Loading - a battle of wills...or time to call it a day?

[horseywelsh]

I know just how you feel - your horse sounds exactly like mine. I too very rarely book a lesson away, having missed them before despite loading plenty of time in advance. I have tried the dually halter, but once horse gets in the lorry i can't hold him with that so he runs back out. Always load with a chifney. Getting cross with him makes him worse. Any sign of sticks is a no no. With mine all i can say is it's a blooming good job he performs and does well when we get to competitions otherwise i realy would be at the end of my tether. I wish you all the best, because i know just how hard, upsetting, frustrating it can be, especially when you know there are no explainable reasons for it.

 

[Charlie007]

My friend had the same problem with her boy until she went to a Kelly Marks demo!! She can now load him by herself whenever she likes. I wasn't sure about theses sort of methods but it has certainly worked!!

 

[RobinHood]

I work at a competition centre and we often get horses left over at the end of the day that won't load. People even ask if they can stable the horse overnight and come back the next day to continue trying, erm no we don't have any spare stables!

The 2 things we use are a metal headcollar and a positive attitude ie the horse is going to walk straight in so we can all go home. A control headcollar is important because if you do manage to create forward movement you need to be able to direct them into the lorry/trailer and not be towed off across the carpark.

We reverse the lorry/trailer into a passageway and shut the gate behind the horse. Put the metal headcollar on horse and position people behind with some sort of implement (broom or plastic orange shovel) just to wave behind them. Then purposely walk horse up the ramp and into the lorry. They always go straight in which I think is due to being surrounded by new people who haven't been trying unsuccessfully for x hours so are tired and fed up. We don't have any prior knowledge of the horse so don't expect it to do anything other than walk in.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Its so annoying innit; know what you mean. Mine can be a right B****r to load; then the next time, everything's the same and he just walks in!!! He's usually fine with a lorry though, its trailers that freak him out, perhaps he's claustrophobic?

One day I couldn't load him and he was rearing up and pulling me around and I did a quickie "phone a friend" who does intelligent horsemanship. She came, did some basic groundwork, i.e. making him go backwards, forwards, move sideways from the hand etc, nothing earth-shattering, and then the s*d just walked up the ramp, licked and chewed like he'd read the blimmin Monty Roberts manual, and was OK.

Since then, we've had a few issues, but we're getting there. Apparently the worst thing you can do is chase them into the trailer/lorry; ditto with standing on the ramp with a taut rope and looking at the horse (if you wanna see what they're doing then wear a hat with a rim which will cover your face).

 

[Mrjacks0n]

my horse was so bad 4 years ago he did go to a monty roberts approved teacher and it does work i do have 10 min hiccups occasionally but we tried everything, whatothers say about not letting them just stand and rocking them side to side is one of the things they do and also backing them up never turn them around, horses have to want to load you cant go down the force issue every time you want to go out , take a look for a local trainer in your area on their website www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk ,not as expensive as you might find and they will assess at your place before taking them in if really bad manners and respect on the ground are essential with animals that are extremely strong good luck

 

[natwood7]

my horse was so bad 4 years ago he did go to a monty roberts approved teacher and it does work i do have 10 min hiccups occasionally but we tried everything, whatothers say about not letting them just stand and rocking them side to side is one of the things they do and also backing them up never turn them around, horses have to want to load you cant go down the force issue every time you want to go out , take a look for a local trainer in your area on their website www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk ,not as expensive as you might find and they will assess at your place before taking them in if really bad manners and respect on the ground are essential with animals that are extremely strong good luck

I agree..my horse was really bad to load in a trailer when I got him. Had a few sessions with a natural horsemanship trainer (and lots of practising) and he has been brilliant ever since. Mr Jackson is right...they have to want to load and its is so much easier when they are working with you rather than against you. The key is for your horse to be relaxed and for it not to be a battle. Skills you will learn will also be beneficial in other areas of your work together. Good luck!

