Horse becoming reluctant to load.

J

Jingleballs

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I’ve had my trailer for nearly 2 years now and Casper has always been really easy to load but this year he’s just started to be a bit of a toad about getting on either a trailer or lorry.

He doesn’t get stressed, he isn’t scared of the trailer – be just plants his feet, sighs loadly, looks around at other things etc. It can be a real struggle if I’m on my own. No amount of clicker training, bribing, pushing, pulling etc will get him in – this is only ever when we are leaving the yard – he will load and reload without a problem away from the yard and is quite and content in the trailer once he’s in. It can take anywhere from a minute to 5 minutes to load him – I know that’s not long at all but he’s perfectly capable of walking straight on!

It’s almost as if he doesn't want to go in because he knows he’s going to be going somewhere where he has to work but he’s always fine when he gets there. He's also a bit of a pig when it comes to putting on his travel boots - sometimes he stands no problem and other times you end up chasing him round the stable!

Any suggestions for what I can do to improve this – planning on just loading him and taking him off again a few times at the yard and maybe feeding him when he loads but I feel a bit like I’m just pandering to him as I know he’s absolutely fine in the trailer and is just being stubborn about loading!
 
if he trusts you, have you tried covering his eyes before taking him over and loading him?
a friend of mines otherwise perfect mare refused to load the same as yours is and she would wrap a teatowel over her eyes and lead her in no problems..
 
OMG - five minutes!!!!! I wish - I spent 40 minutes today loading my horse, AND I was pleased, because he did at least get on. You're just making me very jealous.
 
5mins...I wish....one of my boys has a record of 9 and a half HOURS! Yes, seriously!

However, I can sympathise as my other boy has recently started fannying about when loading too....he used to walk straight on, he travels fine, hasn't had any injuries or accidents whilst travelling, is usually travelled in the same lorry and yet suddenly he's decided to be a bit of a twit to load. He does go on, but it takes 2 lunge lines, and sometimes 25mins of time.


Like you I have no idea why he's started doing it.
 
One of my Foresters was a pain to load. We would try the lunge lines, shouting, pushing, you name it. He was never worried, he just stood on the ramp and refused to budge. When loaded, he stood good as gold. One day it took me 2 hours to load him to bring him home, I was ready to drop him off at the nearest glue factory. A friend brought a pressure halter round and he was loaded within 2 mins and using this, we never had another problem with loading him.
 
my 5yr old likes to have a say, at home trailer must be facing field and walks straight in , bought monty roberts hallter and leadrope and put that on if she says no, and she soon walks in and don't need any lunge lines brooms etc now, it is also much easier to put on than the rope type controller halters.
 
my horse was always perfect to load, then he started being sticky to go in. Turned out he had a hock injury and it was uncomfortable for him. remove the middle partition and put single bars on.
I had to trailer him to vets etc while the leg was sore so i think he knew it was going to be too sore/difficult to keep his balance.

Could be he is finding it difficult to keep his balance so doesnt like it.
 
Thanks for the comments - I do wonder why he's started this and don't want to just use a quick fix if there is an underlying problem but he's had body worker and mctimoney corley/shiatsu treatment in recent weeks and no signs of any injuries so I'm at a bit of a loss as to why other than he just doen't want to go out! He'll get some time off from competing in Dec/January so will see how he is next year!
 
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