HELP....loading stubborn mare....

My mare was just the same. Would sometimes run up the ramp and other times do everything to avoid going in. When she'd had enough she'd just turn her head away and run off. Once I took her out and she was so desperate to stay where the fun was I had to leave her in a cowshed overnight.

I tried all the usual stuff, lunge lines, feeds, patience, practise. She just did what she wanted, when she wanted to do it - don't you just love mares!

At the time I was at horsey college and the yard manager saw me practising. I was taking my time, being patient, letting her stand on the ramp, handful of nuts to encourage her etc. Manager told me I was rewarding her for the wrong behaviour.

She opened up the big college horsebox & put all the partitions back so my girlie had a big space to walk into. I led her forward and the manager stood behind with a lunge whip. Whenever she took a step backwards she got a flick with the whip. She wasnt' allowed to stand still, so if she stopped I kept asking her to move forward. Again if she made any backwards movement she got a flick. Within 10mins she was walking calmly onto the box every time she was asked. After that she was great on boxes and trailers and if she ever hesitated I just showed her the lunge whip and she'd go straight up.

The really important bit was the timing, the moment she made any backwards movement she got a flick. I think it helped being able to 'train' on a big lorry cos you have a bigger space to aim for. Might be worth a try?
 
Any news on how you've been getting on? I have the same problem. And its really getting me down.
She was loading lovely (tho would always take bit longer to get her home) in a friends box, but now I have bought my own she won't load, it is rear load only but the ramp is less steep and no partition so more spacious for her.

History of mare: came to me on loan for 6 years, was taken back to previous place for 2 years, then I bought her a year ago so she came back.

But she is exactly same, any pressure put on her she will resist more. Have been fencing her in with box and food in box to let her explore it on her own, and she will come in to meet me in it for a bit of apple, but scoot back almost immediatley. Anyone had a intelligent horsemanship trainer out? Would b an arm and a leg gone though!!!
 
Im sure some may not agree but i had the same problem with my ex-racer but as soon as i put a chifney on he was straight up and not had a problem since, even put a normal head collar on occasionally and hes fine...i put no pressure on whatsoever and its like he knew we weren't messing around...he wasn't scared at all, if he had of been we would have gone a different way around it but the fact he was just taking the pee a bit (kept running off with me :rolleyes:) we decided to try a chifney with lunge line...hope it helps if you do try it :)
 
Hollie15 said:
Any news on how you've been getting on? I have the same problem. And its really getting me down.
She was loading lovely (tho would always take bit longer to get her home) in a friends box, but now I have bought my own she won't load, it is rear load only but the ramp is less steep and no partition so more spacious for her.

History of mare: came to me on loan for 6 years, was taken back to previous place for 2 years, then I bought her a year ago so she came back.

But she is exactly same, any pressure put on her she will resist more. Have been fencing her in with box and food in box to let her explore it on her own, and she will come in to meet me in it for a bit of apple, but scoot back almost immediatley. Anyone had a intelligent horsemanship trainer out? Would b an arm and a leg gone though!!!
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I have been helped by a Recommended Associate from Intelligent Horsemanship; I would definitely advise you to find one local to you- they will come and show you how best to use a Monty Roberts dually halter and your horse will soon be following you about calmly and confidently! You will find it useful in lots of situations. The personal coaching from the RA was better than just reading about the methods, it won't cost an arm and a leg and it is very simple and straightforward! Good luck!
 
Ah.........the loading problem, had my chap Tigger from 5months who was a paragon of virtue till he had to be stabled at 3 with a foot infection then the games began, I had tried all of the above and some I can't mention, I got a man who works with horses, retraining etc who got him loaded in 20mins using a pressure halter and long line, he could read the horse and talked me through just what tigger was thinking and doing to evade, I then went to his yard for a week while he changed Tiggers attitude, he said you can't hurt this horse, meaning tiggs had no respect of the whip, so with using the usual methods he didn't bad an eye, but tiggs loved him and we worked together and got very good results. I had some time off from riding as I had a new job but decided to take him for a fun ride, a bit sticky loading but we had a super time, jumped everything........then would not load!!!! spent 2 hrs knowing he'd switched off so decided to ride the 17 miles home as retrubution, na he loved it and got back in just under 2 hrs................so the moral of the story, get help from an experienced horseman/woman who understands and loves horses and keep having fun. By the way Tigger is a brill hack, he even impressed the RDA who were going to use him but I decided not to as he likes running around the hill too much
 
helen100 said:
I have been helped by a Recommended Associate from Intelligent Horsemanship; I would definitely advise you to find one local to you- they will come and show you how best to use a Monty Roberts dually halter and your horse will soon be following you about calmly and confidently! You will find it useful in lots of situations. The personal coaching from the RA was better than just reading about the methods, it won't cost an arm and a leg and it is very simple and straightforward! Good luck!
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Ditto this - I can't reccomend this approach enough. I had a trainer use a dually on Lina and the results are clear to see even to this date - I loaded her last Sunday after not travelling for 2 years and she walk on 1st time dispite the doubt in my tummy. I think it cost me £60 including the halter and my mare made her work for her money too although it was about 8 years ago now !!

I have to say I always open the front ramp and take down front breach bar too giving the illusion of space rather than them walking into a dark box. she always used to back out when I ducked down under the breach too not there isn't the option.
 
My mare doesn't load I have tried every every every single thing that people suggest and she too was a demo horse for monty Roberts with her loading problem and like people have said they are brilliant! I would never dream of attempting to load without my dually halter it's the best £40 I've ever spent! It's good for my mare for leading generally too she sometimes decides to have a bolshy day and we just switch from the normal headcollar to the dually and it always does the trick. When I took her to the demo they said to try and park by a wall or a corner etc with the trailer so it gives her less options for running away :-) I totally sympathise with you though. I used to stand there for hours sometimes with everyone loading there ponies around me and mine having a strop at the bottom of the ramp - ruins your day no matter how good your horse has been previously xxx
 
Hey guys.....

Well up date on her loading is at the mo, it seems to be a little better with no hassle at all, we have used a BE NICE halter but couldn't say if it worked as i still had bridle on as worried that if it didn't work she'd be off back around the xc course.
However she fell asleep on the ramp after a round of xc so told mum to sponge her off some more and she woke up and walked straight in.

At the mo, we are not hassling at all, but she has to look into the trailer at all times and not allowed to move backwards at all.

So i think we are getting there but we'll see.

20 minutes to load i can just about cope with. Thinking about getting the next size up trailer to see if that makes a difference but she is no different with a lorry, although when we loaded our 11.2hh in first and he was eatting HER food she dragged me in, can still move back of partition across while he is in there as he is so tiny.

So might be the answer feed another horse her food.

Will keep you all updated though. Glad this threas is still on the go. :D
 
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