loading advice?

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welshied

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My 3 year old has had problems with loading ever since i got him. He had a 4 hour journey to me when he was a yearling which made him wary after that tbh which i don't really blame him for but it was a smooth journey.

when he was a 2 year old i kept trying him he was hesitant and not really going on anyway yard owner used rope behind back end to try to force him on even though i was telling him not to but all happend so quick that before i could stop him he was on que horse panicking like mad, anyways after this i got the professionel help to come and help load him and he started to go on no problem and i kept doing this weekly but the in the bad weather over winter i couldn't get trailer out of field so we missd a few months.

Tried him again this summer and first few times he went on good as gold but i was told always leave front ramp open as it would be too dangerous otherwise, but he started loading on then when he was halfway on i could stop him but then he would just run through it and its impossible to stop him.
But now i can't even get him to go on it so just wondered if anyone had any advice?
 
i had one that food didnt work for, but my problem was he would run out backwards when half way up the ramp not run forwards. if you get horse into trailer though feeding whilst in the trailer can make it seem a happier place. can you leave the front breast bar up but the ramp down so the trailer still appears open but there is something in the way to stop him? as surely its still dangerous if he is running through?

i think its important to keep practicing even if you're not going anywhere. mine learnt quite quickly that the trailer wasn't that bad, but started to be naughty instead of scared. one hard slap on the bum when running backwards & we never had a problem again. however when he was younger & genuinely nervous of the trailer a much more calm, understanding approach was needed.

could you also get a stronger person (i.e. man) to load him a few times? dont need to bully him, just someone that may be able to hold him on the trailer whilst someone puts the ramp up. i had to get my dad to load mine a few times as he was able to hold him still whereas i had no chance

hope some of this is useful & good luck

Sally
 
We had a real battle with our 5 yr old 17hh, who doesn't respond to bullying in any situation, he just digs his heels in further! What we did was lay a trail of carrots, from the middle of the ramp thro to front of trailer then at front of trailer he found his tea. We fed him in it for a week, starting with no partition and front ramp down, & jockey door open and let him walk off front when finished his tea. Then after a couple of days brought front ramp up but left top part open and jockey door open and backed him off to unload, then after a week he went in for his tea with the whole of the front ramp and jockey door closed. However, we still find that bribery doesn't always work so we use 2 lunge lines crossed behind him to "push" him forward but still using carrots as a reward. We also find that the ramp has to come up before we tie him up otherwise he will panic and run backwards and we've had several broken headcollars! A friend's just advised me to always unload from the front to prevent him running off backwards as he will think that the exit is forward not backwards. This is SOOO frustrating but time and encouragement works much better than bullying. Also, you're always worried that even tho you may get somewhere, will you be able to come home - we spent an hour and a half loading to come home the 2nd time we took him out. Another thing, we don't travel with the partition in, just a front breastbar and cross-tied which suits him as he's such a big lad, although a friend with a little Connie travels the same. I wish you all the very best of luck.
 
heyy,
at a yard i used to work at, there was a mare with the same problem....
we attempted to load the mare every day and when sucessful she would eat her breakfast in the trailor. as time went by the mare began to load with no problem and began to associate her meal time with being loaded in the trailor since horses are known to thrive from routine.
Also, loading your youngster in the company of a quiet companion may be of use.
Time and patience is the most imporant thing.
good luck, keep us updated x
 
I have tried food but literally put carrot in his lips and he still didn't take a bite couldn't get his interest in it, we were advised about putting bar up but he barged straight through it will try him following another one on will get the retiree out of his field lol
 
Mine's a right B****r to load: runs back (taking me with him), rears up, jumps off the ramp and up the hedge, you name it he does it.

I had a friend to help: she does natural horsemanship, and she got us doing lots of groundwork to get him listening to me on the ground, i.e. moving away from my hand on his girth, moving his forelegs, hindlegs, going forwards/backwards etc etc. The main thing is to get the horse listening to you and responsive before you even think of loading.

Then, the thing to avoid (she says) is not to let people chase him into the trailer/lorry. If you've got him to the stage where he'll follow you (join up) then you just walk up the ramp, saying "walk on", or whatever, and DO NOT LOOK BACK AT HIM coz horses find that mega threatening (if you want to look at him, then wear something with a hood/brim that covers your face).

Thats the theory anyway ......... we're getting there, slowly!
 
Well, as Mum of the ginger sausage some of you may remember I have had proper help, and it works :) My oh will grin when I say we have had 100% success, we have. Last week straight in at the field. straight back in after the ride, this morning straight in at the field, new location on the way home - no way!! However, I rang my IH trainer who gave advice ( only things I had been taught before) and eventually - about 40 minutes later when I was just on the point of shall I tack her up and ride for 3 hours home, or shall we take number 1 back and come back for her when with a "right that's it, last time come on, you can do this" in she went! The relief and the success and the woo-hoo we did it were overwhelming and we came back smiling (well mostly lol). Every time we overcome her "internalisation of the problem" I feel better and more ready to say where shall we go next time and look forward to it. There is NO substitute for expert help. I have to say there is no food bribery or force, she comes in because she is hooked on to me and wants to do it, well we do it together :) The money is well spent and once you commit, don't be prepared to hand the loading over to anyone else other than the Intelligent horsemanship assistant, you must learn to do it yourself and practice as I am doing. After all if someone had to help you tack up every time....... good luck!
 
its all repetitive training! never start if you dont have the time to end the task! you cant/shouldnt leave a problem it will only be worse the next time. allow plenty of time! so hitch and place your trailer (get at least one side blocked in!) take partitions out and open up. get horse (who you have trained to lead, stand stop and walk on! with a bridle on! with an encouraging schooling whip! and a hard hat and gloves for you, some nice food in a bucket) then get pony to ramp and encourage forward, when in or 3 parts in a little treat! from bucket. once inmake stand and eat to at least the count of 30 if not longer then walk off. repeat til standing in for 5 minsetc. then put up front ramp get in feed drop ramp and get off slowly pat . get in again stand do back ramp up wait for 5 then unload. keep going increasing time standing in with ramps done up! takes time on a regular basis then short joourneys then longer journeys then getting off and on in odd places (friends yards). but i suspect the pony is taking the mick somewhere along the line.
 
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