Loading a Stubborn Beastie - Help please

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Kate_13

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My boy has been in and out of the lorry numerous times and travels very well. However he has never been keen on going in it. He has always been stubborn, but various techniques have worked, but now he was worked out that if you just stand on the lorry ramp and have a stupid look on your face and don't move at all that it infuriates mother!!

A tickle with a lunge whip helps, but can't do this if I go out on my own. We normally load on the pressure release thing with a polo for reward. A lunge line won't work as he goes beserk with anything round his legs.

I know for a fact that beastie is fit well and has absolutely no fear of the lorry at all.

Help please. Thankies xx
 
Me too !
I would be interested in any tips, my cob does the donkey trick and just plants his ample self ! again will go in fine if someone just gently slaps his bum, but I can't be at both ends at once !
 
Try using a long lead rope, carry the long bit across the front of you and use the free end to flip it behind you towards his belly to encourage him forward. Practise this on the ground first so he gets the idea that this is his signal to go forward
 
The 2 things that have worked for me are:

Don't let him stand still on the ramp or anywhere near. As soon as he stops, whether on the ramp or at the bottom of it, make him go backwards, turn left, turn right, tight circle, forward, backwards, trot a bit away etc. Use your voice in asking him to do all this, all in quick succession. No breaks.

Most horses don't like brain work. Would rather just go in the box for an easy life than have to think.

Or...the waiting game.

Get yourself a nice picnic and good book, folding chair. Place inside the lorry where you're not going to get crushed when he bounds in. Put him on a lunge line and wear gloves to stop rope burn. Then go up into the lorry, sit on your chair, eat your food, read your book (holding onto lunge rope) and totally ignore him. Park said lorry somewhere where there's no grass or anything for him to eat and then sit it out.
 
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We normally load on the pressure release thing with a polo for reward.

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is this using a halter?

If not get yourself one of Monty Roberts Dually Halters... it works on the pressure release thing but is far more effective than a normal headcollar, they are quite pricey but i wouldnt load without one!

I would also definatly recomend one of Montys Recomended associates to come and help and show you the most effective ways of loading your stubborn boy!

main tips that i picked up when in a similar situation;
*keep them moving so when he plants, go from a different angle to make him move his feet. Back him up and ask him forward on the ground if he starts to switch off. Also a good idea to spend time doing ground work ensuring he can move freely around you...

its quite hard to explain and sorry if ive told you things youve tried already... oh also, do you only ever load him to go out competing...? maybe just load him to give him a feed so he doesnt just assocciate the lorry with hard work!!!

hope this helps!
 
Have you got a pressure headcollar? There's a few around. One of mine did exactly this, he never loaded badly - he just had a habit of walking to the top of the ramp then stopping and enjoying the scenery for 5 mins before suddenly deciding to go in!

If with someone, they'd stand behind him with a squeezy bottle of water and squirt it at his bum - that surprised him enough to go in pretty quick!

If on my own, Id use a string halter thing which tightened with pressure. Again, he learnt to just walk on as soon as he felt the pressure. Soon after he quit doing it and now walks straight in
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I have tried various methods over the years, such as coaxing and being patient, but sometimes you just haven't got time to faff about, so I make sure I have a helper, then get them to give the horse a whack on the ar$e.
Doesn't need to be hard - just something to startle them into moving forwards.
They then get plenty of praise and a treat once in.
smile.gif
 
Get someone is who specialises in this sort of thing - it doesn't have to be one of Monty's disciples, just someone experienced and knowledgeable.

People think this is such a simple thing they should be able to just get it done but it's one of those things like flying changes: if it works right off the bat, then great, no one thinks about it again, but if it doesn't then it can be a real ongoing problem and requires an actual educated solution, not just perseverance and repetition.

There are slightly different approaches which favour certain horses and certain situations. The advantage of getting someone who will come out and work with you is that you can tailor make a plan, see it put into action, and practice under supervision. You might also be surprised at some of the parallels you find with other aspects of dealing with your horse - I cannot tell you how many trailer loading sessions I've done with people which ended up in discussions about patterns of movement, reactions, thought processes etc. which had ramifications for riding and other handling situations, sometimes even soundness concerns. I'm not saying it's always the case, just that it can be a very interesting process in more than the obvious way.

Plus, as you say, loading quickly and easily is an ESSENTIAL skill. There is no excuse for not making sure a horse is good about it.

There's nothing wrong with seeking expert advice.
 
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