Loading help/pressure halter/loading expert

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missirons

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6 July 2012
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Hello
My horse has a real issue with loading! Went to a show yesterday and spent 2.5hrs trying to get him to go home but didn't have any luck! Luckily we were close enough to hack home but didn't think we would have to.

I was wondering if anyone has experience using a pressure halter for loading problems?

I do not have experience using one. Are they easy to use or would it be beneficial to have an expert out to help?

And if anyone knows of anyone that is around the midlands area please let me know!

Thank you.
 
Feel your pain! Been there, done it. Etc.

The thing with using a pressure halti is knowing how it works, i.e. the "reward" for the desired behaviour is to release the pressure, and timing plays a huge part in this. Get it wrong and you'll make the whole thing worse.

Personally I'd ask an expert if unsure as it would be beneficial to be shown how it can help in a loading situation. Sorry don't know your area but (this is personal choice) I would seek an Intelligent Horsemanship practitioner (their website will give details) as for my horse, in my situation, one of their practitioners here in my area helped us a lot.
 
You need to get someone who knows what they are doing to show you. I went to a Richard Maxwell clinic about 15 years ago and it revolutionised my life. My horses all load perfectly and it is purely from seeing him work and reading his books. Is not hard, but you have to be consistent and know what you are aiming for.
 
Another vote for Richard Maxwell I had him out to a horse that I had written off as impossible to load. Half an hour and he was happily loading on and off! Well worth every penny!
 
I have used the Richard Maxwell pressure halter for three years on our tricky mare! She loads beautifully now and doesn't need any pressure from it. I have gone back to trying in a head collar but she won't load in one unless another horse is already in trailer. The other girls on my yard all use it to load now and I have helped load several tricky loaders at shows/ pony club with it! It comes with a dvd on how to use it!
Where in West Midlands are you?
 
Another vote for Richard Maxwell and his pressure halter, he really helped with my difficult loader and I use the techniques he teaches for the other 'tricky elements' of my horse's personality! ;) He also helped me understand why she is how she is and the peculiarities of dealing with a dominant mare.
I had been to demos and read his books, which helped enormously, but my mare is a very determined character so I felt I needed him in person for loading to make sure I got it right. Expensive, but worth every penny if you do your homework when he's gone.
 
Mine has slowly been getting worse over the last few weeks with it taking 90 mins to get her on on Friday :( So, on Sat I spent a full day with her & the trailer just trying different things, lunging if she refused to go in, backing up, bribing with feed etc.

After about 4 hours she was still not loading so I borrowed a friends dually headcollar. We did some work with pressure/release in the field first then I went to load her. She did her usual, front feet on the ramp & then just stops. I put a little pressure on & kept it there she then tried to pull back, couldnt so just walked straight on (of course I released as soon as she stepped forward). I gave her a polo, waited a few minutes then backed her off & tried again. She walked straight on about 4 times.

The daughter then rode her for an hour before we tried her again. She did stop on the ramp once but walked straight on once pressure was applied. Yesterday we then went to a show & she walked straight on both to go & then come home first time wearing the dually. I highly recommend!!! xx
 
I had issues with my boy which have been completely solved thanks to Tarrsteps from here :) I don't know where you are based but I would drop her a PM - she is incredible and nailed my issues within 20 seconds of watching me try to load (I didnt even get half way up the ramp!!).

I've not had an issue since she came and I am actually going to have her back soon so she can teach B to load on his own - now THAT will be a cool trick ;)
 
Thank you for your responses!

I am in Northamptonshire which is east midlands.

I think I will get the Richard Maxwell training halter with the DVD. I would love to have him out but I would like to try myself with the halter first as getting him out would seriously leave me out of pocket!

Thank you again and I really hope the halter works as I haven't heard anybody say it hasn't!
 
Another one who would highly recommend Richard. Before you decide that he is too expensive, give him a call as if you can get a few people together who also need him the price per person reduces. It's not just about the halter but its about the groundwork you need to be able to do beforehand.
 
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