Loading Issues Help Please

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claire_p2001

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I have a gorgeous Showjumper one problem is he won't load 1st! He is not scared because he runs straight up if another horse is already loaded! I have tried everything i can think of to get him up but wondered if anyone has any tricks that i may not have thought of? I'm going to a show on Sunday and would love for him to go on his own! Any help appriciated.

Thanks x
 
if you are sure that he wont load because he's taking the pee then i have a method that is working a treat on my mare.

my mare was taking longer and longer to load, wasnt scared or anything just taking the pee. so i got a lunge line attached it to her headcollar then wrapped it once around the front breast bar in the trailer. then you can use the strength of the bar to stop the horse pulling back. the pressure on the horse is released when they walk forward into the trailer. once the realise they cant get away they give in and walk into the trailer.

i think this only worked cos i knew my mare was taking the pee and was in no way scared.

1st time i did this my mare resisted until she realised that there was no point which was after about 4mins then when we loaded to come home from the event it took her one time of testing the lunge line (pulling on it) realissed it wasnt going to budge, walked straight in
grin.gif
happy days
 
Mole neat trick. Very clever idea. Shall have to use that one next time we have to take the stubbon one somewhere
 
yes they was my trick for my cob, looks like gona have to start doing it with my mare now as shes taking longer to load.
 
You CAN resort to dragging a horse in by wrapping the line around the breast bar but it isn't really the answer - and the way to deal with this is to increase ground handling so that the horse becomes responsive and obedient on the ground, before approaching the trailer...


...no whips, no lunge lines, no bribes
 
Have you tried a bull collar from scats etc? It works on a similar principle of the pressure being released once they walk forward? It's a white rope halter used for showing bulls etc. You need the one with the metal ring and it costs about £5 and always works for me.
 
[ QUOTE ]
You CAN resort to dragging a horse in by wrapping the line around the breast bar but it isn't really the answer - and the way to deal with this is to increase ground handling so that the horse becomes responsive and obedient on the ground, before approaching the trailer...


...no whips, no lunge lines, no bribes

[/ QUOTE ]

Coo, you must be strong if you can drag a horse up a ramp!
Actually the secret of this trick is just to pull the horses head slightly forward of its normal position ,and wait.The horse decides to ease its neck by walking forward.You just keep taking up the slack.One of three things will happen.
1) The horse will keep walking up the ramp,To be greated with a pat and a reward.
2) It will stop again,so simply repeat the procedure.
3) It will rear, inwhich case it has to walk forward,on comming down ,to its surprise it finds itself even further up the ramp and still with an uncomfortable neck.
There is no shouting or whips or violence. The horse will realise that it is not a human it is fighting but itself.THEY ALL give up in the end,and they learn from it.

You may have to block in the sides of the ramp to prevent the horse stepping sideways off the ramp.

A good nylon rope may be needed and a strong headcollar.

Wear gloves and keep well out of the way,and NEVER wrap the rope oround the bar or ring more than once.It may lock and you wont be able to release it quickly if you have to.

This method always works and horses learn from it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Coo, you must be strong if you can drag a horse up a ramp!
Actually the secret of this trick is just to pull the horses head slightly forward of its normal position ,and wait.The horse decides to ease its neck by walking forward.You just keep taking up the slack.One of three things will happen.
1) The horse will keep walking up the ramp,To be greated with a pat and a reward.
2) It will stop again,so simply repeat the procedure.
3) It will rear, inwhich case it has to walk forward,on comming down ,to its surprise it finds itself even further up the ramp and still with an uncomfortable neck.



[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, but when my mare used to rear on approaching the ramp, she pulled the rope out my hand and happily took step backs on landing.

After 2 hours of the softly softly approach I got my father's help and we clipped a lunge line to the side of the trailer and brought it round behind her legs with a firm pressure to encourage her to walk on, and praise when she did. Much less stressful for all involved and no rearing. It only took a few times with this for her to start walking in normally. Very occasionally she plays up, and now all we need to do is let her see the presense of the lunge rope and she'll walk right up quite contently.
 
mole or mike 007

Can you explain where you stand when you do this with the lunge line? Do you wrap it round and stand outside on the ramp / next to them.

I have a pony who is a bugger sometimes to load and i think this might just work for him!
 
i dont drag my horse into the trailer i let her work out that moving forward is the best/most comfortable option for her to take and like i said i only use this method as i know my horse is just taking the pee
 
maxapple - the beauty of using this method is that you can do it solo if needed.

you can stand at the front of the trailer all the time and get someone else to do the ramp while rewarding the horse with some feed or once the horse is in you can hold onto the lungeline and work your way to the back of the trailer knowing that you are still holding your horse (if tied up at this point mine wld run backwards to be with me and break the lead rope) and do the back bar up yourself, remove lunge line and connect your horse to the leadrope then give them some treats and go and do the ramp

hope that makes sense
grin.gif
 
Mole - absolutely. Mine is just taking the pee too! I have one horse who is terrified of travelling & I wouldn't even dream of trying that with him, but my pony is a ratbag. Some days he'll walk straught on - others he'll just be a git!!

I'm going to give it a go tomorrow. So - just to make sure i;m with you ... i stand in the front, wrap the lunger ein round the bar once and just allow the pressure to 'persuade' him to get on?
 
yep when they move forward just take up the slack so that going bacwards is never an option.

make sure that youve got your horses legs well protected as first time my mare stepped off the side of the ramp so she had to be loaded from there - wrong answer from horse so pressure doesnt release.
 
[ QUOTE ]
mole or mike 007

Can you explain where you stand when you do this with the lunge line? Do you wrap it round and stand outside on the ramp / next to them.

I have a pony who is a bugger sometimes to load and i think this might just work for him!

[/ QUOTE ]

I would stand behind the bar ,or if it is a ring in the front of a horse,box, to one side .The important thing is not to put your self in danger if the horse pulls and somthing breaks.

Incidentally I have also used this method on my own ,with a normally good loader who had been injured, and HAD TO go on the horse box. I think he appreciated having somthing to pull against ,poor fellow.
 
I was told to kepp walking horse side to side at edge of ramp, keeping them constantly moving so that they eventually get bored and go in. Did work for a while. Have mirror and tracle lick n my box which helps. Mirror great comfort to her.
 
Try feeding him every day in the trailer for a bit. That way he wont associate it with only going out to be ridden at shows etc. And you can always bribe him up the ramp with the bucket of feed until he gets the idea?
 
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