loading issues

O

ohboy

Active Member
Joined
28 January 2010
Messages
49
Visit site
hi all need your advice, our new pony has issues when loaded, she loads ok but is so impatieant (sorry cant spell) we literally have to load and go otherwise she kicks the hell out of the trailer then starts doing mini rears!!! how do i stop her doing this????????? many thanks inadvance
 
PersonallyI would load her and shut her in then immediately stand on a crate behind her and when she kicked would let her know it was not good behaviour by whacking her on her backside.
 
D used to kick our lorry if we didn't set off immediately. We just took it that she was excited to be going out and was impatient as she always loaded and travelled well. We just planned around her so we could go the second she was in. If your horse is otherwise good I'd just adjust your routine so you can go staight away.
 
I would try loading her but leaving the ramp down and just let her stand in the trailer for a while. Keep doing that in small sessions and gradually leave her longer until she is standing quite happily for a reasonable length of time.

Only then start shutting the ramp up. Again leave her there for short periods and then let her out again. Dont build up the time she is left in there for until she will stand calmly without kicking. If you build it all up gradually she should become calmer in the trailer.
 
Our pony is like this if she is bon her own so we just make sure that we are ready to leave savage as she is loaded! She will stand quietly whenever she has company!
 
thankyou all for your advice, she loads and travels well its just the issue when your stationary at yard both ends and if your arrive at show and dont get her off immediatley. when we brought her they brought her down in a lorry and she was the same!
will try loading her and leaving her in there for short amounts of time with ramp down to start then with ramp up, but do i stand with her or just let her get on with it? obviously will stand by but just out of sight.
 
A friends horse used to do this. It was a huge 17.2h ID in a trailer. Used to scare me to death as it looked like he could tip it up (never did)

But he would be the same as soon as it stopped at traffic lights etc

I would be terrified of what would happen if she broke down, or got stuck in heavy traffic


As others have said load her and leave door down. Then put it up for 2 mins, wait till she is at her quietest and open it. repeat repeat hoping to get more time between each one
 
might be worth a try giving her a bucket of food in trailer (if there is anywhere safe to put it) to keep her occupied - good luck x

ps also worth trying with different travel boots as my friends horse used to kick buggery out of the trailer until she changed her boots ! (I think she may have had overreach boots or some brushing boots under the travel boots which made her kick)
 
ohboy said:
thankyou all for your advice, she loads and travels well its just the issue when your stationary at yard both ends and if your arrive at show and dont get her off immediatley. when we brought her they brought her down in a lorry and she was the same!
will try loading her and leaving her in there for short amounts of time with ramp down to start then with ramp up, but do i stand with her or just let her get on with it? obviously will stand by but just out of sight.
Click to expand...

Id start by staying with her and see how she does, but she might be better if you leave her to it! Sometimes they play up more when they know you are nearby. Just see how she goes both ways and decide what works best for you from there. Hope this works for you! :)
 
Foxhunter49 said:
PersonallyI would load her and shut her in then immediately stand on a crate behind her and when she kicked would let her know it was not good behaviour by whacking her on her backside.
Click to expand...

Good way of probably never loading her again!

Keeping calm, good body language and patience is always the best way imo
 
Foxhunter49 said:
PersonallyI would load her and shut her in then immediately stand on a crate behind her and when she kicked would let her know it was not good behaviour by whacking her on her backside.
Click to expand...

I severely doubt this will solve it. Unless you want to cause the horse some serious distress and upset. Flooding and Habituation is never a good thing and should be avoided. Why instill fear in a horse? They may well 'do it' eventually but they're doing it for the wrong reasons. That's never a good thing.

OP, the first thing to do is pinpoint when and where the issue begins. Is it when the trailer is shut on her own? Or with another horse? Or when the trailer is moving? Do you shut the top bit (I know some people who do :( )?

I find that finding the reason makes the problem much easier to solve, apposed to just whacking them and scaring them!

If it is impatience, then do some training at home with her. I taught my horse 'patience' (indirectly), through doing lots of ground tying exercises using clicker training/positive reinforcement. It does make things a lot easier, because he then understands than fidgeting and moving around if not asked can get him nowhere. He DOES NOT receive a smack or shout if he moves, he simply gets ignored and gets nothing out of it. Although we usually train in the field, however he choses to work over graze.

Do you have your own trailer? Perhaps it's worth finding out whether she just dislikes the trailer? Perhaps there is something in there she hates. I think what Foxhunter is ceasing to see, is that horses unlike humans, don't always understand these things, a horse in a small space, moving and it's relatively dark, can be very distressing. Sometimes these problems build up over time and I think people lack empathy in that aspect for their horse.

The following is not my footage; it's from someone I know, she works with abused rescue ponies who have all sorts of issues. There is a lot of trailer loading vids on this;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMF3RGiNHM8&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL


I think we have to sometimes try and remember we're not horses and vice versa, it's impossible to tell what they are feeling and should tackle these issues with empathy and patience. Not force and impatience :)
 
A very good post, lassiesuca.

There is a similar thread on this forum about horses that call repeatedly at shows. I wonder if it is not a loneliness issue? Being removed from the herd?

Perhaps a mirror in the trailer? Or even some item smelling strongly of a stable mate? It might be interesting to try!
 
I work it so we are ready to go as soon as loaded, just try not to stand still in traffic, when taking him on holiday I set off at 5.30am to avoid traffic jams.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top