Loading question

[Foxford]

Those of you with fussy loaders!

Horsey has only been out a few times in the box, but each trip he is more and more reluctant to load. He has started walking backwards down the ramp when he decides not to go in! I've been practicing with him but I feel he needs a lunge line behind him to stop this.

So I suppose my question is, do you think I should just use the lunge line (provided I can find some willing volunteers!) or keep trying to tempt him up the ramp with hay and carrots until he gets the message?! He is a good traveller and as soon as he goes in he just munches on his haynet.

You can take a horse to a box but you can't make him go in, lol!

Thanks.

 

[kerilli]

i wouldn't go the route of the lunge-line, because then you can end up with a horse that always takes 2 or 3 people to load. i'd do lots of work on the ground with him, ideally in a controller halter, so that if he does stop/start going backwards, you can remind him that it's not on. if he travels fine then it sounds as if he's either nervous about the ramp, in which case he needs patience and coaxing (and i find that if i march about on the ramp, they believe it'll hold them too!), or taking the P***, in which case a smart tap with a long dressage whip held beside/behind you, so you can tap him on the bum while leading him forward, and a controller halter to convince him that it's not a laugh going backwards, might be all he needs!
very best of luck... horses that are awkward to load can be so frustrating, i know.

 

[Foxford]

Thanks, yes that's why I'm a bit reluctant to start using the line in case he comes to rely on it. In truth, I think he is nervous of the ramp, as he has had a couple of little slips. Daft thing doesn't realise walking backwards down the ramp is a whole lot harder than just going up!

I guess I'll just have to spend a few weekends with him before we book our next dressage test. It probably doesn't help that he is slower than a sloth on heroin and you can't exactly get a running start up the ramp!!

 

[the watcher]

In short, neither is good. As has been said, reliance on a lunge line means that eventually you will need to collect up a loading party for every outing - not practical. Relying on food means that you are bribing the horse on to the box, instead of teaching the horse to trust you and follow your instructions.

Ground work away from the trailer, then starting with an open trailer and no partition and walking through, gradually building ina stop, then the partition, then the breast bar, then the doors is the way, and be prepared to spend a whole day doing it, with breaks.

Also when you unload your horse after a journey, walk it straight back on to the trailer and walk through a couple of times.

 

[kerilli]

if he is worried about the ramp, you need to spend as long as it takes (allow an hour or two!) getting him to believe that it's safe. i find that having the horse on a 15' rope and controller halter, and then just sitting to the side of the ramp facing him, letting him sniff it, putting no pressure on at all, then getting up and wandering about on the ramp, letting him see that it's really fine and i'm not worried by it, really helps.
i've also, in an enclosed yard, let a nervous horse stay loose and watch his friend going in and out, in and out of the box... never had a loading problem again with that one.
it's all about building his confidence - all horses are natural cowards and natural pessimists, as pat parelli said... i'm no devotee, but he does at least understand how horses think! tons of time and patience = tons of confidence, eventually... and time spent now will pay off a thousandfold in future. hope it goes well!

 

[Chex]

I put poles on either side of the ramp, stops him swinging off of it - I think he was anxious of going up the ramp incase he slipped off the side. I use a be-nice halter too. I wouldn't rely on food, I found he just wasn't interested in it when I was trying to load up at a show!

 

[sueandtoto]

Try and spend a couple of days just letting him to eat carrots off the ramp with no pressure to load him , tie him up outside with a haynet so he gets used to being near the box and then put a carrot half way up the ramp and try to temp him up , try not to get stressed or angry ( hard I know!) because they just play up even more and try not to use a lunge line because then you may find you always need it which involves helpers, once he's loaded close the partition and let him eat a haynet and give him some treats then repeat this a few times , then get him in and do the ramp up and drive round the block for a while , I know it all sounds long winded but it pays off , our pony was a pig to load and he now just trots up the ramp and waits to go !!

good luck

 

[moneypit1]

Have to admit..........haven't read all replies so forgive me if I seem ignorant. Fly is a serial loader/unloader - depending on mood. Take your horse to the box. The minute he/she stops, make them reverse - and I mean back up at speed. (to go forward is the reward). Stop and then ask to walk forward. As soon as they falter, reverse, reverse etc. Then walk forward. They will soon walk onto trailer/lorry as that is the reward. Hope this helps.xx

 

[cashter]

My horse used to be a nightmare to load! He would stand on the ramp then reverse at 100miles an hour and rear! I spent some time with him bribing him with food. (Maybe not ideal for some). When he stood on the ramp he got some feed, I then went to top of the ramp and if he followed me he got some more. Then gradually made my way all the way in, letting him have a mouthful of feed with each forward step until he was in the trailer. Then I would lead him out and let him have the rest of the bucket when he came out. I did this everytime we went out in trailer so the whole experience was all about food! Now he cant wait to get in and I dont need a bucket anymore!

 

[Pedantic]

Took a year to get his lordship to load like a lamb and do it solo, before that typical ginger pony strop of rearing, sideways, tanking off

, would load at yard then take 20 minutes of trying get to load to come home, then all of a sudden penny drops in his little brain and oh, if I go in there I go home

Best thing I found was to feed him his dinner in the trailer EVERY day, them let him have some breakfast in it before going out, now he just goes straight in, patient calm insistance with a "monty type" halter (eventually) paid off, balling shouting smacking just made him worse, try to keep calm, walk him round in circles, keep stopping and backing him up more circles then staight up ramp and in, if it takes 2 hours dont give up, when the penny drops you aint gonna give up the time gets shorter and shorter to load, good luck

 

[Shilasdair]

If he is becoming worse, maybe it is the actual journey he is worried about. Try to make sure that the ride is smooth, the temperature is acceptable (you'd be amazed how hot it gets in a lorry with just one horse).
Hope it goes well
S

 

[custard]

[ QUOTE ]
Take your horse to the box. The minute he/she stops, make them reverse - and I mean back up at speed. (to go forward is the reward). Stop and then ask to walk forward. As soon as they falter, reverse, reverse etc. Then walk forward. They will soon walk onto trailer/lorry as that is the reward.

[/ QUOTE ]

Glad you posted this as have had a few prob's and this is what the YO has been doing this week using a Monty halter, make sure you have plenty of room!

Anyway, Junior hadn't done it for a day or two so tonight I had a try and he walked in several times after me on a slack rope.

He gets a bit of carrot inside as extra incentive and only once did he reverse off at speed so I did the reverse thing and he was pretty damn good after that following me on obediently several times.

Just to complicate matters I'm having to teach him to reverse off gently as my front ramp is a tight 90 deg turn and he rushes through launching himself off the top so scared himself (and me!) earlier in the week but the practise seems to be paying off.

 

[Foxford]

Thanks everyone, some really helpful ideas! I am determined that he will get bored before I do. I hope he is more energetic tomorrow or I might have to carry him up!

Will let you know how I get on.

 

[MagicMelon]

I wouldnt use a lunge rope - have never got on with using this method for loading!

Id first try tempting him in more with lots of carrots etc. even laying a little trail of course mix can work! Id feed him in there daily too if practical. If this doesn't work and he's starting to take the piss, then Id do my favourite very simple trick of getting a sports bottle full of water, stand behind him (not too close obviously) and as soon as he begins reversing squirt it at his bum! The shock of it usually makes them go forward pretty quick. Do it everytime as soon as he even thinks about stopping and soon he should go straight in. Worked a treat on one of mine who enjoyed walking half way up then stopping and admiring the view for a minute!