Loading on a steep ramp

[Catherine Taylor]

When I first got my 4yo a few months ago he walked straight on our wagon, however after only a few trips later( with a very careful and experienced driver, and is perfectly happy on board whilst travelling and at the new venue) we could not load him. He just gets to the bottom of the ramp and stops, doesn't do anything naughty unless pushed but just stands at the bottom of the ramp. after cajooling will put his front feet on but not the back and it's almost as if he thinks he can't walk up the ramp, he almost falls over instead of picking his feet up onto the ramp. When he does get his back feet on he walks up very strangely.
Any ideas how to encourage him to load?
have tried food etc and don't want to bully him on as he is young and want it to be a good experience.

 

[shokkyy]

Mine has always been a tricky loader, but when all else fails the one thing that makes him go straight on is backing up the box to a bank, so the ramp is less steep. I just reverse it to a grass bank next to the yard and drop the ramp down on that, so it's about half the normal angle, and he goes straight on every time. And even when I took him out and he was incredibly cussed and refused to load at all, I drove the box a few yards further down the field to a spot where there was a decent sized bump I could drop the ramp down onto, and hey presto he walked straight on, and that was after an hour of refusing to load. I don't do it every time, only when he's being stubborn about refusing to go on, and it works every time. Much better than fighting with him on the ramp.

 

[perfect11s]

Im lucky my lorry has air suspension so the back can be lowered , however could you as OP surgested back up to a bank or slope or put blocks under the ramp so there is a step but not so steep . steep ramps do seem to worry youngsters/novices and sometimes its not easy getting them down again without leaping/rushing ....

 

[Catherine Taylor]

Ideally that would be my solution to try... however the loading spot at the yard is not ideal as we have to load in a small drive as is the only place to get off the road, no grass or banks in sight to load him off

 

[perfect11s]

Ideally that would be my solution to try... however the loading spot at the yard is not ideal as we have to load in a small drive as is the only place to get off the road, no grass or banks in sight to load him off

try the blocks maybe he will be happier steping up than tackling a steep ramp.......