 

[spotty_pony]

One of mine can be awkward sometimes. What I have found useful is to do make sure he is walking correctly in hand on the approach to the ramp. Make sure you are not dragging him towards the lorry, he should be walking forwards with his shoulder about level with your shoulder. Also, look straight ahead and be positive, if you look a horse in the eye it can make them feel uneasy. If he doesn't go on first time, I don't tell him off, I walk him away, walk a small circle and try again. Sometimes, I give him a flick with the end of the rope to remind him to keep walking forwards. Also, I have found simply standing him at the bottom of the ramp, not putting any pressure on the rope or anything is helpful as it gives him a chance to look where he has to put his feet and he usually goes in then! Just a question but are you loading him with travel bandages and everything on? I know mine would play up if I made a big deal if getting him ready. I load him in just a headcollar and rope and then put his travel boots on when he's in the lorry.

Hope this helps.

 

[dizz4]

I have a very intelligent gelding who I've owned for 3 years and event. He has, shall we say, a big personality and an even bigger ego.

Now, never had any issues with him loading until one day in September he just decided he didn't want to go in (he had watched his young field mate plant herself on the ramp and seems to have cottoned on to the idea). I consequently missed the competition having spent two hours trying to load him - only to succeed by putting another horse in first, then he went straight in.

If I'm going to a competition, I have to give him his breakfast in the lorry - he goes straight in without batting an eyelid. However, try and load him at home any other time of the day and he's just becoming a pig. Have tried coaxing, lunge line, control head collar, brush, tickle round the ankles, you name it..and he just looks at me to say - Ha, you can't make me! He is the most infuriating animal and I know he's not scared - just being clever (or thinks he is). It is a complete battle of wills. I try and remain calm because I know shouting and screaming is not going to achieve anything (apart from giving my horse some satisfaction!)

He's fine at competitions as he knows he's going home and he travels really well. But I'm now thinking crazy thoughts - like should I sell him, am I no longer able to cope with him (my confidence is fairly dented at the moment as it is). I'm at the stage of dreading going anywhere with him - haven't even had a lesson for months (used to have them weekly) as I can't face the battle :-(

Does anyone have any suggestions? I am seriously at the point of giving up.

Have you tried the control halter around the yard so that he gets used to the pressure release reward and strarts to respond to it, we had trouble loading a mare and she got used to this system and is now quite easy to load, but practised at home first so she got used to it....

cheers.... & good luck nothing more frustrating than a bad loader....

 

[smiffyimp]

Hi. Its taken 3 years for my boy to load properly! Same thing, loaded one day, decided to be a pig the next. Usually 2-3 hours, rearing over backwards of the ramp - all very dramatic. He was 2, now 6 and thankfully grown up a bit! We still have a few objections though. Basically I always use a dually halter and a lunge line (to save breaking my arms) nobody is allowed to help me - more people to show off to. Dont make eye contact, its threatening, keep the pressure on until he moves forward, release pressure and stroke - NO eye contact. I never titbit - doesn't work. I also unload backward (trailer), dont know why but this did help...? I have no problems with chifneys but in his case they make him more agitated. Keep your cool. Remember its a game, watching you get upset and cross shows him hes winning. A friend also used a blindfold on her horse and again worked a treat. I think the Richard Maxwells out there are very good, but very expensive, depends how desperate you are. Persivere, even if you sold, does somebody else want a horse that doesnt load? Try and make the time numerous times during the week just to load and unload so it is part of the weekly pattern. You'll crack it

 

[mrdarcy]

Save up and get Richard Maxwell out, he really is worth the money and you have to do the homework which also boosts your confidence in you and your horse.
Haven't used him for loading but have had lessons for other stuff.

Ditto this. Will be the best money you ever spend. Had him out to get my friend's horse loading. We'd tried everything but could never get more than his front feet on the ramp. We were sceptical - the horse was so adamant he was not going in the box. Richard came out and no lie he had him loaded in twenty minutes. He didn't leave it at that but worked with my friend for the entire morning, loading, unloading again and again and again until the horse was loading himself. He then left my friend with homework to repeat the loading many many times over the next few weeks.

