Loading Issues

S

spotty_pony

...
Joined
29 July 2005
Messages
12,552
Visit site
My pony is fine going into lorries, but we have a trailer and he just will not go in. We have tried everything ... feed, leading another horse in and out first (his best friend) lunge lines, making it as light as possible in the trailer .. he is fine getting his front legs onto the ramp and then he either swings out to to the side or goes off the side of the ramp. I think it could be due to the fact that he doesn't like the enclosed space.

Does anyone have any ideas/advice for what to do with a tricky loader? We really want to get out competing more it's just the loading issues which are holding us back ... any advice much appreciated. x
 
we had a horse at my yard who was awful at loading - and dangerous with it !!

we bougth a campanche halter it goes on like a headcoller and goes up under their top lip - he hasn never not gone on since !!

and this was a horse who broke someones arm and took us 5 hours at a time to load
 
I had a horse who wouldn't load onto a trailer - she spent an hour with a guy called Grant Bazin who handles/rides for Kelly Marks and Monty Roberts, and now she is a different horse. Please please PM me for his telephone number as I know he can help you. He will teach the horse how to load and you won't ever have any difficulties with him in the future - no gadgets or whips or lunge lines needed. My mare follows me onto our trailer now, without even being led.

He isn't even expencive! I can't stress the benefits of fixing the problem inside your ponies head - rather than putting gadgets on him. Let me know!

x
 
Mine hated pressure bein put on him. But what was great was having the box completely empty and open and just walking him through it (parked in entrance to yard/field) after people, DON'T tell off for rushing or not goin just have to be REALLY patient. We then started feeding him in it daily for a couple of weeks and still walking him through it.
It just takes time and patience, don't get stressed or mad and now u walk him up to the ramp, chuck the lead over his neck and he'll walk in!!!!
Good Luck
 
Bear with me on my explanation but mine used to do that and I now do this .....

Bridle on.
Feed lunge line through near side bit ring and clip onto far side. Pull a loop down and hold together with rest of lunge line (if you see what I mean), so you have control of both sides of bit.
Get a lunge whip and hold in left hand.
When pony stops, touch him on hocks with lunge whip to encourage him forward.
When he walks into trailer, feed out lunge line, so you can put back bar on - that way, it makes it a one person job.

Another way a friend uses is to pass lunge line round belly, pass clip end through loop and then through far bit ring, then nearside. Just keep hold and sort of pull in, if you see whatr i mean.

Good Luck!
 
[ QUOTE ]
we had a horse at my yard who was awful at loading - and dangerous with it !!

we bougth a campanche halter it goes on like a headcoller and goes up under their top lip - he hasn never not gone on since !!

and this was a horse who broke someones arm and took us 5 hours at a time to load

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds exactly like Jed. Dont suppose you could tell me where you got the head collor from??
confused.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
we had a horse at my yard who was awful at loading - and dangerous with it !!

we bougth a campanche halter it goes on like a headcoller and goes up under their top lip - he hasn never not gone on since !!

and this was a horse who broke someones arm and took us 5 hours at a time to load

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds exactly like Jed. Dont suppose you could tell me where you got the head collor from??
confused.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

They often appear on e-bay!
 
[ QUOTE ]

Sounds exactly like Jed. Dont suppose you could tell me where you got the head collor from??
confused.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

i googled it actually !!! this is the only thing that has ever worked for us we did all the patience things got people up sent him away etc etc and none of it ever worked - i mean we tried everything for 2 years !!!!!

the first time we put this on he went straight up no problem and now maximum takes 5 mins !!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Sounds exactly like Jed. Dont suppose you could tell me where you got the head collor from??
confused.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

i googled it actually !!! this is the only thing that has ever worked for us we did all the patience things got people up sent him away etc etc and none of it ever worked - i mean we tried everything for 2 years !!!!!

the first time we put this on he went straight up no problem and now maximum takes 5 mins !!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Jesus i cant believe i may have found the answers to my prayer's. Thank you very much!
laugh.gif
* pops off to search the net*

Oh and sorry for hijacking your post!
grin.gif
 
I have to agree with Wan2bEventer - my little TB mare was a right nuisance to load - she would usually go up ok-ish at home, and then refuse to go back on the lorry at shows to come home - which usually ended up with me and her falling out, and shows becoming really not fun at all.

I went to see monty roberts at Merrist Wood a couple of years ago, and I spoke to Dan Wilson (who is also a rider for Monty Roberts and kelly marks along with Grant Bazin) in the interval. He was completely lovely and he offered some advice there and then. Then with watching Monty's loading demo this gave me inspiration to try it with my mare. She now loads first time everytime - but I do truly believe that practicing something like this is so important with a horse who isn't sure of the trailer or lorry, and for a couple of months I took my mare out every single weekend in the lorry - not necessarily competing, but quite often just to the beach, or to somewhere fun - so going out in the lorry became fun too.
 
I have an 18hh IDxTB that absolutely refused to go into our trailer, we first tried the patience route, then the lunge lines but nothing worked. I tried the be nice halter which uses pressure and release, he went straight in with that on as it rewarded him with going forward. We have no problems at all with him now and he loads in a headcollar.
 
Controller halter! My Welsh D went through a phase of this when he first arrived here as a 3yo. He'd just plant him self with front legs at the top of the ramp, then if we asked him to move from there he'd tank off the side! I bought a very thin string type halter which tightens if pulled. Its brilliant. You do need to play with it first on the flat, ie. pull gently on it until he walks forward (which then releases the pressure and thus is what he wants). I walked up the ramp, pulled gently on the halter and he walked straight in! They sometimes argue a little at first in it 'til they get used to it. But its brilliant. Taught him to lead properly too! He's not barged off with me since and now he's been in a normal headcollar for the past year. Also just used this yesterday on my new little 3yo pony who's learning to load - works a treat! And just make sure you treat them like hell when they do go in! I give mine a polo EVERYTIME they load, even if they are the best loaders, just keeps them sweet so to speak!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top