Loading onto trailer - what order do you do things?

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Scot123

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Hi. I have an Ifor 505. I also have 2 ponies - one who loads in such a docile way that you'd think he was asleep. And one who is incredibly jumpy.

What order would you load in? Docile pony first, but then the partition will have to be in place for the other one? And then do you tie pony before back bar is up? Or get the back closed up and hope horse hasn't dashed out the front?

So... how do you load yours?!
 
I would tie the jumpy pony up and watch him watch the docile one walk in and out a couple of times for him to watch. Try your docile one first and let the other guy watch then making sure there is two of you, slowly and calmly wal in, don't act like you're expecting an outburst as horse can sense your tenseness. Try bribe in with feed and hopefully with your calm guy stood there he/she will see there is nothing to worry about and should walk straight in. Walk along side and not I front and don't attempt to drag up, just take all the time in the world , you can always put a lunge line around the bum to help encourage in, but use that as a last resort. I.r clip it on to the trailer and the walk to the other side so it's behind the horses bum
 
When we load we just walk them both up the ram at the same time and which ever horse wants to go in first gets to haha probably not the most proper but it works..
 
I would load the quiet pony first...how small and sensible is it? I can have my small pony in one side and still angle the back partition across the back of his stall allowing the second pony a wider entrance. I would always have someone with me so that when the jumpy pony loads you can be stood at his head praising him whilst the other person closes the back bar across, then you can tie him up when he is happy. The pony won't shoot out of the front if you have the breast bar across before you load and then you can just duck under it before you tie him up.

I travel alone a lot with my docile pony, I tend to load him, duck under the front bar, fasten the back bar, then come back to the front and tie him up.

Because my pony is around 11.2hh I have had lower bar attachments put on my trailer level with the bottom of the central partition so they are the correct height for him.

Hope this helps?
 
All really helpful - thank you! Actually that's a really good point, the (very) docile one is a shetland so I bet I could do the same and load him first whilst still having enough space to keep the partition angled - thanks for the tip!

I didn't know you could get the breast bar lowered. That would be SO helpful (not that I could do it in time for their next trip in the box, but worth knowing). At 12.2hh jumpy will try and barge under the bar if I'm not careful and that just adds to this cycle of fear for her... Will definitely look into that.

So in general, get the rear ramp up before tying?
 
Scot123 said:
All really helpful - thank you! Actually that's a really good point, the (very) docile one is a shetland so I bet I could do the same and load him first whilst still having enough space to keep the partition angled - thanks for the tip!

I didn't know you could get the breast bar lowered. That would be SO helpful (not that I could do it in time for their next trip in the box, but worth knowing). At 12.2hh jumpy will try and barge under the bar if I'm not careful and that just adds to this cycle of fear for her... Will definitely look into that.

So in general, get the rear ramp up before tying?
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It should take someone reasonably competent in DIY less than 30 minutes to lower the breast bar in your trailer and they should be able to use existing parts. It only needs a few new holes drilled in the side panel and partition so no big deal. While he's at it, I'd get him to replace the dome headed screws with barrel headed screws as the latter are easier to undo in an emergency.

I just checked with Monty Robert's book ("Ask Monty") as I like to get things right! Quote: "Never tie your horse up in the trailer until you have a secure closure behind him". So there you go.

As a mater of interest, if you watch your horses carefully, they tell you in what order they like to load! My Highland stallion usually loads perfectly but he had to share transport with a little Welsh stallion who had stayed over night in the next stall. My Highland refused to load. But I noticed he kept taking a glance over his shoulder. I told the girl to load the Welsh first, the Highland then loaded without hesitation. He just didn't want to leave his new mate behind!
 
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That makes sense for moving the screws on the outside of the box. My Ifor is a wee bit old (early 90's I think) and there's only two heights of 'rails' in the centre where the bars could fit? Is that right, or could I somehow rig up something lower?
 
Scot123 said:
That makes sense for moving the screws on the outside of the box. My Ifor is a wee bit old (early 90's I think) and there's only two heights of 'rails' in the centre where the bars could fit? Is that right, or could I somehow rig up something lower?
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I don't know. I had an older Ifor but cannot remember how the bars are retained. Photo? Or have a word with your local dealer?
 
Thanks again. I think I'll have to work with what I've got for this trip... Then see if I can get the box to a dealer over the winter. The centre partition isn't solid - it has a middle solid section, then sort of metal 'slats' at each end. Not a very good description (tried uploading a photo and failed)!!
 
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