That was a couple of years ago now. If the horse hasn't been loaded for a while he still tries the old tricks but now we have Richard's methods to use and we know that within a few minutes we will always get him loaded by doing exactly what Richard did.

I know lots of people who have since had Richard out to bad loaders and every single one of them was successful.

 

[NELSON11]

My young horse who has just turned 4 and 17.2hh has always been opinionated as some of you may remember and would spend days loading and practising and going on little journeys. Then he would just refuse to go in the trailer. Anyway when I took him to our local sport horse centre to teach him to loose jump for futurity, he would just stand there for hours gazing around not wanting to come home.

And whilst I appreciate he is a young horse, he was genuinely taking the michael out of us. Anyway after loading horses for 25 years or not as the case may be. I was recommended to flick droplets of water up his bottom by John Brake. So that is what we did and he walks straight up the ramp as cool as a cucumber and stands like an angel now.

No stress/pressure involved and let me tell you I have tried everythign over the years.

Now he only has to see the bucket and he knows he will get a splashed bottom so now takes himself up the trailer. And it is only droplets in the hand, not a whole bucket chucked over him,


Certainly made my and my friends who help me out lives an awful lot easier.

 

[horsevideo]

Good points above. I specialise in retraining bad loaders, using a Dually headcollar only and have loaded many who have never loaded or only loaded under sedation etc. It's not rocket science but you need to know the techniques and have really good timing (and patience).

Control headcollars sometimes work just because they give you more "oomph" but often you need to really understand pressure and release techniques to get the benefit.

Getting them to "want" to load is the key to loading every time - you can muscle most of them on, but often they will not reliably go on next time.

IMHO it is not necessary to risk a horse's soundness by having him go over backwards . . no matter how bad a loader he is. If they go up, best to take the pressure off the rope and turn them in tight circles when they come down. Keeping the pressure on can make them go over backwards and necks get broken this way . : -(

Blocking off all the exits with gates, parking next to a wall, etc often helps but make sure there's nowhere a leg can get stuck.

RM is great but very expensive. Kelly Marks's people are much cheaper and do pretty much the same thing with the same results.

Does make life so much easier when they load consistently. Except for muggins who gets to load all the reluctant horses after shows .. lol

 

[Noodlejaffa]

Well, I have taken the plunge and have booked a recommended Natural Horsemanship person to come up on Sunday to give things a go. Fingers crossed! This is something I would never have considered so I really hope we manage to get somewhere.

 

[daisycrazy]

Just a warning to anybody who uses a yard broom or similar for encouragement - an experienced show jumper we used to live near had a yard broom handle kicked straight back through him whilst doing this...

 

[rcm_73]

The towel thing worked for us too although we used my daughter's coat as it was the only thing we had to hand the first time we tried it. Have a pony that travels really well, never sweats, is obviously not scared but is a dominant fella & likes to try his luck. Tried everything & finally used the blindfold a few times with the partition open, we spun him a few times then led him straight up the ramp, worked a treat, only needed it about 3 or 4 times and now we just place a bucket in the trailer and he goes straight in. He always started munching his haynet as soon as he was in, even with the blindfold still on so was obviously not scared. Now having gotten him sorted I have a 5y.o. ex racer mare, who does seem to be a bit frightened & sweats up travelling so not resorted to the blindfold yet as am trying to give her the chance just by familiarising her with the trailer first with feeding her on it.

 

[LBertie Wooster]

i know how you feel! my big chestnut went through the stage of not going anywhere near the ramp! we tried food lunge line everything! didn't work! My instructor got the yard broom out and told me to keep waking him around the yard and then finally asid go up to the lorry.. he woulsdn;'t go it so he ot the broom up his backside! i must admit it did wokr... for a while.. until he was 3weeks box rest ... decided to leave the brrom as it had wokred and he was going near and onto ramp wiht front feet so i got a schooling stick and kept hitting the floor wiith it and he ran up the ramp and got a big pat and some food. now he just loads him self!