Loading a yearling - advise needed

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texas

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So, today I took my yearling pony to her second every show. She behaved like a total pro there, and I am very pleased with her. Only did one class very early then went home cos it was too hot!

I travelled her loose and have a camera on her in the trailer, my groom reports that she travels quietly, eating or dozing. She is not hot or stressed when we have reached our destination (30 mins drive max).

Loading to go to the show, she has gone on willingly when offered some carrots in a bucket (that she got once on). However, to go home again, she refuses all bribery and just plants and refuses to move forwards onto the trailer (or further on if she got her fronts on). Clearly travelling once a day is enough in her opinion! I think she doesn't understand why she needs to go in again. Simultaneously pushing/pulling her forwards didn't work, but both times I have turned her around and reversed her on with success. Great, we got to go home. But, not ideal for when I want her to be a big girl and travel with partitions next year as she'll be facing the wrong way!

I have one more show planned with her, not till September, and I want to do some loading practise in the mean time. Any suggestions for overcoming the planting?

Many thanks. Frozen yoghurt for those who read!
 
I'd suggest lots of leading practice using pressure and release, over plastic sheets, plywood, pallets, etc. and then a small bowl of hard feed in the trailer every day so it becomes routine. I'd avoid any form of compulsion and definitely experts with patent methods!:) You want the trailer to be somewhere they want to go into, not have negative associations with. You've plenty of time until September to get it right.
 
Thank you, good ideas! I have about 8 weeks so plenty of time to practice. My mini is getting jealous of the attention she is getting so would be happily involved as a companion to load and eat dinner with. Will get some tarpaulin too. Not all at the same time obviously don't want to overdo it!
 
Sometimes you just need to out stubborn them and gently persist until they give in. Mine was like that as a baby, took us an hour and half to load him when I bought him, he even shut his eyes at one point!

Gentle, but constant pressure, just slightly more than they are using will usually convince them to move more than brute force and trying to haul them on!

These days he's too nosey not to want to go on!
 
I was tempted rachyblue, but a hot day after a show was not really the time to start that discussion. Will make sure I give companion plenty of hay during practise just in case lol.
 
These are the ones you need to be really kind and gentle with (as I am certain you are ,or why else are you posting:)) Yo take them somewhere fantastic and they have a great time ,but just dont want to go home.A bit like small kids really. And you really dont want to get to that overtired screaming tantrum stage either.:eek:An older and wiser companion would be great. It always amazes me how genuine and trusting youngsters are .I have transported a few and it astonishes me how they will load for the first time ever in their lives.Such wonderfull trusting animals . Sorry , rambling a bit but its been a hard day.:)
 
I let my yearlings 'play' in the trailer so they associated it with being fun. Give them a treat when they're on (very rare that they get treats!) and lots of fuss.

Practice makes perfect :)
 
For some reason I can't embed this video. Not very interesting anyway but just shows how we do it! I've another of them being led over various things to establish trust.

I think the key is to make the trailer a nice place and avoid unpleasant associations at all costs. We also take them for short trips around the fields and try to always arrive where they can get a bite of fresh grass or something else they'll enjoy, then walk them back to their regular field.

http://youtu.be/AfRRCkam0ug
 
Oh bless them Dry Rot, they are cute!

Before we went showing I slowly built up distance and practised walking her away from her (loudly screaming and tantruming!) friends, to the end of the yard drive. She is totally chilled about that now :) Her friends still aren't :rolleyes: I hadn't thought to do the same with the transporting :o I guess I had hoped that the fact we went home to her friends the first time would be incentive enough the second time, but I see now that their thought process doesn't stretch that far.

Mike007, I totally understand what you are saying. I would much rather they behave well because they trust what I have asked of them, rather than because they are scared of the consequences. That gives me a bigger thrill than any rosette :)
 
Take your time , let him plant his feet just stand in the trailer with food and a companion and let him think it though . I used to spend hours just sitting in the trailer with a lunge ine until the yearling came in on his own accord , this makes them very calm because they went in there being sure that there is no monsters going to eat them !! =D
 
I like your line of thinking and if you continue as you've started, I really don't think you will have any problems.

I learnt a very good lesson when training gundogs. I used to group train and would take half a dozen pups out at a time. At first, they'd be violently sick in the back of the pickup (!), but after a week or so they realised it was fun and would be clamouring to get into the truck as they knew where that led to!

If you can apply that sort of thinking to training, it is easy. Find out what they like doing, then set the scene so what YOU want them to do gets them to what THEY want to do! (Trailer + travelling = food, especially with Highland ponies!).
 
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