.

Problem - she refused to load last night. I tried everything, on her own, with a friend, food bribe, lunge line behind bottom, the lot. In the end she got so ridiculous about it that she reared up and went over on herself. Luckily she is fine and unhurt.

I put her back in the field and fed her dinner on the ramp of the trailer a little later. I just dont understand - she loaded fine and without hesitation when I picked her up and speaking to her old trainer/stable girl they never had a problem with her.

I was distraught last night and cried all night. I know its a bit dramatic but its upset me so so much. All I can think is that she is in season?? Or that there was a thunderstorm pending???

Please help guys, Im so angry/upset - would a mare supplement work do you think? If so which one??

I know I am probably over reacting but I was looking forward to going out last night especially as it would have massively cheered my week up!

:(
 
It's so frustrating when horses refuse to load especially when you have somewhere to go. My horses both load using different techniques because they were taught to load by different people. I can guarantee that if you came and tried to load them you would have trouble getting them in but if I showed you how I load them then you would have no trouble at all.
Is it possible to get the old owner to show you how she loaded the horse? Alternatively you need to teach her how you want her to load without the pressure of actually going somewhere and with plenty of time. I would then keep practising until you are confident she will do it when you have time restraints.
One of my horses was extremely difficult to load and I got help from Richard Maxwell and taught her to load using pressure and release and I face her from inside the box apply pressure using a long line and pressure halter until she moves forward and release it the second she moves. We did this on the ground first then on the box. I then repeated this for hours the first time and practised and practised and practised until she walks straight on. I do need to do refresher sessions with her if she hasn't loaded for a while and if I know I have somewhere to go and she hasn't been out for a while I will load her the night before.
You know your horse will load as she did when you collected her so I think you will get her loading with practise. Good luck.
 
There have been loads of threads on this and a few replies have sensibly said to double and triple check the floor and ramp of trailer/lorry ! if it is in need of repair/replace this would be the simplest explanation why she wont load.

Also strip everything off her, boots the lot when trying her again just in case these are upsetting her - when you are practising you wont be travelling anywhere so dont worry she has no protection

It is worth if you can trying again when you have a whole day ahead of you and no time limits - you may find she just walks straight in !

Other possibilities are that she had a bad journey to your place and scared herself or that you were very tense and she was picking up on it - or possibly she has just not gotten to know you well enough to trust you yet.

All only guesses but best to eliminate things like floor and boots before trying again !
 
LynH - did giggle - does she stand all night in the trailer ? ha ha

I agree about pressure and more importantly instantly releasing it - I have to use a chiffney on my chap and then he loads in about 2 minutes - without it he prances around and drags me across yard - I just put a little pressure on - he moves forward - I release pressure - tell him he is a good boy and he walks in (think it may be a game to him now though!)
 
Hiya, I'm struggling with the same problem. New horse, 16.2 young irish draught that has a horrible problem with loading and is quick to rear if she doesn't like something. Getting her into our trailer to bring her home took three hours of every trick in the book, we eventually blindfolded her and did an hour of join up type work after which she went in and travelled calmly. She's only 5 and had left her stable on a handful of occasions since birth as she was deemed 'trouble'. Needless to say that a month later, after being turned out with three other horses daily and gentle people time she's a different animal. As for loading, we gutted the trailer, left it in a paddock and fed her in it every day, opening both doors so she could go straight through. Then we put her field buddy in one compartment and her in the other and did little trundle trips up to good hacking to try and connect trailer with fun! We're yet to try her on her own but signs are positive. Could it just have been too much too soon? Ex racers have been known to go a bit silly when they leave the institution life style for greener pastures. Could it even be that she's just got too happy in her new life and doesn't want to leave it in typical mare logic? Good luck!
 
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