Loading Issues

J

Jewells

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12 August 2016
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my horse seems to have issues with the ramp on our trailer both coming in and leaving. We tried today just leading him in. We also tried somebody pulling and pushing him we also tried food and a lunge line all of these he either ducked to the left or right side of the trailer. This took us to hours and we still had not got him loaded. In the end we blind folded him with our jumper but this still took half an hour to get him in. It is definitely just the ramp that is the problem because once he was in the trailer he was fine. We tried it again to load him the second time with the blindfold but it fell of when he had all 4 feet on the ramp with a lot of persuading he walked in this proves it is just the ramp. We thought if we could get him walking over different surfaces ie like a board with a rubber mat on top this may help with the loading issues. Does anybody else have any tips and suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
 
Check the ramp first.

Then a good trick for those that wiggle about and strop going on the ramp is to get your leadrope, unclip from the chin and clip to the right cheek ring, thread the rope through the mouth like a bit and then thread through the noseband behind the cheekstrap. Lead as usual to the ramp and put pressure on if they stop or wiggle around. Release pressure at any forward movement. They only fight themselves and it's less stressful. I've used it on a few who don't behave for loading (bad manners rather than loading fear) and it always works. Patience is a must and should only take a few uses until they walk up without a fuss. You may even be lucky and you'll get a walk on with no fuss once you've changed the leadrope set up. I use it on bad mannered horses in hand or on hand walking box rest as they respect it very quickly and you don't get any issues. My gelding turned up with a horrible in hand barge and tank and this sorted him quickly - same for loading - he'd just barge you out the way, but he can't with the leadrope threaded through as above. Had one fight and now he can load with either normal rope set up or threaded through (but walks nicely and don't need to put pressure on).
 
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