Loading a nappy horse?

I

ilovehorses<3

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I have a mare who i keep at my house, she is the only pony around and she has always travelled alone and lived on her own. Loading at the house is fine, but when it comes to leaving other horses and loading at shows she will refuse to go on the horse box. I've tried the nice and the tough approach, nothing works she rears, bucks and kicks, she will only walk onto the horse box happily if there is another pony on with her. Any ideas on what to do?
 
sorry but it sounds like shes telling you she wants a friend, cant you get something small on loan to keep her company at home then they could travel with her:)
 
even if horses seem ok by themselves its always better if you can give them company. i think it would be a really good idea and i bet you your horses napping will stop if shes got a little pal that goes there and back with her, good luckx:)
 
Oh dear my horse would like a lot more oats - should I give it to him? He would like to be turned out in a field belly deep in grass - should he have that too?

Why is it that when a horse is misbehaving that people go for the path of least resistance?

By getting a companion is not getting the horse over the problem, it is asking for bigger issues - like the horse becoming nappy and not wanting to leave its 'friend'

It is also a lot of added expense in caring for another pony regardless of size and a smal only would need less in the way of grass so it gets shut in part of the time so horse frets because friend is not with it.

What to you is tough? I would crack a lunge whip across her hind legs if she reared and she would get two if she lashed out - and she would not have boots on so she felt the sting.

She is just having you on if she loads fine at home and not leaving others. Get tougher.
 
"What to you is tough? I would crack a lunge whip across her hind legs if she reared and she would get two if she lashed out - and she would not have boots on so she felt the sting". remind me not to call you if i ever get issues with my horses -this reminds me of a piece of advice i heard -""where knowledge ends violence begins! ""
 
Lol OP i was in exactly the same position as you, im up to 3 companions/ others at the yard and guess what she is exactly the same!!!!!!:D:D even if i take one of the others, load them first at the other end, the little blighter still wouldnt go in to come home!!
Best thing i found, is to practice, practice and practice, i used neighbours yard as a starting point, less than a mile away so if it got too bad, ie had thoughts it would be over an hour etc, then i would be within walking distance of home, i stopped getting in a fight with her, just made it worse, i just repeated going in, pressure and release if she stopped at the bottom of the ramp, praise, and just waited it out tbh, its a long game, mine is a native type, and only ever gets fed in the trailer now, touch wood she is fine, i also, once ive finished a class when out, dont tie her up to the trailer, she only gets her hay inside once loaded, seems to make it easier not to let her hang about after, but straight in, good luck op, and some horses as the others say, may need a companion, but in my case it wasnt that simple :o

ETA i also got tough, but lunge whips, brooms, lunge lines, 5 men up her backside, blindfolds etc, just made the situation and frustration worse!
 
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Good god don't attack her! What stupid and awful advice! Foxhunter if I seen someone do this I would have a serious words with the organiser if not you, yourself! Patience and care is the way forward, not bullying and being bloody cruel! Good luck OP stick in there, your patience will pay off horses are sent to try us sometimes and keep us on our toes x
 
archiepoo said:
"What to you is tough? I would crack a lunge whip across her hind legs if she reared and she would get two if she lashed out - and she would not have boots on so she felt the sting". remind me not to call you if i ever get issues with my horses -this reminds me of a piece of advice i heard -""where knowledge ends violence begins! ""
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You are incorrect in making such a statement.
I agree that softly softly is by way and far the best thing but there are times when a horse is taking the mickey then that is the time to get tough.

Do I have problems loading any horses here? No I do not, not even the youngsters who have never been travelled since they came home from the stud as a foal.
I do not have a loading ramp nor do I use a lunge line, I let them look and then follow me. They trust me so know that there is nothing to be worried about.

Now, if one of the well seasoned horses suddenly decided that he was not going to load for whatever reason then he would get a crack across the backside.

I have two people call e in the last two days asking if I can go and teach their horse how to load - that is how good my reputation is in the local area.

I am no nonsense, plain and simple. I own the air that any horse I am dealing with, breathes. They know it and they know that I will not take any messing around.

I can immediately assess when a horse is frightened or worried and when it is fooling and I am no inexperienced fool who has read all the natural horsemanship books and seen all the DVDs, I am experienced for, no doubt, more years than you have been in on this earth and, still learning.
 
Well said FH49, agree with every word if it's because of stubborness which this sounds to be. It certainly doesn't sound frightened (and that is a different kettle of fish completely which deserves patience and sympathy)
 
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