Help!!! Confidence issue

[Kate_13]

Hi

I am normally quite forthright and can deal with anything. lately I have turned into Superwimp!

My problem is that I have my young boy who has only ever travelled twice in his 5 years of life. I have a Ford Cargo and he goes into it just fine.

My problem is that I fear he will panic in the lorry, rear and do something stupid. I cannot do anything about this if I am driving the lorry, he would just have to thrash around until I could unload him somewhere safe.

However, I have been loading him everyday and today I asked him to stand Herringbone to which took us a while, but he stood calmly so I tied him up and shut the partition. I was closing the rear gates and then he started to look scared and started to rock back and forth. I got worried, so let him out.

I know that was wrong as now he knows if he does that he will be let out.

How can I make him calm and how can I stop myself getting in a tizzy over this????

I have never had any past history of horses in the lorry going mad, so why now am I paranoid????

Somebody help, before I go completely bonkers. Thanks

 

[PuddingandElla]

I would get someone to help you. At least be there with you to calm you down when you start getting worried....

If he realises that if he looks worried or starts to move and you then get him out again - then he will just start to take the P*** out of you!

If he starts to move around i would just leave him - i am sure he will calm down very quickly. Perhaps you could feed him in there too - that way he will realise that nice things happen in the lorry.

At the moment i guess he is feeding off your fear.

The idea is that the experience needs to be stress free for them - if you put him in and he gets stressed so you let him out the whole experince has been stressful.

But if he gets stressed and you leave him - i am sure he will calm down - then the experience has been nice for him - he remebers that its not stressfull - rather that the other way around.

Hope that helps a bit

 

[mickey]

I totally agree that if you are anxious and scared yourself then your horse may well be sensing this. The first thing to do is to try to question your negative thoughts and replace them with more realistic ones.

Personally I would practice loading and allowing your horse to stand there with the ramp up. You can even start the engine. The point being that you can get him used to being in the lorry (and get yourself used to it too). It would be a good idea to give him a haynet and maybe feed him in there so he associates being in the lorry with good things.

If he moves about try to ignore it. Try not to run in/panic or you will flap him more. It is likely that he wants to have a jiggle around but that he will stop this if you do not react.

When it comes to actually going out drive short 'practice' distances first. Take an experienced friend so that they can be on hand to help if necessary. And if you or your horse are very anxious try giving him a calmer of some sort (equine america so-kalm paste is good for a one off administration). You could have some herbal calms for yourself though you will need to take these over the course of days rather than just before the event (ask in Boots).

Good luck and enjoy your days out. The more relaxed you are the better this process will be.