Loading on a trailer

[zbella]

Hi, my pony when I first got him used to load straight on the trailer first time and up until a few weeks ago he isn’t loading straight on, I’ll be walking up to the trailer and before the ramp he’ll just stop and stand there, he won’t put up a massive fight or anything like pulling back or rearing instead he’ll just stand there! Eventually after a couple minutes he’ll get on. What should I do to make him load straight on again as it’s quite frustrating for me? Thanks!

 

[MissTyc]

When did you get this pony and how much have you travelled him before this started?

I've seen this sort of thing for so many reasons:
- bad floor/suspension of trailer
- sore hocks/back of pony
- poor handling by handler
& more!

 

[zbella]

When did you get this pony and how much have you travelled him before this started?

I've seen this sort of thing for so many reasons:
- bad floor/suspension of trailer
- sore hocks/back of pony
- poor handling by handler
& more!

I got him 7 months ago and we’ve been travelling quite a lot recently going to pony club and lessons, he’s a cob and is a bit lazy so maybe it could be him not wanting to go out and work?

 

[Shay]

To go from a safe loader to reluctant in 7 months suggests you need to get to the bottom of this before he really won't load at all.

MissTyc is spot on on her lost of things to check. When you bought him was he used to a trailer or was he normally travelled in a box?

Has the trailer been recently checked for suspension, soundness of the floor etc?
How experienced is the driver - might pony have had a poor experience?
Did he normally travel in company in his previous home and now travels alone?
Do you have professional help with ground handling?

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I agree with "Shay" above. You need to get to work on this asap or else one day you'll be in the situation where the pony refuses to load at all!

Do you "play" with the trailer at home?

Is there a side-ramp you can open up and walk the pony through?

Sometimes horses can get spooked at being asked to go into what looks like a dead-end hole, they can't see a way out and this causes them to panic - as prey animals, if a predator chased them into a corner like this then they'd be under threat and this fear still persists when you try to load them into what looks like a black hole.

It would help if you could do some loading at home. Doing groundwork with the pony would be beneficial as it would give him confidence.

I would strongly suggest that you get a professional to help with this at the earliest opportunity however; nip it in the bud before it becomes an issue. By "professional" I would suggest someone of the Intelligent Horsemanship type of mentality - the last so-called "expert" you need is someone who thinks the thing to do is stand behind gee'ing up with a lunging whip...... that's really not what is needed!

 

[zbella]

I agree with "Shay" above. You need to get to work on this asap or else one day you'll be in the situation where the pony refuses to load at all!

Do you "play" with the trailer at home?

Is there a side-ramp you can open up and walk the pony through?

Sometimes horses can get spooked at being asked to go into what looks like a dead-end hole, they can't see a way out and this causes them to panic - as prey animals, if a predator chased them into a corner like this then they'd be under threat and this fear still persists when you try to load them into what looks like a black hole.

It would help if you could do some loading at home. Doing groundwork with the pony would be beneficial as it would give him confidence.

I would strongly suggest that you get a professional to help with this at the earliest opportunity however; nip it in the bud before it becomes an issue. By "professional" I would suggest someone of the Intelligent Horsemanship type of mentality - the last so-called "expert" you need is someone who thinks the thing to do is stand behind gee'ing up with a lunging whip...... that's really not what is needed!

The other day I had a lesson and before loading him I opened up all the sides and it was all very bright for him and thankfully he walked straight in! Thank you for your reply I never thought of opening up the side ramp but it definitely helped ?

 

[Lintel]

Sometimes put him in there to feed.
Sometimes put him on there to leave.
Sometimes put him in there to groom.
Sometimes put him in and straight back out.

That way they just associate the trailer as another "thing" that they do "something" in.

Definitely open up the side ramp, make sure the ramp door isn't moving and is level?